Everything about Rockhampton Queensland totally explained
Rockhampton is a regional city and
Local Government Area located in
Queensland,
Australia. Rockhampton is the largest urban centre in
Central Queensland with the 2006 census recording the Rockhampton Statistical Subdivision population to be 68,835 people. Rockhampton is seen as the unofficial capital of
Central Queensland as it hosts a significant number of governmental, community and major business administrative offices for the central part of the state.
Rockhampton enjoys over 300 days of sunshine each year, which lends itself to tourism activities all year round and an abundance of outdoor activities. Popular attractions include 'Rock Pool Waterpark', a amusement park that features water slides, speed slides, rock pools, mini golf and adventure playgrounds; Riverbank Parklands, a riverfront parkland attraction located on the banks of Fitzroy River; the
Capricorn Coast, the coastal strip between
Yeppoon and
Emu Park and
Great Keppel Island, a large neighbouring island off the
Capricorn Coast, the vast majority of which is national park.
History
The Rockhampton district is the traditional home of the
Darumbal Aboriginal people.
The European history of the area began in
1853, when the area that would become Rockhampton was visited by the brothers Charles and William Archer, who were seeking grazing lands. They were acting on information from earlier expeditions by
Ludwig Leichhardt and
Thomas Mitchell, who had explored the area in 1844 and 1846 and noted suitable land for grazing then.
In January 1854, the
New South Wales Government proclaimed two new districts: Port Curtis and Leichhardt (roughly today's Fitzroy Region), and settlement began in earnest in 1855.
The
Fitzroy River provided a convenient waterway for shipping of supplies for those who followed them, and a settlement grew on the riverbanks just downstream of a bar of rocks which prevented further upstream navigation from the coast. These rocks were incorporated with the traditional English term for a village, and the name "Rockhampton" was born around 1856, though wasn't proclaimed officially until
25 October 1858.
A passenger tramway began operating in the city on
16 June 1909, the only such service in Queensland outside the state capital. Purrey steam trams ran on a number of routes throughout South Rockhampton, totalling 10 kilometres of track. The discomfort of passengers riding in steam trams in a tropical climate in part led to their demise in
1939, replaced by a bus network run by the City Council.
During the
Second World War, a US army base was established outside the city; it hosted up to 70,000 servicemen en route to action in the
Pacific Ocean and
New Guinea.
The Fitzroy River Barrage was commissioned in 1971. The barrage has a capacity of 81,300 megalitres and holds back a lake 60 kilometres long. The barrage was funded by the City Council to provide a reliable source of water to the city, and to effectively drought proof Rockhampton.
In 2003, Rockhampton was the centre of significant national media interest after local teenager Natasha Ryan was found in her boyfriend, Scott Black's North Rockhampton home after being missing for five years. Ryan had been presumed to be murdered.
Governance
Rockhampton is governed by the
Rockhampton Regional Council. The Council consists of a mayor and ten councillors. The Mayor is elected by the public, and the Councillors are elected from ten single-member divisions (or wards) using an optional preferential voting system. Elections are held every four years.
The
Rockhampton Regional Council local government area consists of four former local government areas. The first was the original
City of Rockhampton, consisting of the
Rockhampton City region as listed above. The second, was the
Shire of Livingstone (comprising of the Capricorn Coast and Byfield). The third area was the
Shire of Fitzroy, (comprising of the Gracemere and smaller surrounding towns), and the fourth areas was the
Shire of Mount Morgan, (comprising of the town of
Mount Morgan.)
Before the time of the
2008 amalgamation,
Rockhampton City had a population of approximately 74,530,
Livingstone Shire had a population of approximately 28,266,
Fitzroy Shire had a population of approximately 11,357, and
Mount Morgan Shire had approximately 2,925.
Geography
Rockhampton lies just north of the
Tropic of Capricorn in Central Queensland. A sculpture originally marking the
latitude was later moved into town to be more accessible to tourists. Although the Tropic of Capricorn is represented on maps as a "dotted line" that lies at 23
° 26' 22", there's actually a bio-geographical overlap of Tropical and Temperate zones more than 500km wide; Rockhampton is roughly at its centre on the East Coast of Australia.
The city is located on the banks of the Fitzroy River, approximately 40 kilometres from the river mouth. The Berserker Range lies on the eastern side of the city, with the Athelstane Range to the west.
The coastal area to the east of the city is known as the
Capricorn Coast, with the rapidly growing town of
Yeppoon its major centre.
Suburbs
Rockhampton is made up of a number of suburbs or neighbourhoods, including:
Economy
Known as the
Beef Capital of Australia
, few people realise just how much this city and its immediate surrounds have to offer. It is hard to go past the fact that beef is a big part of Rockhampton's economy and existence. There are reminders to be found on the Bruce Highway at the city's exit and entrance and within the city where there are statues of Santa Gertrudis, Brahman, Braford and Droughtmaster bulls.
Grazing is still a dominant industry in Central Queensland. Two large abattoirs are located in the Rockhampton area. Due to a long term drought and general economic conditions, one of these facilities has experienced a number of closures over the years and was closed from 2002 until
2004, but has now reopened. The
Gracemere Saleyards, one of the largest livestock sales facilities in the country, lies just to the west of the city.
Queensland Rail has a large workforce in the city, which is the meeting point for the main north coast rail line and the line to the major coalfields to the west. Enormous coal trains regularly pass from the west to the coal port of
Gladstone to the south. The coal fired 1440 megawatt Stanwell Power Station lies 30 kilometers west .
The proximity of Rockhampton's airport, the base of operations for several major trucking companies and the largest port on the Australian East Coast features heavily in infrastructure projects and planning for the city and Capricorn Coast Region.
Tourism is increasingly playing a role in the development of city and surrounds. The city is a convenient distance north from Brisbane to provide an overnight stop for tourists, who can then branch out to visit local attractions. The Capricorn Coast is a 30 minute drive from Rockhampton, with the islands of the
Keppel group easily accessible from there.
To the north of the city lies the extensive
Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area, where large scale ground, air and amphibious operations can be conducted. A detachment office of the
Singapore Armed Forces has been based in Rockhampton since 1995.
Culture, Events and Festivals
The Rockhampton region has many renowned festivals, celebrating some of the various international cultures that call the region home. The annual
Multicultural Festival and
CQU Open Day held at the
Central Queensland University, showcases hundreds of market stalls and dislays, international foods, music and cultures are popular with the locals and tourists alike.
The Annual
Big River Jazz is a three day program showcasing a variety of jazz bands from the the 12-14 September. This event kicks off on Friday night with jazz in restaurants and bars late into the night.
On Saturday the 13th September, the huge outdoor concert featuring fine food and wine, a beautiful setting on the banks of the Fitzroy River, and hours of music, is a fantastic way to enjoy a variety of jazz genres.
Follow up on Sunday by browsing the Heritage Village Markets, accompanied by more local based jazz and finishing up the weekend with a jam session on Sunday afternoon. The outdoor concert will feature a range of local based bands as well as a variety of national and internation bands.
The city has a large and diverse range of restaurants representing many different cuisines of the world. The southside of
Rockhampton City is home to many of these.
The city also has a vibrant pub and night-club scene, many of them located in Denham Street. Local and national music groups can often be found performing live in these venues. The East and Denham Streets streetscape was renewed in 2002 and now caters for sidewalk dining at many new cafes located in the street.
The Pilbeam Theatre, seating 1200 people, and is host to many national and international music shows, as well as sporting and trade shows and is Central Queensland Queensland's premier cultural facility. Since its opening in 1978, the Theatre has been a centre of entertainment and performing arts, providing an environment to further develop the performing arts in Rockhampton and the region. The Theatre offers performances in dance, music, opera, comedy and drama from major Australian companies with international and national artists that complement the work of local performing arts groups.
Climate
Rockhampton climate may is classified as
Subtropical. The city is situated on the
Tropic of Capricorn and lies within the southeast trade wind belt, too far south to experience regular north west
monsoonal influence, and too far north to gain much benefit from higher latitude cold fronts.
Typical daytime temperature ranges are 32 max 22 min in the summer /wet season and 23 max 9 min in the winter/dry season.
Rockhampton lies within the
cyclone risk zone and the area is subject to summer thunderstorms. There is a high incidence of winter and early spring fogs. Maximum temperatures in the low to mid 40's have been recorded in
October to
March. Minimum temperatures as low as zero have been recorded during winter.
The
Fitzroy River at Rockhampton has a long and well documented history of flooding with flood records dating back to 1859. The highest recorded flood occurred in
January 1918 and reached 10.11 metres on the Rockhampton gauge. The two most recent major floods occurred in
January and
March 2008.
The highest recorded official temperature in Rockhampton was 45.3 degrees
Celsius.
| Climate Table |
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Year |
| Mean daily maximum temperature (°C) |
31.9 |
31.3 |
30.5 |
28.8 |
26.0 |
23.4 |
23.1 |
24.7 |
27.3 |
29.6 |
31.2 |
32.1 |
28.3
|
| Mean daily minimum temperature (°C) |
22.1 |
22.1 |
20.8 |
17.9 |
14.2 |
10.9 |
9.5 |
10.6 |
13.5 |
17.0 |
19.5 |
21.2 |
16.6
|
| Mean total rainfall (mm) |
128.4 |
142.2 |
96.5 |
44.4 |
48.2 |
39.4 |
28.7 |
28.0 |
23.0 |
50.3 |
68.9 |
102.0 |
799.6
|
| Mean number of rain days |
8.6 |
9.1 |
7.1 |
4.3 |
4.0 |
3.4 |
3.1 |
2.7 |
2.7 |
4.6 |
5.6 |
7.3 |
62.4
|
Source: Bureau of Meteorology |
Attractions
The
Rockhampton Art Gallery collection, also owned by the
Rockhampton Regional Council, situated next to the Pilbeam Theatre consists mainly of works by Australian artists from the 1940s to the 1970s. Plans have been released to redevelop the downtown art gallery into a shopping haven with a new fully glass-walled 2-storey art gallery, a new 16-storey hotel and a 16-storey apartment/office block right behind it. The Pilbeam Theatre won't be affected by the construction.
Established in 1869, the
Rockhampton Botanic Gardens are located on Spencer Street in South Rockhampton. Excellent specimens of palms, cycads and ferns are found throughout the manicured grounds. Some specimens are over 100 years old.
Rockhampton Zoo is located between the Botanic Gardens and Murray Lagoon. Animals and birds include
Koalas,
Chimpanzees,
Saltwater Crocodiles,
Freshwater Crocodiles,
Red Kangaroos and the rare
Cassowary.
A second public garden, the
Kershaw Gardens, was officially opened in 1988 on the site of the former Rockhampton rubbish dump. Located on the
Bruce Highway in North Rockhampton, these gardens specialize in Australian native plants, especially those of
Central Queensland. Their most striking feature is the imitation waterfall constructed on the northern boundary of the site adjacent to the highway, which aims to recreate a scene from the Blackdown Tableland.
The
Dreamtime Cultural Centre is Australia's largest Cultural Centre set on more than 12 hectares of land, with native plants, trees and waterfalls. The major points of interest at the Dreamtime Cultural Centre include the Torres Straight Islander village, Didgeridoo playing, Djarn Djarn dancers, and throwing the returning boomerang. Although there are guided tours offered, self-guided tours are also catered for.
The
Archer Park Steam Tram Museum covers the development and history of rail-based transportation in the major central Queensland town of Rockhampton and is set in the 100 year-old Archer Park rail station on Denison Street on the city's southside. The museum tells the story of Archer Park Station (built in 1899) and the unique Purrey Steam Tram, through photographs, soundscapes and object-based exhibitions.
The tram is believed to be the only one of its kind in the world, and is a wonderful relic of Rockhampton's tram history dating back to 1909.
Rising out of Rockhampton's north-eastern suburbs,
Mt Archer National Park provides magnificent views of the city, and showcases a spectacular range of native Australian flora and fauna. Frazer Park, at the summit of Mt Archer, is approximately 604 metres above sea level.
The
Rockhampton Heritage Village is an active township museum, where visitors can experience Rockhampton's rich and colourful history which features Time After Time clock collection, History of the Rockhampton District, Life before electricity, Hospital exhibition and a Vintage car collection.
Health
The Rockhampton Base Hospital is situated in the suburb of
The Range, and is located around 4
km from
Rockhampton City, and is the major hospital for the
Central Queensland Region. The smaller Hillcrest Private Hospital and Mater Private Hospital are located nearby. The Australian Red Cross Blood Service is located across from the Base Hospital on Canning Street.
Rockhampton is a base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Rescue Helicopter which operates clinics and provides emergency evacuations in remote communities throughout the region.
Shopping
There are eight shopping centres in Rockhampton all with a variety of shops including national retail chains. The city heart includes a range of specialty shops for all tastes, coffee shops and restaurants also line the sidewalks.
The Shopping Centres in Rockhampton are:
Allenstown Plaza
Woolworths and 27 Specialty Stores
City Centre Plaza
Coles, Target and 37 Speciality Stores
East Street Mall
65 Specialty Stores
Farm Street Marketplace
Supa IGA, Foodworks and 35 Specialty Stores
Kmart Plaza
Kmart and Coles and 0 Specialty Stores
(currently under redevelopment to intergrate with Stockland Rockhampton)
Northside Plaza
Woolworths and 25 Specialty Stores
Red Hill Homemaker Centre
Harvey Norman, BCF, Mayne Homemakers, The Good Guys, Sportscene Super Warehouse, and 40 Specialty Stores
Stockland Rockhampton
Aldi, Big W, Woolworths, Best and Less, Pillowtalk, Greater Union Cinemas
Education
Rockhampton is a major education centre for the region.
Primary
State
Allenstown State School
Berserker Street State School
Crescent Lagoon State School
The Hall State School
Frenchville State School
Glemore State School
Parkhurst State School
Park Avenue State School
Depot Hill State School
Lakes Creek State School
Mount Archer State School
Religious
Central Queensland Christian College
Heights College
St Anthony's Catholic Primary School
St Mary's Catholic Primary School
Girls' Grammar School
The Cathedral College
Rockhampton Grammar School
Secondary
State
Glenmore State High School
North Rockhampton State High School
Rockhampton State High School
Religious
Girls' Grammar School
Heights College
The Cathedral College
Rockhampton Grammar School
Emmaus College
Tertiary
Central Queensland University
Central Queensland TAFE
Transport
Rockhampton is an important transport hub in the Central Queensland region. Rockhampton provides important transport links between the Central Highlands and Capricorn Coast regions and the areas to the north and south of the state. Rockhampton Airport is essential to the viability of the tourism industry.
The Rockhampton region is well serviced by the National and State highway system, with the city being located at the main junction of the coastal highway, the Bruce Highway, the central western highway, the Capricorn Highway, and the Rockhampton Hinterland is serviced by the Burnett Highway. Drive time is seven and a half hours from Brisbane to Rockhampton, Central Queensland's Tourism Hub.
Rockhampton is also served by long distance coaches to Brisbane in the south, and as far as Cairns in the North. Daily services operate into Rockhampton with Greyhound Pioneer Australia. The Hinterland and Central Highlands are also serviced daily by Rothery's Coaches, Pacific Coaches and Emerald Coaches.
An extensive bus services are operated by Capricorn Sunbus, which operates under the QConnect public transport system. A bus interchange is located in Rockhampton City through with nearly all services operate. Service include most parts of the city, Parkhurst in the north to Allenstown and Depot Hill in the south and to The Range and Lakes Creek in the west
Rockhampton has one major taxi company, Rocky Cabs who service the City of Rockhampton, Gracemere, and also some services in Yeppoon and Emu Park.
Rockhampton is the terminus of the electrified rail link between Brisbane and Rockhampton. An express tilt train service travels from Brisbane to Rockhampton six days per week. Rockhampton is also one stop on the Brisbane to Cairns line.
Rockhampton Airport is operated by Rockhampton Regional Council and is located 6km (3.7 mi) west of Rockhampton City. It is Australia's twelfth busiest domestic airport. The Airport has a domestic terminal, and a international terminal in the one building, and a general aviation area. The airport handles flights to major Australian cities, tourist destinations, and regional destinations throughout Central Queensland. It is an important base for general aviation serving the Central Highlands and Capricorn Coast commununities. The Airport is also a base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Rescue Helicopter.
Utilities
Water storage and treatment for Rockhampton is handled by FRW (Fitzroy River Water), and is distributed to Rockhampton City. Water for the area is stored in upstream from the Fitzroy River Barrage. Rockhampton has no enforced water restrictions.
Rockhampton is serviced by all major and most minor telecommunications companies and their networks. Rockhampton has the largest number of enabled DSL telephone exchanges in Central Queensland.
Media
Rockhampton has a number of newspapers.
The Morning Bulletin
CQ Extra
Rockhampton and Fitzroy News
Under the Capricorn Sun
Radio
Television
Rockhampton is serviced by four commercial stations and one non-commercial station.
Seven Queensland
Southern Cross Ten
WIN Television
ABC TV
SBS TV
News for Rockhampton is screened every weeknight at 6:00pm on WIN Television, broadcast live from the RTQ studios in North Rockhampton. On weekends, news is relayed from the Nine Network, Brisbane.
Seven Queensland and Southern Cross Ten have a physical presence in Rockhampton, but local news programs don't exist on these channels. Instead, they carry news bulletins from Brisbane's Seven Network and Network Ten.
Sports teams
Cricket - North's Tigers
Basketball - The Stadium Rockets (Men's); Rockhampton Cyclones (Women's)
Rugby League - Central Comets in the Queensland Cup
Rugby Union - Rockhampton Brahmans
Soccer - Capricorn Cougars
Notable residents or persons born in Rockhampton
Sister City
Ibusuki, Japan (since November 20, 1980)Further Information
Get more info on 'Rockhampton Queensland'.
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