Isaac Shire Council is maintaining a popular overnight camping area at St. Lawrence, halfway between Rockhampton and Mackay. This camping area is only 5km off the main highway and is very quiet. It has a tiled amenities block and hot showers cost $1. It is a great place to break your journey on this notoriously accident prone stretch of highway. There is good TV, Next G mobile phone and wireless broadband coverage, with separate areas for those travelling with a generator and those without. There are no powered sites.
St. Lawrence has a beautiful wetlands area and bird hide behind the camping sites, with plenty of fishing in the river and a hotel and shop within walking distance.
Unfortunately not enough people use the donation box and the site is running at a big loss. Staff are paid to clean the showers, toilets, shelter sheds and barbecues, and there is a large power bill as well, as the place is well lit at night.
There were rumours that the council was considering imposing a $10 charge per vehicle per night when Denyse and I stayed there late July, but Isaac Shire Council has since told me that if more travellers use the donation box the council will refrain from imposing a set charge.
In any case,
the Isaac Shire Council has no plans to put in place a set charge this year. - Tony Allsop.