Rockhampton Airport Mini Guide
Rockhampton, locally known as ‘Rocky’, is one of the oldest cities in Queensland at over 150 years old. The city was founded near the mouth of the Fitzroy River and has over 300 sunny days a year making it an attractive destination for tourists. It developed after the discovery of gold in the area and as the gold dried up, services took its place.
Around the city there are several interesting geological formations which can be visited by tourists including the Mount Etna Caves National Park and Capricorn Caves. The city lies virtually on the Tropic of Capricorn and a spire marks the rough location of the Tropic in the city. At the summer solstice, the spire is said to point directly up at the overhead sun although with the continuous variation in the tilt of the earth, the tropic actually lies a kilometre further north at the moment.
Gettingt to Rockhampton Airport?
Rockhampton Airport is found just to the west of the city and is a busy domestic airport serving flights from several Australian airports with the largest number of routes being to and from
Brisbane. If you want to get into the city and don’t want to pay the taxi fare or hire a car, Youngs Buses operate routes into Rockhampton and other coastal towns. Car hire is available at the airport should you want to spend some of your time in Rockhampton exploring further afield.
Guide to Rockhampton Airport
Having previously been a military airport, it changed to a commercial one at the end of the 80s. The potential for passenger growth led to the airport investing in a large scale upgrade of the terminal and its facilities three years ago. Such is the success of the airport that almost immediately plans were implemented for a further expansion and upgrade which is now nearing completion of the first phase.The economic downturn has delayed the next stage as the rise in passenger numbers begins to stall.
Rockhampton Airport arrivals
The airport looks very modern and once you’ve descended from your plane via the steps, you’ll enter a bright and shiny terminal building. The arrivals area is spacious and as you won’t need to show your passports, you’ll almost immediately be in the arrivals area and at the baggage reclaim. Once you’ve got your bags, the airport information desk can help with any questions about facilities or onward travel and accommodation. Car hire is available for which you’ll need to locate the desks against the opposite wall of the terminal. There’s an ATM should you need dollars to pay for anything at the airport or for your bus or taxi fare if using public transport.
Rockhampton Airport departures
On the day you leave, checking in is very efficient and you’ll then be looking around for something to occupy you before your flight leaves. The airport offers its customers free Wi-Fi whilst at the airport so you can spend your time on the web. If you get hungry there’s a nice little restaurant and a couple of shops including one that sells gifts and another that sells newspapers and general merchandise. The number of retail outlets is expected to grow shortly with expressions of interest from retailers pending before decisions are made on expansion at the airport.
Rockhampton was established in 1855 making it one of the oldest cities in Australia. If you’ve hired a car, a worthwhile way to spend an afternoon is to visit the heritage village living museum where recreations of buildings from the time of its inception along with the tools and machinery of the industry of the time are on display.
For information on the even older inhabitants of the area, visit the Dreamtime Cultural Centre to see the history of the aboriginal culture in the area and get a chance to play the didgeridoo or throw a boomerang correctly.
Whether you need a rental car from Rockhampton or you are just looking for
cheap car rental in Australia, compare leading car hire companies with Rhino for the best deals.