Tropic of Capricorn, Australia: Which towns does the tropic pass through?
Yes, the Tropic of Capricorn does pass through Australia. Places of interest near the tropic line include Coral Bay, Alice Springs, Longreach, Emerald and Rockhampton.
The Tropic of Capricorn passes through Australia. This shouldn’t really come as a surprise, but Australia is rarely thought of as a tropical country. That’s probably because all of Australia’s biggest cities are well south of the Tropic of Capricorn.
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Australia is an enormous country. Some of the states and territories that band together under the Australian flag would be enormous countries in their own right. Of the biggest Australian states, the size of Western Australia is greater than that of Algeria, while the size of Queensland tops Iran or Alaska.
With that sort of area, it shouldn’t be a shock that Australia’s most southerly point near Cockle Creek in Tasmania can be very cold, while Australia’s northernmost point stretches reasonably near the Equator.
Tick off 9 Australian bucket list experiences
- Take Blue Mountains day tour from Sydney – with kangaroo-feeding at a wildlife park, Scenic World tickets and a Parramatta River cruise.
- Snorkel or dive on the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns.
- Do Australia’s most spectacular drive on a Great Ocean Road day tour from Melbourne.
- Drive along the beach on a 4WD day tour of Fraser Island, the world’s biggest sand island.
- Have a dune-top barbecue dinner and stargazing session in the shadow of Uluru.
- See penguins on Phillip Island – and more native wildlife at the Moonlit Sanctuary – on a day trip from Melbourne.
- Go snorkelling, sandboarding and kayaking on Moreton Island from Brisbane.
- Meet gloriously cute quokkas on Rottnest Island near Perth with a ferry and bike hire package.
- Kayak with dolphins in Byron Bay.
Tropic of Capricorn, Western Australia
The Tropic of Capricorn in Australia crosses land just south of the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. It passes just south of Coral Bay, Paraburdoo and Newman. You can take a photo of the sign on the drive north from Carnarvon to Coral Bay.
5 Coral Bay experiences to book before you arrive
- Swim with whale sharks – with a dedicated spotter plane for more time in the water with them.
- Go on a glass bottom boat cruise – perfect for non-swimmers.
- Snorkel with turtles – on a boat tour that visits two top snorkelling sites.
- Swim with humpback whales – they visit between June and October.
- Swim with manta rays – available most of the year, with lunch & snorkelling gear included.
After heading through the Gibson desert, the next settlement of any size near the Tropic of Capricorn in Australia is Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Alice Springs, the main hub of the Red Centre, lies just to the south of the imaginary line.
Seven essential Alice Springs activities to add to your trip.
- See imposing red rock cliffs and stunning swimming holes – on a West MacDonnell Ranges day trip.
- Glide across the changing morning colours of the outback – on a hot air balloon ride.
- See how education works across the outback – at the School of the Air.
- Take in the epic outback scenery – on a scenic flight.
- See the outback wildlife come to life – on a Desert Park nocturnal tour.
- Try camel rides through the red dirt landscape – and learn the weird history of Aussie camels.
- See stunning, often unvisited outback sites – on a Palm Valley 4wd tour.
Tropic of Capricorn in Queensland
The Tropic of Capricorn then crosses the Simpson Desert into outback Queensland, where it skirts north of the Diamantia Lakes.
The first decent sized town reached heading east is Longreach, which is more or less bang on the line. Then come Barcaldine and Emerald on the Capricorn Highway, just to the south. Once east of Emerald, the tropic continues through largely uninhabited areas before hitting Gracemere, a suburb of Rockhampton.
Top experiences to book in and around Rockhampton
- (Highly recommended ✅) Great Keppel Island day trip – with lunch.
- Cathedral Cave tour at Capricorn Caves. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 90 minute Deep Vault Cave and Flower Pot tour at Capricorn Caves.
- Time Safaris walking tour.
Biggest city on the Tropic of Capricorn
Rockhampton’s population of around 80,000 people makes it by far the largest Australian city near the Tropic of Capricorn.
The line then goes out over the Coral Sea, cutting over Heron Reef and Sykes Reef on the Great Barrier Reef.
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More tropical Australia
Explore the Cape Upstart National Park on the Bowen to Townsville drive.
Stop at Charles Knife Canyon on the drive from Carnarvon to Exmouth.
Stay at Sarina Beach on the Yeppoon to Airlie Beach drive.
How long is the drive from Alice Springs to Tennant Creek?
Take in the sunset from One Tree Hill on Hamilton Island.