That is what the locals seem to call this place.  We are in Gladstone (or we were, currently siting at Rockhampton writing this epistle). It’s like chalk and cheese here in Glady compared to Noosa, not a Greenie to be seen.

The big industrial scene seems to overwhelm what one sees here. There is a slightly off smell to the air when the wind blows across from the alumina refinery. Tourism certainly plays second fiddle to heavy industry, although boats head out from here to the southern barrier reef islands. A lot of the city’s early buildings appear to have been lost and those that remain are much changed. Overall it looks a bit like part of the Brisbane urban sprawl.

Grand Hotel, 1898

HMAS Gladstone, a former patrol boat and now museum ship.

We stayed at Tannum Sands about 20 km south of the city and just across from Boyne Island where the aluminium smelter is. All of the production from the alumina refinery up at Gladstone comes down here by conveyor to the smelter and thence is exported from the terminal here or trucked out around Australia. Tannum is a peaceful place with not a lot to do. We are beside a creek not far from the mouth. Allthego had a short fish one late afternoon and was eaten by midges…..still itching from them……….and no fish…….

Tannum Sands creek mouth

Took a tour out on Glady Harbour, not to see pristine waterways, turtles etc but to check out all the material handling terminals along the waterfront. As well as a close up look at the new LNG processing plants and loading docks on Curtis Island ( which is actually the second largest island off the Qld coast after Fraser Island). The processing plants occupy less than 1 Percent of its total area, but certainly make a visual impact across the channel. We were lucky to see 2 LNG cargo vessels coming up the bay for loading, impressive ships, with 4 tugs attached.

Our Harbour tour vessel

LNG cargo ship coming up the channel

Coal loader at Wiggins Pt

A heap of calcite being loaded.

The food scene here is a little bare, no festivals on. Enjoyed some fish n chips overlooking the harbour. Rated these superior to the ones we had at Noosa, which were a little pasty. 4/5 for these ones 3.5/5 for the Noosa  ones. Ambience of Noosa though was superior, although that doesn’t effect the fish n chips.

Fish n chips, Glady style

Short visit to the local museum and art gallery to see the statue of Gladstone, the 4 times Prime Minister of  England (he finally retired as PM at the age of 85). Glady is named after Gladstone who was largely responsible for initiating the settlement of the area in the 1840s. Glady was to be the capital of a ‘Northern NSW’,  a new colony, Brisbane would remain in the New South Wales colony. It was not to be though with Queensland being carved out instead with Brisbane as its centre piece. WHAT A DIFFERENCE THAT COULD HAVE MADE TO NRL STATE OF  ORIGIN GAMES!

Gladstone

We have now left Glady and have gone a little further north to Rockhampton, Rocky to most. Maybe those Glady people are just competing with Rocky?

It’s Wholly Cow month in Rocky, back to the food and culture it seems.