Infrastructure

The infrastructure needs of industry and business sectors in the Gladstone Region have been comprehensively addressed and are continuously monitored to identify and act on the changing needs of a growing industrial based economy. Key regional infrastructure that ensures Gladstone delivers as competitive investment location include:

Transport

  • The Gladstone Ports Corporation Ltd (GPC) manages a world class, natural deepwater port in Gladstone.  The Port of Gladstone is Queensland’s largest multi-commodity port and permits a wide range of shipping operations including bulk carrier loading and unloading, fuel loading facilities and a dedicated container terminal.  The Port, which allows for vessels of up to 220,000+ dwt, has six wharf centres and can simultaneously berth 15 vessels along a 30 kilometre foreshore.  The Asia Pacific area is within 10 – 12 days sailing time and is the Port’s main international destination.  Port trade during 2008/09 was in exess of 79 million tonnes.  Coal exports through the port’s RG Tanna Coal Terminal and Barney Point Coal Terminal continued to dominate trade, accounting for 71% of total throughput in 2008-09.  During the 2008-09 financial year a total of 1462 ships visited the port.
  • As a significant coal exporting centre, Gladstone is also a major operations hub for Queensland Rail.  Efficient transport links integrate mine, road, rail and port logistics into a world-class system with strategies in place to meet furture demands.  Electrified rail links Gladstone to Brisbane, Rockhampton and the coal mines in the Bowen Basin, with trains more than 1.5kms long carrying in excess of 5,500 tonnes of coal to Gladstone’s coal terminals.  Non electrified rail extends the network to encompass agriculture and other mineral resources.
  • Gladstone has a modern regional airport with connections to Brisbane, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and Cairns.

Energy

  • With abundant high quality coal deposits nearby, a reliable state transmission network and three base load power stations – Gladstone, Stanwell and Callide located within 100 klms of the area, Gladstone has access to reliable and competitive electric power.
  • The Gladstone region is also well serviced with natural gas (via the Queensland Gas Pipeline).  Further expansion to gas supply in Central Queensland is proposed with the completion of the potential projects such as the Central Queensland Gas Pipeline and the proposed pipelines required for the LNG industry.

Water

  • The Gladstone Area Water Board is the provider of raw and treated water for industrial use to the Gladstone Region from nearby Lake Awoonga.  The Dam wall rises to a height of 40 metres, providing storage capacity to a total of 777,000 megalitres and a No Failure Yield (NFY) of approximately 80,000 ML per year.  Long-term strategies are in place to monitor, match and augment future projected industrial demands for water.

Natural Resources

  • Extensive raw material deposits are available within economic transport distance.  These include: coking and steaming coal, coal seam gas, oil shale, limestone and calcite, majnesite, salt and mineral sands.