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Emerald ~ Queensland
Emerald is the largest town in the Central Queensland Highlands and is 878 kilometres northwest of Brisbane. It was established in 1879 and is the hub of the Central Highlands and the gateway to one of the largest sapphire fields in the southern hemisphere.
On our visit to Emerald, we wandered around the town centre on the art trail and visited the historic railway station. We saw the large Van Gogh Sunflower Painting, the mosaic pathway and the historic village. We also explored the Botanic Gardens, Lake Maraboon, and the Sapphire Gemfields.
As we wandered around Emerald’s town centre, we saw wonderful sculptures, murals, and brightly coloured street art. They were along the streets, hidden in laneways, on footpaths, and on the facades of buildings. The Visitor Centre has a copy of the Street Art Map, which has information about the artists and all the artworks.
The Railway Station was originally built in 1900 and restored in 1986. It is a lovely building with wrought iron lacework and a pillared portico, now heritage-listed.
Emerald was a significant sunflower producer in the past, and now it has the world's largest Van Gogh sunflower painting. It is located in Morton Park near the Visitor Centre and stands 25 metres high.
Outside the Visitor Centre, you can see the Emerald Dragon, a giant sculpture of an Eastern Bearded Dragon created from recycled farming equipment. We also wandered along the Centenary of Federation Mosaic Pathway, a 100-metre path featuring a lovely selection of colourful mosaics. Behind the Visitor Centre is the Pioneer Cottage Complex, which contains several historical buildings and artefacts.
The Emerald Botanic Gardens is located on the banks of the Nogoa River and is open every day from sunrise to sunset. This tropical paradise has six kilometres of walking and bike tracks, picnic areas, and playgrounds.
As you wander through the 42-hectare gardens, you will see wonderful sculptures, themed plantings and much more.
Twenty-five kilometres from Emerald is Queensland’s second largest lake, Lake Maraboon. This huge lake is three times the size of Sydney Harbour and can hold 1.3 Million megalitres of water.
It is a popular fishing spot because it is stocked with barramundi, silver perch, saratoga, Murray cod, golden perch, and red claw. There are also picnic tables, BBQs, walking tracks, a boat ramp and swimming areas.
The Sapphire Gemfields is located a 45-minute drive from Emerald and
is the largest sapphire gemfields in the Southern Hemisphere.
You can go fossicking, visit the gem shops and galleries, sift through some wash bags and see the large sapphire reflections artwork.
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