Bundaberg

Introducing Bundaberg

Home to a rum-guzzling polar bear, a turtle maternity ward (of sorts) and a motley crew of migrant backpackers, Bundaberg is a country town that feels oh-so two centuries ago. Aside from the odd aesthetic alteration, Bundy, as it’s affectionately known, has remained relatively unaltered since birth. Sitting at the edge of a coral-fringed coast, amid fields of waving sugar cane, the town’s main strip is embellished with wide streets, stoic old Queenslanders and swaying palms.

People come to Bundy for two reasons: either to pick fruit at nearby orchids or to drink rum. Australia’s favourite sugar-cane liquor is distilled here. You can tour the facilities, meet the company spokesperson (a powdery white, life-sized polar bear) and try a few shooters of the potent stuff (beware of drinking too much – the hangover is beyond brutal).

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009