lands

In the 1850s a pair of settlers, John and Gavin Stewart, obtained forested land near what would become Bundaberg to supply timber to the pastoral industry that had recently been established in the region. A town was surveyed in 1868 on the south bank of the Burnett and was given the name Bundaberg, for the local Aboriginal Australians, the Bunda. It became a municipality in 1880, a town in 1881, and a city in 1913. Bundaberg developed into a centre for large sugar plantations established in the 1870s. It has sugar mills, refineries, and rum distilleries. Other industries include dairying, sawmilling, shipbuilding, and the manufacture of farm machinery. Sugar, golden syrup (treacle), and timber are exported. In December 2010 Bundaberg was flooded by heavy rains that caused the Burnett to rise to its highest level in decades, submerging the city’s eastern district; flood damage also caused the port to be closed for more than two months. Pop. (2006) local government area, 45,802; (2011) statistical local area, 47,946; local government area, 89,810. Source: www.britannica.com/place/Bundaberg

Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) is one of the largest alumina refineries by alumina production capacity in the world,[1][2] located in Parsons Point, Gladstone, Queensland, Australia. The refinery was planned in 1964[3] and has been operating since 1967,[4] the refinery has the capacity to produce 3.95 million tonnes of alumina a year. In 1981 the output was at a quarterly basis over 600,000 tonnes per quarter.[5] At times of lower demand, operations have been altered.[6][7] Subsequent rises in demand have seen an expansion in output and employment.[8] QAL has been operated by a range of consortium partners of international aluminum producers over time. Comalco was brought into the consortium in 1969.[9] In 1982 it was owned by Comalco (30.3%), Kaiser Aluminum (28.3%), Alcan (21.4%), and Pechiney Ugine Kuhlmann (20%).[10] Since April 2005, it has been owned by Rio Tinto Alcan (80%) and Rusal (20%).[11] In September 2017 the QAL celebrated 50 years of operation. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensland_Alumina_Limited

Interesting to compare this with Henry King's photo (c.1890) - www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2666190207/ and Kerry's (c.1900) - www.flickr.com/photos/powerhouse_museum/2362676015/ I think this photo is c.1885

At least pre-1891 according to your note about the Dept Lands building being completed in 1891.

The northern half of the Lands Department Building was completed in 1881 (as seen here); the southern half including clock tower with onion "in the early 1890s". There's no sign of the southern half in this photo, so that is why I think pre-1891. It could be any year between 1881 - 1891. Ref - adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1984PASAu...5..606W and following pages.

The terrace on the right which also appears in www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/2627336538/ dated 4 October 1889. The writing on Nos. 5 and 7 in this picture looks like it has been painted over in the other, implying that this photo is earlier than 1889. Unless it is a trick of the light.

beachcomber australia It's hard to tell with those numbers, isn't it. As you say, they are very faint in the other photo. With the horses and carts in both images it looks to be an old-fashioned 'taxi stand'.