One of Rockhampton's intriguing laneways. But a wander away from the press conferences reveals a city in transition, with new projects to revamp the Fitzroy River riverbank with a pier, restaurant and wet play area, a laneway street art project, incentives to encourage footpath dining and a 20-year vision to transform the CBD. Rockhampton's Customs House - with its dome reminiscent of Brisbane's Customs House - and another building will be turned into an arts and cultural precinct, with an old horse stable next door to be reused. A new microbrewery in an iconic East Street building, Headricks Lane, would not be out of place in a trendy Melbourne nook, with bartender Kallum Sander saying the bar's microbrew beer would be available soon. While one person told Fairfax Media the city was known as the "Melbourne of the north", other locals quizzed were dubious about the phrase.

A classic facade in Rockhampton's CBD. When asked if Rockhampton could be compared with Melbourne, Mayor Margaret Strelow said the "mini-me of Melbourne" might be more apt. "We have the same built form so our streets and lanes are very similar to the Melbourne layout," she said. The laneways in Rockhampton are set to be revamped to bring life back to the CBD. Cr Strelow said the revitalisation of the city was a two-year journey.

"Our Quay Street precinct, which is absolute riverfront and one block from the CBD with a swag of Victorian buildings, is to die for," she said. The mayor said the CBD's 20-year vision was about bringing life back to the city and attracting people to the centre. Cr Strelow said the CBD's 20-year vision was about bringing life back to the city and attracting people to the centre. "Using our amazing laneways, getting a true focus back on this area that should be the beating heart and in many regional cities, they've been challenges," she said. The Rockhampton Customs House. Credit:Felicity Caldwell

"I don't know if it's good luck or good management but our CBD is intact, it hasn't been ruined by high-rises in the wrong places." No beef with moniker Cr Strelow said Rockhampton was a regional hub, servicing half a million people within three hours, and they had no desire to shake off the "beef capital" image, proudly hosting Beef Week, with bull sculptures dotted across the city. "We still wear that name with pride. You've got to be known for something and I'm not at all wanting to stamp out what is our moniker," she said. However, empty shopfronts on East Street in the CBD tell a story that echoes across many regional centres.

Cr Strelow said the council put art in some windows and offered incentives to developers, "but it's a process". She said a cost-effective way to revitalise the night economy was by putting fairy streets down a main street. "It began to change attitudes and thoughts about the importance of the CBD," she said. "People want to be near them, they want to have photos taken in front of them, people go and sit on the edge of the surrounds." A small business owner in Rockhampton said many people in town were made redundant before Christmas, with the response from the public to a job ad on social media "so big it was overwhelming".

Cr Strelow acknowledged the unemployment issue was tough, with the drought affecting the beef industry and some jobs leaving the region. "The wake-up call for me was that the grandparents were now following, instead of families coming back to raise their children," she said. "It's a beautiful city, we just need to show our story, to tell our story better, and I think we're getting better at that." On the side note of the city's bulls, Cr Strelow confirmed some people did steal the bulls' balls. "It is a thing, but we know it's not locals because our men aren't that insecure," Cr Strelow quipped.

"If people want a souvenir we can offer them a much better souvenir but we wear our beef capital tag with pride and if that's how insecure people want to make their mark, feel free." What is the political environment in Rockhampton? There has been much said about the major parties' determination to prove their credentials in the bush to plug the flow of votes to One Nation following general dissatisfaction with the status quo and high unemployment in the regions. At the same time, the LNP and Labor must still win votes in the city. But is One Nation a threat in Rockhampton?

Labor member for Rockhampton Bill Byrne, who won his seat in 2012, increased his margin to a very healthy 25.7 per cent at the 2015 election, with a large swing in his favour. It is a very safe Labor seat. One Nation has had several applications for the electorate of Rockhampton and pre-selection is not yet closed. Labor member for Keppel Brittany Lauga won her seat at the 2015 election with a 4.8 per cent margin, after a swing against the LNP incumbent Bruce Young. The electorate has been won by the Nationals four times since 1992, ALP four times and LNP once and it could be a fight for Labor to retain. The One Nation candidate for Keppel is Matthew Loth, a hospitality manager with a passion for Viking re-enactments.

Labor member for Mirani Jim Pearce retired from state politics in 2009 when his electorate of Fitzroy was abolished, and won the election in 2015 with a 4.8 per cent margin. The seat was previously held by the Country and National parties and LNP since 1947. The One Nation candidate for Mirani is Stephen Andrew, a weapons dealer, with a pest management business. While in central Queensland, Ms Palaszczuk announced a $200 million expansion of the Capricornia Correctional Centre, campaigned against defence land aquisition at Shoalwater Bay and hosted her first town hall meeting while in government - among other announcements. LNP Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls accused the government of "pork barrelling" after she made the Capricornia Correctional Centre announcement. "Two hundred million dollars to spend in Rocky - you think they're running scared of One Nation up there?" Mr Nicholls said.

But Ms Palaszczuk this week said she had been visiting regional Queensland regularly to understand the needs and aspirations of people living there. "I have spent more time in regional Queensland since coming back from leave than I have in Brisbane," she said in Yeppoon on Wednesday. Cr Strelow said she thought One Nation would get a lot of support in the region because some people believed they had been forgotten. * An earlier version of this story mentioned Matthew Loth was a student. He is a hospitality manager.