YEPPOON

coastal town, east-central Queensland, Australia. It lies 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Rockhampton and 435 miles (700 km) north of the state capital, Brisbane. Surveyed in 1872, the town was at first known as Bald Hill. European settlement of the area began in 1865, and the town's present name is presumably of Aboriginal origin. The Yeppoon district is given to agriculture, lumbering, and fruit growing. It is of interest to naturalists because it is the merging place for tropical and temperate species of plants and birds. Yeppoon is the centre for a major fishery (including prawning) and has seafood-processing factories, timber mills, and brickworks. The town is also an important tourist centre with beaches, lakes, sand cliffs, and the Great Barrier Reef in close proximity. Pop. (1991) 7,542.