Bouldercombe
The former gold rush towns of Bouldercombe and Mt. Morgan lie south of Rockhampton.

Capricorn Caves
The Capricorn Caves , formerly called Olsens'Caves are located 23 km north of Rockhampton and are a system of above ground caves.

Carnarvon Gorge
Two hundred kilometres to the south of Emerald and 400 km west of Rockhampton is Carnarvon Gorge popular with walkers. It has aboriginal paintings, cliffs, moss gardens and wildlife. The gorge was created by the Carnarvon Creek.

Emerald
Emerald is a gem centre as are the nearby towns of Sapphire and Rubyvale. Every August Emerald stages a Gem Festival, and on the nearby gem fields are found sapphires, in particular, and other precious stones too. This is reported to be the largest sapphire field in the southern hemisphere. The main gem fields are located about thirty to sixty kilometres from the town of Emerald . Lake Maraboon is nearby. There is also one of the largest citrus orchards in the southern hemisphere. In the Town Hall is a piece of a fossilised tree, found only 45 centimetres beneath the surface while a new railway bridge was being constructed nearby. When carbon dated, it was found to be 250 million years old.

Gladstone
Gladstone is 550 kilometres north of Brisbane . The deep water harbour here was discovered and charted by Matthew Flinders in 1802. Within the harbour is a large marina full of yachts. Gladstone is home to the largest alumina refinery in the world. Beaches are at Tannum which is joined to Boyne Island by a bridge. The southernmost tip of the Great Barrier Reef stretches down to Gladstone , and Heron Island , lying 73 kilometres off Gladstone, is popular for diving.

Marina
There is an attractive marina in the city.

Tondoon Botanic Gardens
The botanic gardens are in Glenlyon Road , to the south of the city. These gardens are devoted entirely too Australian native plants, mostly local, and are free.

Art Gallery and Museum
There is an Art Gallery and Museum in the old Town Hall on the corner of Goondoon and Bramston Streets.

Emu Park
A coastal village with safe swimming beaches. The Singing Ships is a white sculpture that overlooks Keppel Bay . The Emu Park Museum a small museum that also offer tourist advice.

Great Keppel Island
Great Keppel Island is fifteen kilometres off the ‘ Capricorn Coast '. Originally known as Wapparaburra by the local aborigines, whose history here dates back 4,500 years, the island was given its European name by Captain Cook as he sailed by in 1770.

Great Keppel Island is about 1500 hectares in size and has 17 sandy beaches. It is an island for relaxing on the beautiful beaches, diving, or enjoying various types of water sports. To reach the island, take a launch from Rosslyn Bay , south of Yeppoon. Launches are frequent and now take only 45 minutes to reach the island. To reach Rosslyn Bay , there are bus services from Yeppoon and from Rockhampton. There are also flights from Rockhampton to Great Keppel Island . There are other islands in the Keppel Group which can be visited. Vehicles can be left in the Great Keppel Island Security Car Park where transfers are organised to Rosslyn Bay Harbour and Keppel Bay Marina.

Heron Island
A 16 hectare island in the middle of the Capricorn Group 80 km north east of Gladstone .

Mount Morgan
Gold mining town located in hills south-west of Rockhampton.

Northwest Island
A 150 hectare island is the largest island of the Capricorn Group and is a National Park.

Rockhampton
Rockhampton was first settled in 1853, when the Archer family arrived. Trading commenced when the Ellida arrived with supplies, at a point marked by a monument on the bank of the river in the southern part of the city. In 1858, gold was discovered in Canonona, sixty kilometres north of Rockhampton and, as the miners were dependent upon supplies shipped through here, the prosperity of Rockhampton increased accordingly. Further goldfields were later discovered at Bouldercombe and Mount Morgan . Finally, in 1903, the railway reached Rockhampton. Rockhampton claims that it is ‘the beef capital of Australia '. 2.5 million head of cattle are kept within a radius of 250 kilometres of Rockhampton

A stroll along the banks of the Fitzroy River will give a good impression of Rockhampton. The river is attractive and some of the buildings facing it are stately. The Tropic of Capricorn runs through the southern edge of the city and is marked by the Capricorn Spire beside the main highway. Near the spire, still in the southern part of the city are the Botanic Gardens and the Zoo.

Botanic Gardens
The Botanic Gardens date from 1869 and were originally intended to experiment with the cultivation of various plants, to establish what could be grown profitably in this region. There are some especially impressive palms here dating back a century or longer. There are also a Japanese Garden , an Arid Garden and a Tropical Fruits Garden .

Archer Park Station
In the centre of Rockhampton is Archer Park Station Now it is a Railway Museum . It is a handsome station, both from the front (entrance) side and from the Denison Street side where an arched roof covers platform and tracks.

Dreamtime Cultural Centre
Displays relating to region's Aboriginal past.

Kershaw Gardens
In North Rockhampton there are some more gardens. The Kershaw Gardens were started in 1976 on a land fill area, and opened to the public in 1988. They aim at a bush environment and stretch for a kilometre beside the main highway north. The Kershaw Gardens are free and open day and night.

Heritage Village
On the northern outskirts of Rockhampton is the Heritage Village . This is a collection of old dwellings from pioneer times, and includes an exhibition of vintage vehicles and one of various types of clocks.

Mt.Archer
Moving outside the city area, Mt. Archer rises to a height of 604 metres on the northern edge of the city and offers good views. The mountain is a National Park and there are various walking tracks.

Rockhampton Zoo
Its emphasis is on Australian animals and birds. There are elevated walkways through the koala compound and the aviary, to permit better observation of the residents. Admission to the Zoo is free.

Yeppon
Yeppon is 30 minutes drive north of Rockhampton. To the north-east lie the resort towns of Yeppoon, Rosslyn Bay and Emu Park The beach area lying between Yeppoon and Emu Bay along the ‘ Capricorn Coast ' is particularly pretty and has led to the seventeen-kilometre road between the two being named the Scenic Highway . Yeppon Doll & Antiquity Museum is the largest private doll collection in Australia

Back to Capricorn Coast PDA