Australia Accommodation

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Island Paradise ~ Southern Great Barrier Reef Islands & Lagoons Gladstone Queensland

Welcome to Gladstone

Welcome to Gladstone

Gladstone is a beautiful holiday destination located 550 kilometres by road north of Brisbane, Queensland. Gladstone is blessed with 280 days of sunshine every year and balmy, subtropical climate. The area offers a wonderful array of exotic islands, city parklands and gardens, fun outdoor activities, abundance of wildlife and other unique locations to explore. Gladstone Airport is located only an 8 minute drive away from the centre of the city. 

Running along the coast of this city is the heritage listed Southern Great Barrier Reef, where it is home to a mixture of fourteen breathtaking inhabited and uninhabited islands. 

Heron Island Beach - Gladstone
Heron Island Beach - Gladstone

Island Wonderland ~ Southern Great Barrier Reef Islands & Lagoons Gladstone

Off the coast of Gladstone is where you'll find a paradise of islands dotted along the Southern Great Barrier Reef. 

Here lies the picturesque, uninhabited Lady Musgrave Island, where it is the only coral island on the Great Barrier Reef with a navigable lagoon. The lagoon offers calm, clear water - ideal for swimming and snorkelling - like swimming in a giant aquarium. There is also plenty to do on land: camping, trekking and exploring the wildlife on the island.

Lady Musgrave Island underwater - Gladstone
Lady Musgrave Island underwater - Gladstone

Closer to the shores of Gladstone are Heron and Wilson Islands. They also offer fantastic lagoons with calm waters well suited for snorkelling, diving and swimming. Wilson Island offers privacy and seclusion in a quiet, beautiful location. 

Wilson Island
Wilson Island

Heron Island is a bigger coral cay (meaning it is completely composed of sand and coral fragments) with abundant wildlife - from seabirds, Loggerhead turtles to clouds of multi-coloured fish. Experience all that Heron Island has to offer: reef walking, viewing the marine life from the coral submarine, swimming, fishing and snorkelling. Heron Island is also renowned for having some of the best diving spots within 15 minutes of the shore.

Southern Great Barrier Reef

Lady Elliot Island
Lady Elliot Island
Lady Elliot Island is another large coral cay and is the most southerly island within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. This island is a bird watcher's paradise, with more than 50,000 birds nesting here during the summer months. Lady Elliot Island is also known for being the ideal nesting ground for Loggerhead turtles - cute hatchlings can be seen between January until April. Explore the local shipwreck or the island's iconic Manta Rays via 19 dive sites scattered throughout the island. 

Heron Island Beach
Heron Island jetty

Baby Loggerhead Turtle
Baby Loggerhead Turtle

For marine animal lovers, Fitzroy Reef Lagoon (90 minutes from the town of Seventeen Seventy) is a must-see! This dazzling reef is the sole naturally formed, tidal entrance lagoon along the Southern Great Barrier Reef, and is home to a remarkable array of sea life in this coral metropolis. 

Snorkel or scuba dive and explore this beautiful underwater world and its inhabitants: common and bottlenose dolphins, Green and Loggerhead turtles, black blotched stingrays, opalescent spotted Lagoon rays, Manta and Bull rays, plus be surrounded by over a thousand different species of multi-coloured fish! White and black tip reef sharks also cruise through the area - but don't worry, they do not bother humans!

Photo credit: fjaine - underwater diving with ray - Gladstone



Water Sports & Activities Gladstone

Only 20 minutes from Gladstone city are the holiday towns of Tannum Sands and Boyne Island. These neighbouring coastal towns boasts a wonderful climate all year round and their waters offer great locations for swimming, kite surfing/boarding, boating and fishing.

Another set of twin towns that have great options for water sports are the seaside townships of Agnes Waters and Seventeen Seventy. Located just 1.25 hours’ drive south of Gladstone, Agnes Water’s unspoilt beach is the most northern surfer's beach in Queensland. The suburb of Seventeen Seventy derived its name to commemorate the first Queensland landfall for Captain James Cook in May 1770.

Heron Island
Heron Island

With a big offering of different water sport activities to choose from, there won't be a dull moment while you're in Agnes Waters! Relax and unwind on the peaceful, pristine beaches; or swim, dive and fish in the crystal clear waters. Learn to surf, try paddle boarding, sail the waves with a hired boat, or kite surf alongside dolphins! 

For a unique adventure, try a Larc tour (large amphibious craft) that can drive on land and sail on water! This tour operator offers short and daylong rides - covering coastlines of Seventeen Seventy and estuaries, across the sand dunes (where you'll get to sandboard!), to the remote Bustard Head Lighthouse situated inside the beautifully preserved Eurimbula National Park. For more information on Larc tours, visit www.1770larctours.com.au 

1770 Larc tour
1770 Larc tour

If you like kayaking and canoeing, you'll enjoy 1770 Liquid Adventures! This tour operator provides kayak hire and guided tours along the spectacular town of Seventeen Seventy. Meander through the headlands and reserves while watching the sunset or get up close and personal with dolphins and other marine life. Stop over and rest on picturesque, secluded beaches and deserted coves. For more information on 1770 Liquid Adventures, visit www.1770liquidadventures.com.au 

Gladstone Beach
Gladstone Beach

Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy are also two of the closest points to the outer Great Barrier Reef, and Seventeen Seventy is now the departure point for many reef tour operators and fishing charters to the Southern Great Barrier Reef.

Fitzroy Reef
Fitzroy Reef
Fitzroy Reef lagoon
Fitzroy Reef Lagoon


Southern Great Barrier Reef - Queensland

Metro Hotel and Apartments Gladstone plus Apartments G60 Gladstone are located conveniently in the centre of Gladstone.

Both properties are perfect for short or long stays as they offer fully serviced apartments with fully self-contained laundry services.

The hotel is located on top of a hill, which means many rooms have excellent harbour, city and hinterland views. The property also boasts an onsite restaurant called Rocksalt (popular with the locals), a swimming pool and barbeque area, plus undercover security parking.

The fully serviced Apartments G60 Gladstone can also cater to extended stays of six months or more.

Click here to view Metro Hotel and Apartments Gladstone
Click here to view Apartments G60 Gladstone

Apartments G60 Gladstone
Apartments G60 Gladstone - Bedroom

Apartments G60 Gladstone
Apartments G60 Gladstone - Exterior

Apartments G60 Gladstone
Apartments G60 Gladstone - Kitchen

Metro Hotel & Apartments Gladstone
Metro Hotel & Apartments Gladstone - Livingroom

Metro Hotel & Apartments Gladstone
Metro Hotel & Apartments Gladstone - Swimming Pool

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