Located in the Central Highlands Region, Emerald is a historic fossicking town with a number of Heritage-listed sites and some excellent fossicking opportunities nearby. The town was established in 1879, and while it retains this historic charm, it also boasts a strip of contemporary shops, bars and restaurants.

Things to do

Begin your Emerald holiday by exploring the town’s centre along Clermont Street. Here you’ll find burger bars, historic watering holes and a range of boutiques. Duck into Hip Kids Childrenswear for kids’ clothing, Yolo Shoes for stylish footwear or Wallaby Jack’s for camping and fossicking supplies. Afterwards, visit the Emerald Star Hotel or The Irish Village for hearty Australian fare and cold beer.

Feel like a relaxing day out? Explore the 42-hectare expanse of the Emerald Botanic Gardens, where you can see 12 different themed gardens along the Nogoa River. You can walk along signed trails, chill out under covered picnic tables or let the kids loose on playgrounds. It’s next door to the Emerald Golf Club, which features 18 challenging holes hugging the river.

If you love fishing, make the drive out to Fairbairn Dam on Lake Maraboon, home to barramundi, Mary River cod, southern saratoga and silver perch. You can also go swimming, take on hiking trails or get behind a speedboat for waterskiing or wakeboarding. There are also several picnic tables and barbecue facilities.

Try your hand at fossicking by heading out to the gem fields around Emerald and the nearby towns of Sapphire and Rubyvale. If you don’t have any luck in the fields, duck into one of the tourist parks to sift through a bucket of wash pulled up from mines 12 metres underground.

Getting around

Emerald is a 1.5-hour flight from Brisbane, with Emerald Airport only 5.5 kilometres outside of town. You can get around using taxis or by driving your own vehicle.