Strengthening Wide Bay Burnett

Recognised as the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef and based around the major centres of Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Gympie, Maryborough, Kingaroy and Gayndah, the region possesses significant natural resources including the World Heritage-listed K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) and the RAMSAR-listed Great Sandy Strait wetland. Two-thirds of the state's softwood plantation resources are found in the Wide Bay Burnett's timber and forestry industry, while sugar, fruit, vegetables, nuts and beef are also major commodities.

Two regions service the greater Wide Bay Burnett area:

• Bundaberg Burnett Regional Office: servicing the local government areas of Bundaberg, North Burnett and South Burnett and Cherbourg.
• Fraser Coast and Gympie Regional Office: servicing the local government areas of Fraser Coast and Gympie.

These regional offices are part of a network of 11 regional offices across Queensland supporting businesses to mature, grow and invest.

View all upcoming events and opportunities on the events page.

Support is facilitated via one-on-one interactions, information, presentations and workshops (both online and face-to-face).

A number of pre-recorded sessions are also available on how to promote your businesses’ products and services to others.

Key features of the Wide Bay Burnett

Strengths

• largest region by population outside of South East Queensland
• region accounts for approximately 10 per cent of Queensland’s agricultural production
• abundant fertile agricultural land, mineral wealth and natural resources
• gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef
• two-thirds of states’ softwood plantation resources found in timber and forestry sector
• natural resources like World Heritage-listed K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) and RAMSAR-listed Great Sandy Strait
• State Development Area and Port of Bundaberg
• two university campuses

Main industries

• engineering
• fisheries/ aquaculture
• food and agriculture
• forestry
• construction
• tourism
• accomodation and food services
• manufacturing
  • transport equipment
  • food and beverage products
  • metal production
  • machinery and equipment
  • rail
• defence
• transport
• aeronautical
• education and training
• health and social services
• professional, scientific and technical services
• marine
• meat processing
• renewable energy
• retail
• mining

Key projects

• Borumba Pumped Hydro Energy Storage
• The Queensland Train Manufacturing Program – Construction of the Torbanlea train manufacturing facility and associated supply chain
• Urangan Boat Harbour Master Plan
• Construction of the Fraser Coast Library and Administration Centre
• Gympie South replacement permanent fire and rescue station
• Hervey Bay replacement police facility
• Hervey Bay replacement water police facility
• New Bundaberg Hospital
• Expansion of the Hervey Bay Hospital
• Booral Road and Boundary Road (Urangan), upgrade intersection
• Bruce Highway (Gympie – Maryborough), Owanyilla to Tinana, upgrade intersection and improved safety
• Bruce Highway (Gympie – Maryborough), Tiaro Bypass
• Wide Bay Burnett minerals region activation
• Port of Bundaberg and State Development Area

View more projects being delivered under Queensland’s Big Build.

The Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning understands business and provides potential investors with tailored support to help them investigate investment opportunities within the region.

Find out more in:

• Maryborough an advanced manufacturing powerhouse investment prospectus* ( 4.4 MB)
• Queensland is investing in Hervey Bay investment prospectus* ( 2.3 MB)

* information based on 2022 data.

Further information

Find out more about this diverse region or contact one of our Wide Bay Burnett regional offices.