Visitor numbers at the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens have been revealed for the first time with new data confirming more than 1.2 million people enjoyed the area within 12 months.
Recorded between July 2022 and June 2023, the data was collected through a newly introduced visitor counting system with a total of 1,219,811 people through the gates.
Council installed the visitor counting devices on all the road and pedestrian entries to the Botanic Gardens just over a year ago to provide important information about the number and seasonal variations of visitation.
Mayor Jack Dempsey said the visitation numbers were a wonderful result and Council could use the helpful data to improve visitor experience within the Botanic Gardens.
“The Bundaberg Botanic Gardens are highly valued by the community, and we now have the data to confirm how actively the community accesses the park,” he said.
“As a key tourist destination, the Botanic Gardens provide important economic benefits to the region, with many visitors attending the various paid attractions within the precinct.
“From visitors who come only occasionally to those who enjoy the pathways and spaces every day, the data collected shows the Botanic Gardens are one of the most visited Council-run attractions in the region.
“Having 27 hectares of wonderful green space close to the heart of Bundaberg that the community can access freely year-round is a tremendous boost to the active lifestyle of our beautiful region.”
Mayor Dempsey said having the data to track and analyse visitation will help Council to allocate resources and inform decisions around the location of infrastructure, amenities, and pathways.
Botanic Gardens visitors share favourite features
Visitors from Sydney Marilyn and Keith Bridgement said they had spent a fabulous two days in the Botanic Gardens, taking advantage of the two-day pass to the attractions.
“We booked a week in Bundaberg because we thought we've just got to have a longer time here,” Marilyn said.
“The Hinkler Museum is a fabulous tribute to Bert Hinkler as an aviator, the fascinating stories we've heard, and all the guides were tremendous,” Keith added.
Local visitor Ken Hendrie said he tried to visit at least once a week to walk his dogs Lulu and Luna.
“The parks are a beautiful place with lots of paths and places to walk the dogs,” he said.
Popular events, like school holiday programs, saw a hike in visitor numbers, as the community took advantage of the free activities on offer.
The highest monthly visitation between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023 was recorded in May with 138,732 visitors.
Council has undertaken several improvements to the Botanic Gardens over the last year, including upgrading the boardwalk, installing kilometres of new walking track and development of a dry rainforest area.
Further information to help visitors plan their trip to the Bundaberg Botanic Gardens can be found in this interactive map.
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