At Emerald, west of Rockhampton, you can fossick in the largest sapphire fields in the country or at Mt Hay dig up your own Thunderegg.
Views from volcanic outcrops overlooking the Capricorn Coast, east of Rockhampton, stretch across graziers’ estates and pineapple plantations to exposed headlands, estuarine mudflats and the Keppel Islands 20km offshore. The coastal townships of Yeppoon and Emu Park, settled by cattle barons in the 1860s, were soon adopted by Rockhampton’s elite as places to beat the summer heat. Despite some modern development, the coast retains a pleasantly dated holiday atmosphere and is a good place for independent travel. Everyone heads for the fine beaches at Great Keppel Island, but other places – for example, the wilds at Byfield – are only just being discovered by visitors and remain largely untouched.
Rockhampton to Yeppoon: Coast and Inland
First stop on the coastal road, about 25km from Rockhampton, is Koorana Crocodile Farm (tours daily at 1pm; $12), where estuarine crocs are bred (koorana means “giving birth”) to supply the leather industry and restaurants. If the reptiles’ ultimate fate doesn’t bother you, the tours are interesting – despite a certain amount of showmanship involved in the feeding and meeting of Koorana’s “stars”. Some of the crocs are penned individually, but most are viewed en masse from the safety of protected boardwalks, raised over the mudflats and ponds where the reptiles bask. With luck you might see babies hatching, bleating as they squeeze themselves out of tiny eggs.
The sea appears suddenly at EMU PARK, a breezy hillside covered by scattered “Queenslander” houses, a store, hotel and van park. From the cliffs at the Singing Ship the wind howls mournful tunes through the wires of this peculiar monument to Captain Cook. There’s little to do between here and Yeppoon except take in the seascape; the road runs a gauntlet of units, van parks and campsites as it alternates between twisting headlands and flat beachfront. Possible stops might be at KINKA BEACH, where stir-crazy hawksbill turtles endlessly circle the motley aquarium, or Rosslyn Bay, where the cliffs have been weathered into hexagonal columns behind the island ferry terminal and marina. There are good views from the windswept top; take some lunch to make it worthwhile. Further on, COOEE BAY is virtually a suburb of Yeppoon, with an annual “Cooee Competition” when competitors give their tonsils a good airing from Wreck Point.
Following the inland road, you’ll find the plains dotted with volcanic plugs, some of which can be climbed. Mount Jim Crow is to the left of the highway, about 15km along the Yeppoon Road; look out for the well-hidden sign to the national park. From the car park, a rough track leads to a small quarry on the left side of the mountain, then follows shallow gullies and water run-offs uphill through some fairly dense scrub. What is really time-consuming is ploughing through the huge, tough webs of the golden orb weaver spider, whose thread – dozens of times stronger than silk – is now being used in the production of bullet-proof vests; fortunately, the gigantic female spiders are very timid. A good hour should see you safely at the top admiring the scenery; on the way down don’t be tempted to take short cuts, as the rocks are unstable.
Climate
For many winter is the perfect time of the year for the sub-tropics. The days are warm and the nights crisp and cool.
You may need to pack a light-weight tracksuit or wind jacket to put over your swimsuit while enjoying the stars on deck on a Whitsunday winter evening.
For more regional information on the Capricorn Coast, go to:
- Agnes Water
- Bowen
- Bundaberg
- Byfield Coast
- Carnavon National Park
- Emerald
- Gladstone
- Mackay
- Eungella National Park
- Mount Morgan
- Rockhampton
- Yeppoon
Maps
Bundaberg Area (Capricorn Coast)
Gladstone Area (Capricorn Coast)
Mackay Area (Capricorn Coast)
Rockhampton Area (Capricorn Coast) & Southern Reef Islands
Southern Queensland, from Brisbane to Mackay