Queensland

Gladstone Area

Turtles nest here, and there's a whole harbour town besides

Just off Gladstone, the islands of the Southern Great Barrier Reef hold real turtle nesting grounds, worth knowing about at the right time of year. Back on the mainland, Tondoon Botanic Gardens spreads native rainforest and wetland across the town's edge, a peaceful stop most visitors drive straight past. The Marina foreshore makes an easy evening walk, boats coming and going against one of the busiest working harbours in the state. Gladstone rewards a proper look, not just a fuel stop.