The Gladstone Region is varied and diverse in its economic base, making the region one of the most resilient in Queensland, if not Australia.
The natural attributes of the Gladstone Harbour have driven the development of world-class industries in immediate proximity to Gladstone. Not stopping there, the region offers much more, from a thriving eco-tourism industry centred around the islands of the Southern Great Barrier Reef, the attractive holiday destinations of Agnes Water to the south and rural hinterland to the west, to thriving beef and macadamia nut industries.
The Growing the Gladstone Region: Report and Recommendations to Inform the Gladstone Region Economic Development Strategy 2021-2025, A Framework for Promoting Prosperity,(PDF, 3MB) informs Gladstone Regional Council’s five-year plan to support the vibrancy, diversity, resilience and sustainability of the communities of the Gladstone Region. An evidence-based report, it informs and guides the Gladstone Region towards economic prosperity in the context of a dynamic and transforming broader economic landscape.
Gladstone Region Economic Development Strategy 2021-2025(PDF, 7MB)
Report and Recommendations(PDF, 3MB)
View with Japanese captions, Dutch captions, and Chinese captions.
Council’s role in influencing decision makers is crucial to future-proofing our region.
As the tier of government closest to the community, Council has a unique and trusted understanding of the challenges our region and residents face. We take our responsibility to drive meaningful advocacy seriously, and we will always listen to and champion the communities we serve.
Council is calling for support, engagement and investment in our priorities from all levels of Government, including the Opposition, key stakeholders, industry and investors.
The 2025/26 Priorities are:
- Wastewater
- Waste
- Defence
- Transport Corridor
- Low-Carbon Economy
- Harvey Road Sports and Events Precinct
- Boyne Tannum Aquatic Centre
- Harbour Arbour
- Health
- Housing
- Fair Funding
- Inland Rail
Council stands ready to partner and calls for urgent, coordinated action, including increased leadership, funding and policy action from all stakeholders to ensure equity, access, and quality of life for the Gladstone Region.
There are three levels of government in Australia – local, state and federal.
The image below illustrates what each level takes care of.
For more information on the responsibilities of the three levels of government, the Parliamentary Education Office offers informative, interactive resources suitable for all ages.
In addition to Council's 2025/26 Strategic Advocacy priorities, Council regularly champions change that will improve the liveability of our communities. Undertaking advocacy is Council’s opportunity to influence State and Federal policies, legislation and programs to achieve the best outcomes for the Gladstone Region and the residents that call it home. Council also recognises that advocacy for the Gladstone Region extends beyond Council, with community members playing an important role.
Council continues to advocate for:
A Local Housing Action Plan(PDF, 2MB) has also been developed through a joint initiative involving the Queensland Government, Gladstone Regional Council and the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), to respond to a range of immediate, emerging and longer-term housing challenges in the Gladstone Region.
Community Advocacy Support Resources:
Community Advocacy Letter - Round Hill Road(DOCX, 23KB)
At the 2026 Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly in Canberra, Gladstone Regional Council submitted three Motions for national consideration. The Motions focused on strengthening partnerships with First Nations communities, improving Australia’s approach to waste and product stewardship, and addressing critical workforce shortages across local government.
Motion: Ongoing recognition and funding for Local Government-led cultural and land management
Council called on the Australian Government to provide ongoing recognition, funding and support for local governments to develop, implement and maintain cultural and land management plans in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The Motion recognises the role councils play in managing public land and culturally significant places and seeks greater certainty to support long-term partnerships with Traditional Owners, strengthen reconciliation and contribute to Closing the Gap outcomes.
Motion: National product stewardship and packaging reform
Council called on the Australian Government to strengthen national product stewardship and packaging regulation, including greater producer responsibility for the products and packaging placed into the market.
The reform seeks to increase recycling and resource recovery, reduce pressure on landfill, support circular economy investment and ensure the cost of managing waste is not disproportionately borne by councils and their communities.
Motion: Recognising Local Government as a national priority employment sector
Council called on the Australian Government to formally recognise local government as a national priority employment sector and provide dedicated support for traineeships, apprenticeships and vocational training in critical local government occupations.
The Motion responds to workforce shortages affecting essential council services, particularly specialist roles such as water and wastewater operators, and seeks stronger regional training pathways and support for councils to attract, train and retain skilled workers.
All three motions were supported at the 2026 ALGA National General Assembly and will now form part of the broader local government sector’s advocacy to the Australian Government.
At the 2026 LGAQ Annual Conference, Gladstone Regional Council submitted two Motions for debate and consideration. Both Motions were carried, strengthening Council’s advocacy on sustainable regional service delivery, community safety and practical regulatory reform.
Motion: Funding and support for essential services delivered by councils as providers of last resort
Council called on the Queensland Government to develop a fair funding and support model for circumstances where local governments are required to deliver essential government services because no alternative provider exists.
Regional Councils are increasingly stepping in to maintain services that are important to the social and economic wellbeing of their communities, despite these services falling outside traditional local government responsibilities and often operating at a financial loss.
The Motion seeks recognition that maintaining access to essential government services is a shared responsibility and that councils should not be financially disadvantaged when required to act as the provider of last resort.
Motion: Queensland Fire Permit System Reform
Council called on the Queensland Government to review and modernise Queensland’s Permit to Light Fire framework through a more practical, risk-based approach to planned burning.
The Motion advocates for a streamlined approval pathway for low-risk planned burns undertaken by suitably qualified landholders, land managers and authorised personnel, while maintaining appropriate regulatory oversight for higher-risk activities
The reform aims to support more timely hazard reduction, reduce unnecessary administrative burden, improve consistency in fire permit conditions, strengthen community safety and environmental outcomes, and better enable First Nations cultural burning practices.
Both motions were supported at the 2026 LGAQ Annual Conference and will now form part of the broader local government sector’s advocacy to the Queensland Government.
To support the 10-Year Gladstone Region Economic Transition Roadmap, Council has a process in place to facilitate open and transparent communication between Council and major industry proponents looking to invest in our region.
The process applies to projects in the Gladstone Region where the Co-ordinator General's Office is/will be the Assessment Manager of the development. It will enable the proponent to work through their project in various stages, to help identify what Council infrastructure is available, potential future conditions Council may impose on the development and, where applicable, formalise an in-principle agreement with Council for project assurance.
New Project Guidelines(PDF, 27MB)
Industry Enquiries Process
Industry Early Enquiries
The Early Industry Enquiries stage is for project proponents considering investment in the Gladstone Region, interested in discussing their project and obtaining preliminary advice from Council.
Advice Provided includes:
- Future application requirements
- Availability of Infrastructure
- Water
- Sewer
- Stormwater
- Trade Waste
- Transport
- Land Ownership
- Community Engagement
Application(PDF, 178KB)
Industry Agreement Pre-lodgement Meeting
The Industry Agreement Pre-lodgement Meeting stage is designed to provide proponents with detailed advice on their project, prior to commencing an agreement.
Advice Provided includes:
- Agreement Type required
- Legal Term Sheet Template
- Types of Technical reports required and essential details needed in reports
- Preliminary review of technical reports if available
Application(PDF, 177KB)
Note: This is not to be used if the Council is the Assessment Manager under the Planning Act 2016; please refer to the Development Applications Pre-lodgement Meeting.(PDF, 872KB)
Industry Agreement
The Industry Agreement stage is primarily to work through the technical information necessary to enter into an agreement and/ or formally enter into an agreement with Council.
Type of Agreements includes:
- In-principle
- Infrastructure
- Access
- Land
- Consent
Application(PDF, 184KB)
The Social Infrastructure Investment Priorities (SIIP) publication supports Council’s drive to ensure communities are well understood, with programs, resources, social infrastructure and services in place to strengthen the Gladstone Region during the major economic transition.
The publication has been developed to enable, inform and guide future planning and investment, supporting project proponents to make informed decisions and meaningfully invest in the region’s social needs.
Key focus areas have been identified to guide targeted investment, ensuring it is channelled where it is needed most to meet the needs the community has now and the needs that are anticipated to arise in the future due to growth.
The key focus areas include:
- Health and Wellbeing
- Education, Employment and Training
- Early Childhood
- Safety and Security
- Ageing in Place
- Housing
- Community Facilities and Services
- Enabling Infrastructure.
Social Infrastructure Investment Priorities(PDF, 12MB)
In an Australian first, Gladstone Regional Council has launched its 10-year economic transition roadmap(PDF, 6MB) to support and guide the region to becoming a renewable energy superpower.
The roadmap will see this community in a prime position to respond to once-in-a-generation changes in the energy sector.
Developed in partnership with the regional economic development agency, The Next Economy, the detailed plan is a result of two years of research and extensive engagement involving 220 community, government, and industry stakeholders.
One year on
One year on from the Economic Transition Roadmap launch on 15 November 2022, the detailed plan for the Gladstone Region has been well received locally, nationally and internationally. Council is now working through the actions to achieve a positive outcome for the community.
Council’s Renewable Energy Community Benefit Sharing Policy(PDF, 43KB) sets out the expectations and requirements for large-scale renewable energy developers to undertake a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and negotiate a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) with Council before lodging their development application (DA) with the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA).
The policy, along with Council’s Economic Development documents, guides all renewable energy proponents on the Gladstone Region’s energy transition, social investment and community betterment objectives and opportunities.
This forms a practical and regionally consistent framework for industry partners to guide their investment and engagement strategies for the region. It also clearly details Council’s vision, priorities and expectations in relation to the sharing of benefits with the Gladstone Region.
More information can be found on the Queensland Government's webpage.
All wind and solar projects of one megawatt (MW) or more and standalone Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) of 50 MW or more are required to undertake a Social Impact Assessment (SIA).
The SIA will inform the development and execution of a Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) between a proponent and Council prior to the proponent lodging their development application (DA) with the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA).
As part of the SIA process, a proponent should email their completed Request: Pre-Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Meeting form(PDF, 844KB) to info@gladstone.qld.gov.au
A Pre-SIA meeting is a service offered by Council for an applicant to issue a formal Notice of Intent to commence a SIA in the Gladstone Region.
More information can be found on the Queensland Government's webpage.
View the Renewable Energy Map to see the location of all proposed and approved Solar/BESS projects currently within the Gladstone Region.
The Gladstone Region offers dynamic career opportunities across diverse industries, catering to a range of skills and ambitions. Whether you're advancing your career or seeking work-life balance, Gladstone's industrial strength, innovative energy projects, and bustling service sectors make it a fantastic place to work and live.
Meet Kristy, who relocated from Southeast Queensland for work to follow her passion for renewable energy and its future in the Gladstone Region.
Considering a move to the Gladstone Region? Visit gladyoumadeit.com.au/
Engineering, commerce and industry groups
Government owned corporations
Tourism related organisations