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Queensland Explore Centre - Rockhampton

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CAPRICORN SPIRE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE

Visit Rockhampton to experience world-class mountain bike trails, trophy Barramundi to be caught right in the heart of town, full-bull adventures, 4WD'ing, treetop boardwalks, visiting cheeky animals at the Zoo, exploring ancient caves, bushwalks and hikes, farm stays, indigenous experiences, events to rival those of Australia's big cities, a significant art collection that includes some of Australia's greats, heritage and history, distilleries, breweries, bars and eateries all over town and daytrips to the Southern Great Barrier Reef... that's just a short list of what you can experience when you Explore Rockhampton.#explorerockhampton. 

Opening Hours:

Monday to Saturday: 9.00am – 5.00pm | Sunday: 9.00am – 3.00pm

What We Offer:

• Travel Information
• Itineraries
• Brochures and maps

Top 10 things to do around the region:

1. Be fascinated by Mount Archer (Nurim) National Park, with its many bushwalks, hikes, and world-class mountain bike trails. Named Tripadvisor's 2020 Travellers’ Choice Winner, Mount Archer’s elevated treetop boardwalk has sweeping panoramic views across Rockhampton and the surrounding countryside. 2. Catch metre-long barramundi, king threadfin salmon and other fish within the heart of the city. No boat? No worries! For a guided experience with the local ‘Fishing the Fitzroy’ experts, we recommend booking a half day or full day tour with one of our fishing charters. 3 . Grab a selfie Rocky’s iconic Bull Statues on the ‘Where’s the Beef?’ self-guided tour 4 . Nestled within the Botanic Gardens, one of Australia’s oldest public gardens, is Rockhampton’s very own Zoo. With over 60 native and exotic animals, Rockhampton Zoo is one of only four zoos across Australia with chimpanzees. The Zoo has also welcomed a mischievous mob of meerkats, and as a free attraction the Zoo is an inexpensive, fun, family day out. 5.  Take a walk along Quay Street and Australia’s longest National Trust heritage-listed street down to the Riverside Precinct. 6. A day trip to Mount Morgan is a must to delve into the area’s early successes. Mount Morgan’s Gold Mine was one of the richest in Australia. 7.  Outside Rockhampton lies a range of farm stays where you can switch off and reconnect. Enjoy a leisurely horseback ride, feed farm animals, ride a quadbike, and toast marshmallows by the campfire. 8.   A local favourite for a sunny day out is the spacious and picturesque inner city oasis, Kershaw Gardens which stretches one kilometre waterfall, adventure playground and walking trails. 9. Fossick through piles of thunderegg – bearing material which is excavated from the nearby mine site at Mount Hay Gemstone Park. 10 . Get out to the country and experience, learn and be educated on significant sites with Darumbal Dreaming Stories, Medicinal Plants Use and Traditional Food and Tasting with a Darumbal On Country Experience.

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Visit Capricorn

Welcome to the Capricorn Coast Region – Queensland, Australia!

Set on the Tropic of Capricorn, in Central Queensland, the Capricorn Coast region and its hinterland of Rockhampton is a laidback holiday destination offering some of Australia’s best kept secrets. From island hopping and ocean swims, to chic cafes and cultural city vibes – you will always feel welcome in this part of the world.

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Rockhampton visitor information centre

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Explore Rockhampton

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Explore Rockhampton - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Sun - Sun 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
• Mon - Sat 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
• (0.22 km) Rocky Resort Motor Inn
• (0.49 km) Best Western Cattle City Motor Inn
• (0.35 km) Southside Holiday Village
• (0.34 km) Golden Fountain Motel
• (0.42 km) Sun Palms Hotel Motel
• (0.21 km) Cloud 9 Restaurant & Bar
• (0.48 km) The Blue Heeler Licensed Restaurant
• (0.52 km) Ferns Licensed Restaurant
• (2.43 km) TruFusion Indian Bar & Grill
• (2.97 km) Cafe Bliss

Rockhampton

• 1 Understand
• 2.1 By plane
• 2.3 By train
• 3.2 By taxi
• 3.3 By bicycle
• 3.4 By foot
• 10 Stay safe

Rockhampton [dead link] is a city that lies on the tropic of Capricorn near the Queensland coast, south of Mackay and north of Bundaberg . Rockhampton is an industrial and agricultural centre of the north, and is the regional centre of Central Queensland. Rockhampton is also a large tourist destination known for its history and culture supporting such institutions as the Rockhampton Art Gallery, one of the most extensive regional galleries in Australia, the Rockhampton Heritage Village, and Dreamtime Cultural Centre.

Understand [ edit ]

Rockhampton was established in 1855 and is one of Queensland's oldest cities. It was named by Queensland's first Land Commissioner, Mr W. Wiseman, who was supposedly inspired by the rocks in the river flowing through the town.

In the late 1800s, several nearby gold discoveries ensured continued economic growth of the region and of Rockhampton. Subsequently, as mining, grazing, farming and meat processing industries developed in Central Queensland, Rockhampton thrived as a regional service centre.

Rockhampton was incorporated as a city in 1902, and has continued to grow slowly but steadily ever since. It has a population of 79,000 people (2018). The Rockhampton area is surprisingly busy, with considerable traffic on the roads, and a substantial suburban area. It has a feel much more of a developed city than of an outback town.

Rockhampton is almost universally called Rocky . Just about every business has some variation of Rocky in their name or their promotion.

It is also famous as the hometown of Rod Laver – one of the best tennis players in history.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ], by car [ edit ].

Rockhampton is accessible by sealed road, most notably the Bruce Highway which travels north from Brisbane , through Rockhampton and on to Cairns . It is 7-8 hours driving time along the highway from Brisbane .

Road access from Sydney , Melbourne and other areas further south and inland is shorter via an inland route. Rockhampton is the terminus of the Leichhardt Highway. Driving time from Sydney is around 16 hours (non-stop).

By train [ edit ]

The Tilt Train runs to Rockhampton from Brisbane once daily, six days a week, and takes 7½ hours. The Spirit of the Outback ends its journey up the coast from Brisbane here, and turns inland towards Emerald and Longreach . The Spirit of Queensland continues from Brisbane up the coast to Cairns .

By bus [ edit ]

Greyhound [1] have daily services from both Brisbane and Cairns .

Get around [ edit ]

The towns and areas around Rockhampton are all accessible by sealed roads. Most major car rental companies offer car hire in Rockhampton, either at offices in the city or at Rockhampton airport. Roads are typically uncrowded, making driving in the area enjoyable, though drivers are advised to be cautious of the many large trucks on the Bruce Highway. When travelling on back roads watch out for straying livestock.

There is actually a bit of peak hour in Rockhampton, especially on a Friday afternoon travelling over the bridges towards Yeppoon . Expect up to around 10 minutes of delay due to traffic.

By taxi [ edit ]

Taxis are useful for those wishing to travel to places of interest within the city, or to and from the airport. Travel time from the airport to the city centre is only 15 minutes. Rocky Cabs can be reached on the national taxi number, ☏ 131 008 (domestic) . The taxis also service Yeppoon although a fare there is expensive, and a bus or hire car may be a better option.

By bicycle [ edit ]

Rockhampton's CBD is fairly flat, and most roads are uncrowded, which is good for those wishing to cycle around the city. However, access to areas such as the hospitals requires strenuous uphill riding and so is not recommended for those of poor fitness. Those wanting to venture further a field should be warned that the combination of rural drivers, and large trucks and cars with Roo bars is not particularly bicycle-friendly. Be cautious!

By foot [ edit ]

Rockhampton’s flat topography and compact size mean many attractions can be visited on foot, especially those in and around the city centre.

See [ edit ]

Many of the attractions in Rockhampton are operated by the local council, which has a focus on tourism promotion.

• -23.40143 150.49151 2 Botanic Gardens , 100 Spencer St ( next to the zoo. ), toll-free: 1300 225 577 . Surrounding the zoo, includes a Japanese Garden and the Rockhampton War Memorial. The Giant Banyan Figs in the gardens are a feature. There are tea rooms in the garden, serving cappuccinos. ice-creams and lunch.  
• Rockhampton Heritage Village , Boundary Rd ( signposted off Bruce Highway north of Rockhampton ). Opens 9AM . A large site, with around 20 historical buildings from between 1850 and 1950 reconstructed on the site, including a school, hospital and church. Takes around 1 hour to walk around the site, but if you are interested in historic machinery it may take longer. Volunteers run kiosk on site, serves Devonshire teas until 2PM (but only instant coffee) $8.50 adults .  
• Dreamtime Cultural Centre , Bruce Highway , ☏ +61 7 4936 1655 . M-F 10AM-3:30PM . The Dreamtime Cultural Centre showcases Aboriginal culture, heritage and artwork. Local Aboriginal guides give regular tours through the centre, and describe regional tribal history, myths of the Dreamtime and the process involved in producing Aboriginal artworks. There are also displays of didgeridoo playing, bush tucker and boomerang throwing. A convention centre and accommodation are located on the site. It is located 6 kilometres to the north of Rockhampton city centre.  
• Capricorn Caves ( 26 km north of Rockhampton on the Bruce Highway ). Guided tours  
• Capricorn Spire ( at the tourist information on the Bruce Highway south of Rockhampton ). The tropics are caused by tilt of the earth on its axis, with the tropic of Capricorn marking the line of latitude when the sun is directly overhead at the summer solstice. Rockhampton lies pretty much on the tropic of Capricorn with the temperate zone to the south of the city, and tropical zone to the north. A spire marks the Tropic of Capricorn, but its location here is for convenience; the actual Tropic of Capricorn is about 4 km south (and varies about 15 m per year, due to the wobble of the Earth on its axis). ( updated Mar 2022 )
• Customs House and Riverside Esplanade . Immigrants to Australia used to arrive by the boatload at Rockhampton. The sandstone Customs House building now houses the tourist information centre. Just across the road is a modern riverside esplanade on the banks of the Fitzroy river.  
• Archer Park Station and Steam Tram Museum . In south Rockhampton a tram line runs through the city streets, and a restored steam tram runs on Sundays. The museum is also open Monday to Friday.  

Do [ edit ]

• Koorona Crocodile Farm , 65 Savages Road, Coowonga ( around 10km from Rockhampton on the Emu Park Road ), ☏ +61 7 4934 4749 . Last admission at 2PM, tours at 1PM . Cafe serving croc and other dishes, mains over $20. The only possibility of getting value for money here is to turn up for the tour. You will get an idea of the entrepreneurial nature of the operations here. The tour involves feeding and viewing the crocs that are in the pens visible as you approach the farm entrance, which is basically the breeding pairs. Also offers the opportunity to hold a younger croc. $22 adults, $11 children - no family discount .  
• Mount Archer ( head to Frenchville, then Frenchville Road, turn right onto Pilbeam Drive and stop at the top in Mount Archer National Park ). Pleasant views of Rockhampton are available from Mount Archer, including the locally known Hell Nights at night. Free .  

Buy [ edit ]

Eat [ edit ].

Rockhampton is regarded as the beef capital of Australia, so be sure to go to a steakhouse when you are here.

• Great Western Hotel , Cnr Stanley & Denison Streets . There is a steakhouse. On every Wednesday and Friday nights, you can choose to have your dinner in the rodeo arena while watching bull rides practice.  
• Pacino's . Great homey Italian food.  
• Punjabi's . Surprisingly good and authentic Indian cuisine. Fresh ingredients and great ambience.  
• Coffee House . Serves lunch and dinner. Good and fresh food.  
• Seagull's Fish and Chips . In Yeppoon. Once ranked as the 6th best fish and chips shop in Australia. Very friendly people. Consistent quality. Try the special tartare sauce.  
• Restaurant 98 . Relaxed environment and close to fine dining.  
• Saigon Saigon . Great location by the river. A combination of Vietnamese and Chinese food. Vey tasty but the service can be a bit slow and disorganized.  
• Ascot Hotel , 177 Musgrave Street, North Rockhampton . The Ascot Hotel serves large portion steaks on a StoneGrill. If you like steak, this is one of the best in Australia.  

Drink [ edit ]

Rockhampton has 4 nightclubs located at the Quay Street end of William Street, and many bars scattered throughout the city. The Criterion Hotel situated at 150 Quay Street has a lively atmosphere and the bar and club is open till 3AM Friday and Saturday. The "Cri" as it's locally known is a great place for food and a few drinks in the afternoon as well. Locally known to have a ghost as well.

Sleep [ edit ]

There are many motels in Rockhampton, mostly on the roads into and out of town. Many offer standby rates. There is also a choice of accommodation in nearby Yeppoon , tending to have a nicer aspect, and still within easy reach of downtown Rockhampton.

• Quest Rockhampton , 48 Victoria Pde , ☏ +61 7 4920 5300 . Check-in: 2PM , check-out: 10AM . A hotel along the Fitzroy River. ( updated Jun 2021 )

Stay safe [ edit ]

Rockhampton is about as far south as the habitat of the salt water crocodile extends. These animals are dangerous to humans. If you are travelling north along the east coast of Australia, Rockhampton is where you have to start being aware of crocodiles. Crocodiles are seen in the Fitzroy River.

Go next [ edit ]

Gladstone and 1770 are both possible day trips.

Trips to the Great Barrier Reef and the Keppel Islands are available from Yeppoon , just 30 minutes drive away.

Rockhampton is a great base if you are travelling Central Queensland to the Gem Fields, Great Barrier Reef and Islands, Gladstone, The Coast, Gracemere, Mount Morgan

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QICA - Queensland Information Centres Association

QICA is the key industry body for Visitor and Tourist Information Centres in Queensland - currently 100 Centre are members of QICA! Visitor Information Centre are on the frontline of tourism, and can often be the first contact for a visitor when arriving in a destination. With this vital role in mind, QICA provides services and benefits to members including:

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• Attractions
• Riverside Precinct
• Fishing the Fitzroy
• Mountain Biking
• National Parks
• Local Walking Trails
• Hiking & Bushwalking Trails
• Mount Morgan

Heritage and History

• Arts and Culture
• Parks, Playgrounds and Pools
• Shopping & Markets
• Eat & Drink
• Getting Here
• The Beef Capital
• Accessible Travel
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• Explore like a local
• For the Mates
• For the Girls
• For the Families
• For the Nomads
• Guides and e-Brochures
• Explore Rockhampton Self-Guided Tours
• Visitor Information

Discover our Colourful past

From frontier town to bustling river port and gold rush city, Rockhampton’s colonial past and its fortunes are preserved in sandstone, wrought iron and topped off with a magnificent copper dome. Like the Fitzroy (Tunuba), these fortunes have ebbed and flowed over the years and today delivers a town full of heritage and history.

Heritage Building Architecture Tour

Start tour at Quay Street, Rockhampton | Rockhampton CBD

If you only have a short time and would like to take in as much of Rockhampton's history as possible, Quay Street is your destination. It is one of Queensland's longest National Trust heritage-listed streets and provides a wealth of historic buildings to marvel at and explore.

Starting at the wharves that were the gateway into Rockhampton, and continuing through most of the early CBD, this tour is approximately 2km one way, or you can add on the river walk for a lovely return trip.

You can take the tour at your leisure via our Self-Guided Audio Tours App.

Download the app

The historic Mount Morgan township

Mount Morgan Township | 40km from the Rockhampton CBD

Cruise along a winding scenic strip of road that takes you up into the Rockhampton regional hinterland. The Mount Morgan Range, via the Burnett Highway, is an enjoyable section of road with eye-catching lookouts, mountainous views and at the very end, the charming mining town of Mount Morgan . Delve into the township's rich gold mining history and relive its fascinating past with a range of impressive attractions on show. While you are there, be sure to:

• Drop into the Mount Morgan Railway Museum , which also houses the town's Information Centre
• Take a trip to the Mount Morgan Historical Museum and learn about the town's rich history
• Pack a picnic or barbecue and unwind by the banks of the Mount Morgan No.7 Dam
• Capture breath-taking views of the Mount Morgan Range Lookout
• Snap an insta-worthy picture on the Private Victor Stanley Jones Suspension Bridge
• Tuck into a delicious pie or pastry at the popular Mount Morgan Hot Bread Shop and head to the Arthur Timms Lookout for remarkable views of Mount Morgan Mine

Find out more

Rockhampton Heritage Village

Boundary Road, Parkhurst | 10km from the Rockhampton CBD

Partake in a history lesson with a visit to the  Rockhampton Heritage Village . One of the most popular stops for visitors to Central Queensland, step back in time and marvel at original and reproduction buildings as well as memorabilia and artefacts portraying life in the region from the 1850s to the 1950s.

Authentically capturing a generous slice of an earlier generation's way of life, the Rockhampton Heritage Village is a wonderful place to enjoy. Experience life before electricity with a tour through the many homesteads, vintage cars, tractors, fire engines, horse drawn vehicles and wagons on display. Watch how a 1950's print press works and visit the Blacksmith Shop and take in the traditional skills from a bygone era. You even have the unique chance to try a range of transport options including horses and ponies, a horse and cart, vintage double-decker bus, vintage fire engine and several other vintage vehicles, plus meet some adorable farm animals. The Village is set on 11.4 hectares of bush land and incorporates a charming township from yesteryear with original and recreated homesteads, buildings and businesses.

The Heritage Village is open from 10am - 4pm daily (excluding public holidays). 

Bi-monthly, the Heritage Village Markets take place at the Heritage Village (January, March, May, July, September and November each year).

Archer Park Rail Museum

51-87 Denison Street Street, Rockhampton | 900m from the Rockhampton CBD

Take a ride upon one of a fully restored one-of-a-kind Purrey Steam Tram and discover the wonders of Rockhampton’s rail history. Constructed in 1899, the architecturally impressive Archer Park was the central railway station for Rockhampton until the mid-1920s. Today, Archer Park Rail Museum is one of Rockhampton’s iconic historic locations you will surely love! The museum is open Monday to Thursday, 10am to 3pm and Sunday 9am to 1pm.

CQ Military and Artifacts Museum

40 Archer Street, Rockhampton | 700m from the Rockhampton CBD

Preserving the military history of Central Queensland, visit the Central Queensland Military and Artefacts Museum , the only military museum in the region. Browse through their extensive collection ranging from the 1900s through to present day,