Crush Bridal Bush & Beach Guide. Say 'I Do' in the great outdoors

congratulations on your engagement

Now that you are betrothed, it’s likely you’ve started dreaming about the ‘Big Day’. You may have also discussed wedding costs and budget.

There’s a common belief that everything costs more when it’s for a wedding. Whether it’s true or not, your wedding day needn’t cost the earth. There are plenty of ways to save without sacrificing what you want.

Take the ceremony for example. Some of the most picturesque settings across the Wide Bay, Burnett and Discovery Coast Regions are free or inexpensive to hire. These gardens, reserves, lookouts, beaches, historic homesteads, town halls and bush chapels are lovingly maintained and tended to by our local governments.

With near-perfect year-round climate and weather, why not consider walking down the aisle overlooking a beach vista, surrounded by rustic bushland or manicured Oriental-themed gardens, or under a heritage arbour or rotunda?

South Burnett Regional Council, Fraser Coast Regional Council and Bundaberg Regional Council have teamed up with Crush Bridal to create this special online Wedding Guide to help couples plan their big day.

Fraser Coast Regional Council Bundaberg Regional Council

This Bush & Beach guide is free and includes some of the best ceremony sites, as well as tips for saying ‘I Do’ in the great outdoors.

Happy planning!

NIKKI SORBELLO & LARINE STATHAM-BLAIR

IS RAIN ON YOUR WEDDING DAY REALLY A SIGN OF

good luck?

to read Crush Bridal’s tips for holding a successful outdoor wedding in a public space. The blog includes everything from disability access to topography, power supply, exclusive use, biodegradable confetti (pictured) and avoiding so-called ‘photo bombers’.

CLICK HERE

crushbridal.com.au/directory

WEDDINGS destination

Located just a short drive, flight or train ride north of Brisbane, more couples from the South-East corner of Queensland are choosing the Southern Great Barrier Reef for their destination wedding. With romantic activities for two and must-see sights for guests of all ages, it’s an Instaworthy holiday destination that will make your wedding guests swoon.

CLICK HERE

to discover why you should combine your pre-wedding celebrations, formal nuptials, and honeymoon, to host your destination wedding in the Wide Bay, Burnett & Discovery Coast.

ON THE FRONT COVER: With expansive views of the Bunya Mountains, Apex Park in the South Burnett provides a beautiful backdrop for any country wedding. Read more on pages 4 & 5.

ON THE BACK COVER: The Turtle Park at Bargara is just one of many grassy spots dotted along the Bundaberg Region coastline, perfect for hosting a picturesque beach wedding ceremony without getting your feet wet. Read more on pages 8 & 9.

SPECIAL THANKS: Photography by

NOTE: terms and conditions of hire, requirements, fees and inclusions vary between individual sites and Councils. Sites may be unavailable or closed at various times for maintenance etc. Contact the relevant Council to learn more. This Guide was current as at September 2022. The information contained within this Guide is given in good faith and obtained from sources believed to be accurate. Crush Communications Pty Ltd will not be held liable for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of use or reliance on any information contained herein.

Confetti & T make romantic scented, biodegradable confetti from rice paper and flower petals. Read more about Confetti & T and discover other local wedding vendors at

Paul Beutel/Nina Maree/Knots Photography/Jennifer McCue/Bundaberg Tourism/Love at Dusk Photography/Treasure Pics/Pop Up Picnics South Burnett/South Burnett, Fraser Coast and Bundaberg Regional Councils. Graphic design by Rowena Preddy at Preddy Creative and Tara Jacobsen at Petals and Print. Special mention should go to the Council employees who lovingly create and care for our civic spaces.

Other spots

TO CONSIDER

Mt Wooroolin Lookout, Kingaroy Showgrounds in Blackbutt, Kingaroy, Murgon, Nanango, Proston and Wondai Pioneer Park and Amphitheatre, Nanango

Jessies Well Teamster, Taromeo Kapernick Park, Murgon Lions Park, Tipperary Flats Lily Pond, Murgon

country charmIN THE SOUTH

BURNETT

Best known for its wineries, star gazing, rail trails, art galleries, museums and proximity to the Bunya Mountains, the is the ideal destination for a charming country wedding.

South Burnett Regional Council create, upgrade and maintain countless parks, reserves, boat ramps and lookouts in eight towns and six villages, spread across more than 8000 square kilometers. Ranging from native bushland and rural farmland to manicured lawns and rambling cottage

gardens, in the South Burnett there is an outdoor site to suit every wedding style and preference – from rustic, romantic or whimsical, to vintage, classic or bohemian. Many of the parks and gardens provide stunning views of local lakes and dams, rolling countryside and mountainous landscapes.

Immerse yourself in local history and tie the knot at Boondooma Homestead or Ringsfield House or hire one of ten charming town halls for your reception.

South Burnett Region

Apex Park, Kingaroy

Developed by the Apex Club in the 1960s, this peaceful rest stop on Fisher Street was the original site of the first public hospital in Kingaroy. A walking track through native bush takes you to the lookout on Coral Street. The viewing platform provides panoramic vistas of Kingaroy and surrounds including the iconic peanut silos, Tarong Power Station and Coolabunia Hill, home to the late former Queensland Premier Joh and Lady Florence Bjelke-Petersen. Towards the south-west, are expansive views of the Bunya Mountains (pictured on the cover).

Boondooma Dam, Proston

This Dam is a major drawcard for anglers, campers, birdwatchers, and water-sports enthusiasts. As well as there being a significant recreational area with amenities and accommodation just 20km from Proston, there are many pretty spots to host a lakeside ceremony. Make a weekend of it and stay on site. Adventurous couples may even choose to swap the traditional wedding car for a boat or jet ski.

Bjelke-Petersen Dam, Moffatdale

Also known as Lake Barambah, Bjelke-Petersen Dam is just a short drive outside Murgon. The day use area has expansive open grass areas, dotted with towering gum trees, to stage

The Dam offers cabins, villas, caravan and camping sites. The area is surrounded by wineries where you can sample delightful local drops.

Memorial Park, Kingaroy

This formal garden is neat as a pin and pretty as a picture. Located in the heart of town, the park includes a war memorial and a band rotunda. The park has sprawling, manicured lawns that are shaded by giant fig trees and Canary Island palms, along with extensive flower gardens, paved paths, play equipment, amenities, dog off-leash area and disabled access.

South Burnett Weddings

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FRASER COAST

grandeur

The is renowned for being Australia’s premiere playground for Humpback whales and home to the delicious Hervey Bay sea scallop. Just off the coast lies the heritage-listed, world famous K’gari (Fraser Island). But on the dry mainland, the Region also boasts spectacular modern gardens, history and storybook architecture.

Of all the fantastic facilities Fraser Coast Regional Council lovingly tends to, about 40 outdoor settings and seven community halls are available to hire for weddings from as little as $200. The landscape design and botanical displays in their public parks are something to

behold, ranging from rainforest and wetlands to orchid atriums, native gardens, edible bush tucker and formal rose beds.

The Hervey Bay foreshore is the jewel in the Region’s crown, offering views of white sandy beaches and sparkling ocean without getting your feet wet. Picture-perfect nooks and structures, like Urangan Pier, are dotted along the foreshore, lending themselves to idyllic ceremonies and stunning photoshoots.

Fraser Coast Regional Council allow couples to apply for Wet Area Permits to consume alcohol at their wedding event at particular sites.

Fraser Coast

ALSO TRY

The Gables Deck

This purpose-built wedding deck on the Esplanade at Point Vernon offers fantastic views across beautiful beaches and sparkling blue ocean. The Gables Deck was upgraded in 2020 to interconnect with pathways to provide access to people of all ages and abilities.

Hervey Bay Botanic Gardens, Urangan

beautiful gardens

Spanning 26 hectares, these were established in 1974 and are an impressive nod to the past, present and future. Well-established plants and old growth trees are complemented by modern infrastructure and amenities.

Within the Gardens is ‘The Valley’, which offers expansive lush lawns, large shady trees and a lagoon, including a fountain. The viewing platforms and overwater bridge allows visitors to admire the vast lagoon wildlife close up, providing a tranquil ceremony backdrop.

Here you’ll also find the Bush Chapel – a newly constructed timber deck with altar and seating, set against rustic rainforest. The Bush Chapel (pictured) is accessible from a semi-private ceremony set down area via an arbor walkway. Built for people of all abilities, the Bush Chapel is one outdoor venue where you can make a grand entrance through automated gates and the formal walkway.

Queens Park, Maryborough

oasis covers 5.2 hectares in the heart of Maryborough, the town made famous by the author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers.

Many of the Park’s towering trees were planted as early as 1860. The grounds include a fernery, waterfall and lily pond, and spectacular rose gardens.

There are plenty of romantic sites to host your nuptials, like the lace-trimmed Band Rotunda that was built in 1890 or the Garden Chapel on the Lennox Street side of the Park, which Maryborough Rotary Club gifted in 2009.

Fraser Coast Weddings

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With sweeping views of the Mary River, heritage-listed is one of Australia’s oldest botanic gardens. This

Queens Park

bountifulBUNDABERG

Once regarded as a ‘Rum City’, the Bundaberg Region is fast becoming Australia’s premiere ‘Tipple Town’ that produces everything from ginger beer to gin, cider, wine and juice. The ’s landscape is a rich tapestry of agricultural fields and glistening beaches, and is home to the Southern Hemisphere’s largest rookery of nesting sea turtles.

Region

gardens (40 available for hire), and almost 15 halls and community centers, including the iconic School of Arts building and stateof-the-art Multiplex Sport and Convention Centre. Their sportsgrounds, showgrounds and racecourses are available for hire too. Their wide range of facilities ensures they can accommodate everything from intimate celebrations to elaborate events.

Couples are spoilt for choice in Bundaberg when it comes to ceremony and reception sites. Bundaberg Regional Council are guardians of more than 330 parks and

Bundaberg Regional Council has established a convenient online booking system where you can search venues by suburb, type and activity. The website allows you to check availability and cost to compare sites.

ALSO TRY

Elliott Heads

There are countless breathtaking spots dotted along the Elliott Heads Esplanade to say ‘I Do’. You can’t go past the Viewing Deck (pictured) at the Elliott River mouth or Submarine Lookout, perched high on the headlands.

If it’s a barefoot beach affair you’re planning, you can take your pick of almost any sandy spot between Woodgate and Norval Park. With so many wonderous beaches in the Region, it would be impossible for Council to list every secluded beach on its website. Instead, if there’s a special spot you have your heart set on, you’ll need to telephone the Venues and Facilities team to seek approval, which includes public liability insurance, where required.

Bundaberg Botanic Gardens, Bundaberg North

After you’re wed in the Botanic Gardens, take the opportunity to be photographed at some of Bundaberg’s most iconic attractions, like Hinkler House (pictured) or the Australian Sugar Cane Railway.

Baldwin Swamp Environmental Park, Bundaberg East

Bundaberg Botanic Gardens

As far as botanic displays go, this is one Garden that could hold its own alongside some of the best in world. The covers 27 hectares and features some 10,000 varieties of trees and shrubs. Centred around a wildlife-attracting lake, a network of boardwalks and pathways lead visitors to a series of immaculate smaller gardens within the larger Botanic Gardens. There’s an Australian rainforest, rare fruit tree orchard and fern garden.

If you are looking for a nature based setting with freshwater wetlands, paperbarks and rainforest close to the heart of Bundaberg, this park is a perfect choice. Boardwalks and footpaths meander through the park where waterbirds come to roost, breed and feed. Hidden among the eucalyptus trees in a clearing is the rustic Bush Chapel, complete with pulpit and bench seating. A beautiful backdrop for your wedding, Baldwin Swamp really is a scenic spot.

Bundaberg Region Weddings

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A Japanese Garden, Chinese Tea House (pictured) and Fig Tree Chapel have been thoughtfully designed to provide tranquil spaces to celebrate your love. At the heart of the Gardens is , which was built by one of Bundaberg’s founding families. This heritage-listed building features a romantic function room with French doors that open on to wrap around verandas, overlooking sprawling lawns and a rotunda.

Fairymead House