Emerald Qld

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Emerald is a thriving outback town, thanks to its abundant rich soils and flat plains which support a variety of agriculture. The hinterland surrounding Emerald contains the largest sapphire gemfields in the world. In recent decades, coal has become a major contributor to the wealth of the district.

After being off grid in Carnarvon Gorge and enjoying long walks, our stay in Emerald was a bit more relaxing, catching up on washing and restocking our groceries.

The world's largest Van Gough "Sunflowers" reproduction painting is found in Emerald, measuring 10 metres x 7 metres, standing on a 25 metre easel. We also drove out to Lake Maraboon and Fairbairn Dam, had a picnic and walked around. We yawned a little when we saw a sign for Botanical Gardens, however, we were truly impressed with the extensive display of trees and plants, criss crossed with paths along the Nogoa River. In the Rainforest section, there were a myriad of bats hanging in the trees.

The highlight of our stay in Emerald was the Concert put on each night around a Fire Pit by the "Mouldy Oldies". It was a great singalong and they even took my request to play some Traveling Wilbury songs. The concert also provided a good opportunity to meet other Grey Nomads and share stories and adventures.

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