Bundaberg is gorgeous in winter, mild days, plenty of sunshine and lots to do and explore that doesn’t cost a penny! Take this top 10 road less travelled list and tick off these adventures as part of your visit.
ALEXANDRA PARK, RIVER WALK + ZOO
Start this adventure at Alexandra Park with lots of different play equipment for a large age range - climbing frames, swings, fire truck, pirate ship and roundabouts all sit alongside the free, council-run zoo. The zoo is open Wednesday to Sunday and you will find Dingoes, Emus, Cotton-top Tamarind monkeys, green frogs, Quoll, a variety of native birds and parrots, monitors and wallabies. Then follow the paved path down to the jetty for a closer look at the Burnett River and the train bridge, then head right down the Riverwalk on scooters, bikes or foot to explore more of the river front. This comes out right near River Cruz cafe on Quay St.
BALDWIN SWAMP NATURE WALK & PLAYGROUND
Birds, birds and more birds. Baldwin Swamp is a twitchers paradise as well as super fun adventuring for the whole family with multiple entry points. A the Lake Ellen Heritage Hub end (accessible via Bourbong St near St Johns school) you will find a bike track, playground (currently undergoing some renovations) and a concrete path that connects it to the rest of the swamp. Follow the path and take some bird food to feed the ducks at the pond, try and spot tadpoles at many of the shallower bridges, race pooh sticks through tunnels and hop over the ‘fairy stones’ as my family calls them. There is also an entrance via Stiendl Street where there is path that winds through from the other side. Pack a picnic and enjoy the surrounds and bird spotting - see if you can see three types of ducks, the black swans who are often spotted with signets and Mr Spoonbill foraging amongst the weeds.
COONARR BEACH TREASURE HUNTING
Lots of visitors think that visiting Coonarr means you need a 4WD - but you don’t. There is easy beach access with the fam where you can go treasure hunting on stretches of beach for hours! Pack some snacks and go exploring on the tide line - you will find a huge variety of shells, treasures and more. This beach is dog friendly too so the furry member of your family can join in too. Kids can make cubbies out of the fallen pandanus trees, battle with foraged driftwood and find shell treasures that will inspire. Even if it’s too cold to swim, this is a great beach to visit. Take water and snacks.
BARGARA ESPLANADE - SCOOT OR BIKE YOUR WAY TO THREE DIFFERENT PARKS!
The trail along the Esplanade at Bargara is pretty amazing. Right on the ocean front you start at Christsen Park at the Southern end of the Esplanade where the basin and Kellys Beach are, then you can scoot to the Turtle Park which is in the central part of Bargara (cue ice-cream stops and coffee, browsing at the boutique shops) then keep heading around to Schuhkraft Park Playground and adjacent basketball courts. If you don’t want to stop there, keep going and you will hit Neilson Park beach, park and the skate park (and the Beach Mill Cafe if milkshakes and more coffee are required). This path forms part of the turtle trail - but read on for more on that.
RIDE THE TURTLE TRAIL
The Turtle trail links Kelly’s Beach at Bargara to the Burnett Heads Harbour and you will take in all the best bits of the regions beaches, including a ride through a beautiful section of the Mon Repos Turtle Rookery. There are plenty of opportunities to stop and take in the scenery, park your bike and explore or just have a rest and picnic to refresh and recharge on the way. The total track is 7.7km one way, depending on the ability of the fam, you could start at the Mon Repos section and go through to Burnett Heads or a bit longer, start at Neilsons which takes in part of the Bargara, Mon Repos and Burnett Heads sections. A fantastic and unforgettable ride.
CLIMB THE FIG TREE AT BURNETT HEADS & GO FISHING OFF THE MARINA
This fig tree is the best hiding, jungle-loving, vine swinging opportunity for kids who can fit in all the nooks and crannies. Located in Kelly Street, a stop at the Fig Tree is a must! If you want to extend your time in Burnett Heads, check out the pub’s kids menu for lunch and go fishing off the harbour. Make sure you have hats and sunscreen as it’s not protected but you might nab one or two big ones!
VISIT THE ART GALLERY
With a dedicated children’s section and often a special activity centred around children, the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery is open seven days and has a rotating spectrum of art exhibitions on show. A huge variety of mediums including sculpture, installation and more can be found showcasing both local and visiting artists and exhibitions. You can find it at 1 Barolin St (in the Bundaberg CBD) and it’s open 9:30-5pm weekdays, 10am to 2pm weekends and public holidays.
AVOCA PUMP TRACK & WALLA ST SKATEPARK
For those with older kids or more thrill-seeking, the Avoca Pump track is a bitumen track that runs around loops, turns, bumps and dives nestled int he suburbs. There is a good climbing park adjacent for younger siblings too. The newly opened Walla St Skatepark has been long awaited (opened end of June 2022) and has sections for new and beginners as well as areas for more advanced skaters and scooters or BMX riders. Centrally located with good amenities the skatepark was a long time coming after extensive community consultation.
MEADOWVALE NATURE WALK
Just outside of Bundaberg on the Rosedale Road there is a left handed stop off called the Meadowvale Nature Park. This is a lovely little Aussie bush walk that is manageable for most age ranges (some with tired legs might need carrying if you go the longer trail). There are two tracks a 1km and a 1.7km that lead to different parts of Splitters Creek, you could take a pram with pump up tyres but the soil is quiet sandy so no good for scooters.
FIND THE JAPANESE & CHINESE GARDENS + SLIDE DOWN THE SILVER SNAKE
The Bundaberg Botanic Gardens are great for a visit anytime of year, with a huge nature-play inspired playground (one of the only fully fenced ones in the region if you have children who are runners), extensive tracks all around linking different parts of the garden, a cafe on site, Hinkler Hall of Aviation and the amazing Australian Sugar Cane Railway steam train that runs every Wednesday and Sunday. Just going for a visit and biking or scooting between the duck ponds, Japanese and Chinese Gardens and the park will take up a huge part of your day. Don’t miss the butterflies in the rainforest section and the rare fruits orchard where you might spot some fruit you have never seen before!