WORDS BY ROSS PEDDLESDEN By the early 1880 insurance companies in the fledgling town of Bundaberg had had enough of fires, and so political pressure was applied to establish a local fire service. In early 1884 that service began, controlled by a local Board of...
WORDS BY LARINE STATHAM-BLAIR & ROSS PEDDLESDEN Many well-known local families continue to farm the land once occupied by their ancestors. Their name is their brand and a hallmark of quality; sometimes given to local places and streets. Their ancestry is...
In architecture, strength is something that is at the forefront of mind. Whether in terms of structural stability or durability, we select building materials with a view to them enduring and providing permanence. Louis Kahn, one of the great architects of the 20th...
Memory Lane BY ROSS PEDDLESDEN You know the bridge. You may even know of the pavilion at Salter Oval. But do you know the man behind the namesake? Don Tallon was one of Bundaberg’s most successful sporting exports. The best wicketkeeper of his generation, a much-loved...
Memory Lane BY ROSS PEDDLESDEN Things were not going well in New Zealand for the Young family in the 1870s. Successive rabbit plagues had ruined their sheep farming dreams, so they decided to pack up and try somewhere else. That somewhere was Bundaberg, where in 1880...
WORDS BY NIKKI SORBELLO Like a lot of kids who grew up in the 1980s, my wardrobe consisted of hand-me-downs or clothes handmade by my Mum; even special-occasion dresses were lovingly sewn. Clothes bought from a shop were reserved for birthday gifts, and only by...
WORDS BY TOMAS O’MALLEY When representing Bundaberg as a local architect I am often asked: ‘Does Bundaberg have an architectural style?’. Frankly, this isn’t an easy question to answer. Other regional cities and towns have strong aesthetics, dictated by the eras in...
There are no longer gatherings where the entire population of a town turns out, but in the 1930s and 1940s Bundaberg had one such event – the Bundaberg Railway Picnic. The picnic started early in the 20th Century as a private event for local railway workers and their...
Our careers rarely follow the path we expect. That’s certainly the case for Frank and Lorraine Pyefinch. They started their careers at the hospital in the small Queensland town of Alpha, working together as a doctor and nurse, respectively. Never, in their early days...
WORDS BY NIKKI SORBELLO Tucked away at the end of a road, in a clearing near a creek crossing, sits Bucca Hotel, as proud and beautiful as she would have been when first built in 1897. Despite the enduring popularity of this local watering hole, the history of Bucca...
Rodney Stiff has one piece of advice for anyone who wants to turn their idea into a prototype that can be patented and sold commercially. “If you aren’t prepared to mortgage your house, go all in, take a risk and back your own ideas, then don’t expect others to.” If...
WORDS BY ROSS PEDDLESDEN In the middle years of the 20th Century there was no one more respected and influential than Garnet Leslie Buss. The son of George and Edith Buss, Garnet Buss was born in Bundy in 1886. The Buss family were already well known, with the Buss...
Bundaberg’s other great singer Memory Lane BY ROSS PEDDLESDEN Just before the First World War, when the South State School Choir sang, one voice stood out. Born in Bundaberg in 1905, Molly de Gunst was recognised from an early age as having a special voice. ...
Rum, whether it’s white or dark, is a universal drink. On every continent, in one way or another, it’s influenced the course of history. It’s aided weary soldiers, fuelled military coups, and been used to sway electoral voters. It helped prevent mutiny on pirate ships...
Words by Nikki Sorbello and Alice Thompson Food and drink has the ability to take us back in time. Memories of our grandmother’s cooking. The treats from a school fete. A sausage sizzle by the beach. Some will remember when milk was delivered, with foil lids that were...
Memory Lane By Ross Peddlesden Did you know that Bundaberg once had a Chinatown? If you did, do you know where it was? The next time you travel down Bourbong Street, past Tantitha Street, heading towards Toonburra Street, have a look around. Then try to imagine shops...
WORDS BY ROSS PEDDLESDEN “The City of Bundaberg and District donates the first Spitfire from Queensland in memory of the late Squadron Leader Bert Hinkler, also in admiration of the Royal Airforce fighter squadrons. Respectfully suggest name plate ‘City of Bundaberg...
WORDS BY ROSS PEDDLESDEN If you’ve driven down Dr May’s Road or over Dr May’s Crossing at Coonarr, have you ever wondered who Dr May was? Perhaps you walked or swam across to Dr May’s Island in the mouth of the Elliott River? Dr Thomas May came to Bundaberg in 1879...
BY ROSS PEDDLESDEN Next time you go to Mon Repos, or travel from Bundaberg to Bargara, have a look at the old stone walls you see there. They weren’t put there by large machinery. They were hand built on blood, sweat and tears. They’re the ‘Kanaka walls’; built by...