Rockhampton Queensland

Rockhampton is situated on the Fitzroy River, and lies 40 kilometres inland from the beautiful Capricorn Coast beaches.

The city is surrounded by the Berserker Ranges which pose an impressive backdrop for the vibrant City centre, coast and the outback beyond.

Founded in 1853, the majesty of Rockhampton's historical architecture has captured the hearts of visitors for decades.

Many fine public and private buildings, including the Customs House, old Post Office, Cathedrals, banks business houses and homes, are constant reminders of the city with an exciting background. Quay Street, facing the river, has been listed as an historic streetscape that is unique in Australia.

For a spectacular view of the city and surrounding ranges, make your way to Rockhampton's highest peak, Mt. Archer, on the north-eastern outskirts of the city. Mt. Archer is a bushwalkers paradise with several tracks of varying degrees of difficulty.

Six statues of bulls, representing the main breeds of the area, are situated throughout Rockhampton in recognition of Rockhampton's title of Beef Capital of Australia. Gracemere Saleyards, on the outskirts of Rockhampton, handle the largest throughput of export beef cattle in Queensland, and is the largest stud selling venue in the Southern Hemisphere. The public is welcome.

Experience the country in the city at the Great Western Hotel which holds regular rodeos at the back of the pub.

Rockhampton Heritage Village showcases the rich, colourful history of the Rockhampton district from 1850 to 1950. It features homesteads, cottages, a blacksmith shop, timber cutters camp, vintage machinery, vehicles and a variety of friendly farm animals.

The Rockhampton Botanic Gardens are regarded as one of the best provincial gardens in Australia. Recently Heritage listed, the gardens are 130 years old. Located within the Botanic Gardens is the Rockhampton Zoo which hosts a range of native and exotic animals. Entry is free.

The Kershaw Gardens , on Rockhampton's north-side, stretch 1 kilometre along the Bruce Highway and are an ideal place to experience Capricorn's native flora all in one location. The historical mining town of Mount Morgan is an easy 40 minute drive from Rockhampton. The gold mining town was established in 1882 and continued to produce gold, silver and copper for 99 years until the mine closed in 1981. Mount Morgan was considered one of the most important gold discoveries in the world, and the mine was also believed to be the largest open cut gold mine in the Southern Hemisphere. Book a tour of the mine site and marvel at the dinosaur footprints on the ceiling of the caverns, take a look at the famous swing bridge and visit the Mount Morgan Historical Museum.

Just 38 kilometres from Rockhampton is Yeppoon, considered the gateway to the Capricorn Coast. Wander along the towns picturesque esplanade with its backdrop of offshore islands. Just to the south are the villages of Rosslyn Bay, Emu Park and Zilzie.

Rosslyn Bay is home to Keppel Bay Marina which, with 290 berths, is one of the largest marinas in North Queensland. This is the departure point for the Great Keppel Island ferry service and for many of the smaller and lesser known islands in the region including Pumpkin Island.

For nature lovers, the Capricorn Coast is a rare environment where tropical and sub-tropical species overlap and where, in season, you can even catch a glimpse of an endangered dugong or green turtle passing by.

Just a 45 minute drive from Rockhampton are Shoalwater Bay and Corio Bay which form a vast coastal wetland that is a barramundi breeding ground and unbeatable destination for a fishing escape.

The area is rich in national parks including Byfield National Park, Red Rock National Park and North Keppel Island National Park.

The booming industrial city of Gladstone is little more than an hours drive from Rockhampton. Gladstone's Port Curtis is the hub for the construction of a number of trains for conversion of Liquid Natural Gas by projects including Queensland Curtis LNG, Australia Pacific LNG and Gladstone LNG. The owners of these projects include BG Group, Origin Energy and Santos. Other major industries based at Gladstone include The Port of Gladstone, Queensland Alumina Limited, Rio Tinto Alcan (RTA Yarwun alumina refinery), Boyne Smelters Ltd, Cement Australia (QLD), Orica, NRG Gladstone Power Station, Boyne Smelters, Anglo Coal Australia, Callide Mine, Peabody Energy's Baralba Mine, Queensland Nitrates Pty Ltd, Cracow Mining Joint Venture and Callide Power Station.

Getting Here

By air

The redeveloped Rockhampton Airport is exceptionally well serviced with multiple flights to and from Brisbane daily, direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Townsville, and connections on to other ports around Australia and internationally. Airlines that fly into Rockhampton include Virgin Blue, Jetstar, Tiger Airways and Qantaslink.

By road

Rockhampton is at the intersection of the Bruce Highway, Capricorn Highway and Burnett Highway. Approximate distances between Rockhampton and other destinations are :

Brisbane to Rockhampton – 700 kilometres
Gladstone to Rockhampton – 110 kilometres
Mackay to Rockhampton – 350 kilometres
Whitsundays to Rockhampton – 480 kilometres
Townsville to Rockhampton – 720 kilometres
Cairns to Rockhampton – 1,000 kilometres
Middlemount to Rockhampton – 280 kilometres
Dysart to Rockhampton – 340 kilometres
Moranbah to Rockhampton – 420 kilometres
Clermont to Rockhampton – 380 kilometres
Blackwater to Rockhampton – 200 kilometres

By rail

Queensland Rail's Traveltrain operates train services daily to Rockhampton from Brisbane and Cairns and extends west to Longreach. High speed 'tilt-train' services run four times per week between Brisbane and Cairns. The 'Sunlander' and 'Spirit of the Outback' trains also run via Rockhampton to the Tropical North and Outback, offering an experience that is more than just a train journey.

By coach and bus

Greyhound Australia operates from the central bus terminal in Rockhampton which is located 200 metres from Centrepoint Motor Inn. Multiple services connect Rockhampton with Brisbane and Cairns daily. Youngs, Rother's Coaches and Dowies are the major providers of bus services across the region. Kynoch Coaches provide services from Rockhampton to Toowoomba via Mount Morgan and Biloela.

Taxi and car hire

Car hire is available from several local and national operators and taxis are also available.

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