This article presents the results of microstructural, compositional, and optical characterization of GaN films grown on ZnO buffered c-sapphire substrates. Transmission electron microscopy showed epitaxy between the GaN and the ZnO, no degradation of the ZnO buffer layer, and no evidence of any interfacial compounds. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy revealed negligible Zn signal in the GaN layer away from the GaN/ZnO interface. After chemical removal of the ZnO, room temperature (RT) cathodoluminescence spectra had a single main peak centered at similar to 368 nm (similar to 3.37 eV), which was indexed as near-band-edge (NBE) emission from the GaN layer. There was no evidence of the ZnO NBE peak, centered at similar to 379 nm (similar to 3.28 eV), which had been observed in RT photoluminescence spectra prior to removal of the ZnO.