Page 250 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

248  QUEENSLAND

9Rockhampton

* 61,000. £ @ @ n Capricorn
Info. Centre, Gladstone Rd (07)
4927 2055 or 1800 676 701.
Rockhampton is situated 40 km
(25 miles) inland, on the banks
of the Fitzroy River. Often referred
to as the “beef capital” of Australia,
the town is also the administrative
and commercial heart of central
Queensland. A spire marks the Sandstone cliff looking out over Blackdown Tableland National Park
fact that, geographically, the
Tropic of Capricorn runs Environs 0Blackdown
through the town. The heritage township of Mount Tableland National
Rockhampton was founded Morgan is 38 km (25 miles) Park
in 1854 and contains many southwest of Rockhampton.
restored 19th-century buildings. A 2 sq km (0.5 sq mile) open-cut Off Capricorn Hwy, via Dingo. Park
Quay Street flanks the tree-lined mine of first gold, then copper, Ranger Tel (07) 4986 1964. 7
river and has been classified in operated here for 100 years ∑ npsr.qld.gov.au/parks/
its entirety by the National Trust. and was an important part of blackdown-tableland
Particularly outstanding is the state’s economy
the sandstone Customs until the minerals Between Rockhampton and
House. The beautiful ran out in 1981. Emerald, along a 20-km (12-mile)
Botanic Gardens Some 25 km untarmacked detour off the
were established in (15 miles) north of Capricorn Highway, is Blackdown
1869, and have a fine Rockhampton is Tableland National Park. A
collection of tropical Plaque at base of the Mount Etna National dramatic sandstone plateau that
plants. There is also on- Tropic of Capricorn spire Park, containing rises 600 m (2,000 ft) above the
site accommodation. spectacular limestone flat surrounding countryside,
Built on an ancient tribal caves, discovered in the 1880s. the Tableland offers spectacular
meeting ground, the Aboriginal These are open to the public via views, escarpments, open forest
Dreamtime Cultural Centre is Olsen’s Capricorn Caverns and and tumbling waterfalls. Wildlife
owned and operated by local Camoo Caves. A major feature includes gliders, brushtail
Aboriginals. Imaginative displays of the caves is “cave coral” – possums, rock wallabies and
give an insight into their life stone-encrusted tree roots that the occasional dingo.
and culture. have forced their way through Emerald is a coal mining
the rock. The endangered ghost centre and the hub of the
Y Botanic Gardens bat, Australia’s only carnivorous central highland region, 75 km
Spencer St. Tel (07) 4932 9000. bat, nests in these caves. (45 miles) west of the park; the
Open 6am–6pm daily. 7 The stunning sandy town provides a railhead for the
E Aboriginal Dreamtime beaches of Yeppoon and Emu surrounding agricultural areas.
Cultural Centre Park are only 40 km (25 miles) Its ornate 1900 railway station
Bruce Hwy. Tel (07) 4936 1655. northeast of the city. Rock- is one of the few survivors of
Open 9am–3:30pm Mon–Fri. hampton is also the access a series of fires that occurred
Closed public hols. & 8 point for Great Keppel Island between 1936 and 1969, which
∑ dreamtimecentre.com.au (see pp220–21). destroyed much of the town’s
heritage. About 60 km (37
miles) southwest of Emerald
is Cullin-la-ringo, where there
are headstones marking the
mass grave of 19 European
settlers killed in 1861 by local
Aboriginals. At Comet is a tree
carved with the initials of
explorer Ludwig Leichhardt
during his 1844 expedition to
Port Essington (see p253).
More in tune with its name,
Emerald is also the access point
for the largest sapphire fields in
the world. The lifestyle of the
gem diggers is fascinating,
Façade of Customs House on Quay Street, Rockhampton making it a popular tourist area.
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp486–8 and pp514–15