THE CAPRICORN Coast is only half an hour’s drive from Rockhampton yet it’s like a different world. This is beach heaven!

Gateway to the Capricorn Coast is Yeppoon, with its charming esplanade set against the panoramic backdrop of Keppel Bay. Drop in to the Keppel Bay Sailing Club for a meal. Elsewhere in town you’ll find a variety of cosmopolitan eating places and for those who like shopping, there’s everything from handmade goods at local markets to exquisite specialty gifts, including the biggest selection of Royal Doulton and Wedgewood in Australia.

For safe anchorage, boat owners have world-class facilities at the award-winning Keppel Bay Marina in Rosslyn Bay. The area is home to a waterfront cafe, resort, bistro and a National Park walk that gives views of surrounding beaches and off-shore islands.

Great Keppel Island is just a fast cat ride away. You can go on a day trip or enjoy an island holiday there. For an island holiday with an element of fantasy, go to Pumpkin Island.

About 15 minutes’ drive north of Yeppoon is the four star Capricorn Resort Yeppoon, with two golf courses of international standard.

For an experience of a different kind, visit Queensland’s largest collection of horse-drawn vehicles at the award-winning Horse and Carriage situated on the outskirts of Yeppoon. The region is also home to the largest coffee plantation in Australia.

At Causeway Lake, situated between the sandstone cliffs of Mulambin Beach and the tidal pools of Kinka Beach, you can paddleboat, canoe, waterski, swim, throw in a line or have a barbecue.

Discover the beaches, bushwalking tracks, great fishing spots and the historical museum of the Capricorn Coast’s second largest township, Emu Park, where you can see the Singing Ship, a sculpture honouring Captain James Cook’s exploration of the coastline. Further south at Joskeleigh, visit the South Sea Islander Museum and view the photographic display of the early Kanaka settlers who were slaves during the sugarcane days.

Off the Emu Park-Rockhampton section of the Scenic Loop Tourist Drive, visit the Koorana Crocodile Farm where you can see big crocodiles being fed and even hold a small one … and maybe try a croc steak!

Venture further out on tour. In the Byfield National Park and State Forest where the rare Byfield fern can be found in cool rainforest seclusion, take a refreshing dip in the waters of Stoney Creek or Waterpark Creek, then discover a boutique pottery or a little art gallery. Join an electric boat tour of Waterpark Creek, lunch at a nearby resort or stay over at a B&B.
Also a part of the Capricorn Coast region but accessible off the Bruce Highway north of Rockhampton are the Capricorn Caves.

Further north are the tiny settlements of Marlborough (becoming popular for chrysophase fossicking) and Stanage Bay.

So much to do - where to start? Drop in to the Visitor Information Centre at Yeppoon. While there, see its world class collection of shells.