Childers, Bundaberg and Bargara

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Visiting Childers was a bit like stepping back in time, with its heritage buildings and attractions in the style of gone-by days (such as the Isis Historical Complex which is a mock historical town with several cottages, a general store and a post office). It’s where backpackers come to do fruit-picking work, but sadly the town is now famous for the fire at the Palace Hostel in 2000, in which 15 backpackers died. Childers is said to have a tight and supportive community, but I found it quite remarkable that not one person would smile back at me during our walk around the town.



Our next stop was Bundaberg, the home of the famous Bundaberg Rum! The town is set amidst fields of sugarcane which provide the molasses for the rum’s production. On our tour around the distillery, we learnt that the only other two ingredients are water and yeast. Learning about the history and production of the rum was fascinating. Only White American Oak timber, sourced from the boarded of Canada and the USA, is used to make the vats in which the rum matures. Not very carbon neutral… but then the rum’s flavour would be altered if they were to switch to a different timber. A large rum bottle graced the entrance of the distillery (does that count as a ‘Big Thing’?!) and there was a life-size version of Bundaberg Rum’s emblem, the big white polar bear. What seems like a bit of an odd choice for a liquor company was essentially a clever marketing concept. The image of the polar bear is to imply that the drink can ward off even the wickedest chill. The yummiest part of the distillery tour was, of course, the tasting at the end! I chose the Red Label rum with a beautiful vanilla flavour and Dean went for the dark Premium Release Reserve. We both finished off with the decadent Royal Liqueur which combines rum, coffee and chocolate flavours. Delicious! We were very tempted to buy a bottle, especially when we were told that it is not offered in retail stores and only available from the distillery itself, but I can proudly say that our willpower won in the end. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that we both a bit sloshed after the tastings and had to have a half-hour nap in the back of the van before we could consider doing anything else. Well, after all, it wasn’t even midday yet!



We also checked out Bundaberg’s quaint Regional Art Gallery and enjoyed the ‘Strike a Pose’ exhibition, which was curated by newsreader/broadcaster Lee Lin Chin. It featured images taken by Australian Government photographers during the 1960s and 70s to promote the Australian fashion industry, and you could tell that the fashion of the time was all about breaking away from earlier styles of dressing and embracing the free spirit which was so characteristic of that era. Interestingly, Australians continued to love and wear the miniskirt when it was succeeded by newer fashion elsewhere in the world.



Finally, we couldn’t leave the Bundaberg area without a visit to the lovely town of Bargara (thanks for the tip Mel!). Every inch of this picturesque little spot (on and off shore) is protected, and we can see why. We went for a cycle along the shore path, admired the beaches, checked out the cafés and shops along Bauer Street and stumbled across the super cute Windmill Market. This gem is a small out-of-the-way community space with a few stalls and a coffee shop. We made a beeline for the comfy middle eastern day bed (that’s the only way I can describe it!) and did some serious chilling out.

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