Food and freight
Use Heron Island’s barge service to transport food and freight to our station.
The barge makes return trips from the mainland several times a month.
Plan your delivery
Deliver your food and freight items to the Heron Island Barge Facility in Gladstone no later than 4pm on the Tuesday before the sail date.
Plan your delivery carefully to avoid disappointment. If your items don't arrive at the yard on time, you may need to wait two weeks for the next barge.
Barge yard opening hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 7am to 4pm
- Friday: 7am to 12pm
- Weekends: closed
Organise your shipment
Follow these steps for freight shipments.
1. Check the barge timetable
The barge usually travels to and from Heron Island on Thursdays.
The barge timetable is subject to change, and public holidays and unforeseen circumstances occasionally affect sail dates.
2. Check prices and baggage limits
Check our prices page and contact us with questions about freight charges.
We recommend you send bulky equipment on the barge, and lighter excess luggage on the Heron Islander catamaran.
3. Deliver your freight to the Gladstone barge yard
Remember: Your freight items must be delivered to the Heron Island Barge Facility in Gladstone no later than 4pm on the Tuesday before the barge sail date.
Clearly label your packages with your name and delivery details:
Heron Island Research Station + your full name
11 Rooksby St
Gladstone 4680
Queensland
4. Tell us about your shipment
Email us at hirs@uq.edu.au to confirm the details of your shipment so we can prepare for its arrival.
Organise your shipment
Follow these steps for self-catering food shipments.
1. Check the barge timetable
The barge usually travels to and from Heron Island on Thursdays.
The barge timetable is subject to change, and public holidays and unforeseen circumstances occasionally affect sail dates.
2. Check prices and baggage limits
Check our prices page and contact us with questions about freight charges.
We recommend you send bulky equipment on the barge, and lighter excess luggage on the Heron Islander catamaran.
3. Deliver your food to the Gladstone barge yard
Contact us for information about Gladstone-based supermarkets that will take online or email food orders, and bottle shops and hotels that will take alcohol orders.
Remember: Your food order must arrive at the Heron Island Barge Facility in Gladstone no later than 4pm on the Tuesday before the sail date.
Clearly label your packages with your name and delivery details:;
Heron Island Research Station + your full name
11 Rooksby St
Gladstone 4680
Queensland
4. Tell us about your shipment
Email us at hirs@uq.edu.au to confirm the details of your shipment so we can prepare for its arrival.
The barge usually travels to and from Heron Island on Thursdays.
This timetable is subject to change, and public holidays and unforeseen circumstances occasionally affect sail dates.
Sail date | ETD Gladstone | ETA Heron Island | Deliver goods to the Gladstone barge yard before 4pm |
---|---|---|---|
November | |||
Thursday 14 | 5am | 11am | Tuesday 12 |
Thursday 28 | 5:30am | 11:30am | Tuesday 26 |
December | |||
Thursday 5 | 10am | 4pm | Tuesday 3 |
Thursday 12 | 4:15am | 10:15am | Tuesday 10 |
Thursday 19 | 10am | 4pm | Tuesday 17 |
Sail date | ETD Gladstone | ETA Heron Island | Deliver goods to the Gladstone barge yard before 4pm |
---|---|---|---|
January | |||
Friday 3 | 9:15am | 3:15pm | Monday 1 |
Thursday 16 | 9am | 3pm | Tuesday 14 |
Thursday 30 | 7:30am | 1:30pm | Tuesday 28 |
February | |||
Thursday 13 | 7:45am | 1:45pm | Tuesday 11 |
Thursday 27 | 6:30am | 12:30pm | Tuesday 25 |
March | |||
Thursday 13 | 6:30am | 12:30pm | Tuesday 11 |
April | |||
Thursday 3 | 10am | 4pm | Tuesday 1 |
Thursday 17 | 8:15am | 2:15pm | Tuesday 15 |
Thursday 24 | 3:45am | 9:45am | Tuesday 22 |
May | |||
Thursday 15 | 7am | 1pm | Tuesday 13 |
Thursday 29 | 7:15am | 1:15pm | Tuesday 27 |
June | |||
Thursday 12 | 6am | 12:01pm | Tuesday 10 |
Thursday 26 | 6am | 12:01pm | Tuesday 24 |
July | |||
Thursday 10 | 5:15am | 11:15am | Tuesday 8 |
Thursday 24 | 5:15am | 11:15am | Tuesday 22 |
August | |||
Thursday 7 | 4:30am | 10:30am | Tuesday 5 |
Thursday 21 | 4:30am | 10:30am | Tuesday 19 |
September | |||
Thursday 4 | 3:30am | 9:30am | Tuesday 2 |
Thursday 18 | 4am | 10am | Tuesday 16 |
October | |||
Thursday 2 | 2:30am | 8:30am | Tuesday 30 September |
Thursday 23 | 7:30am | 1:30pm | Tuesday 21 |
November | |||
Thursday 6 | 6:45am | 12:45pm | Tuesday 4 |
Thursday 20 | 7am | 1pm | Tuesday 18 |
December | |||
Thursday 4 | 6am | 12:01pm | Tuesday 2 |
Thursday 18 | 6:30am | 12:30pm | Tuesday 16 |