Car Hire Rockhampton - Mini guide to Rockhampton

Rockhampton is the unofficial capital of the beef-cattle country that lies inland. Of much more interest, it serves as the gateway to Great Keppel Island, home to a few inexpensive island retreats.

The Rockhampton City Art Gallery is stocked with works from well-known national and international artists. The Dreamtime Cultural Centre is just six kilometres north of the town centre and features good displays of Aboriginal culture, including a sandstone cave replica and a display on the dugong (manatee) culture of the Torres Strait Islanders.

Along the Fitzroy River, you'll find some heritage buildings and the river itself is great for barramundi fishing. A rodeo ring is set up each Friday night at the Great Western Hotel and cowboys try to stay on local Brahman bulls.

Rockhampton has two free public botanic gardens, which are both good for some leisure time. The Kershaw Gardens displays Australian rainforest, wetland, and fragrant plants; while the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens dates from 1869 and includes a small zoo.

Twenty-three kilometres north of Rockhampton, on Olsen's Caves road off the Bruce Highway, you’ll find the popular Capricorn Caves. Discovered in 1882, the limestone caves have their origins in an ancient coral reef. The maze of small tunnels and larger chambers can be explored on a one-hour tour or longer if required.

Rockhampton is on the Bruce Highway and located about 3 hours, 30 minutes south of Mackay and two hours north of Gladstone by car. You can fly here from Brisbane, Mackay, Bundaberg and Gladstone on Qantas and from Brisbane on Virgin Blue. By train, Queensland Rail passes through Rockhampton daily, with the journey from Brisbane taking seven hours on the high-speed Tilt Train. By bus, McCafferty's and Greyhound Pioneer stop in Rockhampton on their services between Brisbane and Cairns.