History books
Gladstone Ports Corporation’s formal history began in 1914 with the first meeting of the Gladstone Harbour Board. The history book series celebrates the Port of Gladstone’s hundred year journey, with each book reflecting on a 20 year period of GPC’s stewardship of the port.
Port of Gladstone – History Book 1
The first edition explores life prior to white settlement, early encounters between the first Australians and European settlers through to the beginnings of Gladstone Ports Corporation, known at the time as the Gladstone Harbour Board.
View the online e-book of History Book 1
Download the PDF print version of History Book 1 (46MB)
Port of Gladstone – History Book 2
This edition chronicles the fascinating period, between 1935 and 1954 which saw the first serious development of coal in Queensland, in particular in the Callide Valley. As a consequence of intense lobbying by the Port’s board of directors, Gladstone experienced the first of what would become regular explosions of growth and becoming the port of choice for coal exports.
View the online e-book for History Book 2
Download the PDF print version of History Book 2 (38MB)
Port of Gladstone – History Book 3
The third book examines the period from 1955 to 1974, which saw the commencement of Queensland’s massive coal trade to Japan and the birth of Gladstone as a major industrial centre.
View the online e-book of History Book 3
Download the PDF print version of History Book 3 (26MB)
Port of Gladstone – History Book 4
The fourth book examines the period from 1975 to 1994, and the visionary economic infrastructure decisions that propelled the Port of Gladstone into a major world class port that facilitated and attracted large scale resource processing industry and a rapid expansion in coal exports.
View the online e-book of History Book 4
Download the PDF print version of History Book 4 (27MB)