See & Do
Central Queensland Highlands
Visitor Information Centre
The visitor information centre is the first stop in planning your trip to Emerald and the Central Queensland Highlands.
Van Gogh Sunflower Painting
Emerald is home to the largest replica of Van Gogh’s Sunflower painting. Emerald was once famous as a major sunflower producer. The painting is located in Morton Park and the structure is 25m tall and contains approximately 13.6 tonnes of steel.
Botanic Gardens
Covering 42 hectares and situated on the banks of the Nogoa River, the Emerald Botanic Gardens offers six kilometres of walking tracks, playgrounds, picnic areas and sculptures surrounded by plants representative of the flora native to the region.
Railway Station
Emerald Railway Station is a heritage-listed railway station, built in 1900 and restored in 1986.
Fairbairn Dam (Lake Maraboon)
Built in 1972 for irrigation water storage, the Fairbairn Dam has a storage capacity of 1,300 giga litres (approximately 2.5 times Sydney Harbour) and is a great place for fishing and boating, stocked with eight different kinds of fish as well as red claw crayfish.
The Gemfields
Try your hand at fossicking for gems. The Gemfields is located 45-minutes west of Emerald.
Minerva Hills NP
Only an hour south of Emerald is Minerva Hills National Park featuring spectacular jagged peaks. 4WD recommended.
Springsure
Sitting at the foot of Minerva Hills National Park you will find the historic town of Springsure, named after the springs and creeks found in the area during settlement.
Emerald Aquatic Centre
Featuring a 50m outdoor pool, 25m heated pool, splash pad and BBQ’s, a great place to cool off during summer.
Carnarvon Gorge
Emerald is a great stopover on the way to experiencing Carnarvon Gorge. Featuring sandstone cliffs, Aboriginal rock art, a diverse array of wildlife and prehistoric cycads.
Blackdown Tableland NP
An easy day trip from Emerald is Blackdown Tableland National Park. Featuring deep gorges, springs and waterfalls, an oasis in Central Queensland.
