Facing Island
At GPC, we love our local regions, with some of the most beautiful areas in Australia, we take pride in the landscapes and natural environments.
Facing Island is located approximately 10km east of Gladstone. The island covers approximately 2480 hectares (ha) and is positioned within the boundaries of the Port of Gladstone and the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA).
Facing Island was named by Matthew Flinders in 1802 during his exploration of the Australian coastline, due to its geographical position of “facing” Gladstone Harbour. In 1981 it was this position and strategic importance of the island providing shelter to the port, that led GPC to become the trustee of majority of the island.
With a history of cattle farming it was also home to a pilot and signalling station that played a vital role in the development of Port Curtis as a key Queensland harbour.
Facing Island has significant First Nation and European cultural relevance. A Cultural Heritage Survey undertaken in 2018 determined a number of culturally significant areas on and near the island.
These areas reveal a vast number and variety of known archaeological sites including shell middens, stone artefact scatters and other resource areas, in conjunction with several areas of high cultural significance of a non-archaeological nature.
The island has several local attributes and environmental values (EVs) that contribute to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the GBRWHA including terrestrial and marine EVs of national and state significance recognised under Queensland and Commonwealth legislation.
Facing Island has important nearshore and coastal environments including intertidal and subtidal habitats such as tidal saltmarshes, mangroves, saltpans, mudflats, reef communities and seagrass meadows.
These environments provide important habitats and food resources for a range of marine animals, including Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 listed species such as dugongs, inshore dolphins, marine turtles and migratory shorebirds, resident shorebirds, fish and crustaceans.
Environmental surveys undertaken in 2023-24 identified 298 plant and 169 animal species that call Facing Island home. To see a list of the island’s identified plants and animals, please see the flora and fauna field guides here.
