St Lawrence - QLD

St Lawrence is a small coastal town between Rockhampton and Mackay that is only a few kilometres off the highway. The town is best known to tourists for its large free camping area.

In former days the town was the centre of the St Lawrence Shire Council but has now been amalgamated into a larger municipal area. St Lawrence was one of the first towns developed on the Queensland coast. It's only retail establishment is the Post Office.

One of the remaining historical buildings is the Council office, originally built to service the Customs Office for the Port of St Lawrence. The remains of the port and abattoir, constructed using convict labour, are also accessible. The Courthouse and Police Station was built in 1879 and has been repainted in its original colour scheme. The Centenary Pavilion at the sports ground (beside the tennis courts) was built to celebrate the Shire’s Centenary in 1979 and includes a collection of past machinery and relics.

St Lawrence Wetlands support nationally threatened waterbirds, as well as shorebirds which migrate internationally along the East Asian – Australasian Flyway. The reserve is home to a variety of birds (over 55 waterbird species have been recorded in the area, with 92 bird species recorded in total).

Camp at the St Lawrence Recreation Grounds with views of the wetlands for a few nights.

Drive up the Connors Range to Schneider’s Inn Lookout to experience panoramic views of the wetlands, coastline and islands which are not recommended for caravans.