NORTHERN LIGHT

DISCOVER THE CORNUCOPIA OF PRODUCE THAT IS FLOURISHING IN BOUNTIFUL BUNDABERG, WHERE THE COUNTRY MEETS THE COAST.

Bundaberg in Queensland is not just a thriving sugar cane town, it’s a year-round destination with something to interest all ages.

HUNDREDS OF TINY TURTLES flip-flopping their way down the sand as they begin their perilous journey to the sea, or manta rays gliding towards the iridescent beauty of the Great Barrier Reef are memories many visitors will take home after a holiday to Bundaberg and Queensland’s Coral Coast. Increasingly they are also packing cars and eskies with fruit, nuts, vegetables, preserves and bespoke gin. Bundaberg, a river city just inland from the coast about four hours’ drive north of Brisbane, is surrounded by a tapestry of farms thanks to fertile red volcanic soil and a mild climate. Considered the southern gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Bundaberg has long been a favoured destination for travellers wishing to witness the fascinating but fragile beauty of the reef and its sea life. Smack-bang in sugarcane country, it’s also famed for the rum that was created by a couple of enterprising mates looking for ways to use up the excess molasses left over from sugar processing. This same ingenuity is now driving the Bundaberg region’s expanding food trails, where growers are bypassing the middle guy to connect directly with their customers. Many farms and cellar doors now welcome visitors and offer immersive experiences with a personal touch. One such farm is Tinaberries, which you’ll find after a short drive to the south-east of Bundaberg, skirting the highly revered farming land around The Hummock (the remains of a dormant volcano) through banana, dragon fruit, chilli, garlic, macadamia, sugarcane and sweet potato farms. The picturesque journey provides a broad insight into what’s grown in this abundant food bowl that supplies a quarter of the nation’s fresh produce. A drystone wall heralds the entrance to Tinaberries farm, home to Tina and Bruce Mcpherson who grow strawberries and passionfruit. Here visitors can purchase freshly picked strawberries throughout the season from June to October. “People are becoming aware that Bundaberg and the region have so much to offer: access to the reef, beaches, the turtle experience and hand-in-hand with that goes our dynamic culinary and drink experience,” 52-year-old Tina says. “Visitors are interested in where their food and drink comes from and we have it all on display.” The Mcphersons also sell strawberry and passionfruit ice-cream (and mango in summer). The landscaped garden and lawn near their home is filled with families, couples and groups of friends who come to enjoy ice-cream and a taste of farm life. “People want to chat to the farmer, hear the story of the farm and what we do,” Tina explains. Tina and Bruce purchased the farm 16 years ago after “traversing the globe with agricultural adventures”. Bruce was a former rural banker who grew up on a dairy farm in New Zealand, while Tina, from Brisbane, originally worked in marketing. They ran a dairy farm in Rotorua for five years before embarking on a pasture project in Uruguay (with small children and two kelpies in tow). They have been involved in dairy enterprises in East Java and Inner Mongolia, but eventually chose the Coral Coast to put down their roots, drawn by the opportunity for relaxed living. >

Bundaberg is surrounded by a tapestry of farms, thanks to fertile red volcanic soil and a mild climate.

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE Just-harvested sugar cane; tropical palms grace the skyline; Francis Hagens at Bundaberg Roses, open to the public six days a week; Bundaberg is a major sugar cane producing region; Haight & Ashbury Boutique in Bourbong Street; festoons of macadamia flowers; sample locally made gin at Kalki Moon Distilling & Brewing Company. FACING PAGE Early morning sugar cane harvesting on a farm near Bundaberg.