The Capricorn Coast region, straddling the Tropic of Capricorn, is where tropical Queensland begins. Dramatic mountain ranges, gorges scoring deep into the earth, and dead flat plains stretching to the horizon are the hallmarks of this region.
The two major towns in the area include the port city of Gladstone and Rockhampton, the proud “beef capital of Australia”. These are farming areas with a healthy dose of industrialism thrown in. Most visitors use the area as a jumping-off point for the secluded holiday resort of Great Keppel Island and the diver’s paradise of Heron Island. There is a lot of good fishing along the coast here, from the quiet southerly beach town at Turkey Beach to Yeppoon and the Byfield National Park. Emu Park and Tannum Sands have nice protected beaches popular with families.