Things to do in Emerald, Queensland

The best things to do in Emerald, Queensland include the world’s biggest Van Gogh sunflower painting, Emerald Botanic Gardens and the Mosaic Pathway.

Emerald, Queensland, is a regional service town in the Central Highlands – aka the Capricorn hinterland. Despite the confusing name, it’s not emeralds that the surrounding gemfields are known for – it’s sapphires. The town was called Emerald due to the green pastures surrounding it.

By the standard of Queensland service towns, Emerald has a surprisingly decent collection of unusual attractions. These Emerald attractions include an ancient fossilised tree, thought to be more than 250 million years old, outside Emerald Town Hall.

What to do in Emerald: World’s biggest Van Gogh sunflower painting

However, top of the list of quirky things to do in Emerald, Queensland, should be a visit to Morton Park. This would be an ordinary town park were it not for the 25 metre high painting on an easel. One of Australia’s notorious Big Things, the Big Easel hosts what is billed as the world’s biggest Van Gogh sunflower painting.

Then there’s the Emerald Visitor Information Centre, which is made of 300 bales of straw, covered in lime and earth. There’s a sculpture of a bearded dragon made from old farm equipment out the front.

Things to do in Emerald, Queensland: Railway Station & Botanic Gardens

More conventional Emerald attractions include the gorgeous old railway station, with lace-like wrought iron and grand pillars. There’s also the Emerald Botanic Gardens, covering 42 hectares on the banks of the Nogoa River. Highlights in the Emerald Botanic Gardens include the six kilometres of walking tracks, the rose garden, the maze and a sporadic collection of sculptures.

Indeed, Emerald is pretty big on public art, as the Mosaic Pathway demonstrates. The Centenary of Federation Mosaic Pathway covers 100 years of Emerald’s history in the form of intricate footpath tiling. There are also several public artworks, all commissioned for a competition, along Egerton Street.

Things to do in Emerald, Queensland: Aquatic Centre & Outback Exploratorium

Other things to do in Emerald, Queensland, include swimming at the Emerald Aquatic Centre. It has a waterslides, a big children’s splash area and a 50 metre pool. But the top attraction in town is the Outback Exploratorium. Formerly known as the Central Highlands Science Centre, the Outback Exploratorium is a kid-friendly, interactive science museum with lots of buttons to press.

Nearby, Lake Maraboon – a man-made reservoir created by Fairbairn Dam – is a popular spot for swimming, kayaking and fishing.

Lake Maraboon, created by Fairbairn Dam near Emerald, Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland/Blink Photography.

Where to stay in Emerald

The best Emerald accommodations options are:

For central location: Motel 707.
For a more stylish motel: Abode37.
For a good quality motel with cheap rates: A&A Lodge Motel.
For families: Discovery Parks Emerald.

Rockhampton to Emerald drive

Emerald is at the crossroads of the Capricorn Highway and Gregory Highway. It is almost directly to the west of Rockhampton, and pretty much on the Tropic of Capricorn. The drive from Rockhampton to Emerald is 271km in distance, making for a Rockhampton to Emerald driving time of just under three hours.

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