Gladstone Queensland

I traveled to Gladstone by plane. It cost me $161 one way with Qantas. The lady on the air train paid $61 with Virgin. The passenger sitting next to me paid $71 also with Qantas. Obviously one has to search the web thoroughly to get a cheap fare….

It was the day before Christmas. I was met at the airport..taken to a house I stayed at for 2 days, then I did an internet search and found all accommodation here was from $170 a night. Gladstone is very expensive because of all the mining on the islands and what accommodation there is is very expensive. I took a night at The Reef Hotel which had glorious views of the water and a rooftop pool with stunning views all around.

The next day I moved into Quest Apartments. Here on the 7th floor I enjoyed the sunsets and the moon setting and kept an eye on the world outside my balcony. The apartments are very comfortable and roomy and its a great apartment with all the facilities of home. Downstairs there is a restaurant and a pool next to the restaurant, and the shops are all around. Its a 4 block walk downhill to the Supermarket and about the same in the other direction to the Information Centre and the Marina

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladstone,_Queensland

Gladstone is an Australian city located approximately 550 kilometres by road north of Brisbane and 100 kilometres south-east of Rockhampton. Situated between the Calliope and Boyne Rivers, Gladstone is home to Queensland’s largest multi-commodity port.

The city’s population at the 2006 Census was 28,808, of whom 3.7 percent are of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin.

The City of Gladstone contains a land area of 128 square kilometres. In addition to the mainland area, the Local Authority Area contains fourteen (14) islands. The Gladstone Regional Council, formed in 2008, amalgamates multiple previous local government areas

…..Gladstone’s primary industries are mining-related. The Port of Gladstone is the fifth largest multi-commodity port in Australia and the world’s fourth largest coal exporting terminal.^[6] The port consists of a number of wharves and terminal facilities. Boyne Wharf is used by the Boyne Island aluminium smelter and was opened in August 1982.^[7] The western part of the harbour basin is currently being expanded, primarily to allow increased exports of liquified natural gas (LNG). Major exports include coal, alumina, aluminium, cement products and liquid ammonia. Each year 50 million tonnes of coal passes through the port, making up 70% of the total exports.