The Broadmeadows district was originally inhabited by the Wurundjeri nation of Indigenous Australians. European settlement of the area now known as Gladstone Park began in the 1840s, with the land used for agriculture. The modern suburb is named after Thomas Gladstone, who was a local land owner in the 1800s. Development of the residential suburb began in the 1960s as an estate of Tullamarine. Most of the homes in the suburb were built between 1972 and 1975, as a typical part of Melbourne's outer suburban expansion. The post office was opened on 4 February 1985, as the suburb developed. Carl Williams was shot in the stomach by Jason Moran at a small park in Barrington Crescent in 1999, in one of the early events of the Melbourne gangland killings.
Demographics
In the 2016 Census, there were 8,338 people in Gladstone Park. 60.4% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were Italy 3.6%, India 2.6%, Lebanon 2.1%, Sri Lanka 2.0% and England 1.8%. 59.6% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Arabic 7.6%, Italian 5.5%, Greek 3.6%, Turkish 2.4% and Assyrian Neo-Aramaic 1.5%. The most common responses for religion were Catholic 38.5% and No Religion 18.2%.
Community Facilities
Gladstone Park Community Centre
The Gladstone Park Community Centre is located on South Circular Road, and hosts a number of community bodies, such as the basketball club and mothers' groups. It is located adjacent to the Meadow Park Eagles soccer clubrooms.
Gladstone Park Hotel
The hotel is located on Mickleham Road. It has extensive pokies and betting facilities, as well as a bistro and bar. It also contains hotel rooms and a drive through bottle shop. It is part of the shopping centre precinct.
The high school contains a public library which is part of the Hume Libraries network.
Gladstone Park Shopping Centre
Gladstone Park Shopping Centre is a minor shopping centre. Its major stores include a Woolworths Supermarket and IGA Supermarket. It contains the suburb's post office as well as branches of ANZ Bank, Commonwealth Bank and Westpac and numerous major real estate offices. As well as the major stores, there are a number of minor stores and a food court.
Elmhurst Park is named after Elmhurst Road, where it is located. The park contains two playgrounds, a bike track, a small skate park and picnic facilities with barbecues. The Gladstone Park Tennis Club is located next to the park.
Gladstone Park Reserve is located on South Circular Road. The park contains a playground, and is connected to the Gladstone Park Secondary College oval via a gate in the south-east corner. It is the home ground of the Meadow Park Eagles, and is adjacent to the Gladstone Park Primary School. Sporting facilities include a synthetic cricket pitch and a soccer pitch and goals.
Gladstone Park Secondary College grounds
The Gladstone Park Secondary College has large sports grounds which are open to public use. Sporting facilities include a football oval, soccer pitch, two concrete cricket nets, three concrete basketball/ netball courts and a concrete hockey/futsal pitch.
Jacana Valley
The Jacana Valley marks the eastern boundary of Gladstone Park. The Moonee Ponds Creek flows through the valley, and there is and extensive wetlands reserve. The Moonee Ponds Creek Trail follows the creek through the park.
Jack Ginifer Reserve
Jack Ginifer Reserve is named after a former Member of Parliament. It is located on Carrick Drive, opposite the Gladstone Views Primary School. The Gladstone Park Cricket Club is based at 'Ginifer', and it has a temporary turf wicket during the summer, and football goals. Being adjacent to the Jacana Valley, Jack Ginifer Reserve gives wide views of neighbouring suburbs.
Other parks
There are numerous other small parks and reserves in Gladstone Park. These include:
Barrington Crescent Reserve, containing a playground.
Belmont Place
Carrick - Elmhurst Reserve, containing the Uniting Church and Bowls Club.
Carrick Reserve
Clarke Drive Reserve
Fairbank Avenue Reserve, containing a playground.
Harcourt Crescent Reserve, containing a playground.
John Coutts Reserve
Snaefell Walkway
Trentham Reserve, containing a playground and barbecue facilities.
Vaucluse Drive Reserve, containing a playground.
Places of worship
Good Shepherd Catholic Church
The Good Shepherd Catholic Church is located on South Circular Road, and incorporates the School of the Good Shepherd. The Church opened in 1975. The previous parish church built was demolished in mid-2008, having reached a stage where it was beyond repair. The new church was modelled on St. Ambrose Church on Sydney Road and built from Mount Gambier limestone. Construction was completed May 2010. Archbishop Denis Hart consecrated The Good Shepherd Gladstone Park/Greenvale church in the presence of 1000 parishioners..
Gladstone Park Uniting Church
The Gladstone Park Uniting Church is located on the corner of Carrick Drive and Elmhurst Road. It was formed in 1983 when the Tullamarine Methodist Church, Westmeadows Presbyterian Church and the Gladstone Park Uniting Church merged. The current church building opened in 1990 and retains the windows from the Tullamarine church, and the bell from the Westmeadows church.
Schools
Gladstone Park Secondary College
The Gladstone Park Secondary College was founded in 1970 and is one of the largest schools in the local area, with roughly 1500 students. The GPSC has close relations with local primary schools of the area. It is located on Taylor Drive, next to the Gladstone Park Primary School.
Gladstone Park Primary School
The Gladstone Park Primary School was founded in 1970. The school has enrolments of between 350 and 400 students. Facilities of GPPS include a gym and artificial sports fields. Located on Taylor Drive, GPPS is next to the Gladstone Park Secondary College.
Gladstone Views Primary School
The Gladstone Views Primary School was founded in 1976. Taking in students from grades Prep to Six, the GVPS has roughly 330 students. The school is located on Carrick Drive and boasts a full sized basketball stadium. '''
School of the Good Shepherd
The School of the Good Shepherd is a Catholic primary school which had its first intake in 1975. Located on South Circular Road next to the Catholic Church of the Good Shepherd, it has roughly 250 students.
Sport
Gladstone Park Basketball Club
The Gladstone Park 'Power' play its games at the Gladstone Park Community Centre on South Circular Road. It competes in the Broadmeadows Basketball Association Junior Competitions, with teams from Under 8 to Under 19. Its colours are light blue, dark blue and white.
Gladstone Park Bowls Club
The Gladstone Park Bowls Club was founded in 1990. It is based at the Carrick - Elmhurst Reserve, on Carrick Drive.
Gladstone Park Cricket Club
The Gladstone Park Cricket Club first played during the 1978/79 season. Currently playing in the North West Cricket Association, the club plays its home games at Ginifer Reserve on Carrick Drive. Nicknamed the 'Burras', the club's colours are navy blue and red. The club won the senior Luscombe Shield in 1993/94 and 2005/2006.
Gladstone Park Tennis Club
The Gladstone Park Tennis Club was founded in 1968. It has six synthetic clay courts and three en-tout-cas courts. It is based at Elmhurst Park.
Meadow Park Soccer Club
The Meadow Park 'Eagles' was founded in 1975 as a Junior club, with seniors beginning in 1983. The Eagles play in the Men's Provisional League Division 3 North-West. The club plays its home games at the Gladstone Park Reserve on South Circular Road. The club's colours are dark blue and gold, having started in brown and gold.
Transport
The Broadmeadows station, on the Craigieburn Line is the closest station to Gladstone Park. The closest tram line is Tram route 59 in Airport West. Numerous bus routes link the suburb to the Broadmeadows station and Airport West, with stops at the shopping centre, and each of the schools.
