Capricorn Tourism

Outback to the Great Barrier Reef

The Capricorn region is a unique Queensland holiday destination where you’ll meet real, down to earth people in a place where the attractions are truly unspoilt. This is the heart of Queensland, and home to friendlier people than you’ve met before, with more captivating places than you knew existed and unforgettable adventures you can’t have anywhere else.

Capricorn Coast & Islands
Rediscover the simple pleasures of a real holiday on pristine beaches and tropical islands. There’s the laidback seaside villages of Yeppoon and Emu Park with their great range of accommodation, dining and colourful markets, or hop over to explore Pumpkin & Great Keppel Island situated within the Keppel Bay of Islands. This is a paradise of unspoilt bushland, sandy coves, fringing reefs and stunning beaches. Choose from all kinds of accommodation – from camping, cabins, and guesthouses. Swim, snorkel, scubadive, fish, or sail into the sunset. Paddle a canoe in an inlet surrounded by the Byfield rainforest, come face to face with the local wildlife, or cruise the reef in a glass-bottom boat.

Rockhampton City
Welcome to Rockhampton. The gateway to a very special holiday region that is reinventing itself as a sophisticated, cosmopolitan hub renowned for its focus on good food, especially its beef, drawn from the huge local herds of prime grass and grain-fed cattle. Affectionately known as “Rocky”, Rockhampton is the beef capital of Australia. With a wider population of over 120,000, Rockhampton and surrounds offers the friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
Rocky is an enticing mix of heritage, lifestyle and real country friendliness. It’s both a gateway to the outback, and so close to some of the most beautiful beaches you’ll ever see. Visit classic heritage buildings, an art gallery, cultural centre and grand 130 year old Botanic Gardens. You can unravel ancient aboriginal mysteries, linger at welcoming cafes and pubs and even take in the some rodeo action. Just outside of town, discover the spectacular limestone cave formations, experience the dust and drama of the biggest cattle sales in Queensland, try your luck at fossicking for thunder eggs and see real dinosaur footprints at Mount Morgan.

Central Highlands & Sapphire Gemfields
This is big country; home to some of the state’s largest cattle stations. It’s where nature takes first prize with stunning gorges, lakes, waterfalls, and peaceful hinterland. It’s also mining country from the small one person Sapphire mines through to the massive Bowen Basin; the economic heart of Queensland, where rich deposits of coal can be found and huge draglines can be seen for kilometres. It’s a region for driving adventures, where wandering off the main roads leads you to exciting discoveries. This is where the red hues of outback soil meet a blue sky that seems to stretch on forever. This is place where the white sandstone cliffs of Carnarvon Gorge stretch up to 200 metres high and overlook a lush green oasis of creeks and waterfalls. There are Aboriginal art sites that sit before a backdrop of palms, eucalypts and giant ferns. Emerald, hub of the Central Highlands, is also the gateway to the Sapphire Gemfields where you can fossick in the largest commercial sapphire fields in the Southern Hemisphere.