rockhampton is a city in queensland, australia. in june 2018, 78,592 people lived there. it is built on the banks of the fitzroy river about 30 km from the coast. it is called the "beef capital of australia." the town was first settled in 1855, and grew when gold was found in the fitzroy river in 1858, and later at mount morgan. the town is the service centre for a large number of cattle stations (large farms). there are two abattoirs for exporting beef from rockhampton. there are also large coal mines to the west of rockhampton, and a magnesium mine.