The
Archer brothers established the Gracemere
pastoral run in 1855, on land that included the present site of Rockhampton. They made use of the
Fitzroy River for shipping supplies and produce, and built a woolshed on the river bank. They also played a role in coining the name "Rockhampton" for their riverside worksite. Permanent settlement at the town site began in 1856, and the town was proclaimed and surveyed in 1858. The region expanded quickly due to good available land and water. Land to the north of the river was opened for settlement in the late 1850s, and became the location of both large holdings and small farms. A large pastoral run was established along the length of the
Capricorn Coast in 1865, extending from the area south towards what is now Emu Park. European settlement in the Emu Park district began in the 1860s when John Jardine established a cattle grazing property to the south, at
Zilzie. Emu Park township was established in the 1870s when several Rockhampton families built seaside holiday houses on the hills overlooking the two beaches that are a feature of the town. The first road to the district was established at this time, and small farms were set up along it. This road was the only access to the district until 1888, when the
railway arrived. The
first bridge across the Fitzroy River was opened in 1881, replacing a steam ferry and increasing road usage to Emu Park. ==Current usage==