7 fun things to do in Bundaberg this school holidays
List
By Lucille Burkitt
When reading about a little getaway to Bundaberg, a couple of things come to mind: the Bundaberg Barrel and its famous ginger beer, the rum distillery, and a history steeped in aviation.
There’s plenty for adults to explore at this quaint home away from home. A town where everyone feels welcome to explore, but families with kids are the ones truly seizing the day. There’s plenty to do during school holidays in Bundaberg to keep the young (and the young at heart) filled with a sense of wonder and exploration.
Bundaberg is a great destination for a school holiday getaway, whether you live locally and are rediscovering the sites or dropping your pin on the Southern Great Barrier Reef to explore the surrounds. Thanks to its outdoor draws, kid-friendly activities, iconic Queensland coastlines, galleries and Turtle Centre, you’ll never be short on to-dos while visiting Bundy this school holidays. All parent-approved, of course.
1. Meet the locals at Mon Repos Turtle Centre
If you’re visiting Bundaberg in the summer school holidays between November and March, make sure to stop by the Mon Repos Turtle Centre for an education on Queensland’s favourite marine friends. The centre is a unique opportunity to witness the South Pacific’s largest population of nesting loggerhead turtles.
Visit during January’s summer school holidays to witness turtles nesting on the beach banks or pop by during March to watch them hatch. They wait beneath the sand for the temperature to drop as a signal to dash for the nearby water’s edge. It’s an experience that requires patience but yields so much reward. Bring binoculars for an up close and personal peek.
The centre plays a vital role in the survival of this endangered turtle and a special experience for kids to witness so early in their lifetime. Foster an appreciation for the preservation of Queensland’s abundant wildlife and leave feeling inspired.
2. Explore the Great Barrier Reef with Lady Musgrave Experience
Take the family on an up-close encounter with marine life and experience Queensland’s crowning jewel without the lengthy drive north. A great school holiday day trip for the kind of kids you can’t get out of the water. The Lady Musgrave Experience is the most accessible departure point to experience the Southern Great Barrier Reef.
Jump on the 35-metre luxury catamaran for the day and be snorkelling amidst coral cays and manta rays in under two hours. The tour grants your family access to the reef, snorkelling, glass bottom boats and marine wildlife, so your mini-marine biologists can spend the day learning about our coastline corals and creatures. If you’re visiting during turtle season (November to March) you might even find yourself swimming alongside one.
3. Learn about life on the farm
Whether you've got a few hours of farm-loving up your sleeve or are ready to embrace it all in a farm stay experience, Bundaberg's Splitters Farm will delight the whole family.
A 160-acre property bordered by Splitters Creek, this is a working cattle farm and, in addition to its rescued barnyard animals, is home to native Australian animals including wallabies, platypus, barramundi, prehistoric lung fish and boasts over 150 documented species of Australian bird life.
Bring the kids along for a self-guided explore to feed the farm animals or a guided behind-the-scenes tour (running each weekend at 10:30am) where you'll help collect eggs, taste farm-fresh honey and learn about life on the farm. The more adventurous should take advantage of the farm stay experience and soak up a few days of country air.
4. Fly to eco-paradise on Lady Elliot Island
The best parts of childhood are discovery, exploration and new experiences. Something Lady Elliot Island is abundant in – a sensory treat for all ages. Leave the gadgets at home and venture to Lady Elliot Island on an all-inclusive day tour leaving from Bundaberg Airport. Whether it’s a special occasion splurge or school holiday milestone, this day tour is a bucket-list style event for kids and adults alike.
It starts with scenic flights over to Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort, a coral cay on the Southern-most tip of the Great Barrier Reef, before a brief orientation tour of the island. You and the family are then left to explore the island at your leisure, equipped with complimentary snorkel equipment. The island is criss-crossed with family-friendly walk trails, swimming lagoons and kid-friendly snorkelling opportunities. Take a dip amidst the surrounding corals or join in the glass bottom boat and guided snorkel tour. An incredible opportunity for your family to come face to face with glittered corals, large fish, dolphins, turtles and large, playful manta rays.All this before tucking into a buffet lunch.
Whether you stay for the day or choose to explore the island a little longer, we guarantee you’ll leave the island feeling different than you came. An experience the kids are surely never to forget.
5. Park your kids at Bundaberg Botanic Gardens and Playground
Photo by @dustnthedarks
If you’re looking to dial it down a touch, there’s plenty to enjoy in Bundy’s backyard during the days between day tours and exploration. Stop by the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens and Playground for a picnic, duck feeding and a visit to the Hinkler House and Hall of Aviation.
The gardens are home to 114 different bird species – the perfect opportunity to be still together and see what you can spy. Cafe 1928 is on site if you feel peckish or need a coffee before exploring the nearby Railway Museum built in 1881. The Australian Sugarcane Railway conducts train rides every Sunday and four days a week during school holidays on their track that winds its way through the gardens.
Discover why so much of Bundaberg is named after famous aviator, Bert Hinkler. Let the kids discover the ‘olden days’ at their own pace with two museums that showcase his personal story, with over twenty exhibits that encourage your little ones to get tactile, build, create and innovate.
6. Family friendly beach trips around Bundaberg
Photo by @love_stoned_studios
Entire days easily disappear with some sunscreen, a towel and a pack lunch at these beaches during school holidays in Bundaberg. Take a trip to these five beaches around Bundy and be sure to grab the family a famous locally made Mammino ice-cream on the way. The gourmet ice cream is a family recipe, handed down through generations and a long-standing Bundaberg ‘beach day’ tradition!
Woodgate, Elliot Heads, Bargara, Mon Repos and Burnett Heads each have their own special charm (and playgrounds) to fill a day of sandcastle building, swimming, stand-up paddle boarding and picnics. Everyone’s guaranteed to sleep well after a salty day exploring Bundy’s nearby sands.
7. Instil a little culture Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery
An unmissable institution to visit during school holidays, Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery is a space filled with fascinating displays for you and interactive instalments for your little ones. Rich in history, the Bundaberg regional Art Gallery was once home to Customs House in 1902 and then the bank in 1921 where they installed two concrete bank vaults, armed with heavy combination locks. These vaults are now used as the gallery’s ‘The Vault’ installation space. A curious place to be and experience.
The gallery is also home to a Kidz Corner, complete with interactive displays, arts and crafts where kids self-guide their way through activities. Sensory play is encouraged throughout the exhibits and you’ll typically find parents get curious and playful in this space as well. A little something to awaken everyone’s thirst to be tactile with art, perhaps.
There’s plenty of parking out front, but it’s worth a mention that only two of the three gallery spaces are accessible with prams and wheelchairs.
Explore Bundaberg
