Things To Do in Gladstone, Australia

Gladstone Things To Do

The heart of Gladstone city is the shipping port that has made it an important part of Queensland since the early times of colonization. Visitors have found Gladstone to be an often unadvertised highlight of Queensland, because there are many things to see and do here, but fewer crowds.

Parks & Outdoor Activities

Gladstone has many parks and outlooks that make great day trips and picnic areas. Spinnaker Park has a 2.5 kilometer walking track along native wetlands and ponds with a man-made beach cove, complete with a stinger net for your protection. Toilets and picnic areas are provided, and it makes for a nice family outing. Spinnaker Park is so named because it is the official finish line for the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race that is held every year on the Easter weekend. The winning Yacht receives the Courier Mail Cup, one of the oldest perpetual trophies in Australia. The Gladstone Harbor Festival at Spinnaker Park celebrates the end of the race.

Friend Park is also worth visiting, located next to the Barney Point Picnic area. The park is one of the most significant historical sites in the Gladstone district, and in the center you will find a cairn which marks the spot of the first official residence and government buildings in North Australia.

Another great outdoor thing to do is to walk the Gladstone Wharf. The wharf along McFarlan Street allows you to get fairly close so you can see the ships being loaded and unloaded. There are also the Tandoon Botanical Gardens, which have lots of space for kids and a traditional Japanese tea house by the lake. Walking around you will find a good representation of local flora and fauna which might be interesting to visitors.

Around Town

Gladstone town has a few museums and historical buildings of note, including the Museum of Maritime History, which has exhibits on the maritime history of the Curtis Coast and the Capricorn-Bunker Coral Islands, covering nautical discovery and exploration in the area. The Art Gallery and Museum has a display of major Australian works, as well as traveling exhibits and local work. It is easy to spend a few hours in the old Town Hall building which has a rotating exhibit about local history.

Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about things to do in Gladstone.