Rockhampton, Queensland's Beef City, is thriving; a modern throwback to the heydays of Queensland's colonial past, it offers all your cosmopolitan conveniences in a contemporary riverside setting. The newly redeveloped Riverbank Precinct, the beautiful Botanic Gardens and Zoo, which is proudly home to more than 70 species of native and exotic animals, and a must do for families is a visit to the recently opened Kershaw Gardens Central Precinct - Playground and Water Play area! When the sun goes down over the mighty Fitzroy River, premium dining can be found along the heritage-listed streets, with some of the best steak houses, restaurants, pubs, clubs, and cocktail bars in regional Queensland. Rockhampton is located in the Fitzroy Basin, Australia's second largest river system, and is surrounded by the foreboding Berserker Ranges, providing outdoor and adventure enthusiasts with the best of both worlds. Mt Archer National Park visitors can now enjoy spectacular views of Rockhampton from the new Nurim Circuit Elevated Boardwalk, which extends 25 metres outward and is 7.5 metres high on the mountain top. The Southern Great Barrier Reef takes pride in its quintessential Queensland heritage, and you simply can't experience Rockhampton today without a sense of the past. Rockhampton was once Australia's northernmost city, and it was even touted as the future state capital, thanks to the region's thriving resource and beef industries, which still exist today. In fact, all you have to do is look out the window as you drive into town to see proof of our pastoral heritage, with six iconic bull statues dotting the landscape and an undercover rodeo arena with live bull rides every Friday night to boot. There's no point in reading about it when there are direct flights from Brisbane, as well as first-rate road and rail connectivity... It's time to get a taste of the Beef Capital for yourself!
Rockhampton, located just inland from the Central Queensland Coast, is one of the state's oldest cities, having grown up on the banks of the Fitzroy River in the 1850s. There is a lot of architecture from Rockhampton's early decades in the CBD, particularly on Quay Street on the River Front. Much of this was paid for by a gold rush, and the city is now the cattle trade capital of Australia. Rockhampton, located on the Tropic of Capricorn, has a wonderful lush botanic garden and one of the best zoos in the state. If you go a little further, you'll find ancient limestone caves, incredible mountain lookouts, and the Capricorn Coast's beaches.
