Many of the attractions in Rockhampton are operated by the local council, which has a focus on tourism promotion.
Giant Fig in the Botanic Gardens
Church and schoolhouse at Rockhampton Heritage Village
Customs House. The arrival point for many immigrants to Australia in the 1800s
Rockhampton Zoo, (Next to the botanic gardens). 3pm is feeding time at the zoo. A variety of Australian wildlife, including wallabies, kangaroos, goannas, wombats, and koalas. There is also a freshwater crocodile display. Also seeming somewhat out of place is a chimpanzee, a baboon and a monkey. 3pm is also the chance to get up close to a Koala for photos.free. �
Botanic Gardens, (next to the zoo.). 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, Boundry 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, Phone: +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.
Mount Etna Caves National Park, (30km north of Rockhampton on the Bruce Highway). Access to 2-wheel drive vehicles. If you are an experienced caver in a group, you can go caving independently here. Guided tours are available at the nearby Capricorn Caves �
Capricorn Caves, (26km 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 the position is inexact, and varies by a few kilometres a year because of the wobble of the earth on its axis. The position here is a convenience, and an older marker lies on the Bruce Highway 3km south of this location. �
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. �
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Rockhampton
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Rockhampton - updated May 2024
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Rockhampton Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
