Page 249 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

SOUTH OF T OWNSVILLE  247

bauxite mined in Weipa on
the west coast of Cape York
Peninsula. Five per cent of
the nation’s wealth and 20 per
cent of Queensland’s wealth
is generated by Gladstone’s
industries. Gladstone’s port,
handling more than 35 million
tonnes of cargo a year, is one
of the busiest in Australia.
There are, however, more
attractive sights in and around
the town. The town’s main
street has an eclectic variety of
buildings, including the Grand
Loggerhead turtle laying eggs on Mon Repos Beach Hotel, rebuilt to its 1897 form
after fire destroyed the original
7Mon Repos about these fascinating reptiles. in 1993. Gladstone’s Botanic
Conservation Park Supervised public viewing Gardens were first opened in
ensures that the turtles are
1988 as a bicentennial project
Tel (07) 4159 1652, tour bookings not unduly disturbed. and consist entirely of native
(07) 4153 8888. Open daily. & Turtle Just behind Mon Repos Beach Australian plants. South of
tours. 7 8 obligatory Nov–Mar. is an old stone wall built by Gladstone are the tiny coastal
∑ npsr.qld.gov.au/parks/ Kanakas and now preserved as villages of Agnes Waters and
mon-repos a memorial to these South Sea the quaintly named “1770” in
Island inhabitants (see p239). honour of Captain Cook’s brief
Mon Repos Beach, 15 km landing here during his journey
(9 miles) from Bundaberg up the coast (see p54). About
(see p245), is one of the most 8Gladstone 20 km (12 miles) out of town
significant and accessible turtle * 29,000. ~ £ @ @ lies the popular holiday location
rookeries on the Australian n Gladstone Marina, Bryan of Boyne Island.
mainland. Egg-laying of Jordan Drive (07) 4972 9000. Gladstone is also the access
loggerhead and other turtles ∑ gladstoneregion.info point for Heron Island, considered
takes place from November to by many to be one of the most
February. By January, the first Gladstone is a town dominated desirable of all the Great Barrier
young turtles begin to hatch by industry. However, industry is Reef islands, with its wonderful
and make their way down the in harmony with tourism and the coral and diving opportunities.
sandy beach to the ocean. environment. Tours of the area Other islands in the southern
An information centre within are popular with visitors. The half of the reef can also be
the environmental park has world’s largest alumina refinery accessed from Gladstone by
videos and other information is located here, processing boat or helicopter (see pp220–21).

Pretty coastal village of Agnes Waters, near Gladstone
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp487 and pp514