Bundaberg Airport Mini Guide
Bundaberg is a very unusual place. It is home to the Australian sugar cane industry and much of the infrastructure around the city came about because of the need to transport the cane to the processing plants. In time, Australia’s sugar, rum and ginger beer industries grew up in the area bringing prosperity. During your stay you can visit the ginger beer factory, called the Bundaberg Barrel, and also have a tour of the rum distillery. Because of its industrial nature, the city wasn’t built on the coast, instead it’s on the Burnett River but today the beachfront suburb of Bargara fuels the area’s economy with holiday apartments and hotels.
Getting to Bundaberg?
Just over six miles out of Bundaberg is the airport of the same name that serves the city. Only two routes operate out of Bundaberg, a Quantas flight daily to
Brisbane and a SEAIR flight to the eco resort of Lady Elliot Island. Travellers from outside Australia will need to catch a flight to Brisbane first before continuing their journey. Plans to attract new partners include encouraging Virgin Australia to fly to Bundaberg and the hope that Jetstar may consider adding Bundaberg to its portfolio.
Bundaberg Airport arrivals
The airport is very small but unusually modern, it was upgraded substantially in 2010 in the hope of attracting more flights from Australian cities and abroad. It’s a short walk across the tarmac to the terminal for passengers as the upgrade didn’t include any jet bridges. The procedure for arrivals is very quick and efficient with no passport controls to worry about and an arrivals hall that is bereft of many of the services you’d expect at an airport.
Queries over airport facilities and procedure should be directed to a member of staff as there is no dedicated information point and there are no banks, ATMs or post office at Bundaberg Airport. There is however a hire car desk which will come in useful as there are no buses from the airport and the only taxis must be booked in advance or by phone once at the airport.
Departing Bundaberg Airport
Sadly, once you’ve check your bags in, there’s very little to do. At least you won’t have had to be at the airport hours before your flight. You would be well advised to prepare yourself in advance by bringing your own food and drink together with some entertainment should you be waiting a while for your flight. Refreshment there consists of a small café/snack bar and the only shop is a small one selling newspapers and confectionery. Further work on the expansion of the airport is continuing and it is hoped to have better facilities in place soon.
Bundaberg was founded on the crystal gold that is sugar. The perfect conditions existed for sugar cane to grow there and the area made the most of its good fortune. That good fortune continues today with miles of sugar cane plantations criss-crossed by railway tracks that were used to transport the precious canes.
Bundaberg has also begun to cash in on its climate by developing a beachside suburb, Bargara, that is now the home of quality hotels, second homes in stylish apartment blocks and retirees looking for a simpler, warmer quality of life.