📍15 Best Unforgettably Fun, Unique & Free Things To Do In Gladstone, QLD. (Attractions & Activities.) (2025.)
WONDERING WHAT THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN GLADSTONE ARE?
Although Gladstone flies under the radar due to being Queensland’s largest multi-commodity shipping port and home to several of the world’s biggest factories, what people don’t often realise is that, in stark contrast to all of that, it has some fantastic attractions in the city but is also the gateway to many phenomenal landscapes and environments that offer visitors exceptional opportunities to reconnect with nature and encounter wildlife.
The unequivocal reigning highlight of that is the magnificent coral cays of the Great Barrier Reef, where eco-resorts and remote campgrounds allow you to come face-to-face with incredible marine life, such as turtles, rays and sharks.
And that’s just the start of the list of unforgettable things to do in Gladstone that I discovered. There’s also the wild natural beauty of Curtis Island at the far side of the harbour, several breathtaking lookouts that showcase the city’s striking juxtaposition between nature and industry and unique heritage sites like touring a decommissioned military ship and hiking to the mangled ruins of an 80-year-old plane crash. Not bad for a place that’s not on a national destination sign for 500km, eh?
Note: This post is just about Gladstone and the islands that you can access from the city. Click the links if you want to explore the greater region’s iconic towns of Agnes Water and 1770.
👉 My top 3 picks for what to do in Gladstone, QLD:
- Stay and snorkel/dive with turtles, sharks and rays at Heron Island or Wilson Island.
- Take a fascinating, in-depth tour through the HMAS Gladstone II.
- Enjoy rugged and remote adventures on Curtis Island.
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- 🎟 Activities & Experiences: Viator – My first stop for unique tours and experiences anywhere in the world.
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Absolute Best Things To Do In Gladstone.
Great Barrier Reef.
Capricornia Cays National Park.
The outstanding, unmissable highlight of any visit to Gladstone is unequivocally the Capricornia Cays. What makes this national park an absolute must-visit is that it forms the southern part of the magnificent Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest and most biodiverse marine ecosystem and one of the most famous and revered UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the planet, occupying a monumental 348,700km2 of oceanic real estate.
And of the cluster of 11 that form the national park, five 5 of them are commercially accessible, offering plenty of fantastic opportunities for idyllic island getaways and up-close encounters with majestic marine life and incredible bird life.
1. Live Out Your Island Paradise Dreams.
Heron Island. – $.
Of all the Capricornia Cays, Heron Island is, by far and away, the most famous. Located 80 km northeast of the harbour city, this gorgeous destination is one of the several islands globally synonymous with the magnificent Great Barrier Reef, making it the No.#1 place no visitor to Gladstone should miss!
The only way to experience this outstanding place of breathtaking ecological beauty is with a two-and-a-half hour journey aboard the Heron Islander vessel, or a much more expensive scenic helicopter flight to get you across to your accommodation at the renowned tourist resort, (which also has a world-heralded research facility). But while there are no day trip opportunities, staying a few days gives you a much more memorable taste of this outstanding globally-recognised ecosystem and its pristine natural beauty and marinescape, so while it’s not exactly a budget endeavour, I definitely still think it is worth the money!
This is because while the accommodation could use an update to bring it into the modern era and renew all the well-worn furniture and the coral, unfortunately, suffered from a recent mass bleaching, the experiences that I had there with the wildlife were nothing short of unforgettable thanks to the magnificent lagoon and fringing coral reef that surrounds it.
Even just arriving at the coral cay was spectacular, with the water so magnificently blue I was left picking up my jaw wondering whether it was legit because it looked like someone had turned the saturation up the whole way on a photo editing program, it was that insanely vivid. And the animals and encounters I had with them during my three-day stay were insane. It was incredible snorkelling with a couple of sea turtles, several reef sharks, numerous species of rays, and thousands of beautifully coloured, small fish was unforgettable, around the lagoon, reef and shipwreck was incredible.
Plus, because November is right in the middle of was turtle and bird nesting season, loggerhead and green turtles were coming ashore to lay their eggs and plenty of adorable freshly hatched baby birds of various species hanging out on the island alongside their adult family members which was so amazing. And those shearwaters. Their haunting sounds and silly antics are the absolute best.
And it’s not just then that’s special to stay on the island. Visiting other times of the year also yields other fantastic experiences, such as January-March being turtle hatching seasons when millions of tiny babies emerge from their sandy nests and make their way towards the ocean, or winter when majestic humpback whales swim past during their famous annual migration up and down the east coast of Australia to breed and calves, so there’s always plenty to experience.
Psst: For day trips to the Great Barrier Reef, head to:
- 1770: Lady Elliot Island & Lady Musgrave Island.
- Bundaberg: Lady Elliot Island (Recommended. Read my review here.) & Lady Musgrave Island.
2. Elevate The Romance On An Adults-Only Island Getaway.
Wilson Island.
Gladstone isn’t just the gateway to one of the most famous Great Barrier Reef island resorts that people from all over the world flock to see. But that coral cay is also the stepping stone to Wilson’s Island, an phenomenal under-the-radar destination that offers an even more exclusive resort island experience.
This small, but equally breathtaking island is what romantic dreams are made of. Featuring its own gorgeous azure blue lagoons and fringing reef, it offers even more outstanding snorkelling, diving and kayaking opportunities to mingle with the local marine wildlife and enjoy close encounters with sea turtles, reef sharks and various stingrays, plus the prolific bird life population, allowing you to create some unforgettable memories together.
But where it truly comes into its own as one of Queensland’s most glamorous and unforgettably romantic hidden gems is with its adults-only eco-accommodation set-up that features just nine gorgeous decked-out glamping safari tents nestled within the natural landscape. And with a maximum occupancy of 18 at any one time, couples can enjoy minimal interaction with others adding to its ultra-exclusive appeal that’ll make you feel like it’s just you and your significant other on the island for a high-end romantic getaway, perfect for blissful honeymoons and memorable anniversaries, that’ll look like something straight of an episode of The Batchelor.
👉 Quick Guide To Gladstone:
- 🚗 Getting Around: Renting a car is the most convenient.
- 🌄 Must-Do Activities: Overnight snorkelling/diving and wildlife adventure on Heron Island, exploring Curtis Island and tour the HMAS Gladstone II military ship.
- 🏠 Best Hotel: Oaks Gladstone Grand Hotel.
3. Spend Your Days Camping As A Castaway.
North West Island.
As beautiful and famous as island resorts are, they’re not as grounding and authentic as this. Luckily, the Capricornia Cays have some other spectacular, commercially accessible islands on offer that let me experience the full, raw beauty of being wild and free.
While Heron and Wilson Islands also form part of the Capricornia Cays, the true castaway experience lies elsewhere—on the stunning, unspoiled shores of North West Island, Mast Head Island, and Lady Musgrave Island. These remote coral cays offer some of the best island camping experiences in Queensland, where your days are spent snorkelling through vibrant reefs, watching turtles nest on the beaches, and falling asleep to the sound of waves under a sky ablaze with stars.
For those keen to embrace island life without the luxury price tag, Curtis Ferry Services operates trips to North West Island, making it easier than ever to escape to this untouched paradise. Whether you’re an experienced camper or a first-time adventurer, there’s nothing quite like waking up on a secluded reef-fringed island, miles away from civilisation, where nature is your only neighbour.
4. Explore Gladstone Harbour’s Biggest Island.
Curtis Island.
The Gladstone Harbour is one of the things that makes the city and region geographically unique to the other places along Queensland’s massive coastline, occupying a huge 676km2 of real estate offshore, Curtis Island is, by far, the largest of the three main ones.
It is also top-tier for outdoor adventure enthusiasts looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday living, thanks to the national and conservation park offering fantastic opportunities for hiking, cycling, boating, camping 4WDing and sightseeing, whether that be for an exciting day trip or an immersive weekend endeavour.
The top spot not to miss is Connor Bluff Lookout, one of the best vantage points in Gladstone, thanks to its gorgeous views showcasing the long stretch of beachfront between the headland and the South End township on one side and the breathtaking rugged coastline on the other. For more scenic views, the multi-use Oceanview trail, which covers several kilometres of open seaside terrain north of the lookout offers even more lovely scenery on this side of the island.
For those looking to spend the night, the council-run South End campground and the national park’s Turtle Street and Joey Lees camping areas are two of the region’s best outdoor overnight haunts where you can stay for only a few bucks. Plus, they’re great spots to see wild kangaroos and horses year-round, if you come during the nesting season between October and January, you might observe sea turtles on the beach at night which just adds even more to the rugged appeal of the island.
The best part is that it’s easy to get across with Curtis Ferry Services running several services daily, making it perfect for spontaneous last-minute trips!
Note: Please drop in and say hi to the folks running the shop at the Capricorn Lodge. They were so nice to me when I visited.
East Shores.
One of the best things to do in Gladstone is to spend time at the East Shores Parklands because this is no ordinary place. Set up on prime real estate where the Auckland Inlet empties into the Gladstone Harbour, it’s obvious that plenty of thought was put into developing this place, as what they’ve created is a spectacular outdoor recreational facility that combines everything that makes Gladstone vibrant and unique into one unmissable and unforgettable package.
From the scenic waterfront pathway and breathtaking hilltop lookouts to the zero-level water park, outdoor cinema, military ship and heritage lighthouse, this place truly captures Gladstone’s striking interplay between its heavy industries and relaxed coastal city atmosphere, which is why I recommend making it your first pit stop before discovering anything else.
5. Auckland Hill Lookout/ William Goulding Memorial Lookout.
Kicking off the whole she-bang, there is no better place to appreciate Gladstone’s unique landscape and breathtaking scenery than from Auckland Hill Lookout, also known as the William Goulding Memorial Lookout. This unmissable highlight of the parklands features several viewing decks that take full advantage of its superb harbour and riverside location, offering one of the best regional city lookouts I’ve come across in the country, thanks to its unforgettable panoramic views that perfectly showcase the unique combination of lifestyle, nature and industry that makes this city the unique and diverse destination it is.
You’ve got the picturesque CBD and the winding Auckland Inlet, the local marina packed with boats of various makes and models nestled within an enclave and protected by the lovely Spinnaker Park, the Port Authority docks where the business end of things happen, filling up the cargo ships to send them on their way with the region’s highest peak, Mt Larcom looming off in the distance. And that’s just on the other side of the bank!
There are the lovely islands of Curtis, Facing and Quoin providing the Gladstone Harbour with sheltered waters where there’s an endless stream of personal, commercial and industrial vessels of watercraft of every kind coming and going. Meanwhile on the lookout side of the inlet lie are even more large-scale jetties, only this time, it’s to ship grains out of the massive silos and the huge-scale operation they’ve got going there.
With all these key components on showcase, it’s not hard to see why it’s a must-visit as no other place captures the quintessential essence of Gladstone quietly like this place. Plus, with picnic tables and BBQs up there, that’s even more of a reason to go up there and enjoy the spectacular scenery for a while.
6. HMAS Gladstone Tour II & Gladstone Maritime Museum.
One of the things that you absolutely cannot miss when visiting this gorgeous coastal city is HMAS Gladstone II. A landmark feature of the East Shores Parklands and visible from numerous locations along the mouth of the Auckland Inlet and every boat arriving and departing from the marina, this small military patrol boat isn’t just a striking sitting duck memorial and maritime artifact.
It’s actually only one of two ships on display in regional Queensland that you can tour and ended up being one of my favourite things to do in Gladstone because for the only cost of a blue note, you get a comprehensive private guided tour spanning an hour through every single compartment of this incredible vessel from the engine room to the artillery gun mounted on the top.
This gave me an innate understanding of what life was like for the crew members who worked on this ship and the operations they undertook while patrolling the seas. This was only enhanced tenfold by everything being exactly as it was like as if they had all just jumped ship five minutes ago, which always makes me appreciate the sentiment they are trying to keep alive so much better.
Plus, my guide Alec, a former British naval man himself, was fantastic in answering all my random questions and queries, like the one about why you can’t vomit in the crap chute?! There’s some quite interesting science that happens behind that. HAHAHA.
Note: The vessel isn’t available for touring during the hotter months because it gets too hot to be on board. You pay for the tour at the nearby Gladstone Maritime Museum, which you can just purchase by itself if the museum doesn’t interest you.
7. Zero-Level Water Park.
If you have rugrats and the mercury is up, one of the best things to do in Gladstone with kids is let them splash around at the zero-level aqua park.
This gorgeous, brightly coloured feature of East Shore Parklands has a large metal flower-like spurting and cascading water from all around it, surrounded by a tonne of other recessed fountains that randomly shoot up jets of H20 to create a fun and interactive place for them to play.
However, you might not want to leave too early, when you find out things get even better when the sun sets as the entire area is equipped with colourful LED lighting that adds another exciting visual element to the mix, coming alive the most vibrantly at night.
8. Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) Lookout.
As Queensland’s largest multi-commodity shipping port and home to several of the country’s and the world’s largest factories, heavy industry is such a significant part of Gladstone’s identity. Not only are the plants and refineries a prolific part of the city’s visual landscape, but they also fund some of its best tourist attractions, including the aforementioned East Shores Parklands, which features several of the most unmissable places on this list.
So it’s not all that surprising then, that the largest industrial contributor to the local economy has an attraction of its own. At the Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) Viewing Platform, you can get a close look at the impressively robust exterior architecture of one of the world’s largest alumina refineries and get a brief overview of the facility. Here you’ll learn about how it processes the raw bauxite mined in Weipa into alumina around the clock, which is then exported nationally and globally for further processing into aluminium, including at the nearby Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL), Australia’s second-largest aluminium smelter, giving visitors a fascinating insight into this city’s most prolific industry.
9. Round Hill Lookout.
If there is one thing Gladstone isn’t short on, it’s epic viewpoints, and another place where it satisfyingly delivers the goods is at Round Hill Lookout. Although it does sit atop a softly domed peak, perfectly befitting its name, it doesn’t even come close to doing it justice.
That’s because this place doesn’t just offer a singular perspective of this city, but almost an entire, easily accessible car park loop worth of views, giving visitors not only a fantastic panoramic look at the vibrant heart of this striking regional destination but expands upon that to showcase the whole region through picturesque gaps between the trees.
The broader visual is fantastic for understanding the scope of the operations they’ve got going on here, which extends far into the distance, while the numerous signs inform you about the heavy industries they’ve got going on here, which are some of the biggest in Australia and the world, while also highlight some of its incredible natural attractions like Heron and North West Island.
Furthermore, its multi-directional views make it excellent for watching or photographing the rising and setting of the sun and moon, along with other bright astrological events, making it the perfect place to visit all hours of the day. And because it’s a drive-up lookout with many favourable parking spots that you can drive or reverse into to face the view, you needn’t even have to get out to enjoy it, it’s also excellent for cold days and romantic dates.
10. Spinnaker Park.
On a narrow peninsula opposite the East Shore Parklands and surrounded by the Auckland Inlet, and the Gladstone Harbour and Marina, Spinnaker Parks is one of the most scenic places in the city to relax.
There are plenty of places to find a shady spot on the grass to read an engrossing novel or enjoy a traditional picnic on a blanket watching the continuous influx of ships coming in and out of the harbour to a backdrop of nearby islands, or at the beautiful luxury boats parked at the marina.
You can also make use of one of the many BBQs and sheltered tables for a hot lunch in the shade, or the cafe if you want someone else to do the cooking for you.
It’s also one of the only places in the city where you can swim in the ocean. However, it is only a small, noticeably tidally affected beach that doesn’t have waves, which is still good if all you want to do is cool down on a hot spring or summer day. Plus, it has a stinger net to try and prevent jellyfish from coming through, which are sometimes present during the warmer months, so that’s a bonus.
As if that wasn’t enough, this place also is outfitted with LED lighting that slowly changes colour throughout the night, making it a lovely place to go for a stroll through when darkness falls.
11. Tannum Sands.
While the swimming area at Spinnaker Park is nice to cool off on a hot Spring and Summer’s day, it doesn’t exactly provide visitors with that true seaside experience. And that’s the one thing that Gladstone noticeably sorely lacks because despite being a coastal city in a country world-famous for having tens of thousands of beautiful sandy beaches, all of the gorgeous sandy foreshores are at its islands, and none of those are ever patrolled!
But that’s where Tannum Sands comes in. Located just 27km to the southeast, this quiet destination has beach vibes so ingrained in its identity that its name is a nod to the idyllic lifestyle, being the place where all the beach-deprived Gladdy residents flock when they want to safely swim in waves crashing against the foreshore under the observant eyes of lifeguards.
But it’s not just rips and currents that they watch for, the tidal creek next to the patrolled beach is croc territory, which means that more than ever, you’ll want to swim between the red and yellow flags where they’re constantly keeping an eye on the water if you even want to go in at all after learning that tidbit.
Just behind the beach and park across the road and up the stairs is the Millennium Beach Lookout, which has lovely views overlooking the coast and nearby islands with the massive industrial ships sailing past, making it a great place to cap off the day.
Note: Agnes Water and 1770 further down the coast are even more spectacular beach destinations, with the former having a lovely lifeguard-patrolled ocean-facing beach and the latter, a gorgeous sheltered creek and both lie outside of typical Croc Country.
12. Turtle Bikeway.
There are fewer lovelier ways to spend a day at a seaside town than going for an easy scenic outing along the coast and that’s where the 18km Tannum Sand’s Turtle Bikeway comes in, which goes along the Boyne River, past shopping centres, along the ocean foreshore and through gorgeous picnic areas such as Millenium Esplanade, which is perfect for walking, running or cycling thanks to it being fully sealed from start to finish.
However, I recommend getting off the path at the Canoe Point Parklands to go to the beach, especially at low tide, because the exposed coastal flats and uniquely eroded sand banks make it one of the most scenic places at Tannum Sands.
13. Lake Awoonga.
South of Gladstone lies the beautiful Lake Awoonga, the region’s only water reservoir and one of the city’s top day trip escapes. What appealed the most about this place is that along with having two dam wall lookouts and the gorgeous peaks of Castle Mountain National Park (only accessible from the water and with prior permission) as the lake’s rugged backdrop, it also has easily the best recreational day-use areas I’ve come across at an Australian lake.
Both Riverston Bay and Ironbark have many sheltered picnic tables nestled between the trees near the foreshore, making each one feel like it’s a little bubble away from the rest of everything else, which dining in the outdoors is all about. They’re also pretty sizeable, so most groups, gangs and broods can comfortably fit all their friends and family members under one roof. There are plenty of free BBQs to go around too, although they are not undercover, which in Australia during the hotter months, is just a cardinal sin.
Plus, the former has a waterfall, while the other has a playground, making these places more inviting, picturesque and family-friendly. And that’s before even getting to the water! Along the foreshore is a zone specially designated for frolicking around with a floating pontoon to facilitate swimming, jumping and sunbaking and to dock pool floaties, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and canoes.
But further out is where the real fun happens, because Lake Awoonga has virtually no vessel restrictions. So whether you love feeling the wind in your hair while out on a dingy exploring the furthest reaches, or using it as a means to satiate the thrill-seeker in you water skiing or wake boarding or swapping the boat for a jetski so both the towee and the tower can enjoy the exhilarating simultaneously, it’s all up to you and what you can bring to the game.
14. Kroombit Tops National Park.
Less than 100km southwest of the city, Kroombit Tops National Park is the closest national park on the mainland and one of the best places to retreat into the hinterland.
What’s remarkable about this place is that it is a geographical anomaly, somehow having just the right conditions to grow plants and establish ecosystems that don’t exist elsewhere in the region or a considerable distance beyond that. One such feature is a subtropical rainforest, typically found much further south near my home city, Brisbane.
Activity-wise, this place is elite high-clearance 4WD territory, with over 65 km of rough roads to challenge yourself through this remote and rugged wilderness. There are also some fantastic things to see along the way, such as the Marble Waterhole on the Razorback track and the 3.2km return hike to the mangled ruins of the World War II Bomber aircraft, “Beautiful Betsy” opposite the wall day use area.
However, it’s not all exclusively for off-road vehicles, as conventional vehicles can very carefully traverse their way in from the northeast entrance along Tableland Road and visit the Kroombit Tops Lookout, which has magnificent views overlooking the breathtakingly mountainous Boyne Valley, framed on one side by the sheer cliffs, making it a national park highlight and also the best lookout in Gladstone showcasing the hinterland.
The place also has two of the best campgrounds in the region. Visitors in 2WD can also spend the night in the lovely open forested areas of Griffiths Creek Campground, but 4WDers have the option to stay there at the much smaller and more peaceful Razorback Campground if they can nab one of the two spots!
15. Calliope River Historical Village.
Another fascinating place to uncover Gladstone’s heritage is at the Calliope River Historical Museum. Located southwest of the city beside the Bruce Highway, it’s a great glimpse into the region’s past lives with its many heritage buildings ranging from homesteads, schools, and farming sheds each jam-packed with trinkets and artifacts from a bygone era.
Things To Do In Gladstone Map.
Accommodation: Where To Stay In Gladstone, Queensland.
- Budget: Amber Lodge Motel.
- Mid-Range: CQ Motel Gladstone.
- Luxury: Oaks Gladstone Grand Hotel.
Conclusion: What To Do In Gladstone, QLD.
From the magnificent Great Barrier Reef coral cays with stunning azure blue waters and outstanding snorkelling and diving opportunities to the pristine beaches and gorgeous coastlines of Curtis Island and the spectacular scenery from its several city’s lookouts and fascinating military ship tour and hike to the shattered remains of a plane crash, there are many unforgettable and unique things to do in Gladstone.
