[1] Gladstone station opened in 1876 when a line opened from Port Pirie in the west, it was later extended east to Peterborough and ultimately Broken Hill.

In 1888, a line was built north to Laura and ultimately Wilmington.

When the Hamley Bridge line from Balaklava in the south reached Gladstone in 1894, it became a four-way junction station.

The narrow-gauge Wilmington railway line was closed in 1990 thus making Gladstone an only standard gauge station on the Crystal Brook-Broken Hill railway line.

Journey Beyond's weekly Indian Pacific service between Sydney and Perth passes through Gladstone but does not stop.