There are many fun things to do in Bundaberg.
Bundaberg is a large city located on the southern edge of the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland along the Burnett River. First established in 1867, it was originally a timber town. When timber supplies began to run out, enterprising farmers turned to sugar cane production. Today, this, along with other agricultural pursuits, still forms a large part of Bundaberg’s economy.
With a population of over 104,166 people, the Bundaberg region is thriving. It is popular with tourists and, as we recently discovered, has a lot to offer visitors. So, here are our top 7 things to do in Bundaberg.
Things To Do In Bundaberg
Dive into the Southern Great Barrier Reef, marvel at nesting turtles at Mon Repos, taste the famous Bundaberg Rum at its distillery, and explore lush botanical gardens. It’s a perfect blend of natural beauty and rich heritage, promising unforgettable experiences for your visit.
Bundaberg Rum Distillery
When the sugar cane industry was first established, farmers quickly discovered that they had a lot of molasses left over, so a group of them got together and decided to make rum with it. The Bundaberg Rum Distillery has been a Bundaberg icon since the late 1800’s.
Nowadays, no visit to Bundaberg is complete without a tour of the distillery and the awesome new museum. As a bonus, you can taste any two rums from their range.
Book your Bundaberg Rum Distillery Tickets here
Alexandra Park Zoo
We were so impressed when we discovered the Alexandra Park Zoo in Bundaberg. Located on Quay Street, this free zoo is adjacent to a lovely park and playground. For a tiny zoo, it had a great assortment of animals and birds, including emu’s, dingoes, and gorgeous Tamarin monkeys from South America.
With friendly and knowledgeable staff, Alexandra Zoo is the perfect spot for kids of all ages to visit. While there, make sure you walk down the boardwalk that goes out onto the Burnett River. We thought the views were pretty spectacular.
Mon Repos Turtle Centre
On the coast east of Bundaberg, you will find Mon Repos Beach. Every year, between November and January, hundreds of endangered loggerhead turtles come to Mon Repos to lay their eggs. Then, between January and March, the hatchlings can be seen returning to the sea.
If you can’t visit Mon Repos during turtle season, it is still worth visiting the Mon Repos Turtle Centre where you can learn more about these ancient sea creatures.
If you want to explore the area on foot some boardwalks lead back to Bargara. This walk is about 4.2 kilometres long and should take about 45 minutes to complete.
During turtle season, the beach is closed to the public to protect nesting turtles, but guided tours can be booked through the National Parks Service.
Bagara Beach
Bargara Beach is one of our favourite spots in Bundaberg. It has a beautiful small beach sheltered by rocks on both ends. Parkland and walking tracks extend right along the foreshore area now, with Christensen Park being the newest park area. This park has recently had a makeover, and new play equipment, picnic areas, and barbeque areas have been added.
It is absolutely waterfront and the perfect spot to enjoy a family picnic or a catch-up with friends, like we did. There are also shops and restaurants nearby, as well as the Bargara Beach
Bundaberg Brewed Drinks
Did you know that Bundaberg is not just famous for its rum? Bundaberg Brewed Drinks started making Ginger Beer in the 1960s. Now, they produce a wide range of brewed soft drinks from their factory in Bundaberg.
A visit to ‘The Barrel’ will allow you to learn more about the history of Bundaberg Brewed Drinks and how these tasty drinks are made.
After you have completed the tour, you can taste all 16 of Bundaberg Brewed Drinks’ delicious products. Some of these flavours are only available for sale at the factory, but many can be purchased in your local supermarket.
The newly released Tropical Mango was my personal favourite. It would be lovely and refreshing over ice on a hot summer night.
Hinkler Hall of Aviation
Located within the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens, the Hinkler Hall of Aviation celebrates the life of aviator Bert Hinkler. This is a fantastic exhibit for anyone interested in the history of aviation. Bert Hinkler was born in Bundaberg in 1892. After seeing active service in England during WW1, he became one of the aviation pioneers.
Hinkler was famous for his solo flight from England to Australia in 1928. He was killed attempting another solo flight to Australia in 1933.
Just adjacent to the museum is Hinkler House (Mon Repos). This was Bert Hinkler’s English house, which was transported piece by piece to Bundaberg and re-erected in the Botanic Gardens overlooking the site where he landed after his solo flight to Australia in 1928.
Bundaberg Botanic Gardens
Bundaberg Botanic Gardens is a wonderful public space where you can relax under shady trees, enjoy a picnic, or feed the ducks. A large dam in the centre is full of turtles and birdlife, and boardwalks and pontoons extend out over the water.
You can also relax and enjoy lunch or a coffee at Cafe 1928, which overlooks the gardens. Plenty of seating along the front of the cafe with views across the gardens.
Also located in the gardens is the Bundaberg Historical Society Museum, which is well worth a look at.
A highlight of these gardens is the ‘Australian Sugar Cane Train,’ which runs around the gardens every Sunday. Prices start at $4.00 for adults or $1.00 for school-age kids. Kids of all ages will love it!
More Things To Do In Bundaberg
If you are looking for something more to do in Bundaberg, then might we suggest the following:-
- Visit Splitters Farm, you can also camp there.
- Dive on ex-HMAS Tobruk – an artificial dive reef.
- In season – go whale watching.
- Drive out to the smaller villages of Elliott Heads, Moore Park or Coral Cove.
- Walk out to the lighthouse and break wall at Burnett Heads.
- Take a walk down Bundaberg’s main street to see several historical buildings including the Post Office.
- You can pick fresh strawberries at one of the local strawberry farms. We visited Tinaberries. Sample their ice cream—it’s delicious!
- Walk across Bundaberg’s historic bridge.
- Marvel at the workmanship involved in the Bundaberg East Water Tower.
- Check out the 360 views from The Hummock Lookout.
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With years of experience travelling Australia in a caravan, I’m passionate about helping others embark on their own unforgettable adventures. From off-grid camping tips to expert advice on planning the ultimate big lap of Australia, I share stories, practical hacks, and inspiration to make your journey stress-free and exciting. Whether you’re a seasoned traveller or just starting out, join me as I explore the beauty of Australia, one road at a time!
Town of 1770 and lark amphibious tours !! Not far from Bundy !
You do realise that there are other beaches in this region other than Bagara. Not as much money is spent to improve others but they are better beaches.
Great list of attractions to see in the Bundaberg region. It’s our home town but we have been away for quite a long time. Good to see the place is growing and has plenty to offer visitors. Thanks for sharing.
We love Bundaberg….could easily spend a couple of weeks looking around there.
We stopped at Bundaberg for a few days during our around Australia caravan trip a few years. We stayed out at Moore Park right on the beach. We really enjoyed our tour of the Bundaberg Rum Distillery (as this is my husband’s favourite beverage!) We also loved Bargara and Burnett Head. It does pack a punch for a small city.
Moore park has a lovely little park as does Burnett Heads and Elliott Heads. We loved our rum factory tour. Very interesting.