Other locals may have more specific information than me, but i came through there a couple of months ago coming south.
You can't anchor in the harbour itself, but their are places around the islands near Curtis (as per Lucas), and subject to depth, that you can anchor for a night. Or the marina, but I assume you are staying away from it. Also it is only a requirement for VTS if you are greater than 10m LOA. But they are friendly and will give you good advise if asked, especially for shipping movements.
Depending on what you draw, and the state of the tides, you may be able to fit down through the Narrows which brings you into the northern end of Gladstone Harbour. But before you get to Gladstone, a very nice place to anchor is Black Swan Island, actually the little bay just in behind it.
It is then an easy couple of hours to Pancake Creek.
If you don't have a need for Gladstone itself, you can have an easy day from Keppel and anchor just inside NW Curtis Island at Pacific Creek. Requires high tide to get in, but I stayed outside in calm conditions. You can still get to Pancake Creek the next day by late afternoon, either outside Curtis or inside through the Narrows.

Avoid Graham Creek as the tidal current in there is strong and its to close to the action.
Just inside Targinie Creek behind Kangaroo Island is OK.

IvoryMoon said..
Hi people - we have recently returned to Oz and seem to have spent most of 2017 bashing our way from Darwin (port of re-entry) to Keppel Bay, where we are now. Still heading south. We are new hands to seabreeze only learning about it recently, but have already picked up many useful things.

We're a bit confused with what we can and cannot do around Gladstone Port. If we go down the North Passage can we anchor somewhere off Facing Island, as Noel P and Alan L suggest was possible in the past? Is this all subject to the control of VTS, to whom we must report via Ch13? We only want to stay a night, or for how long any SE's need to clear before we go on to Pancake Creek.

Many thanks for any comments, and good sailing to all.

Jeff & Leliai

Yes you can, we did before LNG restrictions and after them, only restrictions were actual trafic of ferries and ships, you give them pass, and no compliains. Spot that we were using for overnight (walk the beach too) was this:



Any further you go trough NCh will disadventage your planed passage to Pancake Cr. 2c?

IvoryMoon said..
Thanks Twohull we came through the Narrows today, pretty straightforward, plenty of water and markers, Pancake in a couple of days.

JR

I had went trough Narrows today, after/bihind you, I was at the shalowest section between "red no 14" and "red nr13" about an hour after HT, my boat draws only 0.8 m, there was 1.9 under the keel. now Im at my fore and after moring at Auckland crck. Gladstone. If you stay at marina and need transport to shops, fuel Ill be happy to provide transport.
Reason I left Roslyn Bay today was Southerly, predicted for minimum next 5 to 7 days (or more). ATB 4 U,