I'm off up that way on Monday. We will be visiting our daughter and son-in-law who live at Blackwater, 200km west of Rockhampton, and they go there regularly as, to them it's only a short drive
It's quite a big city with a population of about 76,000 people, about 40km from the coast and towns such as Yeppoon and Emu Park. Great Keppel Island is a short boat ride off shore, and is worth a visit. I've been there on a number of occasions, and quite like it, although it can be hot in summer - not surprising as it's right on the Tropic of Capricorn.
Peter.