Stephens Family Vacation - Australia 2025: 2025-04-27: Train to Rockhampton
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| Type | Name | Service Provider | Origin | Destination | Cost | Notes | ||
| Other | Walk to Hotel | Rockhampton Train Station | Hotel | $0.00 | Rhonda: How are we going to get between train station and hotel inRockhampton? it's 2.5km so easy enough to walk. Brent: My notes show that as about 1Km from the Depot Hill Train Station. I was planning to walk. We are getting in rather late so we could catch a cab if it seems best. | |||
| Train | Train to Rockhampton | SoQueen | Bowen | Rockhampton | $0.00 | On the 27 we catch the cab to the train for 16:25 departure. It's a long ride to Rockhampton arriving at 23:35 (after Rockhampton the trains run every day) Station: Depot Hill | ||
| Accommodation | |||||||
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| Type | Name | Service Provider | Location | Cost | Notes | ||
| Hotel | Q Motel | Hotels.com | $310.67 | 112 Gladstone Rd, ROCKHAMPTON, QLD 4700 +61 7 4927 8866 | |||
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| Type | Name | Description | Service Provider | Cost | Notes | ||
| General Info | Advice from WikiVoyage | Australia's beef capital – Rockhampton – is a city that lies on the tropic of Capricorn near the Central Queensland coast, south of Mackay and north of Bundaberg. | $0.00 | 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. Rockhampton 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 – and the \"bike lanes\" in Rocky are just paint. Be cautious! Rockhampton’s flat topography and compact size mean many attractions can be visited on foot, especially those in and around the city centre. Rockhampton Zoo, 93 Spencer St (next to the Botanic Gardens), ? +61 7 4932 9000, toll-free: 1300 22 55 77, rockhamptonzoo@rrc.qld.gov.au. 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. Rockhampton Zoo (Q55631889) on Wikidata Rockhampton Zoo on Wikipedia edit 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. edit 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. edit 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. edit Mount Etna Caves National Park (30 km north of Rockhampton on the Bruce Highway), ? +61 7 4936 0570. 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 Mount Etna Caves National Park (Q1285154) on Wikidata Mount Etna Caves National Park on Wikipedia 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). 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. Koorona Crocodile Farm, 65 Savages Road, Coowonga (around 10 km 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. edit 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. 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. | |||
| To Do | Things to do in Rockhampton | $0.00 | |||||
| Blog Entries | ||
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| Bowen - Summergarden Cinema\n\n Brent chose to stop in Bowen because it was described as a town that time forgot. It is definitely a ‘small-town of old’ feeling place, especially their Summergarden Cinema. We walked from our hotel up to the theater this morning to catch the 10:00 showing of The Correspondent and the theatre did NOT disappoint. It’s a beauty.
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