What’s on the menu? Well, a little bit of everything actually! 

Foodies, pack your stretchy pants. Because when Bundy throws a food festival, we don’t nibble – we feast. From long lunches in macadamia orchards to sunset sessions in the vineyards, this is the kind of festival where everyone leaves a little fuller (in heart and in stomach).

Taste Bundaberg Festival isn’t your fancy city food fest. This is flavour with dirt under its fingernails – where menus come with muddy boots and cocktails are best served with a sea breeze. It’s food without the fuss and flavour without the filters. And behind every bite? A local legend with a story worth toasting.

From rum makers to tomato whisperers, these are the folks who get up before the sun and still pour you a drink at sunset. So come hungry – not just for the food, but for the stories, the people, and a whole region proud to serve it all up, slow-cooked and with seconds.

Welcome to Bundaberg – where the dirt’s rich, the flavours are real, and the locals know exactly where your food comes from (because they grew it). Set just four hours north of Brisbane and perched on the southernmost edge of the Great Barrier Reef, Bundaberg is one of Australia’s most fertile food bowls – producing a staggering 25% of the nation’s fresh fruit and vegetables. Here, the paddock-to-plate philosophy is second nature, farm gates swing open with a genuine welcome, and you’re invited to get a little hands-on with the region’s finest.

This is a road trip for those who like their food fresh, their stories real, and don’t mind getting a little red dirt on their boots in pursuit of flavour.

If your soul’s been craving stillness, fresh air, and open space, Bundaberg might just be the balm you didn’t know you needed. Tucked between fertile farmland and the Southern Great Barrier Reef, this vibrant patch of Queensland is where the wild things whisper — from coral gardens to granite cliffs, rainforest pools to riverside paddocks.

When the open road calls, Queensland’s Pacific Coast Way delivers. Stretching from Brisbane to Cairns, it’s a bucket-list drive packed with coastal charm, country soul, and world-class experiences. But for those in the know, the real magic begins with a short detour — off the highway and into the heart of the Bundaberg Region, where reef meets rum, turtles nest on moonlit shores, and the warmth of the locals is matched only by the sunshine.

Here’s your perfect five-day itinerary for the ultimate Bundaberg & Southern Great Barrier Reef escape.

If you’re the kind of traveller who values a road trip that’s equal parts exploration and surprise, then this one’s for you. It’s time to ditch the main highway and embrace the scenic route, where every turn reveals something unexpected.