Australia has a new multi billion export industry in central Queensland with the first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) soon to  leave  Curtis Island  off Gladstone bound for Asia.

This moment has been six years in the making, with the LNG industry in the region built up from scratch.

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There are three LNG massive projects being developed in Gladstone, collectively costing $60 billion to complete.

The massive construction project has seen pipelines being laid, three processing plants constructed on Curtis Island and Gladstone’s harbour  dredged which has raised environmental concerns over the effects on fish stocks.

The first gas carrier, the Methane Rita Andrea, has now docked in the port of Gladstone and is being loaded with LNG destined for Asia.

Five new tug boats were built to escort LNG ships out of Gladstone harbour.

This first shipment is a trial run, with exports expected to skyrocket over the next year or two, making LNG Queensland’s second largest export industry behind coal.

The Queensland Government said it was was looking forward to receiving the first royalties and said all the ships would head outside the Great Barrier Reef after leaving  Curtis Island.

Most of the LNG is destined for Asia, with the biggest customers being China, Japan, India and Singapore.