Bundaberg on The Burnett River

Early morning Town Reach Bundaberg on the Burnett River

One of the best things about having a boat is that we can get to places other people can't easily go.  It's often a challenge, there's always a reward.

Sights along the way

Without the benefit of local knowledge, it's safe to say the guide books are just that - a guide - and can't always be trusted to be accurate for current conditions.  Even latest editions can be wildly optomistic so the Captain has to make his or her own decisions.  Markers along the way can disappear; either they've been hit by something or dislodged due to cyclonic conditions.  Shoals come and go and nothing changes the characteristics of a river like a flood, as in the case of the Burnett.

Nice new boardwalk along the riverbank

Poor Bundaberg has suffered two devastating floods, 2011 and 2013.  We expect that the river has changed but we don't know to what extent.  Our guide book is two editions out of date so we do some checking online and we find a website confirming there is indeed a fuel dock up the Burnett River in Bundaberg.  We could refuel at the Port Marina but we'd like to wind our way the ten miles upriver to spend a day or two in the town itself and get our fuel while there.  We will see if the website is up to date.

We need to be constantly vigilant, carefully following navigation markers.

We're following the chart plotter at the helm, plus our paper chart, using binoculars to pinpoint navigation markers far upriver and looking for floating debris which is always a possibility.  As we motor upriver we're finding it's very shallow.  At one point we register only eight feet and although it's not the ideal top of the tide, we still have a few hours before dead low so we should be fine for depth.  There's great advantage having a shallow keel, 4ft 9in (1.45m).

Along the way we pass obvious signs of the floods; the occasional washed up boat, wrecked docks, dead trees, eroded riverbanks and destroyed retaining walls.  There are also signs of recovery and some large new homes alongside tired old ones. Once we've anchored at Town Reach we see a great new boardwalk with sturdy new docks.  There's no sign of the fuel dock or the Midtown Marina.  No, they don't exist anymore having been destroyed in the last flood.  There are no services for boats at the town end of the river, apart from the public dock.  We'll time our departure to buy fuel at the mouth of the Burnett.
  

Sugar cane design. Representing Bundaberg's past and present. 

It's Robert's birthday.  He's had a look through the online reviews of local restaurants and decided on Indulge Bistro Cafe for "linner"; late lunch/early dinner.  Maybe I've been on the boat too long but I've fallen in love with this place at first glance.  From the wildly botanical wallpaper to the exciting array of unique desserts presented in the case, they are really speaking my language!  Even the menu itself is written like an enticing, beguiling guide to local produce.  I can't get enough of this.  It might be Robert's birthday but I'm having all the treats.

St Andrew's Seventh Day Adventist Church foundation stone laid 1931

Bundaberg is a beautiful city to walk around because so much of it's history has been preserved in its architecture.  If the grandeur of the city's churches are an indication of Bundagerg's significance as a rural centre then there's no denying sugar has historically been good to the region.  In fact Bundaberg Sugar is the largest sugar grower in Australia and Bundaberg is of course home to the famous Bundaberg Rum.  We passed the distillary and the sugar processing mill on the river just a short distance from town. 

 

 

Charming Bundaberg Railway Station

We've enjoyed our time in this charming rural city, population around 100,000.  Strong winds are forecast for the next couple of days.  We need to move on towards Fraser Island but first we'll anchor overnight close to the mouth, keeping an eye on weather conditions, and fuel up in the morning at the Port.

This boat isn't going anywhere in the 30 knot winds.  She's well-anchored and stuck in the mud with her back to the mangroves.