The Emerald region
Emerald is a vibrant and friendly town located in the heart of the Central Highlands, in central Queensland. The town is at the intersection of the Capricorn and Gregory Highways, 263 kilometres west of Rockhampton and the Capricorn Coast of Queensland.
Emerald has a warm, dry climate with an average temperature of 35 degrees during summer. The annual rainfall is about 625mm.
The Emerald region is renowned for its strong and diverse abundance of agricultural, horticultural and mining resources. The region’s main industries are cotton, sunflowers, wheat, sorghum, citrus fruits, cattle and coal. Emerald produces 25 per cent of Queensland’s cotton.
The town of Emerald sits amongst the largest sapphire gem fields in the world, making it a major attraction for gem fossickers. Nearby Lake Maraboon is a popular spot for swimming, fishing, and water sports. A few hours’ drive from Emerald is the spectacular Carnarvon Gorge National Park with impressive Aboriginal paintings, self-guided walks and an abundance of native wildlife.
Within the town of Emerald there are major supermarkets as well as fast food outlets, a cinema, a library, restaurants and public bars.
This page was last updated 1 July 2005
