The first 75 km to Dululu is flat. Jambin (29 km) and Dululu (75 km) have very small general stores and hotels. Both localities have rest areas. Jambin has drinking water, but Dululu doesn't. After Dululu, the road turns east towards Mt Morgan. The first 10 km is flat, and then the beginning of the coastal range is encountered. There are many short sharp hills in this section. Mt Morgan is a mid sized town with most facilities but no banks.
This day is hard and could be split into two days riding by camping in the rest area at Dululu. It has toilets and drinking water. There are only a few houses in Dululu and it is unlikely that anybody would object.
The first 10 km consists of the climb over the coastal range. The grade is steady, but there are no shoulders on the road and it is not possible to stop until about half way through the descent. After this the road is flat and traffic steadily increases as Rockhampton is approached.
Rockhampton is a coastal city with all facilities. The Riverside Caravan Park is the best caravan park for bike tourists is located on the northern side of the river. Follow the highway until the river is crossed and then turn left and follow the signs to the park. Woolworths and Coles are located about 3 km north of the van park. The low level bridge across the river is better for bicycles but the bike/pedestrian access points are not marked. There is good internet access in the library in William street. There are good information centres on south side of town and in the old customs building on the foreshore. An excellent map of the city is readily available. The Zoo and Botanic Gardens are close to the city and are worth a visit for some quiet tranquillity - entry is free.
The Mt Morgan range can be avoided. At Dululu, ride north to Westwood and then follow the Capricorn Highway into Rockhampton. I was told that there are a few hills between Dululu and Westwood, but after that it was only a gentle climb over the range and into Rockhampton. There are hotels and general stores at Westwood and Stanwell but no caravan parks on this route. Also, the Capricorn Highway services the mining towns of Moura and Emerald so the truck traffic is likely to be heavy.
In my view, the coast between Yeppoon and Emu Park is the most scenic of the Queensland coast and well worth the extra one or two days of easy to medium riding. The road is undulating throughout with minor range crossings. (I rode from Mt Morgan to Yeppoon and did not stay overnight at Rockhampton. The next day, I rode via Emu Park, back to Rockhampton where I camped overnight,) The scenic highway between Yeppoon and Emu Park does not follow the coast, thus the beaches and lookouts along the route should be visited. Yeppoon is a mid sized holiday town with most facilities. The caravan park is on the beach front. There are at least four van parks between Yeppoon and Emu Park but they are not recommended as most are on swamps and the mosquitoes and midges would be unbearable. Emu Park has a good van park. It has an hotel, a good general store, bakery, butcher etc.
For those who will be staying at hotels, there is a good degree of latitude in the overnight locations as most of the smaller towns have hotels. However, for those who want to stay in motels or caravan parks, there is not much alternative to my itinerary. Blackbutt, Nanango and Mundubbera are the only towns with caravan parks in which I did not have an overnight stop. Between Nanango, and Dululu, camping by the roadside is possible in many places. Between Brisbane and Nanango, and Dululu to Rockhampton, the population density is too high and you may be asked to move by the police.
The hardest days were day 2 and 8, as they involved hills/climbing at the end of the day. Day 2 could be reduced by adding a day to the trip and staying at Blackbutt and Nanango and skipping Yarraman. Day 8 could be split into two days riding by camping at Dululu in the rest area which has toilets and drinking water. There are only a few houses in Dululu and it is unlikely that anybody would object.