Gladstone () is a coastal city in the
Gladstone Region
Gladstone Region is a local government area in Queensland, Australia. The council covers an area of , had an estimated resident population at 30 June 2018 of 62,979, and has an estimated operating budget of A$84 million.
History
Gladstone Reg ...
,
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
,
Australia.
Gladstone has an urban population of 34,703, and together with
Boyne Island
Boyne Island is a coastal town and locality in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. In the the locality of Boyne Island had a population of 4,760 people.
Boyne Island is south of Gladstone.
Geography
It is located on the west bank o ...
and
Tannum Sands
Tannum Sands is a coastal town and locality in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia.
Geography
The locality is bounded to north-east by the Coral Sea, to the north-west and west by the Boyne River, and to the south-west by Station Cr ...
, had an estimated population of 50,317 at August 2021. This urban area covers .
It is by road north-west of the state capital,
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
, and south-east of
Rockhampton. Situated between the
Calliope
In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; grc, Καλλιόπη, Kalliópē, beautiful-voiced) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muse ...
and
Boyne Rivers, Gladstone is home to Queensland's largest multi-commodity shipping port, the
Port of Gladstone
The Port of Gladstone is Queensland's largest multi-commodity port and the fifth largest multi-commodity port in Australia. It is the world's fourth largest coal exporting terminal. It is within the locality of Callemondah in Gladstone in Centr ...
.
Gladstone is the largest town within the Gladstone Region and the headquarters of Gladstone Regional Council is located in Gladstone. The Gladstone Region was formed in 2008 through the amalgamation of three former local government areas..
hich areas?
History
Before European settlement, the Gladstone region was home of the Gooreng Gooreng,
Toolooa
Toolooa is a suburb of Gladstone in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Toolooa had a population of 992 people.
Geography
Toolooa is south of Gladstone Central by road. Toolooa borders Telina, South Gladstone, and Glen ...
(or Tulua), Meerooni and
Baiali (or Byellee) Aboriginal tribes.
In May 1770, , under the command of
James Cook, sailed by the entrance to Gladstone Harbour under the cover of darkness.
Matthew Flinders, during his 1801–1803 circumnavigation of Australia, became the first recorded European to sight the harbour in August 1802. He named the harbour
Port Curtis
Port Curtis is a suburb of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Port Curtis had a population of 281 people.
Geography
The Fitzroy River bounds the suburb to the north-east. Gavial Creek, a tributary of th ...
, after Admiral
Roger Curtis
Admiral Sir Roger Curtis, 1st Baronet, GCB (4 June 1746 – 14 November 1816) was an officer of the British Royal Navy, who saw action in several battles during an extensive career that was punctuated by a number of highly controversial incide ...
, a man who was of assistance to Flinders a year earlier at the
Cape of Good Hope.
John Oxley conducted further exploration of the harbour and surrounding countryside in November 1823. Oxley was dismissive of the region, noting the harbour was difficult to enter, the countryside was too dry, and the timber useless for construction purposes.
Nevertheless, in 1847 the British attempted to establish the new colony of North Australia at Port Curtis.
Colonel
George Barney
Lieutenant Colonel George Barney (19 May 1792 – 16 April 1862) was a military engineer of the Corps of Royal Engineers and became Lieutenant Governor of the Colony of North Australia.
Early life
George Barney was born in Wolverhampton, St ...
was chosen to lead this experiment in colonisation and his expedition was eventful. On 25 January 1847, the ''Lord Auckland'', carrying 87 soldiers and convicts, arrived off the southern entrance of Port Curtis and promptly ran aground on shoals off the southern tip of
Facing Island
Facing may refer to:
*Facing (machining), a turning operation often carried out on a lathe
*Facing (retail), a common tool in the retail industry to create the look of a perfectly stocked store
*Facing (sewing), fabric applied to a garment edge on ...
. The settlers spent seven weeks on the island before being rescued by the supply ship ''Thomas Lowry'' and delivered the intended site of settlement, the region now known as
Barney Point. On 30 January at a proclamation ceremony, Barney was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of the colony of
North Australia
North Australia can refer to a short-lived former British colony, a former federal territory of the Commonwealth of Australia, or a proposed state which would replace the current Northern Territory.
Colony (1846–1847)
A colony of North Austr ...
. The convict settlement lasted barely two months and cost the Imperial government £15,000. A change of government in Britain ordered the withdrawal of Barney and the settlers. However, interest in the region remained.
By 1853, Francis MacCabe was surveying the site of a new town on the shores of
Port Curtis
Port Curtis is a suburb of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Port Curtis had a population of 281 people.
Geography
The Fitzroy River bounds the suburb to the north-east. Gavial Creek, a tributary of th ...
under the protection of several detachments of
Native Police
Australian native police units, consisting of Aboriginal troopers under the command (usually) of at least one white officer, existed in various forms in all Australian mainland colonies during the nineteenth and, in some cases, into the twentie ...
.
Maurice O'Connell was appointed government resident the following year, resulting in an influx of free settlers as land became available throughout the region.
Gladstone State School opened on 1 April 1861
and is one of the oldest state primary schools in Queensland.
On 14 November 1968 its name was changed to be Gladstone Central State School.
In 1863, the town became a Municipality with Richard Hetherington elected Gladstone's first mayor. The fledgling town was named after the British Prime Minister
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...
and has a 19th-century marble statue on display in its town museum.
Development of Gladstone was slow until 1893 when a meatworks was established at Parsons Point.
Parson's Point Provisional School opened on 1 August 1898, becoming Parson's Point State School on 1 February 1913. The school was relocated and renamed Gladstone South State School in 1945.
[
On 2 March 1949, a major cyclone hit Gladstone, resulting in extensive damage to the town.
Gladstone State High School opened on 2 February 1953.]
In 1963, Queensland Alumina Limited
Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) is one of the largest alumina refineries by alumina production capacity in the world, located in Parsons Point, Gladstone, Queensland, Australia.
The refinery was planned in 1964 and has been operating since ...
established its alumina refinery on the site of the old meatworks. Gladstone's port facilities were expanded and the city launched into an era of industrial development and economic prosperity.
Gladstone West State School opened on 24 January 1966.
Rosella Park State School was opened on 17 May 1971.[
Clinton State School opened on 29 January 1974.]
Toolooa State High School opened on 27 January 1981.[
Kin Kora State School opened on 9 October 1981.]
In 1985 the Gladstone Christian Community School opened as a primary school operated by the Gladstone Baptist Church. In 1998, it changed its name to Trinity College. From 2013 it offered classes from Prep to Year 12.
St Stephens Lutheran College opened in 1998, but closed at the end of 2016. The school had lost 20% of its enrolment due to families moving away to find work, leaving only 216 students in classes ranging from Prep to Year 12 making it no longer viable to operate the school.
Gladstone Cinemas, a locally owned and operated independent cinema, opened in March 2001.
The Gladstone Library building opened in 2003.
In the Gladstone had a population of 33,418 people.
At June 2018 Gladstone, together with Boyne Island
Boyne Island is a coastal town and locality in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. In the the locality of Boyne Island had a population of 4,760 people.
Boyne Island is south of Gladstone.
Geography
It is located on the west bank o ...
and Tannum Sands
Tannum Sands is a coastal town and locality in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia.
Geography
The locality is bounded to north-east by the Coral Sea, to the north-west and west by the Boyne River, and to the south-west by Station Cr ...
, had an estimated urban population of 45,130.[ Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.]
Heritage listings
Gladstone has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
* 94 Auckland Street: Gladstone Central State School, Block B
* Gladstone-Monto Road: Glengarry Homestead
Glengarry Homestead is a heritage-listed homestead at Gladstone-Monto Road, Boynedale, Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from to . It was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992.
History
The Gleng ...
* Goondoon Street: Our Lady Star of the Sea Church & School
Our Lady Star of the Sea Church & School is a heritage-listed Roman Catholic church and school at Goondoon Street, Gladstone, Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. It was built from 1924 to 1950. It was added to the Queensland Heritage Regi ...
* 1 Goondoon Street: Port Curtis Sailing Club Clubhouse
Port Curtis Sailing Club Clubhouse is a heritage-listed club house at 1 Goondoon Street, Gladstone Central, Gladstone, Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Philip Hanman and built from 1949 to 1959. It is also known as ...
* 33 Goondoon Street: Gladstone Post Office
* 40 Goondoon Street: Kullaroo House
* 114 Goondoon Street: Commonwealth Bank Building
* 144 Goondoon Street: Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum
Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum is a heritage-listed former town hall and now art gallery and museum at 144 Goondoon Street, Gladstone, Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. It was designed by Roy Chipps and built from 1933 to 1 ...
(Old Town Hall)
* Roseberry Street: Fig Tree
''Ficus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending ...
* 6 Short Street: Port Curtis Co-operative Dairy Association Ltd Factory
* 16 Yarroon Street: Gladstone Court House
File:Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, corner of Goondoon Street and Herbert Street (view from Goondoon St), Gladstone, 2014.JPG, Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 2014
File:Port Curtis Sailing Club (view from water), Gladstone, 2014.JPG, Port Curtis
Port Curtis is a suburb of Rockhampton in the Rockhampton Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Port Curtis had a population of 281 people.
Geography
The Fitzroy River bounds the suburb to the north-east. Gavial Creek, a tributary of th ...
Sailing Club (view from Auckland Inlet), 2014
File:Old Gladstone Post Office, 2014.JPG, Old Gladstone Post Office, 2014
File:Kullaroo House, 2014.JPG, Kullaroo House, 2014
File:Santos House, former Commonwealth Bank (front view), 114 Goondoon Street, Gladstone, 2014.JPG, Former Commonwealth Bank, 2014
File:Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum (Old Town Hall), 144 Goondoon Street, Gladstone, 2014.JPG, Gladstone Regional Art Gallery and Museum (Old Town Hall), 2014
Population
According to the 2016 census of population, there were 33,418 people in the Gladstone urban centre.
* Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 4.6% of the population.
* 76.0% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were New Zealand 3.7%, Philippines 2.3%, England 2.1%, India 1.3% and South Africa 1.0%.
* 84.4% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Tagalog 1.1%, Filipino 0.8%, Afrikaans 0.5%, Mandarin 0.4% and Hindi 0.4%.
* The most common responses for religion were No Religion 29.9%, Catholic 22.2% and Anglican 15.7%.
Geography
Gladstone and Rockhampton are the two major cities in the Central Queensland
Central Queensland is an ambiguous geographical division of Queensland ( a state in Australia) that centres on the eastern coast, around the Tropic of Capricorn. Its major regional centre is Rockhampton. The region extends from the Capricorn Coas ...
region.
Suburbs
* Gladstone Central*
* Barney Point
* Callemondah
Callemondah is a coastal suburb of Gladstone in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. It contains the Port of Gladstone. In the Callemondah had a population of 18 people.
Geography
The Calliope River forms the south-western boundary ...
* Clinton
* Glen Eden
* Kin Kora
* Kirkwood
* New Auckland
* O'Connell
* South Gladstone
* South Trees
* Sun Valley
* Telina
* Toolooa
Toolooa is a suburb of Gladstone in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Toolooa had a population of 992 people.
Geography
Toolooa is south of Gladstone Central by road. Toolooa borders Telina, South Gladstone, and Glen ...
* West Gladstone
* – the historic center of the city and major business district
Climate
Gladstone experiences a Tropical Savanna Climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry winter) and ''As'' (for a dry summer). The driest month has less than of p ...
(Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''aw'') and is one of the southernmost places in Australia to have this classification. Extreme temperatures in Gladstone have ranged from . These temperatures were recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology.
The temperature recording for the below table were performed at the following location— 23.86°S 151.26°E 75 m AMSL
Industry
Gladstone's primary industries are mining-related. The Port of Gladstone
The Port of Gladstone is Queensland's largest multi-commodity port and the fifth largest multi-commodity port in Australia. It is the world's fourth largest coal exporting terminal. It is within the locality of Callemondah in Gladstone in Centr ...
is the fifth-largest multi-commodity port in Australia and the world's fourth-largest coal-exporting terminal. The port consists of a number of wharves and terminal facilities. Boyne Wharf is used by the Boyne Island aluminium smelter
Boyne Smelters is located on Boyne Island, Queensland, Australia, approximately 12 km south of the port of Gladstone. The smelter has a production capacity of 545,000 tonnes of aluminium per year. The operating company Boyne Smelters Ltd i ...
and was opened in August 1982. The western harbour basin has been expanded, primarily to allow increased exports of liquified natural gas
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas (predominantly methane, CH4, with some mixture of ethane, C2H6) that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport. It takes up about 1/600th the volu ...
(LNG). Furthermore, in 2016, a plant was constructed on Curtis Island to produce and export LNG, a construction project that contributed heavily to city's population and housing boom. Major exports include coal, alumina, aluminium, cement products, sodium cyanide
Sodium cyanide is a poisonous compound with the formula Na C N. It is a white, water-soluble solid. Cyanide has a high affinity for metals, which leads to the high toxicity of this salt. Its main application, in gold mining, also exploits its hi ...
and ammonium nitrate
Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is a white crystalline salt consisting of ions of ammonium and nitrate. It is highly soluble in water and hygroscopic as a solid, although it does not form hydrates. It is ...
. Each year 50 million tonnes of coal passes through the port, making up 70% of the total exports.
Gladstone harbor is within the World Heritage Area
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
of the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over over an area of approximately . The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, ...
and has historically supported a thriving seafood industry. In August 2011, a Fisheries Queensland spokesman said they received reports of fish with milky eyes. A spokesman from the Gladstone Fish Markets claimed that diseased fish were still being caught in large numbers in November 2011. Losses to the local seafood industry have been estimated at A$36 million a year.
Gladstone is also a tourism destination, with cruise ship
Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports-of-call, where passengers may go on tours known as ...
s regularly docking at the port.
Education
Gladstone has a range of primary schools and secondary schools.
Gladstone Central State School is a government primary (P-6) school for boys and girls at 74 Auckland Street. In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 342 students with 24 teachers (22 full-time equivalent) and 16 non-teaching staff (12 full-time equivalent).
Gladstone West State School is a government primary (P-6) school for boys and girls at Boles Street, West Gladstone. In 2017 the school had an enrolment of 647 students with 46 teachers (43 full-time equivalent) and 31 non-teaching staff (20 full-time equivalent).
Gladstone South State School is a government primary (P-6) school for boys and girls at 153 Toolooa Street, South Gladstone. In 2017 the school had an enrolment of 330 students with 22 teacher (20 full-time equivalent) and 24 non-teaching staff (16 full-time equivalent).
Clinton State School is a government primary (P-6) school for boys and girls at Harvey Street, Clinton. In 2017 the school had an enrolment of 912 students with 64 teachers (59 full-time equivalent) and 46 non-teaching staff (28 full-time equivalent).
Kin Kora State School is a government primary (P-6) school for boys and girls at 43 Hibiscus Avenue, Kin Kora. In 2017 the school had an enrolment of 801 students with 57 teachers (51 full-time equivalent) and 27 non-teaching staff (19 full-time equivalent).
Rosella Park School is a government school for boys and girls aged from five to eighteen years who have moderate to severe intellectual impairments at 20 Park Street (corner of Rosella Street), West Gladstone. In 2017 the school had an enrolment of 75 students with 20 teachers (19 full-time equivalent) and 30 non-teaching staff (19 full-time equivalent). Due to the specialised nature of the school, its students are drawn from all over Gladstone and beyond into the wider Gladstone Region.
Gladstone State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 30 Dawson Road, West Gladstone. In 2017 the school had an enrolment of 1509 students with 123 teachers (115 full-time equivalent) and 61 non-teaching staff (45 full-time equivalent).
Toolooa State High School is a government secondary (7–12) school for boys and girls at 2 Phillip Street, South Gladstone. In 2018 the school had an enrolment of 1,004 students with 85 teachers (79 full-time equivalent) and 51 non-teaching staff (33 full-time equivalent).
It has two main private schools: St Johns and Trinity College.
It also has two university campuses, Central Queensland University
Central Queensland University (alternatively known as CQUniversity) is an Australian public university based in central Queensland. CQUniversity is the only Australian university with a campus presence in every mainland state. Its main campus ...
. Gladstone was also formerly home to CQIT ( TAFE) Gladstone Campus, before it combined with Central Queensland University, becoming the Gladstone City Campus.
Community facilities
The Gladstone Regional Council
Gladstone Region is a local government area in Queensland, Australia. The council covers an area of , had an estimated resident population at 30 June 2018 of 62,979, and has an estimated operating budget of A$84 million.
History
Gladstone Reg ...
operates Gladstone Library at 39 Goondoon Street, Gladstone.
The Gladstone branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association
The Queensland Country Women's Association (QCWA) is the Queensland chapter of the Country Women's Association in Australia. The association seeks to serve the interests of women and children in rural areas in Australia through a network of loca ...
meets at the QCWA Hall at 88 Oaka Lane, Gladstone Central.
Recreation
Gladstone has direct access to Heron Island, Wilson Island, Curtis Island and other islands from the marina and local airstrips.
Boyne Island and Tannum Sands
Boyne Island
Boyne Island is a coastal town and locality in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. In the the locality of Boyne Island had a population of 4,760 people.
Boyne Island is south of Gladstone.
Geography
It is located on the west bank o ...
and Tannum Sands
Tannum Sands is a coastal town and locality in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia.
Geography
The locality is bounded to north-east by the Coral Sea, to the north-west and west by the Boyne River, and to the south-west by Station Cr ...
have grown in popularity because of their beautiful beaches and relaxed lifestyle. The Millennium Esplanade is a big attraction where there are lots of shelters, barbecues and walking paths, and long stretches of beach. Boyne Island and Tannum Sands are not part of the Gladstone township but are part of the Gladstone region and formerly part of the Calliope Shire
The Shire of Calliope was a Local government in Australia, local government area in the Capricornia, Queensland, Capricornia region of Queensland, Australia. It was centred on the town of Calliope, Queensland, Calliope.
History
Calliope Divisi ...
.
Lake Awoonga
A little further afield (25 km south of Gladstone) is Lake Awoonga. The recreation area has free barbecues, swimming, landscaped walking trails, as well as a caravan park. The lake has been stocked with several fish species since 1996, and over 2 million barramundi have been released. In addition to the fishing, Lake Awoonga has many natural attractions, especially the wildlife, with more than 225 species of birds (or over 27% of Australia's bird species) found in the region. Lake Awoonga is also the primary source of Gladstone's water supply. Awoonga dam is not part of the Gladstone township but is part of the Gladstone region and formerly part of the Calliope Shire.
Politics
In the House of Representatives, Gladstone is located within the division of Flynn
Flynn is an Irish surname or first name, an anglicised form of the Irish ''Ó Floinn'', meaning "descendant of Flann" (a byname meaning "reddish (complexion)" or "ruddy"). The name is more commonly used as a surname rather than a first name.
A ...
, a traditionally marginal seat currently held by Liberal National MP Colin Boyce
Colin Einar Boyce (born 30 October 1962) is an Australian politician who is a member of the House of Representatives, representing the Division of Flynn since 2022. He is a member of the Liberal National Party and sits with the National Party ...
, who was first elected in 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretariat; The global monkeypo ...
. At the state level, it is within the electorate of Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...
, and is a safe Labor
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the la ...
seat held by Glenn Butcher
Glenn Donald Butcher (born 1961) is an Australian actor and writer. He first came to prominence as a member of the cult Newcastle-based comedy musical troupe The Castanet Club (1982-1991), in which he played parodic lounge singer Lance Norton. ...
, who has represented it since the 2015 Queensland state election
The 2015 Queensland state election was held on 31 January 2015 to elect all 89 members of the unicameral Legislative Assembly of Queensland.
The centre-right Liberal National Party (LNP), led by Premier Campbell Newman, attempted to win a s ...
.
Transport
The Dawson Highway
The Dawson Highway is a state highway in Queensland, Australia. It runs for between Gladstone and Springsure where it terminates. From Gladstone to Rolleston it is signed as State Route 60, and then A7 onwards to Springsure. It continues west f ...
originates in Gladstone, and it runs westwards for approximately to Springsure
Springsure is a town and a locality in the Central Highlands Region, Queensland, Australia. It is south of Emerald on the Gregory Highway. It is the southern terminus of the Gregory Highway and the northern terminus of the Dawson Highway. It ...
.
Rail
Gladstone is a major stop on the North Coast railway line, with long-distance passenger trains operated by QR Traveltrain
Queensland Rail (QR) is a railway operator in Queensland, Australia. Owned by the Queensland Government, it operates local and long-distance passenger services, as well as owning and maintaining approximately 6,600 kilometres of track and relate ...
stopping in the area. Gladstone is also the transshipping point for export coal from the Moura and Blackwater coal basins and is one of the largest coal export ports in The Southern Hemisphere. Currently, coal trains of up to 1.7 km in length and 10,600 tonnes' gross weight are run by rail operators Aurizon
Aurizon ( ) is a freight rail transport company in Australia, formerly named QR National. it was the world’s largest rail transporter of coal from mine to port. Formerly a Queensland Government-owned company, it was privatised and floated o ...
and Pacific National
Pacific National is one of Australia's largest rail freight businesses.
History
In February 2002, National Rail's freight operations and rollingstock (owned by the Federal, New South Wales and Victorian Governments) were combined with Freig ...
to unload at coal terminals at Barney Point, Clinton, and Yarwun. Domestic coal is also railed to the Gladstone Power Station
The Gladstone Power Station is a power station at Callemondah, Gladstone, Queensland, Australia. It is Queensland's largest power station, with six coal powered steam turbines generating a maximum of 1,680 MW of electricity. Power from ...
and the Queensland Alumina Limited
Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) is one of the largest alumina refineries by alumina production capacity in the world, located in Parsons Point, Gladstone, Queensland, Australia.
The refinery was planned in 1964 and has been operating since ...
refinery. An extensive rail facility is located at Callemondah to support these operations.
Gladstone was also a major terminus for rail freight and bulk fuel, with extensive marshaling yards at Gladstone, South Gladstone, and Auckland Point. As is the case in much of Queensland this traffic, declining from the 1990s, has now ceased with goods carried by road.
Air
Gladstone Airport
Gladstone Airport is an airport serving Gladstone, a city in the Australian state of Queensland. It is located in the suburb of Clinton, about from the town's centre, off Aerodrome Road.
The airport is owned and operated by the Gladstone ...
is located in the western suburbs of Gladstone about (8-minute drive) from the centre of the city.
The main provider of scheduled passenger air services has been QantasLink, using mostly Bombardier Q400 aircraft though Flight West Airlines
Flight West Airlines was an Australian regional airline headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland. Established in May 1987, it operated predominantly in Queensland. The airline went into voluntary liquidation on 19 June 2001 before being sold to ...
and Ansett also previously offered service. Strategic Airlines briefly offered services in 2011 and Virgin Australia
Virgin Australia, the trading name of Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd, is an Australian-based airline. It is the largest airline by fleet size to use the Virgin brand. It commenced services on 31 August 2000 as ''Virgin Blue'', with two ...
commenced flights in October 2011 and now offers up to 6 return flights a day to Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...
mostly on ATR 72
The ATR 72 is a twin-engine turboprop, short-haul regional airliner developed and produced in France and Italy by aircraft manufacturer ATR (french: Avions de transport régional or it, Aerei da Trasporto Regionale), a joint venture formed ...
aircraft with Embraer 190
The Embraer E-Jet family is a series of four-abreast narrow-body short- to medium-range twin-engine jet airliners designed and produced by the Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer.
The E-Jet was designed as a complement to the preceding ...
and Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Boeing Renton Factory, Renton Factory in Washington (state), Washington.
Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retains the Boeing 707, 7 ...
also a regular appearance in the schedule. New player
JetGo
started flying direct services from Sydney in December 2014. The service was offered twice daily, in 36-seat Embraer 135LR jets but ceased in February 2015.
In May 2009, a $65 million upgrade to the airport and nearby area was undertaken, which reached completion in 2011.
Sea
The Port of Gladstone
The Port of Gladstone is Queensland's largest multi-commodity port and the fifth largest multi-commodity port in Australia. It is the world's fourth largest coal exporting terminal. It is within the locality of Callemondah in Gladstone in Centr ...
is Queensland's largest multi-commodity port and the fifth-largest multi-commodity port in Australia. It is the world's fourth-largest coal-exporting terminal.
Media
News Publications
Gladstone has a free fortnightly independent community newspaper called ''Gladstone News'', delivered to 220 business hotspots and community points.
Radio
4CC is Gladstone's local AM commercial radio station, owned by Grant Broadcasters
Grant Broadcasters is an Australian regional radio network. Founded in 1942, by 2019 it owned 53 radio stations. In 2022 it sold 46 to Here, There & Everywhere retaining shareholdings in seven in Canberra, Geelong, Goulburn and Perth.
History
...
. 4CC has one full-time announcer based in Gladstone to present the station's local breakfast show. The station broadcasts to Central Queensland
Central Queensland is an ambiguous geographical division of Queensland ( a state in Australia) that centres on the eastern coast, around the Tropic of Capricorn. Its major regional centre is Rockhampton. The region extends from the Capricorn Coas ...
on four separate frequencies via three AM transmitters in Gladstone, Biloela
Biloela ( ) is a rural town and locality in Shire of Banana, Central Queensland, Australia. It is situated inland from the port city of Gladstone at the junction of the Burnett and Dawson highways. Biloela is the administrative centre of Ban ...
and Rockhampton, and an FM translator in Agnes Water
Agnes Water is a coastal town and a locality in the Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Agnes Water had a population of 2,729 people.
Geography
Agnes Water is in Central Queensland approximately south-east of the Bruce Highway, Q ...
on the Discovery Coast.
Hit Central Queensland
hit Central Queensland is a radio station in Central Queensland part of the Hit Network. The station is owned by Southern Cross Austereo.
History
In the late 1990s, DMG Regional Radio successfully bid for an FM broadcasting license for a radi ...
is Gladstone's local FM commercial radio station, owned by Southern Cross Austereo
Southern Cross Media Group Limited, doing business as Southern Cross Austereo, is an Australian media company which operates broadcast radio and television stations. It is the largest radio broadcaster in Australia, operating 86 radio stati ...
. Hot FM has two full-time announcers based in Gladstone to present the station's flagship weekday breakfast program, which is also broadcast to Rockhampton and Emerald.
Gladstone also receives radio stations that carry local programming from Rockhampton including commercial radio stations Triple M Central Queensland
Central Queensland's Triple M is a commercial radio station broadcasting from Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It is currently owned by Southern Cross Austereo and broadcasts an Adult Contemporary (AC) format. It features both locally produ ...
and 4RO. Triple M broadcasts on a separate FM frequency in Gladstone.
ABC Capricornia also broadcasts into Gladstone from Rockhampton, using a separate FM frequency. Until November 2014, ABC Capricornia maintained a local news bureau in Gladstone where a local journalist was based to cover the Gladstone region. Some local news bulletins on ABC Capricornia were also broadcast live from Gladstone. However, in what was a controversial decision, the ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
's Gladstone office was permanently closed in late 2014 as a cost-cutting measure following the Federal Government's decision to withdraw $254 million in funding to the ABC.
91.9 Fresh FM is Gladstone's local community radio
Community radio is a radio service offering a third model of radio broadcasting in addition to commercial and public broadcasting. Community stations serve geographic communities and communities of interest. They broadcast content that is popula ...
radio station, which has a Christian radio format.
Television
WIN Television, Seven Queensland, Southern Cross Ten, ABC and SBS stations are all able to be received in Gladstone.
The Central Queensland editions of ''WIN News'' and ''Seven Local News'', both regularly feature news content directly relating to the Gladstone region. Seven Queensland employ a journalist and camera operator in Gladstone, while WIN Television dispatch a news crew from Rockhampton to cover news stories in Gladstone.
The weekly 'What's On' segment on ''Seven Local News'' is also presented from Gladstone.
Sports teams
* Gladstone PCYC Roller Derby: ''Gladstone Hustlers'', ''Gladstone Haul Stars''
* Australian rules football / AFL Capricornia: ''Gladstone Mudcrabs''
* Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...
/ Gladstone Cricket Inc.: ''Gladstone Brothers'', ''The Glen'', ''Yaralla''
* Basketball / Queensland Basketball League: '' Gladstone Port City Power'' (Men's) & (Women's)
* Soccer / CQ Premier League: ''Clinton FC''
* Soccer / Gladstone Senior Mens: ''Central SC'', ''Clinton FC'', ''Gladstone United FC'', ''Meteors FC'', Yaralla FC''.
* Rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 11 ...
/ Rockhampton District Rugby League: ''Past Brothers'', ''Valleys''
* Rugby league / Gladstone District Rugby League: ''Rebels'', ''Wallabys''
* Rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
/ Central QLD Rugby Union: ''Gladstone RUFC''
* Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...
/ Volleyball Queensland: ''Gladstone Thunder''
Notable residents
* James Henry Ashton (1819–1889) – founder of Ashton's Circus
Circus Joseph Ashton, formerly trading as Ashton's Circus, is the longest-surviving circus in Australia, pre-dating most others in the English-speaking world.
The circus was founded in Hobart, Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, in 1847 by Thomas Moll ...
, died and buried in Gladstone
*William Robert (Bill) Golding (1890–1985) – builder, historian, local government councillor, local government head, public servant, public service head.
* Percival Albert Gourgaud (1881–1958) – public servant, public servant head.
*Gary Larson
Gary Larson (born August 14, 1950) is an American cartoonist, environmentalist, and former musician. He is the creator of ''The Far Side'', a single-panel cartoon series that was syndicated internationally to more than 1,900 newspapers for fif ...
(b. 1967) – Former Queensland and Australian Rugby League player.
*Henry John (Jack) Manning (1889–1978) – company managing director, journalist, newspaper executive, newspaper owner.
* Hayley Marsten (b. 1994) – awarded country singer/songwriter.
* Frederick Woolnough Paterson (1897–1977) – barrister, communist, farmer, local government councillor, Member of Lower House, school teacher, soldier.
* Valentine Thomas Vallis (1916–2006) – poet, opera critic, university reader, soldier, local government counter clerk
Sister City
As part of Sister Cities Australia Inc. (SCA) the Gladstone Region began a Sister City
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
relationship with Saiki City, Oita Prefecture, Japan in 1996.
See also
* Beautiful Betsy
Kroombit Tops is a national park in Central Queensland, Australia. It is between Monto and Calliope. It is two parts. The largest part is within the localities of Tablelands, Valentine Plains, Cania and Boyne Valley, while the smaller part is ...
* The Boyne Valley
The Boyne Valley is a rural locality in Gladstone Region, Queensland, Australia. The locality contains four small towns: Nagoorin, Ubobo, Builyan, and Many Peaks. In the , Boyne Valley had a population of 358 people. At the 2021 census the p ...
* Kroombit Tops National Park
Kroombit Tops is a national park in Central Queensland, Australia. It is between Monto and Calliope. It is two parts. The largest part is within the localities of Tablelands, Valentine Plains, Cania and Boyne Valley, while the smaller part ...
References
External links
*
University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Gladstone
Gladstone Information
{{Authority control
1847 establishments in Australia
Coastal cities in Australia
Gladstone Region
Populated places established in 1847
Port cities in Queensland
Fishing communities in Australia