Gladstone, South Australia

Gladstone is a small rural town in the Mid North of South Australia in the approach to the lower Flinders Ranges. At the 2006 census, Gladstone had a population of 629.

The town services the surrounding district with two pubs, three churches, a bank, Post Office and several shops and small businesses providing basic goods and services. The closest hospital is 11 km away in a neighbouring rural town, but doctors take appointments in the town’s medical clinic. There is a kindergarten (approximately 12 enrolments), state primary school (63), Catholic primary school (60) and a secondary school (approximately 205 students, drawn from the wider district).

Gladstone has sporting/social clubs providing for Aussie Rules football, netball, cricket, tennis, golf, lawn bowls, swimming (at the local outdoor pool) and soccer (newly formed for school-aged children), all seasonal. Sporting competitions occur between clubs from the neighbouring towns within a radius of about 75 km.

Wheat and sheep are the main farming produce of the region, but Gladstone has the largest inland grain storage facility in the Southern Hemisphere, storing wheat, barley, durum wheat, peas, faba beans and fiesta beans.

Gladstone is also the home of Trend drinks, a local soft drink manufacturer, with a history dating back to 1876.

Railways


Gladstone is located on the main Port Pirie to Broken Hill railway, with branches going north and south.

Originally, all the lines were gauge narrow gauge railways. In 1927, the line south of Gladstone to Hamley Bridge was converted to broad gauge, making Gladstone a break-of-gauge junction.

In 1970, the line from Port Pirie to Broken Hill was converted to standard gauge making Gladstone into a rare three-gauge break-of-gauge junction. In the 1980s, the broad and narrow gauge lines were closed, leaving Gladstone as a purely standard gauge station.

The station is still served by the twice-weekly Indian Pacific train, run by Great Southern Railways. It runs to Adelaide on Sundays and Thursdays, and to Sydney on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Old Gladstone Gaol
Gladstone's main tourist attraction is the old Gladstone Gaol, built between 1879-81 it was originally intended for inebriates, debtors and other prisoners, both male and female. Male prisoners worked in the market gardens outside the prison walls while female prisoners worked in the gaol's laundry. Containing 120 cells, the gaol never exceeded a maximum of 60 prisoners at any stage during it operational history. During World War II it was used for the internment of Germans and Italians, and later as a military detention centre before returning to public service. From 1953 the gaol was also used as a youth corrective centre. It was closed in 1975, due to its outdated facilities and re-opened to the public in the belief that the archaic prison would frighten children into avoiding a life of crime. It is now open to the public for tours, back-packer accommodation and is available for functions.

Other information
On the afternoon of 9 May 2006, an explosion at a factory ten kilometres from Gladstone killed three men and injured two more. The factory is a former ammunition factory now used for making mining explosives. The explosion could be heard in Gladstone. (ABC)

The Anglican Diocese of Willochra is based in Gladstone, with the Registry (the Diocesan Office) housed in building in the main street. In addition the Bishop of Willochra lives in Bishop's House which is on the Main North Road.