Why Bundaberg and Fraser Coast are now top QLD holiday destinations

Regions like Bundaberg, Gympie, Cooloola and Fraser Coast are experiencing a visitor boom as Covid weary southeast Queenslanders seek places to play.

For the people who live here, it comes as no surprise that Wide Bay is blessed with coastal and country living with all the city essentials without the metropolitan landscape.

And it’s a reality that’s becoming increasing clear to the state’s wider population in light of Covid travel restrictions.

Regions like Bundaberg, Gympie, Cooloola and the Fraser Coast have the best of both worlds on show and are within short driving distance to the densely populated southeast corner.

Bundaberg Tourism CEO Katherine Reid said the Bundaberg region had seen an “incredible increase” in visitor numbers since the easing of restrictions in mid-2020, particularly from South East Queensland, with most operators reporting numbers exceeding those of 2019.

“Key trends we have seen across the past 12 months include a desire for nostalgic drive holidays with the family, increased interest in exploring the great outdoors away from the hustle and bustle, and working remotely,” she said.

“Being so close to the major population of South East Queensland, the Bundaberg region has always been predominantly a drive destination, and with consumers overwhelmingly choosing to travel in by private vehicle since Covid, this trend has definitely continued.”

Ms Reid said their website not only helped deliver a meaningful experience for potential visitors, but acted as a reliable, real-time gauge of where potential visitors are from.

“We have seen an incredible 54 per cent increase in visitors to our website year on year, with 75 per cent of people exploring the region digitally from South East Queensland (August 2020 – August 2021), up from 70 per cent in the same period the previous year,” she said.

“Our industry is also welcoming guests from Gladstone, Rockhampton, Hervey Bay and outback Queensland, however not in the same numbers as SEQ.”

However, it’s not just the region’s proximity to the southeast corner that puts the Wide Bay in travellers’ GPS.

SLEEP ON THE REEF: Lady Musgrave Experience pontoon, Lady Musgrave HQ.

Ms Reid said it was also what the region had on offer that drew people to visit and then return.

“As the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef, the home to the Australian east coast’s only ranger-led turtle encounter, home to some of the nation’s biggest drink brands and one of the most prolific food bowls, we have a broad range of incredible experiences for travellers to choose from,” she said.

Based on feedback, Ms Reid said the welcoming community and safety of the region were also among its great strengths.

And with the return of Oceanfest Bundaberg at 10am on Saturday at the Bundaberg Port Marina Precinct, there are high hopes for a warm reception of locals and visitors.

“Events bring considerable opportunities to our region and the state, attracting out-of-region visitation and having significant economic and social impact on the community,” Ms Reid said.

“Recent events including Taste Bundaberg Festival and Childers Festival have been very warmly received by both the community and our visitors, and we hope to see a similar response to Oceanfest.

“Research shows the majority of Queenslanders see events as a key way the community can ‘get back to normal’ post-pandemic, with importance held for our major events to recover quickly.”

Fraser Coast Tourism and Events CEO Martin Simons said they were “extremely fortunate” with the region’s geographic location and the assets it has access to.

Fraser Coast Tourism and Events CEO Martin Simons at Hervey Bay Boat Club.

Mr Simons said for some people looking for a holiday with wide open spaces the Fraser Coast could be “seen as a safe haven”.

And fortunately for the region, it’s got a considerable target audience.

He said 70 per cent of the state’s population in driving range of the region.

While July was a tough month for tourism and forward bookings had dried up, he said whale watching season was in full swing and they were hopeful that the upcoming holidays would go ahead.

With the added benefit of both the coast and hinterland appeal, Mr Simons said the Wide Bay had grown in prominence, particularly throughout the pandemic.

He said there was a positive outlook for the region in what was “resilient industry”.

Lady Musgrave Experience’s Brett Lakey said Bundaberg was a “unique” spot to experience the reef.

Lady Musgrave Experience pontoon, Lady Musgrave HQ.

And with their new pontoon set to hit the lagoon soon, there would be a “world class” experience by day and night for travellers and locals alike when they look.

While Lady Musgrave HQ, a new three-level pontoon with accommodation in the underwater observatory or glamping on the upper deck, is yet to be anchored in the lagoon, there’s still been plenty of forward booking.

He said the last few months had been hard with lockdown restrictions, but thankfully they had the benefit of the drive market.

Mr Lakey is looking forward to having the pontoon in the lagoon and catering to guests.

Lady Musgrave Experience pontoon, Lady Musgrave HQ.

Ahead of the September holidays, Ms Reid said across the board, bookings were looking significantly lower than last year.

While operators are reporting a slight upswing in visitors after SEQ’s latest lockdown and restrictions, she said the current Covid situation had rattled consumer confidence and people across the state were nervous about planning and booking holidays in advance.

“Over the past year the average lead time for accommodation bookings has been 2 weeks and this has reduced even more over these last few months,” she said.

“The operators hurting the most are our attractions and tours, who have seen last minute bookings becoming the new normal, which makes it very challenging for business operations.

“To support the tourism industry, we urge the community to make the most of the gorgeous weather as we come into Spring: spend money locally in shops and cafes, get out and about in our backyard, discover the spectacular Southern Great Barrier Reef off our shores, and invite friends and family to come and do the same.”

Gympie council was contacted for comment and numbers on their local tourism industry, but said it was unable to provide the information.