Heritage and History
Image: 80 East Street - Rockhampton's former Post Office
Heritage redefined
From frontier town to bustling river port and gold rush city, Rockhampton’s colonial past and its fortunes are preserved in sandstone, wrought iron and topped off with a magnificent copper dome. Like the Fitzroy (Tunuba), these fortunes have ebbed and flowed over the years and today delivers a town full of heritage and history.
CBD Heritage Walk
Rockhampton CBD located | Directions
Image: Customs House Rockhampton
If you only have a short time and would like to take in as much of Rockhampton's history as possible, Quay Street is your destination. Starting at the wharves that were the gateway into Rockhampton, and continuing through most of the early CBD, this tour is approximately 2km one way, or you can add on the river walk for a lovely return trip.
This is one of Australia’s most historically significant heritage strips and is Queensland's longest National Trust heritage-listed street.
Download the CBD Heritage Walk Map(PDF, 11MB)
Mount Morgan township – gold rush era
40km from Rockhampton CBD | Directions
Image: Mount Morgan antique shop
For modern Australian history buffs, head to the historic Mount Morgan Township. The quaint and historic town offers an ideal opportunity to delve into the area’s early successes from Australia’s gold rush and discover it’s fascinating past. Through impressive attractions, museums and tours of the town, relive its importance in shaping Australia’s gold mining history.
900m from Rockhampton CBD | Directions
Image: Front of Archer Park Rail Museum
Constructed in 1899, the architecturally impressive Archer Park was the central railway station for Rockhampton until the mid-1920s. Visit the heritage listed Archer Park Rail Museum on the weekend and take a ride on the fully restored Purrey Steam Tram. 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.