I know yet another travel post. I am not in the writing zone yet but didn’t want to abandon the blog. So bear with me while I get my bearings back.

Just a few kilometers north of where I live runs the Tropic of Capricorn. I really haven’t paid much attention to it beyond geography classes but hey it was almost in my backyard and it was worth a visit.The region along the Tropic of Capricorn is called Capricorn Coast and is one of the gateways to the Great Barrier Reef. Rockhampton (also known as the Beef Capital of Australia) is the major city in the region and also the closest major city I need to head towards for shopping. Rockhampton has statues of bulls all over to remind people of the wonderful beef that comes from the region. It is quite an interesting sight.

How is that for a welcome sign?

As with many parts of Australia, this region is sparsely populated with beautiful sights to take in. Rivers, caves, parks, beaches – it has it all. What amazes me about the places I have visited in Australia is how well everything is maintained. The parks with play equipment, BBQ grills and trash bins are almost a luxury. They cater to locals and visitors, are free and in good condition.

The Rockhampton zoo was our first stop. Nothing huge but the place has a great collection of Australian animals – lyre birds to koalas. Well-maintained, free and clean – ideal spot for some weekend fun.

The Capricorn Caves are a few kilometers away from the city of Rockhampton and provide a great experience. These sedimentary limestone caves were discovered by accident by the Olsen brothers in the 1880s. Today, they are a great place to visit. They offer guided tours and more adventurous cave crawling options. They also host weddings and operas down in the caves. We did the basic tour and we enjoyed it. Kuttyma was a bit uneasy at times but she was a trooper. During solstice the caves get lit up and hopefully we will be able to make a trip down there this December to watch it.

Here are some pictures from the Capricorn Caves