Sydneysider checks out CQLX

Could the Central Queensland Livestock Exchange saleyards prove the region’s up and coming tourist destination?

Suther with Amanda, Nerida and Gail Dever at the cattle saleyards on Friday

Where do you direct visitors when they come to Rockhampton?

Maybe you drive them out along the Capricorn Coast or hop a ferry to Great Keppel Island., enjoy a swim at the Yeppoon Lagoon or in Kershaw's kids-friendly playground.

When Nerida Dever, who grew up in Mt Morgan, comes home to visit her siblings, she usually spends half her time in Yeppoon and the other half in Cawarral.

But this year was the first time her daughter's partner joined the family for a holiday in the sun.

Suther, who works in marketing, was born in India, and lived in Scotland before settling in Sydney.

This week was his first visit to Queensland, let alone the Capricorn Coast, and he heard Rockhampton was the beef capital.

So what better place to check out the locals than at the Central Queensland Livestock Exchange?

Suther happily chatted with graziers who visited the Gracemere saleyards on Friday morning, and watched the musterers move stock from one holding pen to another on horseback.

"It's amazing to see people continuing the tradition of buying and selling cattle; it's not dissimilar to other kinds of finance dealings," he said.

As to whether a trip the CQLX should be part of every tourist's itinerary, Suther said it was a fascinating experience.

"But I'm not sure if people whose livelihood this is would want a lot of tourists around taking up space".