Gladstone

As the mainland centre of the Southern Great Barrier Reef, this area basks in an enviable sub-tropical climate with islands, waterways and beaches right on the doorstep of the Great Barrier Reef.

At the heart of the region, the city of Gladstone overlooks its natural deep water harbour, offering a boating paradise of clear calm waters, dotted with islands. To the south lie the shires of Calliope and Miriam Vale with idyllic, secluded beaches and scenic national parks.

The Town of 1770 was the first place in Queensland that Captain James Cook stepped ashore, but the region also takes in Boyne Island, renowned for its beautiful foreshore parks, and its sister city of Tannum Sands, with its long sandy beaches for safe coastal recreation.

The reef islands within the Gladstone region are true coral cays, and day trips are on offer to Lady Musgrave Island and Fitzroy Lagoon. Visitors can enjoy diving, snorkelling, fishing, exploring the native flora and fauna of the region, and the careful practice of reef walking (being sensitive of the reefs fragility).

The region has several impressive national parks which add camping and 4WD to the adventures you can experience. The spectacular cliffs of the Kroombit Tops are cloaked in diverse flora and fauna.

Mount Castletower National Park lies at the base of Lake Awoonga with its impressive, yet rugged terrain. Deepwater and Eurimbula National Parks provide the contrast of open eucalypt and paperback forests with lush rainforests and quiet beaches.