As much as I can sometimes get sick of flying, I do love airports. Especially in the morning. People juggling takeaway coffee, boarding passes & bags. The sun coming up & planes flying to & from exotic destinations…or just domestic ones. Like mine.
Rockhampton. A 635km drive north of Brisbane, or a short 1hr 20min Qantas-link flight. The beef capital of Australia. A place where wearing high-vis clothing is the norm…not the exception. I boarded the plane amongst all the high-vis clad miners. Along with beef, mining is big up here.
The last time I was in Rocky (as it is affectionately known) was a good 7 years ago, and though my memory was a little rusty, I clearly remember the number the number of cows scattered around the town. Fake cows, not real ones – though that may not be so strange here… After getting off the plane I played 'spot the giant bull' and had spotted 4 (mostly on roofs!) before I had even checked into my hotel.
Stayed at the Travelodge which, although looking a little tired, was pretty good. Although it's on Victoria Parade on the river, I had a nice view of the back carpark. But at least the aircon was working – it was HOT! Dinner at the hotel's Riverside Restaurant was ok. As a general rule I don't particularly like eating at hotels as the food is usually pretty average. The menu was good, though I was a little surprised when my 'Barramundi with mango salsa' showed up my plate with it's eyes & tail still intact and looking up at me…
As with most work trips, I didn't get to see much. Took a short walk along the river on the boardwalk & through town. Like many country towns, Rocky has a wide main street with a nature strip full of trees down the middle. The surprising thing about this place is the number of heritage buildings that have been maintained. It is great for the town to have kept it's history alive. The old customs building on the river is now a restaurant (perfect for Rocky weddings) and the original post office still stands in the main street.
Pretty sure that it might be another 7 years before I am back in 'Rock- Vegas', but when I do, I will be sure to time it with 'Beef Week'. The town’s annual festival. Yes, this isn't really a place for vegetarians…
