Rockhamptons Freecamp Woolwash Lagoon

[dieseltojo]

I have heard lots of bad about Rockhampton and found it a great place to camp and visit.
My daughter in law has noted relatives that go back to over 150 year so we did a bit of history hunting there.

Some pics of our nice free camp.
This is the road along which the lagoon runs. the concrete up stand is the original point of the true line of Tropic of Capricorn.
I believe their used to be a commemorative arch across this road and the arch is replaced into rocky some where as this is now a back road.


This shows the two supports


The camping spots are very nice and flat and when we were there around 24th July 2016 you could have placed many more vans. You are simply parking along the “Woolwash" Lagoon” which was where the sheep were washed prior to shearing.
Years ago it was the Serpentine Lagoon , but that name is long out of use.

Have a look at this folks....No problems here.


This is looking back up to the camp. You are only 10 metres from the water and well above flood level.

[Motherhen]

Nice to hear a good report, thanks Paul. If people say don't go, it is usually worth going and making up your own mind.

[dieseltojo]

Woolwash Lagoon is camp 106 in the camps 8 book 23 25 59 S and 150 3146 E. It is 24 hours only and supposedly for self contained vehicles.

I am fast learning that "self contained " means any one that comes. I had a couple of different camps as I had to replace my HWS, but most folk only stay 2 days. No one seems to police any thing, but it was their winter I suppose and tons of room.

You could come and go and even get back into your spot. I chose a few different ones to do the right thing. It really is not hard to move along a bit if required.

There is a proper Dump point in Rocky as well and water is there too .I can stay anywhere easily for five days so that makes it easy for me.

[dieseltojo]

Hi MH, Yep the most popular caravan park near Rocky is Emu Park but it was booked out solid at $35-00 per night.

I thought I might tell you also that we stayed at Beenleigh Show grounds near the gold coast on the way up at $20-00 per night, which, with no power was silly but an extra $5-00 if you want power.

Found it by accident and being a bit tired we stayed for one night. It seems to be a lot of permanent travelers in Beenleigh and the camp looks a bit shabby. I parked well away from the main campers and was ok.
It look like a down and outers resting place. It was the dearest SG of the trip. Most with power are $20-00 and we always paid $15-00 with no power.

[dieseltojo]

The same Lagoon shot with the curtains down...



I tried a night shot of the van. No problems with TV in most places either.

[dieseltojo]

A view from our office at the Lagoon. Do you know some caravansarai actually wanted and recommended not to go to Rockhampton.?

And they have a friendly info centre as well.

[Archer63]

Great to see some pics & reading of people on here out and about DT....thanks !

Should be more of it.

Cheers
Rob

[Jay&dee]

Great thread. Is the free camp near Stoclland shopping centrte still open???
Jay&Dee

[TramcarTrev]

This place has obviously had a make over, looks glorious... It would be hard to wake up to scenery like that. Last time we stayed in Rocky the free camp was over run by hoons so next morning we moved on to Gracemere Van Park....

[Bundyrumandcoke]

The road you are on at The Woolwash is actually the original Bruce Hwy. And over the other side, now removed was the old North Coast rail alignment, you actually traverse the old alignment a bit further south where the road does a bit of a zig zag. Closer to Rocky, where Hastings Deering workshops is, the road that heads directly south was the original Mt Morgan Rd, which became the Bruce Hwy Mk 2. The current low level road beside the new bridge is Mk 3, and bridge Mk 4. All due to flooding. That area around the lagoon goes underwater by a good 3 or 4 metres during a decent flood. That's the whole area, hence the new high level bridge further west.

Yes, the white structures are the original location of the Capricorn Spire, now moved closer to town when it was bypassed. Its also the location of a Geocache, for those who chase caches.

Heres a blast from the past, the Capricorn Spire in its original location beside the Woolwash lagoon, back in 1967. That's me, standing up on the plinth.