Bundaberg Botanic Gardens — Attraction in Bundaberg North

Beautiful! So peaceful and relaxing after a long week away. Bundy was our stopover on the way back to Mackay, and I honestly wish I'd had more time to spend in this area. We were running a bit late on our travels, so the Bert Hinkler museum was less than an hour from closing. They said it would take at least an hour to walk through and see everything, but still let us in to the room to see the actual aircraft that Bert Hinkler flew on his record breaking flight. For my 5 year old, this was enough to keep him happy, but we will definitely make more time next visit to see the whole museum as well as Fairymead House and the Historical Museum. Next morning we had to head home, so it was a choice between the aviation museum or the trains, and he chose trains. They started at 9am, and took a little under half an hour for the round trip, including buying a train calendar from the ticket window. They also had wooden train toys for sale and postcards, but my son chose the calendar. Maybe next time we will get a wooden loco! The volunteers that run this service are so lovely, informative and accommodating. They run only certain days, more often in Queensland school holidays, usually until around 3pm. The track goes around the Botanical Gardens so you can see all the different areas, as well as through the train workshop. There are several trains, and they run different ones on different days, depending on circumstances. We went on the diesel called Valdora, but there is also a steam engine that runs sometimes. We will definitely be back! The gardens themselves are lovely and well maintained, with lots of walking tracks, different flora species, and plenty of wildlife like waterbirds including a waterfowl on her nest with eggs right near the footbridge, pelicans, ibis, big lizards (?goannas maybe?), butterflies, and lots more. Do mind the mozzies though. I would suggest plenty of repellant if you are prone to...

If only I could add the fragrance of spring in the Botanic Gardens in this review! So many sweet and wonderful smells wafting through the gardens, so many flowers and trees in bloom!

There’s an incredible playground that my 7 year old dubbed “the best playground ever!” Is right at the entrance. The playground has a variety of options even accessible options. My 3 year old had plenty to keep him engaged as there are various age groups and abilities catered to. My husband and I even enjoyed playing on some of the equipment with them! :) Met a local super friendly family and that made the experience that much richer.

The botanic gardens have a road that circles through it as well as walking tracks. There are a few small hills but nothing drastic. There’s a mini railway in it too. The lake has a bridge/boardwalk with lookout points. There are Chinese Gardens and Japanese Gardens. Lots of amazingly beautiful native Australian trees in all their glory as well.

When I came along the path to the lake something large made a decent sized splash at the waters edge. We’ve only just returned from Northern Queensland and first thought was crocodiles, but alas they are not this far south! Yay! Instead they were giant lizards, lots of them! They’d run across the path in front of me with their dense muscle bodies wiggling at a super fast pace and run right over the waters edge and then swim out a bit! I probably saw about 20 of them! There were native bees on tree blossoms, turtles on logs, ducks swimming around, and a whole array of birds!

We didn’t get into any of the other attractions this time. When we are back through Bundy we’ll...

Tucked inside the lush grounds of the botanical gardens, this fully fenced playground is an absolute haven for families with young children. The fencing provides peace of mind, especially for parents with energetic toddlers who love to explore. It’s beautifully integrated into the garden’s natural setting, with plenty of shade from surrounding trees and thoughtfully landscaped areas that make it feel like an extension of the gardens themselves.

The playground equipment is modern, well-maintained, and caters to a range of ages. There are climbing structures, slides, swings, and interactive features that encourage imaginative play. Soft fall surfaces add an extra layer of safety, and there’s plenty of seating for parents to relax while keeping an eye on the kids.

What really stands out is how serene the space feels — even on a busy day. The botanical surroundings add a calm, natural atmosphere, and it’s never too noisy or chaotic. There’s also easy access to clean restrooms, a nearby café, and water fountains.

Overall, this playground is a must-visit if you’re at the gardens with kids. Safe, scenic, and full of fun — it’s the perfect place to let little ones play while soaking up the beauty of nature.

Bundaberg botanic Gardens we give...