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
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