Bundaberg 1980 - Present

More bad news continued in the 1980's, with a downturn in the sugar industry resulting in the closure of many sugar-related manufacturing companies, and job losses in the secondary and tertiary industries.

Industry and Community

On 29 Feb 1980 the Bundaberg & District Library opened in Quay Street, moving from its longtime home at the School of Arts. 1981 saw the opening of the new Bundaberg Art Gallery, which took over the premises vacated by the Library. This tradition continued in 1995, when the Gallery moved to its present Quay Street location, after a new public library was built in 1994.

During 1982, the versatile Toft and Massey Ferguson plants retrenched many workers.

Two 20-tonne containers filled with parts of Bert Hinkler's House arrived at Bundaberg in 1982, as part of an $80,000 rescue bid to save the historic house from demolition in Southhampton, England. Hinkler's house 'Mon Repos' , was rebuilt by members of the East Bundaberg Rotary Club at Bundaberg's new botanical gardens.

In 1983, the Bundaberg District Tourism and Development Board (later renamed Bundaberg Region Limited and then Bundaberg Region Tourism) moved to new premises on Takalvan Street. During the 70's and 80's, the region around Bundaberg was known as the 'Sugar Coast', but in 1989 a new image and slogan was adopted, and the region became known as 'Bundaberg and the Coral Isles'. In 1984, Massey closed its factory, blaming the collapse of world sugar prices for closure. This was followed by the closure of the Qunaba Mill in 1985.

1988 saw the first designs of Jabiru aircraft by Rodney Stiff and Phil Ainsworth, with marketing and production commencing in the early 1990s. Jabiru produces 100 airframes per year, and 360 engines, which are sold to over 30 countries.

April 8, 1995 saw the opening of the Tallon Bridge, linking the north and south sides of Bundaberg. As far back as 1973, Bundaberg local government had been lobbying for a new bridge to replace the old traffic bridge. The bridge is 906 metres, and cost $20.6 million to construct. It was named after the Tallon family, who made great contributions to sport in Bundaberg.

New Buildings

April 1994 saw the opening of Bundaberg's new public Library in Woondooma Street. The new Library cost $2.8 million, and was opened by the then Premier of Queensland, Wayne Goss.

May 1994 saw the opening of the new Central Queensland University campus, on University Drive. Although the campus had been operating in Bundaberg since 1988, the increase in student numbers necessitated a new facilty, which cost $2.5 million, and was also opened by Qld Premier Wayne Goss. 1996 saw the new police headquarters opened in Bourbong Street, at a cost of $7.29 million. The original buildings on Quay Street had been used for almost 100 years, and the new building, opened in August 1996, saw all police services in Bundaberg under the one roof for the first time.

Local Government

The most outstanding change in local government during this period was the election of a predominantly female Council. The 1994 elections in Bundaberg, which resulted in an 8 out 11 female councilors elected, saw Bundaberg as the first regional Queensland Council to have a predominantly female Council. Our first female Mayor, Nita Cunningham, after having served 2 terms as Mayor, went on to become the elected State Member for Bundaberg in 2000, and then the State Minister for Local Government and Planning.

Prior to 1994, there were 3 Shires governing the local area - Bundaberg, Gooburrum and Woongarra. In 1993 the State Government announced that the Gooburrum and Woongarra Shires would be amalgamated into a new shire, called Burnett Shire. The Bundaberg Council's boundaries were extended to accommodate some of the previous Shire's boundaries.

Tragic Events

The Childers Hostel Fire occurred in the Palace Backpacker Hostel in the main street of Childers at 12:30am, 23 June 2000. Fifteen backpackers died in the blaze. Local drifter Robert Long was charged with arson and 2 counts of murder, and was sentenced to 15 years for arson, and 20 years without parole for the two counts of murder.

Another tragedy which affected Bundaberg was the murder of 19 year old British backpacker Caroline Stuttle. Caroline Stuttle was killed around 9:30pm on April 10, 2002 after being pushed from the Burnett Traffic Bridge. In February 2003, police arrested a man and charged him with her murder.