Bundaberg & Surrounds
Beach Walkway
Bundaberg
- This page also contains a condensed summary of a “Hotspotting Report” from Terry Ryder
On the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef, the City of Bundaberg combines a relaxed, coastal lifestyle with a strong business community and economy.
The city is also the major commercial and service centre for the Wide Bay–Burnett region and is poised for future growth as plans for several big-ticket projects progress.
The State Government identified the 6,445ha city as a State Development Area in 2017, with 5,000ha of land around the Port of Bundaberg now earmarked for a major redevelopment.
Work has started on a new $1.2 billion public hospital which is set to deliver a wider range of medical services and jobs to the region.
Manufacturing plants are expanding and the CBD is undergoing a $30 million makeover while a new civic and cultural precinct is planned, along with several new residential estates.
The flood-prone city which has regularly experienced major natural disasters, the most recent in 2022, is being targeted with $175 million in funding from the State and Federal government for a levee.
All this activity is creating jobs which, together with attractively priced real estate, high returns and ultra-low vacancy rates, is driving the property market upwards.
Bargara Beach
Economy and Amenities
While well-known for its iconic rum brand, Bundaberg also has plenty of other strong industries, particularly sugar.
The sugar cane industry contributes around $137 million to the local economy.
The city’s port is also one of seven Queensland facilities to export raw sugar.
One of the country’s best-known sugar brands and Australia’s largest sugar cane grower – Bundaberg Sugar – is expected to generate gross earnings of around $25 million in 2024.
The Mill is reported to be one of the largest land and water sites in the region, the 13,000-ha facility generating more than 1 million tonnes of sugar cane annually.
As well as generating sugar cane, the site has also become a major source of ethanol and othergreen energy fuels.
Heightened interest in these fuels was believed to be the reason why the facility was on the market in September 2023, for a potential value of $600 million. However, it was removed from potential sale later in the year.
Queensland’s commercial cane sugar harvest in 2023 was the highest since 2018 and was also helped by a spike in world sugar prices and a drop in those for fertilisers, which skyrocketed due to the war in Ukraine.
Other major agricultural industries in the Bundaberg region include sweet potatoes and macadamia nuts, with local farms growing 70% and 50% respectively of Australia’s produce. In addition, the LGA is the largest passion fruit-growing region in the nation.
In Bundaberg, Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing is the most productive industry, generating $817 million in 2022/23.
Much of this produce is handled at the Port of Bundaberg, which is another significant source of employment for the city. Built at the mouth of the Burnett River, the port has two cargo wharves that handle sugar, molasses, wood pellets, silica sand and gypsum.
The port is undergoing a $21 million Common User Infrastructure (CUI) expansion project, as part of the five-year Hinkler Regional Deal, which will increase bulk export commodities.
Health & Education Facilities
Bundaberg will soon have a new public hospital, with work underway on a $1.2 billion facility.
This follows the existing hospital undergoing several multi-million dollar upgrades in recent years.
The city has a selection of private hospitals and day hospitals including the Friendly Society Private Hospital and Mater Private Hospital, both of which have undergone significant recent upgrades.
Bundaberg has a liberal sprinkling of State primary schools and private schools, with two state high schools in Bundaberg North and Kepnock. Central Queensland University (CQUniversity) also has a campus in Bundaberg as does the Wide Bay Institute of TAFE.
Tourism
Tourism plays an important role in the local economy.
In FY2023 the total tourism sales in Bundaberg Regional Council was $523.8 million while the total value added to its economy was $296.2 million, according to National Institute of Economic and Industry Research (NIEIR) figures.
Bundaberg Tourism says the visitor economy is the region’s third-largest industry and a vital contributor to economic growth and jobs. More than 679,000 overnight domestic visitors travelled to the region in FY2023, injecting $416 million into the regional economy.
Operators such as Bundy Food Tours, Lady Musgrave Experiences, and Kalki Moon Distilling and Brewing have all won tourism awards.
The region is also looking to gain eco-tourism accreditation.
Bundaberg visitors enjoy the natural attractions of the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef especially Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave islands. Whale watching is also a highly popular tourist attraction as is witnessing the rare event of turtle hatchlings in the wild at Mon Repos – Australia’s largest turtle rookery.
Festivals are also gaining prominence with one example being the annual 10-day Taste Bundaberg Festival, while the city’s many heritage-listed sites including the Fairymead House Sugar Museum, the Commercial Bank of Sydney building, the Bundaberg War Memorial, and the Burnett Bridge.
History and aviation enthusiasts can visit the Hinkler Hall of Aviation with the building celebrating pioneer aviator and Bundaberg resident, Bert Hinkler, who was the first person to fly solo from England to Australia in 1928.
In addition, local retail facilities include Bourbon Street in the Bundaberg CBD. Hinkler Shopping Centre and Sugarland Shoppingtown also offer large shopping precincts and a second shopping centre in Bargara is now being considered.
Council Infrastructure Spending & Capital Works
Bundaberg Regional Council’s Gross Regional Product was $5.62 billion in the year ending June 2023, growing 3.9% since the previous year.
Bundaberg Regional Council’s budget for FY2025 was adopted in June 2024. Highlights of its capital works program include:
$5.2 million for a “reimagined and scaled-down” ANZAC Park redevelopment
$4.75 million to continue the Coastal Sewerge Diversion project
$3.6 million in flood upgrades to Duckpond Road
$6 million for sand nourishment and a rockwall at Wodgate Beach for erosion control
$27.5 million for the finalisation of the Bundaberg Aquatic Centre
Airport Facilities
Bundaberg Regional Airport is owned by Bundaberg Regional Council and serviced by Qantaslink and Link Airways.
The facility is also the base for charter operators, flying training organisations, the Royal Flying Doctor Service’s (RFDS) Queensland sector and RACQ LifeFlight Rescue.
Regular Qantaslink services connect to Brisbane around 38 times per week with Link Airways flying to the capital city around six times every week.
The new home of RFDS Queensland and RACQ LifeFlight Rescue is now at the adjoining Aeromedical Centre of Excellence, which is part of a Regional Aviation and Aerospace Precinct.
The latter is an 11ha multi-stage, master-planned industrial development that is still being expanded with full completion expected in 2025.
Early works have also begun on a world-class aviation training facility for the RFDS, which will include a training simulator, while at Burnett Heads, a $250 million Gateway Marina is well underway.
Burnett River Bridge
Property Profile
Regional Queensland’s property market is poised to repeat its strong 2023 performance in 2024, as one of the leading regional market jurisdictions in the nation.
The Canstar Rising Stars 2024 report powered by Hotspotting says there is considerable impetus behind buyer demand in regional markets as new residents to Queensland seek out lifestyle locations.
Bargara in Bundaberg is tipped to be a strong performer in 2024 as it is already attracting rising buyer demand. Both houses and units are selling quickly and growth rates, both short-term and long-term are high. Dwellings are typically in the $500,000s and $600,000s, but sea frontage fetches well over $1 million.
CoreLogic’s May 2024 Regional Market Update says Bundaberg has one of the lowest days on the market in Australia, third behind Toowoomba and Cairns with houses spending a median of just 17 days on the market before selling.
The LGA’s median dwelling value is up by 79.1% in the past five years while its median asking rent is up by 54.9% over the same period.
The Winter 2024 Price Predictor Index by Hotspotting says transaction numbers are rising in Elliott Heads, Gin Gin and Moolboolaman, which is generally a precursor to further price growth.
Sales are consistent in Bargara, which was on the Summer 2024 PPI list of National Top 50 Consistency markets.
Building Approvals
The Bundaberg LGA experienced a spurt in residential building approvals during the pandemic with 696 properties given the green light in FY2021, and 676 in FY2022. These are the two highest rates of approvals in the past decade and more than in FY2019 and FY2020 combined.
The FY2023 year was also a strong one for building approvals with 501 residences ticked off.
On top of these approvals, the State Government has committed to building 175 new homes in the Wide Bay-Burnett region by FY2025, largely as part of the State Government’s QuickStarts Queensland program.
Also helping Bundaberg first-home buyers (FHB) are government stimulus packages such as the Federal HomeBuilder program, Regional Home Building Grant, and Regional Home Guarantee scheme.
House market
Affordability remains one of the stand-out features of the Bundaberg market and ensures it continues to attract FHBs and others on a budget. Median house prices start at just $382,000 in Bundaberg South and up to $760,000 in Bargara.
All but two locations recorded growth in median house price in the past 12 months with more than half achieving double-digit price growth.
The strongest growth was in Bundaberg East where the median house price increased by 29% to $482,000, followed by Millbank ($463,000) and Thabeban ($475,000) which are both up by 23%.
Bargara was the most popular suburb for house buyers with its median up by 20% to $760,000 based on 187 house sales. Bundaberg North had 99 sales and both Moore Park Beach and Avoca had 82 sales.
Long-term annual average growth over the past decade was solid in the 5% to 8% range.
Unit market
The unit market is growing with Bargara being the most popular with 68 sales in the past 12 months while Bundaberg North recorded 24 unit sales. The median unit price in Bargara rose by 25% to $620,000 while the median in Bundaberg North was down 1% to $270000.
Long-term annual average growth in the past ten years was 7% in Bargara and 3% in Bundaberg North unit markets.
Vacancy Rates and Yields
House renters in the postcode of 4670 – which covers all of Bundaberg LGA, except Woodgate, now typically pay $555 per week, according to SQM Research data. This is an 11% increase in the year to May 2024.
The vacancy rate has dropped to 0.7% in May 2024 having been below 2% since July 2018. It is also 0.7% in Woodgate which represents about five properties being available for rent in that market. The median asking rent for houses in Woodgate is $510 per week.
Bundaberg investors can also expect excellent yields in this region, in both the house and unit markets. House yields range from 4.3% up to 6.6%. In the unit market yields range from 4.8% to 6.8%.
Bundaberg Townhall and Clock Tower
Future Prospects
Bundaberg is undergoing serious developments and upgrades.
Residential Developments
Residential estates are booming in the Bundaberg LGA, thanks in part to strong population growth, with the largest of these estates being the $2 billion South Beach Estate at Elliott Heads.
Believed to be the single largest development in the region’s history, the master-planned beachside community set on 246ha project will eventually feature 2,000 homes, a 320-lot retirement village and aged care facilities.
It will also have a town centre, medical centre, tavern, childcare centre and caravan park.
Construction on the first stage was completed in December 2023 and Stages 2 and 3 have already sold out, although civil works on these stages are yet to begin.
Work had started on the $250 million Gateway Marina in Burnett Heads but the project has now come to a halt.
The waterfront harbour village project which was to encompass short and long-term accommodation, a resort-style hotel, a 318-berth marina and a leisure precinct, is being offered for sale.
The Bargara Waters Lifestyle Resort is another major residential planned for the region, with the 16ha ocean-front park to have 344 homes and several different facilities.
Council approved two further Bargara residential developments in April 2023, with one including a revamp of the town’s existing golf clubhouse into a resort-style facility with 56 short-stay units, and a wellness centre.
The second development will have a new golf clubhouse and retirement facility with 48 units.
In addition, the Bundaberg CBD may soon be home to more affordable inner-city living possibilities.
A development application was lodged in November 2023 for a block of eight new apartments, spread across two to three storeys, on a 1,406m2 vacant site.
The Council is considering an application for a relocatable home park aimed at addressing the city’s housing crisis.
An extension of the 1,600km Inland Rail route beyond Melbourne-Brisbane to Gladstone and Toowoomba – and possibly via Bundaberg – is being explored too.
The Federal Government is spending $10 million to investigate this project and the proposed route could mean 10,000 jobs for regional Queensland, and generate $15 billion in investment.
There are also several renewable energy projects underway, or in the pipeline, with almost $1 billion worth of work proposed.
In addition, Bundaberg has several industries experiencing a strong growth phase, according to Council, including:
Health:
Work on the new State Government-funded, $1.2 billion Bundaberg Hospital is now underway and set for completion in late 2027, with the existing public hospital to continue operating for non-urgent services.
The new six-storey facility will feature 121 beds and a larger Emergency Department than the current hospital as well as a rooftop helipad and acute services departments.
Building the hospital will create around 2,887 construction jobs.
The Mater Private Hospital announced in June 2023 that it would receive $1 million in new medical equipment.
This follows several upgrades and expansions in recent years, including a $40 million development in 2017.
The Friendly Society Private Hospital is also undergoing a six-stage development.
The final, $32 million stage was to begin in 2020 but it is on hold.
Education:
According to a 2022 Council investor report, Bundaberg is positioning itself as a high-quality university and education city.
An Australia Pacific LNG STEM Central facility opened at CQUniversity in 2018.
Investment plans are now underway in the city for international student accommodation, alternative and special education schools and language training.
The city may also soon be home to the nation’s first Challenger Learning Centre – a $7 million, NASA-inspired STEM training facility for primary and high school students.
Agriculture:
Bundaberg’s agricultural industry is expanding every year.
The region already produces over $1 billion in agricultural output per annum and the local industry is the third most popular in the LGA after health care and retail.
In FY2021, 10% of workers were employed in agriculture – more than double that of regional Queensland’s 4.3% figure.
The region may produce higher figures in the future.
Transport Upgrades
The Bundaberg CBD is around 50km west of the Bruce Highway, Queensland’s main highway tracking north and south on the east coast.
The city’s nearest State route – the 140km Isis Highway – eventually meets the Bruce Highway at various locations including Childers, and is currently undergoing a $41.8 million upgrade, funded solely by the State Government.
The multi-stage upgrade focuses on a 40km stretch of the Isis Highway between Airport Drive in Bundaberg and the Bruce Highway.
Paradise Dam Rebuild
Built in 2005, Paradise Dam is on the Burnett River about 80km south-west of Bundaberg.
With a capacity of 300 billion litres, the facility is the major water storage supply in the LGA.
In January 2024, it was announced that the low quality of the dam spillway meant it could not be repaired or restored, instead, it would need to be completely rebuilt downstream of the existing structure.
The Federal Government reiterated in June 2024 that $600 million in funding was available for the project once it receives the business case for relocating the wall.
In the meantime, the Bundaberg East Levee will further improve the city’s flood resilience, with the 1.7km concrete embankment to be builtparallel to the southern bank of the Burnett River.
The project received $175 million in funding from the State and Federal governments in June 2023 and will include floodgates, flood doors, and pump stations across two creeks.
Construction is expected to begin by early 2025.
Renewable Energy & Mining
The latest of the region’s renewable energy projects is a $130 million solar farm at Isis River, which i approved, could power 30,000 homes and generate 100 construction jobs over 12-18 months.
Global Power Generation (GPG) – the local arm of Naturgy Energy Group – signed an agreement with Telstra in December 2023 to supply 153GWh of solar energy per annum to the national grid.
Coal mining may also have a place in Bundaberg despite strong community, Council and State Government disapproval.
In October 2023, the Queensland Supreme Court overturned a State Government decision on a 7,818ha coal mining lease northwest of Bundaberg.
The development’s mining exploration company, Fox Resources believes the lease could include 132.8Mt of high-quality coking coal.
Further Upgrades
In November 2023, local family-owned company, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks opened a $152 million “super” brewery, that will reportedly more than triple the size of the existing facility.
Partly funded by the Federal Government, the 22,000m2 brewery generated around 900 jobs during two years of construction and is only the first stage of a multi-stage expansion for the company.
The 56.6ha Thabeban farm, SSS Strawberries, also opened a major new facility in December2023. It is hoped the $15 million freeze-drying facility will cut down food waste and create a new taste for the farm’s Gina Table retail brand.
The 371m2 facility will employ 50 workers.
Meanwhile, Bargara may soon have a new shopping centre including a third supermarket. Council approved a development application from BluePoint in June 2023, allowing for the centre to also include a restaurant, gym and service station.
In May 2024 the State Government announced funding for a $20 million upgrade to the Bundaberg Police Station. It will provide greater capacity, investigation rooms, parking upgrades and staff facilities.
Boral announced in May 2024 that it has bought Booyal Quarries, a 75-ha hard rock quarry 60km south-west of Bundaberg. It intends to use the quarry to meet the ongoing construction demands across the ‘rapidly growing’ Wide Bay region.
Port of Bundaberg Expansion
The redevelopment of the Port of Bundaberg is expected to generate 20,000 jobs. Major works began in early 2023 on the $21 million Common User Infrastructure (CUI) project, of which $18 million is funded by the Federal Government.
Part of the five-year Federal and Council Hinkler Regional Deal, the CUI comprises a 250m-long bulk goods conveyor facility at the port, which opened in April 2024. The $21.9 million conveyor will provide competitive and efficient loading for a wide range of bulk minerals and agricultural products including sand, sugar and wood pellets.
In more support of the port redevelopment, 5,000ha of land next to the marine facility has been designated a State Development Area (SDA).
The SDA is divided into five precincts suitable for manufacturing and industrial pursuits, especially those connected to importing and exporting.
A new $18 million marine industry site opened in September 2023 developing the unused shorefront into a multipurpose facility and laying the foundation for a dedicated marine industry site at the Port of Bundaberg.
Construction of Pacific Tug’s Pacific Marine Base is also underway at the Port of Bundaberg.
Completion of the $18 million first stage – which comprises a cargo barge facility that will increase intrastate and Pacific Island trade – opened in September 2023.
Stage 2 was pronounced as “shovel ready” in February 2023.
This stage is expected to cost $35 million and generate 100 jobs in the construction phase.
Plans include lengthening the current wharf to 97 metres to create a bulk shipping terminal with access to major roads.
The project will eventually attract heavy commercial and naval contracts for repair and maintenance and create 70 construction jobs and 110 ongoing jobs.
Community Developments
The Bundaberg CBD is receiving a $30 million makeover and major construction work which includes a new $83 million regional aquatic centre.
The fitness hub is being constructed on a former waste disposal site at the showgrounds.
It will include a 50m, heated outdoor pool and a 25m heated indoor pool plus multi-purpose rooms for fitness, teaching and therapy programs.
The hub will also be co-located with the Bundaberg Multiplex, which comprises a modern conference centre and a PCYC facility.
Next to the aquatic centre, Anzac Park was to undergo a $19 million redevelopment which included $5 million in Federal funding. The FY2025 Council budget says a “reimagined and scaled-down” $5.2 million project will go ahead to allow memorial services to return as soon as possible and lay the foundations for more significant redevelopment in future budgets when
Council is in a financial position to do so and after conducting meaningful consultation with the veteran community.
Bundaberg’s Recreational Precinct was upgraded in recent years and plans for a new $55 million Civic and Cultural Arts Precinct were announced in 2020.
The precinct would include a new art gallery and performing arts centre with a community hub on the site of the former Wintergarden Theatre to include office spaces for community groups
The city’s Indigenous Wellbeing Centre (IWC) may also undergo a $3.2 million expansion, after receiving Council approval in 2021, following the completion of million-dollar upgrades in 2014 and 2019.
In the meantime, the IWC became the exclusive provider of a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) for the Bundaberg region in November 2023.
One of 11 UCCs across Queensland, the Bundaberg UCC will provide episodic treatment for minor injuries and illnesses that are not life-threatening.
This will reduce pressure on local hospitals, providing more capacity for patients with life-threatening injuries and illnesses to be prioritised with a greater level of urgency.
A Typical Single-Story Home in Bundaberg from Compass
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John & Joanna, NSW
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Their new home will allow them to rent out an existing Property