📍8 Best Bundaberg Lookouts: Hummock Lookout & More Breathtaking Scenic Spots. (2025.)

WANT TO DISCOVER THE BEST BUNDABERG LOOKOUTS, VIEWPOINTS AND SCENIC SPOTS?

Ah, Bundaberg. Famous for being one of the world’s finest brewers of rum, made from locally produced sugar cane, home to the world’s largest turtle nesting sites in Australia, and the gateway to the magnificent Great Barrier Reef. These things make it a top-notch destination, for those who are hoping to experience one of the world’s finest liquors from the source come face-to-face with incredible sea creatures and witness one of nature’s most magical moments: watching sea turtles lay eggs and hatch in monumental droves.

As for lookouts, Bundaberg is, unfortunately, noticeably lacking variation in terrain. Yeah, it’s quite starkly flat out here, with only the edges of the region really amassing elevation. As for the centre of it, the landscape is pretty much a pancake, mostly occupied by its agriculturally iconic sugarcane fields. But that’s not to say that there’s entirely none, because, from remnant volcanos that dared to defy the plainlands to a small rugged headland overlooking a dark rocky beach, there are several fantastic lookouts in Bundaberg I came across in the month I spent discovering this beautiful place.

1. Hummock Lookout.

Hummock Lookout is Bundaberg’s signature lookout and at first glance, it’s only one. But just because it doesn’t rise high out of the landscapes doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a good one, because this place impressed! Located just off the main road between Bundaberg and Bargara, the spectacular remnant of a low-lying extinct volcano only stands a mere 96m above sea level.

But what it lacks in height, it makes up in views, as its mostly bald summit has broad, sweeping, panoramic views showcasing the vast sugarcane fields that populate a significant portion of the plains, a sneak peek of the town, with the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other side capping off the scenery in the distance.

It’s quite the spot to understand and appreciate the landscape especially because it has mostly clear views and a favourable orientation which means you can come up here and watch the sunrise and the sunset, the former over the ocean, the latter over the mountains and all bathed in gorgeous golden light. Plus, if there’s a summer storm rolling through, there’s no place better to be, especially since the way it’s set up, you can enjoy the lightning show without ever needing to leave the car.

• Type Of Lookout: Easily accessible car park lookout with formal rotundas and shelters.
• View: The vast sugarcane fields, plus the city, ocean and mountains.
• Optimal Time To Visit: Sunrise and sunset.
• Best For: Landscape photography.

2. Lions Park.

The Burnett River is Bundaberg’s most prominent natural landscape, carving its way through the terrain and making the city accessible for boat traffic to pass by and explore the region by water. One of the best places to enjoy its beautiful river scenery close to the CBD is from Lions Park located on its northern banks.

While it’s not a formal lookout, it has gorgeous east-west panoramic views of this iconic regional waterway. Plus with the crisscross architectural design of the nearby railway bridges creating a striking silhouetted backdrop, it is an especially excellent place to photograph when the sun sets behind it.

• Type Of Lookout: Easily accessible car park lookout with formal rotundas and shelters.
• View: Burnett River and the rail bridge.
• Optimal Time To Visit: Sunrise or sunset.
• Best For: Riverine landscape and structural photography.

3. Alexandra Park.

Even closer to the CBD, is Alexandra Park, which sits on the southern bank of the Burnett River and is a gorgeous outdoor space with picnic tables, playgrounds and shady trees, perfect for eating outside and letting the kids burn off energy.

One of the best things about it is that at its eastern end, it has a lovely boardwalk that extends out over the water and features more fantastic views looking across the immediate riverscape, including the same railway bridge you see from Lions Park, only from the other side and much closer, making it a beautiful place to enjoy a short but scenic riverwalk.

• Type Of Lookout: Easily accessible boardwalk.
• View: Burnett River and the rail bridge.
• Optimal Time To Visit: Sunrise or sunset.
• Best For: Riverine landscapes and structural photography.

4. River Walk.
Burrum Coast National Park.

Another lovely viewpoint in the Bundaberg region is south at Burrum Coast National Park. Starting from the Hoppy Lark Creek day-use area in the Buxton section, the beautiful 1.2 km return River Walk takes you to an enclosed lookout that overlooks the peaceful and picturesque tree-lined Gregory River.

If you love birdwatching or photography, take a pair of binoculars with you and your longest lens, because some of the avian creatures that love hanging around here are the delightfully dainty woodswallows and fairy wrens.

• Type Of Lookout: Formal fenced lookout.
• View: Burnett River and the rail bridge.
• Optimal Time To Visit: Sunrise when all the birds are most active.
• Best For: Riverine landscape and bird photography and watching.

5. Paradise Dam Lookout.
Paradise Dam.

Across the Bruce Highway southwest of Bundaberg in the neighbouring North Burnett region is Paradise Dam, which impounds the narrow and winding Burnett River before it reaches the regional city. One of the best things about it is that it is home to a gorgeous lookout and day-use area where the primely positioned sheltered tables and free BBQs provide one of the best scenic picnic locations in this part of country Queensland, which includes the serene waterway, the dense treeline of the rivers northern banks and the road and top section of the roller-compacted gravity dam.

And that’s just the icing on the cake because Paradise Dam has no restrictions on what vessels are permitted on the river. So whether you’re only rocking and rolling with a boat, or have a whole arsenal of towables such as tubes, waterskis and wakeboards and a bunch of friends or family you want to see hilariously faceplant the water trying to level up their skills, a jetski you can across the water at exhilarating speeds, or something serenely human-powered such as a canoe, kayak or sailboard, there’s no shortage of fun you can have.

But that’s not all. The best thing about this place is that it has one of the best free camping sites near Bundaberg! It’s not advertised and you’ll have to call from the day-use area on arrival (there’s little to no service elsewhere) to let the caretaker know you’re there, but it’s a lovely spot to park your set up or pitch your tent not far from the water. Plus, everything faces west, so whether you’re up the top, at your vehicle for your overnight stay or at the shoreline, you can watch the sun setting right in front of you, which is a fantastic way to cap off the day, especially when there’s thin clouds to put on an epic show like it did when I was there.

• Type Of Lookout: Day Use Area.
• View: The impounded Burnett River.
• Optimal Time To Visit: Sunset.
• Best For: Riverine landscape photography.

6. Submarine Lookout.

One of the best Bundaberg lookouts is also one of its most gorgeous hidden gems. Located in the stunning sleepy town of Elliot Heads in the region mid-coast, lies the unassuming Submarine Lookout.

From the small, easily accessible, wheelchair-friendly headland, I was surprised and impressed with the striking view that this spot was showcasing. It was a tiny beach, but it wasn’t like the regular ones Australia is famous for, covered in soft, golden sand, or dotted with rocks of varying sizes as what other areas of this section of coastline were like, but it was entirely black with volcanic stones and headlands that made me think of the famous black beaches of Iceland, which was incredibly cool, becoming one of my favourite scenic spots in Bundaberg.

• Type Of Lookout: Unfenced formal concreted lookout.
• View: Black rocky beach, vast Pacific Ocean, bottlenose dolphins and humpback whales.
• Optimal Time To Visit: Sunrise.
• Best For: Slow shutter coastal, sunrises and marine animal photography.

7. Dam Wall Lookout.
Lake Monduran.

West of Bundaberg where the hills start making an appearance lies the Rum Capital Of Australia’s closest water source, Lake Monduran. Damned by the Fred Haigh Dam, it is a gorgeous place to enjoy peaceful picnics and BBQs with the facilities available at the day-use areas and make waves tearing up the surface going boating, kayaking, waterskiing, wakeboarding or jet skiing.

Along with all those things that make it one of the regional city’s best day trip destinations, it also has two lovely lookouts. The Lake Monduran Lookout sits atop a hill and looks almost directly at the road that crosses the dam wall but unfortunately, there are too many trees to see the water. However, all is not lost, as a drive or walk across the dam wall more than makes up for it, with expansive views looking out across its surface. Or head across the other lookout further west, where there are clearer views of the water.

• Type Of Lookout: Sheltered fenced lookout with seating.
• View: Frag Haig Dam.
• Optimal Time To Visit: Sunset.
• Best For: Dam wall photography.

8. Flight To Lady Elliot Island.

The ultimate way to see Bundaberg’s landscapes is by getting off the ground and seeing it from a birds-eye perspective, which will allow you to grasp the vastness and scope of all the different geography and terrain that makes it into the picturesque region it is. And there is no better way to do that than with the scenic flight included in the Lady Elliot Island day tour.

This is because not only will you get to see the beauty of the mainland, but I’ll never forget looking down at the breathtaking form of the Great Barrier Reef’s southernmost coral cay and the azure-blue colours of the surrounding lagoon as we circumnavigated it several times before making the final approach to land.

Then after an unforgettable day spent snorkelling with sea turtles and reef tip sharks and meeting awesome people, you get to do it all over again on the way back to Bundaberg.

Note: The Lady Elliot Island Day Tours don’t just depart from Bundaberg, but also Anges Waters/1770, Hervey Bay, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

• Type Of Lookout: Scenic flight included in the day tour.
• View: Bundaberg mainland and Lady Elliot Island and lagoon.
• Optimal Time To Visit: –
• Best For: Aerial photography.

Bundaberg Lookouts Map.

While the region may seem devoid of scenic viewpoints because much of it is a plainland, there are still a few lookouts in Bundaberg that allow visitors to appreciate its lovely landscapes.

If you plan to visit Bundaberg, consider looking at these other posts.