Rockhampton is the City of lifestyle, rich community spirit, and the best tropical climate Queensland has to offer. The City lies just above the Tropic of Capricorn, and acts as gateway to the Capricorn Coast to the east, and the Outback to the west. Rockhampton is rich in natural beauty, has an excellent airport, values commercial growth, and offers first-class educational facilities from kindergarten right through to university.
Location
Rockhampton is situated on Queensland's largest river, the Fitzroy, and lies 40 kilometres inland from the beautiful Capricorn Coast beaches.
The City is flanked to the east by the Berserker Ranges and Mount Archer (607 metres high), posing an impressive backdrop for the vibrant City centre, business districts and residential areas.
Heritage
Rockhampton was founded in 1858, and was built on the wealth of gold rushes and cattle empires. The City's Quay Street Heritage Precinct stands proud with well preserved heritage architecture, including historic Customs House and the classic Walter Reid Cultural Centre. Countless Queenslander homes and terrific tourist attractions such as the Archer Park Railway Station, the Heritage Village and the Dreamtime Cultural Centre can be found throughout Rockhampton.
Lifestyle and Community
Rockhampton's population is approximately 60,000, and the total population for the greater Rockhampton district is 100,000 - which includes the Rockhampton, Fitzroy, Livingstone and Mount Morgan Shires. Very few regions offer the affordable lifestyle advantages of Rockhampton's tropical climate and all year outdoor lifestyle.
Employment and Business Opportunities
Rockhampton has a thriving commercial and business centre surrounded by significant mining and rural industries. The region also has an international focus, with significant investment from major overseas companies.
Major Industries
Cattle: Rockhampton is known as the Beef Capital of Australia, with more than two million head of cattle in the region. The tropically adapted beef breeds – Brahman, Braford and Belmont Red – make up the bulk of the region’s herd.
Gracemere Saleyards, just a few kilometres west of Rockhampton at Gracemere, conducts some of Australia’s largest sales of stud and commercial cattle.
Two major meatworks operate in Rockhampton and export to world markets. The City also hosts the triennial international Beef Australia exposition events.
Agriculture: Approximately 40km east of Rockhampton, the Capricorn Coast produces pineapples, paw paws, bananas, custard apples, and other fruit and vegetables for local and southern markets. The Coast also has large pine forests producing timber for local mills.
Grain, cotton, fodder crops, citrus and grapes are grown in areas west of Rockhampton in the Central Highlands at Emerald, and in the Dawson and Callide Valleys to the south-west.
Mining: The region’s major mining activity produces coal from the nearby Bowen Basin for the world’s steel-making plants and for power production. The open-cut and underground operations have estimated deposits in excess of 10,000 million tonnes.
Tourism: Central Queensland attracts significant domestic and international tourism growth, with the region’s many unique attractions, services, and natural features.
Approximately 100,000 international tourists and one million domestic tourists visit the Rockhampton district each year, searching for authentic Queensland culture, heritage and adventure. Visitors can choose a beach to visit anywhere along the Capricorn Coast, or they can opt for serious pampering at a world-class resort.
The region is rich in history and heritage brought to life by the Dreamtime Cultural Centre, Heritage Village Museum and Archer Park Railway Station and Steam Tram Museum.
