A small coastal village twenty minutes south of Yeppoon, home to one of Queensland's most-loved pieces of public sculpture — the Singing Ship, whose hollow concrete sails make music in the sea breeze. Add the ANZAC Walk, Sunday markets at Bell Park, and beaches that have never quite been discovered by the holiday crowds.
Emu Park sits twenty kilometres south of Yeppoon — smaller, quieter, with a distinct village feel. The headland is anchored by the Singing Ship, a 1970 sculptural memorial whose curved concrete sails contain hollow pipes that catch the sea wind and turn it into sound. The ANZAC Walk runs along the foreshore through the ANZAC Memorial Plaza; Bell Park hosts the long-running monthly Fig Tree Creek Markets; and the beaches are gentle, mostly empty, and ten minutes from the next thing. We acknowledge the Darumbal people as the Traditional Custodians of this Country.
The Singing Ship at Emu Park — sculptural memorial, wind instrument, and one of the Capricorn Coast's signature views.
Heritage, headlands, markets and quiet beaches — the slow Capricorn Coast.
The headland centrepiece — three curved concrete sails containing hollow pipes that catch the breeze and make sound. Designed by sculptors Robert Hitchcock and Wilhelm Stamm, unveiled in 1970 to mark 200 years since Cook's 1770 voyage past the Capricorn Coast. Best visited on a windy afternoon.
Plan a heritage tour
A foreshore memorial walk commemorating Australia's military service — interpretive panels, sculptural elements, and the dedicated ANZAC Memorial Plaza overlooking the Pacific. It connects to the Singing Ship and forms a natural heritage circuit through town.
Plan your visit
Held the first Sunday of every month at Bell Park — local produce, handmade crafts, hot breakfasts, plants, live music. One of the Capricorn Coast's longest-running community markets. Arrive early for parking; stay for breakfast.
Plan a market weekend
The town's main patrolled beach — wide, gentle, and rarely crowded. Backed by the foreshore park and within walking distance of the Singing Ship and the village shops. Stinger-suit advice from November to May.
Plan a beach day
A smaller, more sheltered beach south of the main town centre — fronted by mature pines and grassed picnic areas. Calm water, good for kids, and a regular sunset spot for the locals.
Plan a family day
The ANZAC Walk forms part of the longer Capricorn Coast National Trail — a network of coastal walking paths that links Emu Park north toward Yeppoon, with lookouts, beach accesses and headland views along the way. Walk as much or as little as you like.
Plan a walking day
The classic Queensland country pub — wide verandahs, counter meals, cold beer, and a steady flow of locals plus the occasional confused holiday-maker. The natural place to end a long afternoon of headlands and beaches.
Plan a Capricorn day
The Emu Park headlands — particularly around the Singing Ship — are some of the best free whale-watching spots on the Capricorn Coast from June through November as humpbacks migrate past. Bring binoculars and time it for the early morning calm.
Plan whale season
A handful of cafés, a bakery, a small gallery and a few independent shops — the village centre clusters back from the foreshore and is comfortably walkable from anywhere in town. Breakfast somewhere, browse, repeat.
Plan a village morningA small calendar but a strong one — plan around these for the best Emu Park experience.
The Capricorn Coast's most-loved village markets at Bell Park — local produce, handmade goods, live music, hot breakfasts. Arrive early.
The ANZAC Memorial Plaza hosts one of the Capricorn Coast's significant dawn services each year — community-driven, evocative, attended by hundreds.
Whales migrate past the Capricorn Coast headlands. Emu Park's elevated foreshore is one of the best free viewing locations on the central coast.
Not an event so much as a ritual — the wind picks up most afternoons, the ship starts to sing, and the headland fills with locals doing their walk.
The village rewards an unhurried morning or a long lazy afternoon.
April–October dry season is ideal — comfortable warm days, low humidity, calm seas. The breeze that powers the Singing Ship is usually best in the afternoon.
20 minutes south of Yeppoon along the Scenic Highway — a beautiful coastal drive in its own right. 50 minutes from Rockhampton. The town is compact and easily walkable on arrival.
Pine Beach for the small kids, Main Beach for swimming, the Singing Ship for everyone. First Sunday markets at Bell Park if you can time it.
Visit the Singing Ship in the afternoon when the breeze is strongest. Pair Emu Park with Yeppoon and Cooee Bay for a full Capricorn Coast day.
The lesser-known section of the Capricorn Coast National Trail just north of Pine Beach — wildflowers in spring, almost nobody on it, and several unmarked sandy bays if you scramble down from the headland.
Sunset at the Singing Ship, dinner at the Emu Park Hotel or one of the village cafés. On Sunday nights the town is quiet enough that you can hear waves from the main street.
Pair Emu Park with Yeppoon, Cooee Bay, and a day trip to Great Keppel Island for a complete Capricorn Coast itinerary. Cooee Tours can plan the route.
The Capricorn Coast hub — lagoon, foreshore, restaurants and easy access to the Keppels.
Explore Yeppoon
17 beaches, fringing reef, bushwalks. The Southern Reef's quiet jewel — 30 min from Rosslyn Bay.
Plan your island day
Coastal rainforest, ancient cycads, sand dunes and creek-side camping — 40 minutes north.
Byfield guideEmu Park is a small coastal village on Queensland's Capricorn Coast, approximately 20 kilometres south of Yeppoon and 50 kilometres east of Rockhampton. Around 3,000 people. Less developed than Yeppoon, with a distinct village feel.
The Singing Ship is a sculptural memorial on the Emu Park headland — three curved concrete sails with hollow pipes that make sound in the sea breeze. Designed by Robert Hitchcock and Wilhelm Stamm, it was erected in 1970 to mark the 200th anniversary of Captain Cook's 1770 voyage past the Capricorn Coast.
The ANZAC Walk is a memorial walkway along the Emu Park foreshore commemorating Australia's military service. It includes the ANZAC Memorial Plaza, interpretive panels and connects to the Singing Ship and Bell Park, forming a coastal heritage circuit.
About 20 minutes drive — roughly 20 kilometres south along the Scenic Highway. The drive itself follows the coast with sweeping views, several lookouts and small beaches along the way.
Yes. The Fig Tree Creek Markets are held the first Sunday of every month at Bell Park — local produce, handmade crafts, hot breakfasts, plants and live music. A popular Capricorn Coast weekend ritual.
Yes. Emu Park Main Beach is patrolled in season; Pine Beach offers more sheltered swimming. Stinger-suit advice applies November through May for marine stingers in tropical Queensland waters.
Emu Park has a small but varied accommodation mix — the Emu Park Hotel, holiday units along the foreshore, beach houses and a handful of B&Bs. Most visitors stay in Yeppoon and day-trip down.
The Singing Ship, the ANZAC Walk, Sunday markets and quiet beaches — Cooee Tours can include Emu Park in a full Capricorn Coast itinerary alongside Yeppoon, the Keppels and Byfield.
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