Bundaberg

For other uses, see Bundaberg (disambiguation).

Bundaberg
Queensland
Bundaberg and the Burnett river
Bundaberg post office and war memorial
Hinkler House in the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens
Bundaberg Art Gallery
Historic architecture along Bourbong street
Bundaberg Rum Distillery
South Sea Islander Wall
(From left to right)
Aerial view of Bundaberg and the Burnett River,
Bundaberg Post Office and Bundaberg War Memorial,
Hinkler House in the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens,
Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery,
Historic architecture along Bourbong street,
Bundaberg Rum Distillery,
South Sea Islander wall
Bundaberg is located in Queensland
Bundaberg
Bundaberg
Coordinates24°51′58″S 152°20′58″E / 24.8661°S 152.3494°E / -24.8661; 152.3494 (Bundaberg (town centre))
Population73,747 (Significant Urban Area) (2021 census)[1] (25th)
Established1870
Postcode(s)4670
Elevation15 m (49 ft)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10:00)
Location
LGA(s)Bundaberg Region
CountyCook
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Hinkler
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
26.5 °C
80 °F		 16.3 °C
61 °F		 1,142.6 mm
45 in

Bundaberg (/ˈbʌndəbɜːrɡ/) is a city in the Bundaberg Region, Wide Bay, Queensland, Australia, and is the tenth largest city in the state.[2] It is a major centre of the Wide Bay–Burnett geographical region. The Bundaberg central business district is situated along the southern bank of the Burnett River, about 20 km (12 mi) from its mouth at Burnett Heads, and flows into the Coral Sea.[3] The city is sited on a rich coastal plain, supporting one of the nation's most productive agricultural regions. The area of Bundaberg is the home of the Taribelang-Bunda, Goreng Goreng, Gurang, and Bailai peoples.[4][5] Popular nicknames for Bundaberg include "Bundy", "Rum City", and "The 'Berg". The demonym of Bundaberg is Bundabergian.[citation needed] In the 2021 census, Bundaberg's urban area has a population of 73,747 people.[1][6]

The district surveyor, John Thompson Charlton designed the city layout in 1868, which planned for uniform square blocks with wide main streets, and named it ‘Bundaberg’.[7] An early influence on the development of Bundaberg came with the 1868 Land Act, which was a famous Queensland via media, that aimed to create a class of Australian yeoman.[8] Large sugarcane plantations were established throughout the 1880s, with industries of sugar mills, refineries, and rum distilleries that delivered prosperity to Bundaberg.[9] These plantations used South Sea Islanders as indentured labourers, many of whom were blackbirded, a practice considered of form of slavery.[10][11] The trade was outlawed in 1904, with most South Sea Islanders deported by 1906.[12] Major floods in 1942 and 1954 damaged the river, ending Bundaberg's role as a river port and led to a new port at the mouth of the Burnett river.[13] In the post-war era, Bundaberg continued to grow with its wealth tied to its sugar industry.[14] In 2013, Bundaberg experienced record flooding from Cyclone Oswald, which was the worst disaster in the city's history.[15]

The economy of Bundaberg is based primarily on agriculture, forestry, fishing and tourism, with a gross regional product at about $5.6 billion as of 2023.[16] Bundaberg also has a major distillery and brewery industry that exports to international markets.[17] The city is served by the Port of Bundaberg and the Bundaberg Airport.

Bundaberg has a rich history and culture, along with its humid subtropical climate it is known for its weeping fig trees, dry stone walls, and historic plantations, including the Fairymead Plantation and the Sunnyside Sugar Plantation, the latter of which is the site of a mass grave.[18] Other sites of South Sea Islander cultural significance include Sir Anthony's Rest atop the Bundaberg Hummock and the South Sea Islander Church. Major cultural institutions include the Hinkler Hall of Aviation and the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery. The city's culinary culture is highlighted by its annual 'Banquet on the Bridge',[19] and an iconic rum and gin culture with Bundaberg Rum originating in the city.

Bundaberg is a popular tourism destination, the city's hinterland includes the historic towns of Childers and Gin Gin, Lake Monduran, Cania Gorge National Park and the Promisedland mountain bike trails. Bundaberg's coastal areas include Bargara and Mon Repos, Deepwater National Park, and the southernmost reaches of the Great Barrier Reef alongside the islands of Lady Musgrave and Lady Elliot.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference ABSSUA2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Bundaberg – population centre in the Bundaberg Region (entry 5190)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  3. ^ "Map of Burnett River, QLD". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  4. ^ "First Nations Bailai, Gurang, Gooreng Gooreng, Taribelang Bunda People Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC | PBC". nativetitle.org.au. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  5. ^ Dobbins, Claire. "First Nations Strategy 2022 - 2026". Bundaberg Regional Council. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Main Features - Different Definitions of Urban". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 9 October 2017. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  7. ^ Gay Nolan, Janette (February 1977). A History of Bundaberg, 1840-1920. UQ: University of Queensland. p. Chapter 5, Page 20.
  8. ^ Gay Nolan, Janette (February 1977). A History of Bundaberg, 1840-1920. UQ: University of Queensland. p. Chapter 3, Page 69.
  9. ^ Gay Nolan, Janette (February 1977). A History of Bundaberg, 1840-1920. UQ: University of Queensland. p. Chapter 6, Page 148.
  10. ^ Gay Nolan, Janette (February 1977). A History of Bundaberg, 1840-1920. UQ: University of Queensland. p. Chapter 9, Page 1.
  11. ^ Kroeger, Brooke (31 August 2012). Undercover Reporting: The Truth About Deception. Northwestern University Press. p. 33. ISBN 9780810163515. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  12. ^ Tracey Flanagan, Meredith Wilkie, and Susanna Iuliano. "Australian South Sea Islanders: A Century of Race Discrimination under Australian Law" Archived 14 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Australian Human Rights Commission.
  13. ^ Gay Nolan, Janette (February 1977). A History of Bundaberg, 1840-1920. UQ: University of Queensland. p. Chapter 12, Page 292.
  14. ^ Gay Nolan, Janette (February 1977). A History of Bundaberg, 1840-1920. UQ: University of Queensland. p. Chapter 12, Page 300.
  15. ^ "Thousands isolated as flood threat continues". ABC News. 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  16. ^ "Bundaberg Regional Council: Economic Profile". .id community. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  17. ^ "Bundaberg Rum Visitor Experience". ABC News. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  18. ^ "Sugar, slaves and stone walls". ABC News. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  19. ^ "Enjoy dinner and drinks on the Burnett Bridge". Bundaberg Today. 29 March 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.