Rockhampton, Queensland
Encyclopedia
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland
, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River
, approximately 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) from the river mouth, and some 600 kilometres (372.8 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane
.
The 2006 census recorded the Rockhampton Statistical Subdivision to have a population of 74,530 people. Rockhampton hosts a significant number of governmental, community and major business administrative offices for the central part of the state.
Rockhampton experiences 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 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.
.
The European history of the area began in 1853, when the area that would become Rockhampton was visited by the Archer brothers
Charles and William, 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 was not proclaimed officially until 25 October 1858. The town was surveyd at this time and the first sales of building allotments were held that year.
Small amounts of gold were found at Canoona, to the north of the site of Rockhampton, in 1859. Miners rushed to the new field, using the site of Rockhampton on the Fitzroy River as the nearest navigable port. The Canoona field proved to be very disappointing and thousands of would-be gold seekers were left stranded at Rockhampton. Although many returned south, others stayed, adding to the infant town's population. By 1861 the town boasted a regular newspaper, banks, court house and School of Arts. Direct shipments of imported goods and migrants from the United Kingdom began to be received during the 1860s. During the 1860s and 1870s Rockhampton developed as the main port for the developing Central Queensland hinterland; the main export at that time being wool.
In the 1880s and 1890s, sea ports were established on the coast, adjacent to the mouth of the Fitzroy River. Broadmount was on the northern side and Port Alma
on the south. Railways were subsequently constructed to carry goods to the wharves at these locations, the railway to Broadmount opening on 1 January 1898 and the line to Port Alma opened on 16 October 1911. Maintenance on the Broadmount line ceased in August, 1929. The following month, the wharf caught fire and the line was effectively closed in July, 1930. The line to Port Alma closed on 15 October 1986.
The significant gold deposit at Mount Morgan
to the southwest was discovered in the 1880s, and Rockhampton became the main port through which the wealth of Mount Morgan gold was channelled. Due to the wealth of Mount Morgan, Rockhampton weathered the severe economic depression of the 1890s and many of the town's substantial brick and stone public buildings date from this period. The historic streetscape of Quay Street still displays a number of substantial historic buildings, built when Rockhampton was envisaged as being capital of a state of North Queensland. Most prominent of these is the sandstone Customs House (1900), which today houses an information centre. Other important nineteenth century buildings include the Post Office (1892), the Supreme Court House (1888), and St Joseph's Cathedral (1892).
The City of Rockhampton
was proclaimed in 1902. The rail connection south to Brisbane
was completed in 1903, but it was not until 1921 that the northern connection to Mackay
was finally completed. A railway west from Rockhampton was started in 1867 and by 1892 had reached the terminus at Longreach, 700 kilometres away. This further strengthened Rockhampton's role as the port for the whole of Central Queensland.
A passenger tramway began operating on 16 June 1909, making Rockhampton the only provincial city in Queensland to have a street tramway. 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.
. 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. Brad Carter is the current mayor, having won the mayoral election in March 2008, for his first term.
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 the Capricorn Coast and Byfield). The third area was the Shire of Fitzroy
, (comprising Gracemere and smaller surrounding towns), and the fourth area was the Shire of Mount Morgan
, (comprising the town of Mount Morgan
.)
Before the time of the 2008 amalgamation, Rockhampton City had a population of approximately 74,530, Livingstone Shire approximately 28,266, Fitzroy Shire approximately 11,357, and Mount Morgan Shire approximately 2,925 people.
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 is actually a bio-geographical overlap of Tropical and Temperate zones more than 500 km 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.
Saleyards, one of the largest livestock sales facilities in the country, lies just to the west of the city. Rockhampton promotes itself as the Beef Capital of Australia
QR National
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.
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.
, Woolworths, Big W
, Target, Harvey Norman
, JB Hi-Fi
, Kmart
, Mitre 10 Home & Trade
, Bunnings
, IGA
.
, showcases hundreds of market stalls and displays, 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 12–14 September.
The city also has a vibrant pub and night-club scene, many of them located in the city precinct, bordered by East, Archer, William and Quay Streets. 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 & comedy shows, as well as sporting and trade shows. 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.
Rockhampton Events Information, can be found on this site: Rockhampton Events on e-Rockhampton.com.au.
(Köppen climate classification
Cfa/Cwa). 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 monsoon
al influence, and too far north to gain much benefit from higher latitude cold fronts. Typical daytime temperature ranges are 22 to 32 °C (71.6 to 89.6 F) in the summer /wet season and 9 to 23 °C (48.2 to 73.4 F) 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. 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 m (33.2 ft) on the Rockhampton gauge. More recently, it was affected by the 2010–2011 Queensland floods
as the Fitzroy runs through the centre of the city and poor conditions in other areas drove snakes and crocodiles into the city.
The highest recorded official temperature in Rockhampton was 45.3 °C (113.5 °F).
, is situated next to the Pilbeam Theatre and 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 will not 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 Kangaroo
s 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 specialise in Australian native plants, especially those of Central Queensland
. The most striking feature of the gardens 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 and is 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 Strait Islander village, Didgeridoo
playing, Djarn Djarn dancers, and throwing the returning boomerang
.
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, Mount Archer National Park provides views of the city, and showcases a range of native Australian flora and fauna. Frazer Park, at the summit of Mount 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. The Heritage Village features the Time After Time clock collection, and the History of the Rockhampton District, Life before electricity, and Hospital exhibitions and a Vintage car collection.
, and is located around 4 km from Rockhampton City, and is the major hospital for the Central Queensland
Region. The smaller Hillcrest and Mater private hospitals 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.
was opened in 1859. Rockhampton is a major education centre for the region and has numerous state and private primary and high schools.
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
. Driving 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. Two bus interchanges are located in Rockhampton City through which the majority of 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 located on the North Coast railway
, and is the terminus of the electrified
section of line from Brisbane. The line north of Rockhampton station runs along the middle
of Denison Street. The Electric Tilt Train service travels from Brisbane to Rockhampton six days per week, with Rockhampton also a stop on the Diesel Tilt Train service to Cairns.
Rockhampton Airport
is operated by Rockhampton Regional Council
and is located 6 km (3.7 mi) west of Rockhampton City. It is Australia's twelfth busiest domestic airport. 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.
It contains six major rivers, and Rockhampton and Central Queensland accordingly enjoy abundant good water. The existing and future dams under construction ensure on-going needs for agriculture, industry and domestic purposes are met.
The Fitzroy River Barrage at Rockhampton separates tidal salt water from upstream fresh water, and provides the supply for Rockhampton's domestic and industrial needs. The city's tap water is fluoridated.
, Gladstone and Callide power stations, produce the majority of the State's power. Queensland's newest and most technologically advanced powerhouse at Stanwell, 28 km west of the city, came on line in 1993. The Stanwell facility is a key element in the State's program to expand electricity supply and is a major exporter of power station technology.
4RO is the main local commercial AM station, owned by Prime Radio. 4RO broadcasts a local talk back breakfast program each weekday but it is the only locally produced program on the station with all other programming syndicated from stations elsewhere. A large proportion of 4RO's programming is talk back such as the Greg Carey Show, The Best of Alan Jones, The Stuart Bocking Night Show and New Day Australia. The music played on 4RO is of the classic hits genre. 4RO broadcasts a local news service in the morning, although the bulletins are prepared and read by journalists based at Prime's Sunshine Coast hub, especially for 4RO and its sister station Zinc927.
Zinc927 (previously known as 4CC) also owned by Prime Radio, is the other AM commercial station servicing Rockhampton on a local AM frequency, although its local breakfast show is presented from the Zinc studio in Gladstone. Zinc has a classic rock format and also relies heavily on networked programming from their Sunshine Coast studios.
Sea FM, owned by Southern Cross Media, is a popular commercial FM station broadcasting from their Rockhampton studios during the day, and then taking the networked Localworks programming at night from the Gold Coast such as The School Of Rock, Talking Back The Night, The Best Mix Overnight, The PartyMix and The Sunday Barbie originating out of Gold FM on the Gold Coast. Sea Fm also produces a local news service with a journalist based in Rockhampton reading bulletins for them and for their sister station Hot FM.
Hot FM, also owned by Southern Cross Media, is also a popular commercial FM station. While it services Rockhampton on a local FM frequency, its breakfast show is broadcast from their Gladstone studio. Hot FM is skewed towards the younger listeners with a Top 40/pop music format. Following the local breakfast show, the station takes the Hit Music Network programming such as JK's workday, The Benchwarmers and The Hit List originating out of Sea FM on the Gold Coast.
ABC Capricornia, originally known as 4RK, is the local ABC station servicing Rockhampton. It broadcasts a local breakfast show and a local morning show. The station also broadcasts an afternoon show which is locally produced, but broadcast throughout the ABC Local Radio network across regional Queensland. The final hour of each Friday's local morning show is also broadcast around the network to enable ABC Local Radio listeners across the state to call in to the popular gardening talk back program. The station also has a local news service, produced by local journalists, broadcasting local bulletins five times a day. There is also a local Saturday breakfast show, which is followed by a local Saturday morning sports program. Apart from local programming, ABC Capricornia takes national programs like AM, The Conversation Hour, The World Today, PM, Nightlife, Grandstand, and Saturday Night Country along with a regional drive program from Toowoomba, and an evening show from Brisbane.
Other ABC stations that service Rockhampton include Triple J, Radio National, ABC Classic FM and ABC News Radio. These stations are all broadcast on separate FM frequencies.
4YOU is the local community station, broadcasting local programs from their Rockhampton studio, presented by a number of volunteers. The station is skewed towards the older demographic and plays a lot of easy listening and country music. All programs are locally produced apart from the regular Sunday evening programs the station takes from the national community radio network.
4US is the local indigenous community station, broadcasting from a studio at the Dreamtime Cultural Centre in Rockhampton servicing the local Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander population featuring traditional music and focusing on indigenous issues and event within its programming content.
Kix is a narrowcast broadcasting service originating out of the 4BU/Hitz FM studios in Bundaberg. While Kix transmits on a narrowcast license, the station is allowed to broadcast commercials. The station has a lively country music format and its programs are all produced in Bundaberg although the station has an ever growing network of transmitters, now broadcasting in Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT and South Australia.
Other narrowcast radio services broadcasting in Rockhampton include racing station, Radio TAB (formerly 4TAB), Vision FM (Christian radio) and Radio 88 (Tourist Information).
Each broadcasts television services in both analogue and digital formats, with analogue transmissions to be deactivated in the second half of 2011.
SBS offers digital high-definition
simulcasts of their main channel, SBS ONE on SBS HD. Ten digital-only channels are also available: ABC2
, ABC3
, ABC News 24
, SBS Two, ONE, Eleven
, 7Two
, 7mate
, GEM
and GO!
. Austar Limited
provides subscription satellite television services.
Regional news coverage of Rockhampton is provided on all three commercial networks with both Seven Queensland
's Seven Local News and Win Queensland
's WIN News
airing 30-minute local news bulletins each weeknight. Both programs are produced from newsrooms in the city with Seven's bulletin broadcast from studios in Maroochydore and WIN's bulletin broadcast from the RTQ
studios in North Rockhampton, where bulletins for the Sunshine Coast
, Wide Bay & Far North Queensland
areas and a statewide late bulletin also originate. Southern Cross Ten also airs short local news updates from their Canberra studios throughout the day.
There is also a small television facility at the ABC studios in Rockhampton with a journalist and camera operator employed locally to produce stories for ABC News and the state edition of 7.30
on ABC1. The journalist can also be required to do live crosses for ABC News 24.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River
Fitzroy River (Queensland)
The Fitzroy River lies in Queensland, Australia. Its catchment covers an area of 142,665 square kilometres, making it the largest river catchment flowing to the eastern coast of Australia. The river is formed by the joining of the Mackenzie and Dawson rivers at Duaringa. The catchment stretches...
, approximately 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) from the river mouth, and some 600 kilometres (372.8 mi) north of the state capital, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
The 2006 census recorded the Rockhampton Statistical Subdivision to have a population of 74,530 people. Rockhampton hosts a significant number of governmental, community and major business administrative offices for the central part of the state.
Rockhampton experiences 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 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
Great Keppel Island
Great Keppel Island lies 15 kilometres from the coast off Yeppoon, Central Queensland, Australia. The island is the largest of the eighteen islands in the Keppel Group, and covers an area of more than 14.5 square kilometres...
, 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 peopleIndigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
The European history of the area began in 1853, when the area that would become Rockhampton was visited by the Archer brothers
The Archer brothers
The Archer brothers were among the earliest settlers in Queensland. They were explorers and pastoralists. Seven sons of William Archer, a Scottish timber merchant, they spent varying amounts of time in the colony of New South Wales, mainly in parts of what later became Queensland. A substantial...
Charles and William, who were seeking grazing lands. They were acting on information from earlier expeditions by Ludwig Leichhardt
Ludwig Leichhardt
Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, known as Ludwig Leichhardt, was a Prussian explorer and naturalist, most famous for his exploration of northern and central Australia.-Early life:...
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
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. 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
Fitzroy River (Queensland)
The Fitzroy River lies in Queensland, Australia. Its catchment covers an area of 142,665 square kilometres, making it the largest river catchment flowing to the eastern coast of Australia. The river is formed by the joining of the Mackenzie and Dawson rivers at Duaringa. The catchment stretches...
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 was not proclaimed officially until 25 October 1858. The town was surveyd at this time and the first sales of building allotments were held that year.
Small amounts of gold were found at Canoona, to the north of the site of Rockhampton, in 1859. Miners rushed to the new field, using the site of Rockhampton on the Fitzroy River as the nearest navigable port. The Canoona field proved to be very disappointing and thousands of would-be gold seekers were left stranded at Rockhampton. Although many returned south, others stayed, adding to the infant town's population. By 1861 the town boasted a regular newspaper, banks, court house and School of Arts. Direct shipments of imported goods and migrants from the United Kingdom began to be received during the 1860s. During the 1860s and 1870s Rockhampton developed as the main port for the developing Central Queensland hinterland; the main export at that time being wool.
In the 1880s and 1890s, sea ports were established on the coast, adjacent to the mouth of the Fitzroy River. Broadmount was on the northern side and Port Alma
Port Alma, Queensland
Port Alma is a port in Queensland, Australia, approximately from Rockhampton, at the south end of the Fitzroy River delta. The port primarily handles cargoes consisting of class 1 explosives, ammonium nitrate, bulk tallow and equipment used in support of military exercises held at Shoalwater Bay....
on the south. Railways were subsequently constructed to carry goods to the wharves at these locations, the railway to Broadmount opening on 1 January 1898 and the line to Port Alma opened on 16 October 1911. Maintenance on the Broadmount line ceased in August, 1929. The following month, the wharf caught fire and the line was effectively closed in July, 1930. The line to Port Alma closed on 15 October 1986.
The significant gold deposit at Mount Morgan
Mount Morgan, Queensland
Mount Morgan is a town located in central Queensland, Australia. It is situated on the Dee River, 38 kilometres south of the city of Rockhampton, and is 680 kilometres north of the state capital, Brisbane. The Burnett Highway passes through the town...
to the southwest was discovered in the 1880s, and Rockhampton became the main port through which the wealth of Mount Morgan gold was channelled. Due to the wealth of Mount Morgan, Rockhampton weathered the severe economic depression of the 1890s and many of the town's substantial brick and stone public buildings date from this period. The historic streetscape of Quay Street still displays a number of substantial historic buildings, built when Rockhampton was envisaged as being capital of a state of North Queensland. Most prominent of these is the sandstone Customs House (1900), which today houses an information centre. Other important nineteenth century buildings include the Post Office (1892), the Supreme Court House (1888), and St Joseph's Cathedral (1892).
The City of Rockhampton
City of Rockhampton
The City of Rockhampton was a Local Government Area located in the Central Queensland region of Queensland, Australia, encompassing most of the suburban area of the regional city of Rockhampton...
was proclaimed in 1902. The rail connection south to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
was completed in 1903, but it was not until 1921 that the northern connection to Mackay
Mackay, Queensland
Mackay is a city on the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia, about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is nicknamed the sugar capital of Australia because its region produces more than a third of Australia's cane sugar....
was finally completed. A railway west from Rockhampton was started in 1867 and by 1892 had reached the terminus at Longreach, 700 kilometres away. This further strengthened Rockhampton's role as the port for the whole of Central Queensland.
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
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
.
The Fitzroy River Barrage
Barrage (dam)
A barrage is a type of dam which consists of a line of large gates that can be opened or closed to control the amount of water passing the dam. The gates are set between flanking piers which are responsible for supporting the water load...
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 CouncilRockhampton Regional Council
The Rockhampton Region is a Local Government Area located in Central Queensland, Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it was preceded by four previous local government areas extending to almost the beginning of local government in Queensland....
. 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. Brad Carter is the current mayor, having won the mayoral election in March 2008, for his first term.
The Rockhampton Regional Council
Rockhampton Regional Council
The Rockhampton Region is a Local Government Area located in Central Queensland, Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it was preceded by four previous local government areas extending to almost the beginning of local government in Queensland....
local government area consists of four former local government areas. The first was the original City of Rockhampton
City of Rockhampton
The City of Rockhampton was a Local Government Area located in the Central Queensland region of Queensland, Australia, encompassing most of the suburban area of the regional city of Rockhampton...
, consisting of the Rockhampton City region as listed above. The second was the Shire of Livingstone (comprising the Capricorn Coast and Byfield). The third area was the Shire of Fitzroy
Shire of Fitzroy
The Shire of Fitzroy was a Local Government Area located in the Capricornia region of Central Queensland, Queensland, Australia, to the immediate west and south of the regional city of Rockhampton...
, (comprising Gracemere and smaller surrounding towns), and the fourth area was the Shire of Mount Morgan
Shire of Mount Morgan
The Shire of Mount Morgan was a Local Government Area located in the Capricornia region of Central Queensland, Queensland, Australia, about south of the regional city of Rockhampton...
, (comprising the town of Mount Morgan
Mount Morgan, Queensland
Mount Morgan is a town located in central Queensland, Australia. It is situated on the Dee River, 38 kilometres south of the city of Rockhampton, and is 680 kilometres north of the state capital, Brisbane. The Burnett Highway passes through the town...
.)
Before the time of the 2008 amalgamation, Rockhampton City had a population of approximately 74,530, Livingstone Shire approximately 28,266, Fitzroy Shire approximately 11,357, and Mount Morgan Shire approximately 2,925 people.
Geography
Tropic of Capricorn
The Tropic of Capricorn, or Southern tropic, marks the most southerly latitude on the Earth at which the Sun can be directly overhead. This event occurs at the December solstice, when the southern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun to its maximum extent.Tropic of Capricorn is one of the five...
in Central Queensland. A sculpture originally marking the latitude
Latitude
In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a...
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°
Degree (angle)
A degree , usually denoted by ° , is a measurement of plane angle, representing 1⁄360 of a full rotation; one degree is equivalent to π/180 radians...
26' 22", there is actually a bio-geographical overlap of Tropical and Temperate zones more than 500 km 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
Berserker Range
The Berserker Range is a mountainous region located on the eastern and northeastern boundary of the city of Rockhampton in Central Queensland, Australia. Within it lies Mount Archer National Park. It has been designated the Berserker Range Environmental Protection Area by the Rockhampton Regional...
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
Yeppoon, Queensland
Yeppoon is a coastal resort town situated in Central Queensland, Australia. Located on Keppel Bay, at the 2006 census, Yeppoon had a population of 13,284.-Geography:...
its major centre.
Suburbs
Rockhampton is made up of a number of suburbs or neighbourhoods, including:| Suburb | Location | Population at 2006 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allenstown Allenstown, Queensland Allenstown is a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about three kilometres south-west of the central business district. At the 2006 census, Allenstown had a population of 2,721.-External links:*... |
3 kilometers South-West of the CBD | 2,721 | |
| Berserker Berserker, Queensland Berserker is a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about six kilometres north east of the central business district. At the 2006 census, Berserker had a population of 7,179.-References:... |
6 kilometers North-East of the CBD | 7,179 | |
| Dept Hill Depot Hill, Queensland Depot Hill is a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about one kilometre south of the central business district. At the 2006 census, Depot Hill had a population of 1,164.-External links:*... |
1 kilometer South of the CBD | 1,164 | |
| Egans Hill | |||
| Fairy Bower | |||
| Frenchville Frenchville, Queensland Frenchville is a suburb of Rockhampton in Queensland, Australia. Situated at the base of the Berserker Range about seven kilometres to the north of the Fitzroy River, the district was named for Anthelme Thozet, first director of the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens in the 1860s. Frenchmans Creek which... |
Situated at the base of the Berserker Range Berserker Range The Berserker Range is a mountainous region located on the eastern and northeastern boundary of the city of Rockhampton in Central Queensland, Australia. Within it lies Mount Archer National Park. It has been designated the Berserker Range Environmental Protection Area by the Rockhampton Regional... about seven kilometres to the north of the Fitzroy River Fitzroy River (Queensland) The Fitzroy River lies in Queensland, Australia. Its catchment covers an area of 142,665 square kilometres, making it the largest river catchment flowing to the eastern coast of Australia. The river is formed by the joining of the Mackenzie and Dawson rivers at Duaringa. The catchment stretches... |
8,927 | The district was named for Anthelme Thozet Anthelme Thozet Anthelme Thozet was a French-Australian botanist and ethnographer.His naturalisation in Rockhampton, Queensland 9 January 1862, states that he was born at Belley east of Lyon in France about 1827, and his obituary depicts him as a political refugee following the 1848-51 revolt in France... , first director of the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens in the 1860s. Frenchmans Creek which runs through the area was also named for Thozet. The area was completely rural in character until the late 1960s, with small holdings and dairy farms predominating. A State primary school was established in 1900. In the late 1960s suburban development rapidly took place and the small school rapidly grew to an enrolment of well over 1,000 in the late 1970s. |
| Greenlake | |||
| Ironpot | |||
| Kalka | |||
| Kawana Kawana, Queensland Kawana is an urban centre on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, between Caloundra and Maroochydore along the Coral Sea coast. The suburbs are connected by the Nicklin Way arterial road.... |
8 kilometers West of the CBD | 4,674 | |
| Koongal | |||
| Lakes Creek | |||
| Limestone Creek | |||
| Mount Archer | |||
| Norman Gardens | Example | ||
| Nerimbera | |||
| Oasis Gardens | |||
| Park Avenue | |||
| Parkhurst | |||
| Port Curtis | |||
| Rockhampton City Rockhampton City, Queensland This article is about the suburb 'Rockhampton City' - representing the CBD of Rockhampton, Queensland.For urban Rockhampton, see Rockhampton, Queensland.For other uses, see Rockhampton .... |
CBD | Rockhampton City, which forms the central business district of Rockhampton in Queensland Queensland Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean... , Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... , is home to many regional offices of various government organisations as well as many private companies, serving as a hub for Central Queensland. There has been extensive construction in the city centre over the last 10 years. Rockhampton CBD is home to the East Street Mall. The East Street Mall spans one city block and consists of around 40 shops including food, fashion, shoes, home wares, chemists and banks. The East Street Mall underwent a million dollar redevelopment in 2003 as part of the CBD beautification, it included the return of vehicular traffic to the Mall. The CBD also features Rockhampton's beautiful Riverbank Parklands. The Riverbank Parklands were constructed in 1998 and are home to the Twilight Markets and Twilight Movies which are held at the start of every month. The beautiful heritage buildings features 26 buildings of historical significance in three blocks of Quay Street and East Street. Rockhampton's major southside shopping centre, City Centre Plaza, is located in the CBD on Bolsover Street. The shopping centre features Coles and Target and 36 speciality shops and above and underground car parking. |
|
| Rockyview | |||
| The Common The Common, Queensland The Common is a parkland suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about 500 metres east of the central business district. The Common is the location of the Cyril Connell Touch Fields, Rockhampton Cricket Club and Callaghan Race Park.... |
500m East of the CBD | N/A | The Common is a parkland suburb of Rockhampton. The Common is the location of the Cyril Connell Touch Fields, Rockhampton Cricket Club and Callaghan Race Park. |
| The Range The Range, Queensland The Range is a suburban area of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about three kilometres west of the central business district. At the 2006 census, The Range had a population of 5,731.-External links:*... |
3 kilometers West of the CBD | 5,731 | |
| Wandal Wandal, Queensland Wandal is a suburban area of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about four kilometres north-west of the central business district. At the 2006 census, Wandal had a population of 4,188.... |
4 kilometers North-West of the CBD | 4,188 | The area was originally surveyed in the 1860s, shortly after the town of Rockhampton was laid out and was originally the location of several large estates built by wealthy Rockhamptonites, particularly W.H. Wiseman, John Jardine John Jardine John Jardine may refer to:*John Jardine , American football coach*John Jardine , politician in British Columbia, Canada... , William Knox D'Arcy William Knox D'Arcy William Knox D'Arcy was one of the principal founders of the oil and petrochemical industry in Persia .-Early life:... and P.F. MacDonald. Closer suburban development occurred later in the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century. Several schools were established in the area. The Hall School, the local primary school, was established for Girls and Infants in 1910. Leichhardt Ward School, a Boys' School, closed in 1987 and was combined with The Hall State School. The Rockhampton State High School, which was built in Exhibition Road in 1961. At that time the High School was connected with the Rockhampton Technical College, but the School and the Tech separated in 1962. Wandal is also the location of the Rockhampton "Show Grounds", the Exhibition Grounds belonging to the Rockhampton Agricultural Society. |
| West Rockhampton West Rockhampton, Queensland West Rockhampton is a suburban area of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about six kilometres north-west of the central business district. At the 2006 census, West Rockhampton had a population of 1,457.Two schools were established in the area... |
6 kilometers North-West of the CBD | 1,457 | Two schools were established in the area. Crescent Lagoon, the local primary school, was established around 1896, and was moved to its current location in 1932 and the Rockhampton Grammar School, which was built in Agnes Street in 1883. The Rockhampton Grammar School Rockhampton Grammar School The Rockhampton Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, non-denominational, day and boarding school located in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.... is the oldest school in Rockhampton. West Rockhampton is also the location of the Rockhampton Airport Rockhampton Airport Rockhampton Airport is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Rockhampton, with flights to the cites of Brisbane, Sydney, Gladstone, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and Melbourne.... , the Rockhampton Base Hospital, the Rockhampton Botanical Gardens and the Brothers Rockhampton Roos the local Australian Rules Football Club AFL Australian Football League The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football... . |
Economy
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 GracemereGracemere, Queensland
Gracemere is a town located on the Capricorn Highway in Central Queensland, Australia, approximately 9 kilometres west of the city of Rockhampton. Because of the proximity of the town to Rockhampton, Gracemere has become a dormitory town, with many residents commuting the short distance to work in...
Saleyards, one of the largest livestock sales facilities in the country, lies just to the west of the city. Rockhampton promotes itself as the Beef Capital of Australia
QR National
QR National
QR National Limited is the largest rail freight company in Australia and was formerly owned by the Queensland Government. It was created as an independent company on 1 July 2010 when transport and logistics company QR Limited was split into two companies...
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
Gladstone, Queensland
- Education :Gladstone has several primary schools, three high schools, and one university campus, Central Queensland University. It is also home to CQIT Gladstone Campus.- Recreation :...
to the south. The coal fired 1440 megawatt Stanwell Power Station lies 30 kilometers west.
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
Keppel Bay Islands National Park
Keppel Bay Islands are part of both a national park and a scientific national park in Queensland, Australia, respectively 538 km and 518 km northwest of Brisbane. The islands are positioned in Keppel Bay, off the coast of Yeppoon and Emu Park on the Capricorn Coast. The largest island and...
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
Singapore Armed Forces
The Singapore Armed Forces is the military arm of the Total Defence of the Republic of Singapore; as well as the military component of the Ministry of Defence. The SAF comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Republic of Singapore Navy...
has been based in Rockhampton since 1995.
Retailers
Rockhampton has many large retailers, including a ColesColes Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
, Woolworths, Big W
Big W
Big W is one of the largest chain of discount department stores in Australia, with over 150 stores. It is a division of Woolworths Limited, the second largest retailer in Australia. Its main competitors are Kmart and Target, both owned by Wesfarmers....
, Target, Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman is a large Australian-based retailer of electrical, computer, furniture, entertainment and bedding goods. It is effectively a franchise and the main brand owned by Harvey Norman Holdings Limited...
, JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi is an Australian CD, DVD, Blu-ray disc, video game and consumer electronics chain store.-History:JB Hi-Fi was established in Melbourne suburb of Keilor East by John Barbuto in 1974...
, Kmart
Kmart Australia
Kmart Australia Limited is a discount department store chain owned by Wesfarmers. It operates 172 stores in Australia and 15 in New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Victoria. Wesfarmers uses the Kmart name under licence from Sears Holdings Corporation.-History:Kmart Australia...
, Mitre 10 Home & Trade
Mitre 10
Mitre 10 is the trading name of retail and trade hardware store chains, over 700 locations throughout of Australia. Operations are based on a co-operative system where the store owners are members of the national group and each has voting rights...
, Bunnings
Bunnings Warehouse
Bunnings Warehouse is Australia's largest hardware chain with stores in Australia and New Zealand. The chain is owned by Wesfarmers Limited.-History:-Pre 1900s:...
, IGA
IGA (Australian supermarket group)
Independent Grocers of Australia, or IGA, is a chain of independent supermarkets in Australia. It is the local variant of the international Independent Grocers Association...
.
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 (held at the Heritage Village) and CQU Open Day held at the CQUniversityCentral Queensland University
CQUniversity is an Australian public university based in Queensland. Its main campus is in North Rockhampton Queensland. However, it also has campuses in Bundaberg, Emerald, Gladstone and Mackay, as well as operations throughout Asia-Pacific. For instance, Melior Business School is one of its...
, showcases hundreds of market stalls and displays, 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 12–14 September.
The city also has a vibrant pub and night-club scene, many of them located in the city precinct, bordered by East, Archer, William and Quay Streets. 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 & comedy shows, as well as sporting and trade shows. 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.
Rockhampton Events Information, can be found on this site: Rockhampton Events on e-Rockhampton.com.au.
Climate
Rockhampton experiences a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa/Cwa). The city is situated on the Tropic of Capricorn
Tropic of Capricorn
The Tropic of Capricorn, or Southern tropic, marks the most southerly latitude on the Earth at which the Sun can be directly overhead. This event occurs at the December solstice, when the southern hemisphere is tilted towards the Sun to its maximum extent.Tropic of Capricorn is one of the five...
and lies within the southeast trade wind belt, too far south to experience regular north west monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
al influence, and too far north to gain much benefit from higher latitude cold fronts. Typical daytime temperature ranges are 22 to 32 °C (71.6 to 89.6 F) in the summer /wet season and 9 to 23 °C (48.2 to 73.4 F) in the winter/dry season.
Rockhampton lies within the cyclone
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. Most large-scale...
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. The Fitzroy River
Fitzroy River (Queensland)
The Fitzroy River lies in Queensland, Australia. Its catchment covers an area of 142,665 square kilometres, making it the largest river catchment flowing to the eastern coast of Australia. The river is formed by the joining of the Mackenzie and Dawson rivers at Duaringa. The catchment stretches...
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 m (33.2 ft) on the Rockhampton gauge. More recently, it was affected by the 2010–2011 Queensland floods
2010–2011 Queensland floods
A series of floods hit Australia, beginning in December 2010, primarily in the state of Queensland including its capital city, Brisbane. The floods forced the evacuation of thousands of people from towns and cities. At least seventy towns and over 200,000 people were affected. Damage initially was...
as the Fitzroy runs through the centre of the city and poor conditions in other areas drove snakes and crocodiles into the city.
The highest recorded official temperature in Rockhampton was 45.3 °C (113.5 °F).
Attractions
The Rockhampton Art Gallery collection, also owned by the Rockhampton Regional CouncilRockhampton Regional Council
The Rockhampton Region is a Local Government Area located in Central Queensland, Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it was preceded by four previous local government areas extending to almost the beginning of local government in Queensland....
, is situated next to the Pilbeam Theatre and 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 will not 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 Kangaroo
Red Kangaroo
The Red Kangaroo is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest mammal native to Australia, and the largest surviving marsupial. It is found across mainland Australia, avoiding only the more fertile areas in the south, the east coast, and the northern rainforests.-Description:This species is a very...
s and the rare Cassowary
Cassowary
The cassowaries are ratites, very large flightless birds in the genus Casuarius native to the tropical forests of New Guinea, nearby islands and northeastern Australia. There are three extant species recognized today...
.
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
Bruce Highway
The Bruce Highway is a major highway in Queensland, Australia. Commencing in the state capital, Brisbane, it passes through areas close to the eastern coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is a part of the Australian National Highway and also part of Highway 1...
in North Rockhampton, these gardens specialise in Australian native plants, especially those of Central Queensland
Central Queensland
Central Queensland is an ambiguous geographical division of Queensland that centres on the eastern coast, around the Tropic of Capricorn. Its major regional centre is Rockhampton and the Capricorn Coast and the area extends west to the Central Highlands at Emerald, north to the Mackay Regional...
. The most striking feature of the gardens 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 and is 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 Strait Islander village, Didgeridoo
Didgeridoo
The didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago and still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe"...
playing, Djarn Djarn dancers, and throwing the returning boomerang
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
.
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, Mount Archer National Park provides views of the city, and showcases a range of native Australian flora and fauna. Frazer Park, at the summit of Mount 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. The Heritage Village features the Time After Time clock collection, and the History of the Rockhampton District, Life before electricity, and Hospital exhibitions and a Vintage car collection.
Health
The Rockhampton Hospital, Rockhampton is situated in the suburb of The RangeThe Range, Queensland
The Range is a suburban area of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about three kilometres west of the central business district. At the 2006 census, The Range had a population of 5,731.-External links:*...
, and is located around 4 km from Rockhampton City, and is the major hospital for the Central Queensland
Central Queensland
Central Queensland is an ambiguous geographical division of Queensland that centres on the eastern coast, around the Tropic of Capricorn. Its major regional centre is Rockhampton and the Capricorn Coast and the area extends west to the Central Highlands at Emerald, north to the Mackay Regional...
Region. The smaller Hillcrest and Mater private hospitals 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
Rockhampton is home to 7 shopping centres, all of which include national major tenants and retail outlets. All shopping centres have 7 day trading as of January 2010:- Allenstown Plaza
- City Centre PlazaCity Centre Plaza, RockhamptonCity Centre Plaza is the second largest shopping centre in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It is located on the fringe of Rockhampton City, on the corner of Fitzroy and Bolsover Streets.- History and development :...
- East Street Mall
- Farm Street Marketplace
- Northside Plaza
- Red Hill Homemaker Centre
- Stockland RockhamptonStockland RockhamptonStockland Rockhampton is a major shopping centre, located on Bruce Highway in Park Avenue, a suburb of Rockhampton.-History and development:...
(Recently joined with Kmart Plaza)
Education
The first school, The Rockhampton National SchoolRockhampton National School
The Rockhampton National School was a school in Rockhampton, Queensland.On February 15, 1859, there was a meeting of those appointed as the Rockhampton School and Church committee, over which the Sub-Collector of Customs, Henry Lumsden, presided, when it was resolved to erect a school building, 40...
was opened in 1859. Rockhampton is a major education centre for the region and has numerous state and private primary and high schools.
Primary/Prep
- Glenmore State School
- Frenchville State School
- Crescent Lagoon State School
- Park Avenue State School
- Lakes Creek State School
- The Hall State School
- The Caves State School
- Parkhurst State School
- Allenstown State School
- Berserker Street State School
- Depot Hill State School
- Heights College Rockhampton
- Rockhampton Grammar SchoolRockhampton Grammar SchoolThe Rockhampton Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, non-denominational, day and boarding school located in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia....
- Rockhampton Girls Grammar School
- Lighthouse Christian SchoolLighthouse Christian SchoolLighthouse Christian School is a private Christian school in Twin Falls, IdahoLighthouse Christian Middle/High School is fully accredited through the Association of Christian Schools International , Northwest Association of Accredited Schools , and the State of Idaho....
Secondary
- Glenmore State High School
- Rockhampton State High School
- North Rockhampton State High SchoolNorth Rockhampton State High SchoolNorth Rockhampton State High School is a co-educational State High School located in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It currently has over 1000 students enrolled and over 80 teaching staff...
- Rockhampton Grammar SchoolRockhampton Grammar SchoolThe Rockhampton Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, non-denominational, day and boarding school located in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia....
- Rockhampton Girls Grammar School
- The Cathedral College Rockhampton
- Heights College Rockhampton
- Emmaus CollegeEmmaus College (Rockhampton, Queensland)Emmaus College is a Co-educational Roman Catholic Secondary day school, located in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.The school was established in 1993, through the amalgamation of the St Stanislaus' College, a school for boys , Marion College , a school for girls, and Emmaus Senior College, a...
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 AirportRockhampton Airport
Rockhampton Airport is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Rockhampton, with flights to the cites of Brisbane, Sydney, Gladstone, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and Melbourne....
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
Bruce Highway
The Bruce Highway is a major highway in Queensland, Australia. Commencing in the state capital, Brisbane, it passes through areas close to the eastern coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is a part of the Australian National Highway and also part of Highway 1...
, the central western highway, the Capricorn Highway
Capricorn Highway
The Capricorn Highway is located in Central Queensland, Australia, and links the city of Rockhampton with western Queensland. The highway is approximately 560 kilometres long, and joins the Landsborough Highway at Barcaldine...
, and the Rockhampton Hinterland is serviced by the Burnett Highway
Burnett Highway
The Burnett Highway is an inland rural highway located in Queensland, Australia. The highway runs generally north - south, from its junction with the Bruce Highway, just south of Rockhampton, to Nanango. Length is approximately 550 kilometres...
. Driving time is seven and a half hours from Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
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
Hinterland
The hinterland is the land or district behind a coast or the shoreline of a river. Specifically, by the doctrine of the hinterland, the word is applied to the inland region lying behind a port, claimed by the state that owns the coast. The area from which products are delivered to a port for...
and Central Highlands
Central Highlands Regional Council
Central Highlands Regional Council is a Local Government Area in Queensland, Australia. The Local Government Area was created in March 2008 as a result of the report of the Local Government Reform Commission released in July 2007...
are also serviced daily by Rothery's Coaches, Pacific Coaches and Emerald Coaches.
An extensive bus services are operated by Capricorn Sunbus
Capricorn Sunbus
Sunbus is the principal provider of public transportation at Rockhampton in Queensland, Australia. It operates bus routes under the new QConnect scheme in regional Queensland.-Service Area:...
, which operates under the QConnect
QConnect
qconnect is a system of integrated public transport that covers subsidised rail, bus, and air networks in Regional Queensland, Australia. It was introduced by the Queensland Government in December 2007, and is an agency operated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads with an annual budget of...
public transport system. Two bus interchanges are located in Rockhampton City through which the majority of services operate. Service include most parts of the city, Parkhurst in the north to Allenstown
Allenstown, Queensland
Allenstown is a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about three kilometres south-west of the central business district. At the 2006 census, Allenstown had a population of 2,721.-External links:*...
and Depot Hill
Depot Hill, Queensland
Depot Hill is a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about one kilometre south of the central business district. At the 2006 census, Depot Hill had a population of 1,164.-External links:*...
in the south and to The Range
The Range, Queensland
The Range is a suburban area of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia situated about three kilometres west of the central business district. At the 2006 census, The Range had a population of 5,731.-External links:*...
and Lakes Creek in the west
Rockhampton has one major taxi company, Rocky Cabs who service the City of Rockhampton
City of Rockhampton
The City of Rockhampton was a Local Government Area located in the Central Queensland region of Queensland, Australia, encompassing most of the suburban area of the regional city of Rockhampton...
, Gracemere
Gracemere, Queensland
Gracemere is a town located on the Capricorn Highway in Central Queensland, Australia, approximately 9 kilometres west of the city of Rockhampton. Because of the proximity of the town to Rockhampton, Gracemere has become a dormitory town, with many residents commuting the short distance to work in...
, and also some services in Yeppoon and Emu Park.
Rockhampton is located on the North Coast railway
North Coast railway line, Queensland
The North Coast railway line is a narrow gauge railway line in Queensland, Australia. It runs from Brisbane, along the Queensland coast to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The line is electrified between Brisbane and Rockhampton...
, and is the terminus of the electrified
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
section of line from Brisbane. The line north of Rockhampton station runs along the middle
Street running
On-street running or street running is when a railroad track or tramway track runs directly along city streets, without any separation. The rails are embedded in the road....
of Denison Street. The Electric Tilt Train service travels from Brisbane to Rockhampton six days per week, with Rockhampton also a stop on the Diesel Tilt Train service to Cairns.
Rockhampton Airport
Rockhampton Airport
Rockhampton Airport is a major Australian regional airport that services the city of Rockhampton, with flights to the cites of Brisbane, Sydney, Gladstone, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay and Melbourne....
is operated by Rockhampton Regional Council
Rockhampton Regional Council
The Rockhampton Region is a Local Government Area located in Central Queensland, Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it was preceded by four previous local government areas extending to almost the beginning of local government in Queensland....
and is located 6 km (3.7 mi) west of Rockhampton City. It is Australia's twelfth busiest domestic airport. 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
Central Highlands Regional Council
Central Highlands Regional Council is a Local Government Area in Queensland, Australia. The Local Government Area was created in March 2008 as a result of the report of the Local Government Reform Commission released in July 2007...
and Capricorn Coast commununities. The Airport is also a base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Rescue Helicopter.
Water
The catchment area of the Fitzroy River is approximately 145,000 square kilometres (almost the size of England).It contains six major rivers, and Rockhampton and Central Queensland accordingly enjoy abundant good water. The existing and future dams under construction ensure on-going needs for agriculture, industry and domestic purposes are met.
The Fitzroy River Barrage at Rockhampton separates tidal salt water from upstream fresh water, and provides the supply for Rockhampton's domestic and industrial needs. The city's tap water is fluoridated.
Power
Central Queensland's major generating facilities, including the StanwellStanwell Power Station, Queensland
Stanwell Power Station is Stanwell Corporation Limited's major operating site which is located near Rockhampton and one of the largest industrial developments undertaken in Queensland...
, Gladstone and Callide power stations, produce the majority of the State's power. Queensland's newest and most technologically advanced powerhouse at Stanwell, 28 km west of the city, came on line in 1993. The Stanwell facility is a key element in the State's program to expand electricity supply and is a major exporter of power station technology.
Media
Rockhampton has a number of newspapers.- The Morning BulletinThe Morning BulletinThe Morning Bulletin is a daily newspaper service Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia and the surrounding areas of Central Queensland.-History:The Bulletin was established in July 1861...
- CQ Extra
- Rockhampton and Fitzroy News
- Under the Capricorn Sun
- Central Queensland News
Radio
Rockhampton is serviced by a number of commercial, community and ABC stations4RO is the main local commercial AM station, owned by Prime Radio. 4RO broadcasts a local talk back breakfast program each weekday but it is the only locally produced program on the station with all other programming syndicated from stations elsewhere. A large proportion of 4RO's programming is talk back such as the Greg Carey Show, The Best of Alan Jones, The Stuart Bocking Night Show and New Day Australia. The music played on 4RO is of the classic hits genre. 4RO broadcasts a local news service in the morning, although the bulletins are prepared and read by journalists based at Prime's Sunshine Coast hub, especially for 4RO and its sister station Zinc927.
Zinc927 (previously known as 4CC) also owned by Prime Radio, is the other AM commercial station servicing Rockhampton on a local AM frequency, although its local breakfast show is presented from the Zinc studio in Gladstone. Zinc has a classic rock format and also relies heavily on networked programming from their Sunshine Coast studios.
Sea FM, owned by Southern Cross Media, is a popular commercial FM station broadcasting from their Rockhampton studios during the day, and then taking the networked Localworks programming at night from the Gold Coast such as The School Of Rock, Talking Back The Night, The Best Mix Overnight, The PartyMix and The Sunday Barbie originating out of Gold FM on the Gold Coast. Sea Fm also produces a local news service with a journalist based in Rockhampton reading bulletins for them and for their sister station Hot FM.
Hot FM, also owned by Southern Cross Media, is also a popular commercial FM station. While it services Rockhampton on a local FM frequency, its breakfast show is broadcast from their Gladstone studio. Hot FM is skewed towards the younger listeners with a Top 40/pop music format. Following the local breakfast show, the station takes the Hit Music Network programming such as JK's workday, The Benchwarmers and The Hit List originating out of Sea FM on the Gold Coast.
ABC Capricornia, originally known as 4RK, is the local ABC station servicing Rockhampton. It broadcasts a local breakfast show and a local morning show. The station also broadcasts an afternoon show which is locally produced, but broadcast throughout the ABC Local Radio network across regional Queensland. The final hour of each Friday's local morning show is also broadcast around the network to enable ABC Local Radio listeners across the state to call in to the popular gardening talk back program. The station also has a local news service, produced by local journalists, broadcasting local bulletins five times a day. There is also a local Saturday breakfast show, which is followed by a local Saturday morning sports program. Apart from local programming, ABC Capricornia takes national programs like AM, The Conversation Hour, The World Today, PM, Nightlife, Grandstand, and Saturday Night Country along with a regional drive program from Toowoomba, and an evening show from Brisbane.
Other ABC stations that service Rockhampton include Triple J, Radio National, ABC Classic FM and ABC News Radio. These stations are all broadcast on separate FM frequencies.
4YOU is the local community station, broadcasting local programs from their Rockhampton studio, presented by a number of volunteers. The station is skewed towards the older demographic and plays a lot of easy listening and country music. All programs are locally produced apart from the regular Sunday evening programs the station takes from the national community radio network.
4US is the local indigenous community station, broadcasting from a studio at the Dreamtime Cultural Centre in Rockhampton servicing the local Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander population featuring traditional music and focusing on indigenous issues and event within its programming content.
Kix is a narrowcast broadcasting service originating out of the 4BU/Hitz FM studios in Bundaberg. While Kix transmits on a narrowcast license, the station is allowed to broadcast commercials. The station has a lively country music format and its programs are all produced in Bundaberg although the station has an ever growing network of transmitters, now broadcasting in Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT and South Australia.
Other narrowcast radio services broadcasting in Rockhampton include racing station, Radio TAB (formerly 4TAB), Vision FM (Christian radio) and Radio 88 (Tourist Information).
| Callsign | Frequency | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 4RO | 990 kHz Hertz The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications.... AM Amplitude modulation Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent... |
Prime Television Prime Television PRIME7 is an Australian television network owned by Prime Media Group Limited. Prime Television launched on 17 March 1962 as CBN/CWN in Orange and Dubbo, New South Wales, and has since expanded to cover regional New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory as a Seven Network... |
| Zinc 927 | 1584 kHz AM | Prime Television Prime Television PRIME7 is an Australian television network owned by Prime Media Group Limited. Prime Television launched on 17 March 1962 as CBN/CWN in Orange and Dubbo, New South Wales, and has since expanded to cover regional New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory as a Seven Network... |
| Sea FM | 101.5 MHz FM Frequency modulation In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant... |
Southern Cross Media |
| Hot FM Hot FM (Australian radio network) Hot FM is an Australian radio network, consisting of stations in north and central Queensland and Western Australia.The brand was created by DMG Radio Australia, before they sold their regional stations to Macquarie Regional RadioWorks in 2004.Hot 91.1 is not owned by Southern Cross Austereo; DMG... |
107.9 MHz FM | Southern Cross Media |
| Triple J Triple J triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation... |
104.7 MHz FM | ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster... |
| Radio National Radio National ABC Radio National is an Australia-wide non-commercial radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Radio National broadcasts national programming in areas that include news and current affairs, the arts, social issues, science, drama and comedy... |
103.1 MHz FM | ABC |
| ABC NewsRadio ABC NewsRadio ABC NewsRadio is an Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio service devoted to delivering live and 24-hour news updates and information. The service is available on a number of broadcasts right around Australia, including AM/FM radio, some pay-TV platforms and online via the Internet.Originally... |
105.5 MHz FM | ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster... |
| ABC Classic FM ABC Classic FM ABC Classic FM is a classical music radio station available in Australia, and internationally online. It is operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation . It was established in 1976 as "ABC-FM", and later for a short time was known as "ABC Fine Music" , before adopting its current name... |
106.3 MHz FM | ABC |
| ABC Capricornia ABC Capricornia 4RK, better known as ABC Capricornia is one of the ABC's original regional radio stations, predating the Corporation's inception on 1 July 1932. 4RK, as it was known at the time, began broadcasting on 29 July 1931 and was owned by the Australian Broadcasting Company. The power was initially 2... |
837 kHz AM | ABC |
| 4YOU | 98.5 MHz FM | Community |
| 4US | 100.7 MHz FM | Community |
| Kix Country | 92.7 MHz FM | Country (?) |
| 4TAB | 99.9 MHz FM | UNiTAB Limited |
| Vision FM | 87.6 MHz FM | UCB Australia |
Television
Rockhampton is serviced by four commercial stations and one non-commercial station.- Seven QueenslandSeven QueenslandSeven Queensland is an Australian television station, licensed to, and serving the regional areas of Queensland. The station is owned and operated by the Seven Network from studios located in Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, using the callsign STQ, which stands for Sunshine Television,...
- Southern Cross TenSouthern Cross TenSouthern Cross Ten is an Australian television channel broadcast by the Macquarie Media Group in Queensland, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and South Australia. The channel is owned by the Macquarie Media Group as is affiliated to Network Ten...
- WIN TelevisionWIN TelevisionWIN Television is an Australian television network owned by the WIN Corporation that is based in Wollongong, New South Wales. WIN commenced transmissions on 18 March 1962 as a single Wollongong-only station, and has since expanded to 24 owned-and-operated stations with transmissions covering a...
- ABC TVABC TelevisionABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
(ABC 1) - SBS TVSBS TVSBS One is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 24 October 1980, it is the responsibility of SBS's television division, and is available nationally...
(SBS ONE)
Each broadcasts television services in both analogue and digital formats, with analogue transmissions to be deactivated in the second half of 2011.
SBS offers digital high-definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
simulcasts of their main channel, SBS ONE on SBS HD. Ten digital-only channels are also available: ABC2
ABC2
ABC2 is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 7 March 2005, it is the responsibility of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television division, and is available nationally to digital television viewers in Australia...
, ABC3
ABC3
-Future shows:Programming confirmed for future broadcast will include:* After School Care * Bindi's Boot Camp * Bushwacked! * Dance Academy * Dancing Down Under...
, ABC News 24
ABC News 24
ABC News 24 is an Australian 24-hour news channel launched and owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The channel replaced the former ABC High Definition simulcast of ABC1 and commenced broadcasting at 7:30pm 5:30 on Thursday, 22 July 2010.-Pre-launch:The ABC announced in January 2010...
, SBS Two, ONE, Eleven
Eleven (TV channel)
Eleven is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel, which was launched by ElevenCo, on 11 January 2011.-Joint venture:...
, 7Two
7Two
7TWO is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel which was launched by the Seven Network on Sunday 1 November 2009 at 12pm....
, 7mate
7mate
7mate is an Australian free-to-air high definition digital television channel, which was launched by the Seven Network on 25 September 2010.The network stated that 7mate would contain sport and regular programs aimed primarily at a male audience, with programming drawn from a combination of new...
, GEM
GEM (Australian TV channel)
GEM is an Australian free-to-air high definition digital television channel, launched by the Nine Network on Sunday 26 September 2010 at 6am...
and GO!
Go! (Australian TV channel)
GO! is an Australian free-to-air standard definition digital television channel launched by the Nine Network on Sunday 9 August 2009.-Origins:...
. Austar Limited
Austar
Austar is an Australian telecommunications company. Its main business activity is Subscription Television but it is also involved with internet access and mobile phones...
provides subscription satellite television services.
Regional news coverage of Rockhampton is provided on all three commercial networks with both Seven Queensland
Seven Queensland
Seven Queensland is an Australian television station, licensed to, and serving the regional areas of Queensland. The station is owned and operated by the Seven Network from studios located in Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, using the callsign STQ, which stands for Sunshine Television,...
's Seven Local News and Win Queensland
RTQ
RTQ is an Australian television station broadcasting in regional Queensland in Australia. The network was owned by Star Television, before being purchased by the WIN Corporation on 5 October 1988.-Network history:...
's WIN News
WIN News
WIN News is a local television news service in parts of regional Australia, produced by WIN Television. 20 regional bulletins are presented from studios in Wollongong, Canberra, Ballarat, Rockhampton, Toowoomba, Mount Gambier, Hobart and Perth.-History:As well as its flagship nightly...
airing 30-minute local news bulletins each weeknight. Both programs are produced from newsrooms in the city with Seven's bulletin broadcast from studios in Maroochydore and WIN's bulletin broadcast from the RTQ
RTQ
RTQ is an Australian television station broadcasting in regional Queensland in Australia. The network was owned by Star Television, before being purchased by the WIN Corporation on 5 October 1988.-Network history:...
studios in North Rockhampton, where bulletins for the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
The Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
, Wide Bay & Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland
Far North Queensland, or FNQ, is the northernmost part of the Australian state of Queensland. The region, which contains a large section of the Tropical North Queensland area, stretches from the city of Cairns north to the Torres Strait...
areas and a statewide late bulletin also originate. Southern Cross Ten also airs short local news updates from their Canberra studios throughout the day.
There is also a small television facility at the ABC studios in Rockhampton with a journalist and camera operator employed locally to produce stories for ABC News and the state edition of 7.30
7.30
7.30 is an Australian nightly television current affairs programme ABC1 and ABC News 24 at , Monday to Friday. A national edition screens from Monday to Thursday, produced at the ABN studios in Ultimo, Sydney and presented by Leigh Sales and Chris Uhlmann. A local edition with a focus on state...
on ABC1. The journalist can also be required to do live crosses for ABC News 24.
Sports teams
- Australian Football (AFL) – Rockhampton Panthers, Brothers Rockhampton in AFL Capricornia (total of 6 clubs)
- CricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
– Senior – Frenchville Falcons, North's Tigers, Gracemere Bulls, Capricorn Coast, Brothers, Colts Junior – Frenchville Falcons, North's Tigers, Gracemere Bulls, Capricorn Coast, Brothers, Grammar, St Brendan's - Basketball – The Stadium Rockets (Men's); Rockhampton Cyclones (Women's)
- Rugby LeagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
– Central CometsCentral CometsCentral Queensland Capras are an semi-professional rugby league football club based in Rockhampton, Queensland. They currently play in the Queensland Cup, the premier rugby league competition in Queensland....
in the Queensland CupQueensland CupThe Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a... - Rugby LeagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
– Central Queensland Capras - Rugby LeagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
- Central Queensland University - Norths Chargers, Fitzroy - Gracemere Sharks, Rockhampton Brothers in the Rockhampton & District Rugby League ( A Grade) - Rugby UnionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
– Rockhampton Brahmans - Soccer – Capricorn Cougars
Notable residents or persons born in Rockhampton
| Name of resident | Year of Birth/Death | Notable For |
|---|---|---|
| Leanne Benjamin Leanne Benjamin Leanne Benjamin is a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet in London.Born in Rockhampton, Australia in 1964, she trained at the Royal Ballet School and won the Adeline Genée Gold Medal and Prix de Lausanne. She joined the Company in 1992 becoming a Principal by the spring of that Season... |
1964 | Ballet Dancer – Principal dancer with the Royal Ballet in London. |
| JTS Bird | Born in England | Author of 'The Early History of Rockhampton' |
| Gerard Brennan Gerard Brennan Sir Francis Gerard Brennan, AC, KBE, QC , is an Australian lawyer, judge and 10th Chief Justice of Australia. He is father to Jesuit priest and lawyer Frank Brennan.... |
1928 | Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia |
| George Curtis George Curtis (Australian politician) George Silas Curtis was an Australian politician. He was twice a member of the Queensland Parliament, first as the Independent member for Rockhampton in the Legislative Assembly from 1893 to 1902 and then as a Labor member of the Legislative Council from 1914 to 1922.... |
1845–1922 | Queensland and Australian politician |
| William Knox Darcy | 1849–1917 | Mining magnate and founder of British Petroleum |
| James Duhig James Duhig Sir James Duhig, KCMG was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Brisbane from 1917 until his death. At the time of his death he was the longest-serving bishop in the Catholic Church .-Early life:... |
1871–1965 | Roman Catholic Archbishop |
| Jamie Dwyer Jamie Dwyer Jamie Dwyer OAM is a field hockey striker from Australia. He wears the number 1 jersey for his country.... |
1979 | Field hockey Field hockey Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks... - gold medal in 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens |
| Lala Fisher | 1872–1929 | Poet |
| Frank Forde Frank Forde Francis Michael Forde PC was an Australian politician and the 15th Prime Minister of Australia. He was the shortest serving Prime Minister in Australia's history, being in office for only eight days.-Early life:... |
1890–1983 | Prime Minister of Australia Prime Minister of Australia The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful... |
| Vince Gair Vince Gair Vincent Clare "Vince" Gair was an Australian politician. He served as Premier of Queensland from 1952 until 1957, when his stormy relations with the trade union movement saw him expelled from the Australian Labor Party. He was elected to the Australian Senate and led the Democratic Labor Party... |
1901–1980 | Premier of Queensland |
| Paul Hoffmann Paul Hoffmann Paul Jacob Christopher Hoffmann born 14 January 1970, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, is an Australian cricketer who has played for the cricket teams of Scotland... |
1970 | Sportsman (Cricket Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the... ) – Australia Country representative 1993 and Scottish Saltires Cricket World Cup Cricket World Cup The ICC Cricket World Cup is the premier international championship of men's One Day International cricket. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council , with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament which is held every four years... 2007 |
| Raymond Huish | 1898–1970 | Soldier, ex-Services Representative, Company Director |
| De-Anne Kelly De-Anne Kelly De-Anne Margaret Kelly , was an Australian politician. She was a National Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 until November 2007, representing the Division of Dawson, Queensland. She was also the first female member of the National Party to win a seat in the... |
1954 | Politician |
| William Kidston William Kidston William Kidston was an Australian politician and Premier of Queensland, from January 1906 to November 1907 and again from February 1908 to February 1911.-Early life:... |
1849–1919 | Premier of Queensland |
| Mark Knowles Mark Knowles (field hockey player) For the Bahamian tennis player see Mark KnowlesMark Knowles OAM is a field hockey defender from Australia.-External links:*... |
1984 | Sportsman, Field hockey Field hockey Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks... |
| Rod Laver Rod Laver Rodney George "Rod" Laver MBE is an Australian former tennis player who holds the record for titles won in career, and was the World No. 1 player for seven consecutive years, from 1964 to 1970... |
1938 | Sportsman, Tennis |
| Grant McLennan Grant McLennan Grant William McLennan was an Australian singer-songwriter with the alternative rock band The Go-Betweens, which he co-founded with Robert Forster in Brisbane, Australia in 1977... |
1958–2006 | singer-songwriter and co-founder of independent Indie (music) In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing.... Australian band, The Go-Betweens The Go-Betweens The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals,... |
| Anna Meares Anna Meares Anna Maree Meares, OAM is an Australian track cyclist.She has been the 500m TT world champion twice, and a gold medalist at the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.-Biography:... |
1983 | Cyclist – 2 times Olympic gold medal Gold medal A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture... winner |
| Kerrie Meares Kerrie Meares Kerrie Meares is an Australian professional racing cyclist. She is the older sister of Anna Meares. She was a contender for the 2004 Olympic team, but pulled out from competition due to nagging injuries, suffered during numerous crashes that occurred during competitions earlier that year.-Career... |
1982 | Cyclist |
| Scott Minto Scott Minto (rugby league footballer) Scott Minto is a former professional rugby league footballer who played 14 games for the North Queensland Cowboys and 39 games for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League competition... |
1973 | Sportsman, Rugby League Rugby league Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players... – Brisbane Broncos Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two... |
| Alma Moodie Alma Moodie Alma Templeton Moodie was an Australian violinist who established an excellent reputation in Germany in the 1920s and 1930s. She was regarded as the foremost female violinist during the inter-war years, and she premiered violin concertos by Kurt Atterberg, Hans Pfitzner and Ernst Krenek... |
1898–1943 | Concert violinist |
| John Moore John Moore (Australian politician) John Colinton Moore AO is a former Australian politician. He was a Liberal member of the House of Representatives for over 25 years, and a minister from 1980 to 1982 and 1996 to 2001.... |
1936 | Politician |
| Matthew Robinson Matthew Robinson (performer and composer) Matthew Robinson is an Australian performer and composer.Robinson was born in Queensland and graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts... |
1980 | Actor/Performer – Starred in Pippin Pippin (musical) Pippin is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto... , appearances in Blue Heelers Blue Heelers Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :... , Stingers Stingers Stingers was an Australian police drama television series. It ran for eight seasons on the Nine Network before it was canceled in late 2004 due to declining ratings and the late timeslot Channel Nine gave the program... , Pratt Prize winner |
| Anthelme Thozet Anthelme Thozet Anthelme Thozet was a French-Australian botanist and ethnographer.His naturalisation in Rockhampton, Queensland 9 January 1862, states that he was born at Belley east of Lyon in France about 1827, and his obituary depicts him as a political refugee following the 1848-51 revolt in France... |
1826–1878 | botanist and ethnographer |
| Kenrick Tucker | 1957 | cyclist, 1978 Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years.... Gold Gold Medal Gold Medal is the sixth studio album by the American hard rock band The Donnas, released in 2004 on Atlantic Records. It was one of the first albums released in the DualDisc format, but was recalled due to a mastering error which resulted in the final track being partially omitted from the CD... and Silver Silver medal A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats.... Medallist |
| Rhys Wesser Rhys Wesser Rhys Joseph "Sugar" Wesser is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the South Sydney Rabbitohs of the NRL... |
1979 | Sportsman, (Rugby League Rugby league Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players... – South Sydney Rabbitohs South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... ) |
| Duncan Armstrong Duncan Armstrong Duncan John D'Arcy Armstrong, OAM, is a former Australian swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.Armstrong was a freestyle swimmer in international competition during the 1980s, who won gold in the 200-metre freestyle at the 1988 Seoul Olympics... |
1968 | Swimmer, Olympic Gold Medal Gold Medal Gold Medal is the sixth studio album by the American hard rock band The Donnas, released in 2004 on Atlantic Records. It was one of the first albums released in the DualDisc format, but was recalled due to a mastering error which resulted in the final track being partially omitted from the CD... list |