 | This article may be excessively based on contemporary reporting.(March 2024) |
The 1936 Bundaberg distillery fire was a disaster in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia.
| This article may be excessively based on contemporary reporting.(March 2024) |
The 1936 Bundaberg distillery fire was a disaster in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia.
In the early evening of 21 November 1936 the Bundaberg Rum Distillery was struck by lightning. The resulting explosion caused a raging inferno within minutes, as the contents of the rum vats fed the flames. There were 63 vats of rum and spirits each containing 10,000 gallons. [1] This spectacular fire drew a large crowd of spectators and police cordoned off the area due to the intense heat. The glow from the flames could be seen as far away as Childers and Gin Gin. By midnight the flames were brought under control but the building itself was in ruins.
The damage was estimated to have been approximately £200,000. No deaths or injuries were reported. The fire also had a devastating effect on the wildlife in the adjacent Burnett River with thousands of dead fish washed up on the river bank including sharks, cod, salmon and barramundi. [2] The general manager of the distillery, which was owned by the Millaquin Sugar Company stated it was "one of the biggest fires in the history of the State". [3]
Although it took three years the distillery was rebuilt and is currently operating on the same site today.
The State Library of Queensland holds some of the original correspondence and financial records for the Bundaberg Distilling Co. Ltd relating to the 1936 fire. [4]
Bundaberg Rum, colloquially known as Bundy, is a dark rum owned by Diageo. It is produced in Bundaberg East, Queensland, Australia, by the Bundaberg Distilling Company. In 2010, the Bundaberg Distilling Company was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.
Bundaberg is a city in the Bundaberg Region, Wide Bay, Queensland, Australia, and is the tenth largest city in the state. It is a major centre of the Wide Bay–Burnett geographical region. The Bundaberg central business district is situated along the southern bank of the Burnett River, about 20 km (12 mi) from its mouth at Burnett Heads, and flows into the Coral Sea. The city is sited on a rich coastal plain, supporting one of the nation's most productive agricultural regions. The area of Bundaberg is the home of the Taribelang-Bunda, Goreng Goreng, Gurang, and Bailai peoples. Popular nicknames for Bundaberg include "Bundy", "Rum City", and "The 'Berg". In the 2021 census, Bundaberg's urban area has a population of 73,747 people.
Gin Gin is a rural town and locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Gin Gin had a population of 1,139 people.
Burnett Heads is a coastal town and locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of Burnett Heads had a population of 2,908 people.
The Bundaberg Region is a local government area in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland, Australia, about 360 kilometres (220 mi) north of Brisbane, the state capital. It is centred on the city of Bundaberg, and also contains a significant rural area surrounding the city. It was created in 2008 from a merger of the City of Bundaberg with the Shires of Burnett, Isis and Kolan.
Wallaville is a rural town and locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia. It is 372 kilometres (231 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane and 43 kilometres (27 mi) south west of the regional centre of Bundaberg. In the 2021 census, the locality of Wallaville had a population of 363 people.
Haigslea is a locality split between the City of Ipswich and the Somerset Region in South East Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Haigslea had a population of 507 people.
Wide Bay–Burnett is a region of the Australian state of Queensland, located between 170–400 km (110–250 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane. The area's population growth has exceeded the state average over the past 20 years, and it is forecast to grow to more than 430,000 by 2031. It is the subject of the Draft Wide Bay–Burnett Regional Plan, which aims to facilitate this growth while protecting over 90% of the region from urban development.
South Kolan is a rural locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, the locality of South Kolan had a population of 1,258 people.
Samuel Johnston Snr was an Australian pioneer, arriving in Victoria, in 1858 from County Londonderry; like so many immigrants of the time he made his way to the gold diggings. Gold mining and industry eventually led him to Queensland, where he proved himself to be a most useful pioneer to whose efforts the state owes the rapid development of previously unsettled and practically unknown portions of her territory.
Waterview is a neighbourhood in Bundaberg North, Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia on the north bank of the Burnett River.
Beenleigh Rum Distillery is a heritage-listed rum distillery at Distillery Road, Eagleby, City of Logan, Queensland, Australia. The distillery produces Beenleigh Rum. It was built from c. 1890 to c. 1980. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 6 March 2004.
Oakwood is a rural locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Oakwood had a population of 364 people.
Bundaberg East is a suburb of Bundaberg in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Bundaberg East had a population of 2,839 people.
Qunaba is a rural locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Qunaba had a population of 836 people.
Sharon is a rural locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Sharon had a population of 1,209 people.
Australian Distilled Spirits Awards (ADSA) is an annual competition that commenced in 2015.
Bungadoo is a rural locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia. The area was formerly known as Albionville. In the 2021 census, Bungadoo had a population of 342 people.
Gaeta is a rural locality in the Bundaberg Region, Queensland, Australia. In the 2021 census, Gaeta had a population of 134 people.
