🌻 Explore Emerald Queensland ~ Things to do in and around Emerald

🌻 Explore Emerald Queensland ~ Things to do in and around Emerald 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. In today’s video, we wander around the town centre on the art trail and visit the historic railway station. We see the large Van Gogh Sunflower Painting, the mosaic pathway and the historic village. We also explore the Botanic Gardens, Lake Maraboon, and the Sapphire Gemfields. 00:00 Introduction 00:52 Emerald Town Centre and Art Trail 03:24 Railway Station 03:42 Morton Park - Van Gogh Sunflower Painting, Mosaic Pathway & Historic Village 05:15 Emerald Botanic Garden 07:05 Lake Maraboon 08:02 Sapphire Gemfields Town Centre and Art Trail As we wander around Emerald’s town centre, we see 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. Emerald Historic Railway Station 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. Morton Park 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. Emerald Botanic Gardens 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. Lake Maraboon Lake Maraboon is Queensland’s second-largest lake, twenty-five kilometres from Emerald. It 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. Sapphire Gemfields 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. If you want more information and places to Wander * Explore * Discover go to ~ https://www.wanderexplorediscover.com/