Gold Coast
If you’re looking for a place to go with an almost limitless list of things to do and activities to keep you on your toes, then the Gold Coast is your destination. Choose from relaxation, adrenalin, Australian animal encounters, cultural experiences, food and wine tours, art and culture or nightlife – whatever path you take is sure to be enjoyable and interesting.
Gold Coast is the second most populous city in the Queensland and the sixth most populace city in the country. Gold Coast City is known for its sunny, sub-tropical climate, surfing beaches waterways and canal systems, a skyline dominated by high-rise apartment buildings, a rainforest hinterland in the west of the city and its tourist attractions. The city is often compared to the city of Miami Beach, Florida in the US. The city also boasts the world’s tallest residential tower – Q1.
Gold Coast City is situated in the southeast corner of the state to the south of Brisbane. It is separated from the greater area of Brisbane by the Albert River. There the Gold Coast City stretches from Yatala and Russell Island to the border with New South Wales approximately 56 kms (35 miles) south, and extends west to the foothills of the Great Dividing Range.
The southernmost town of the Gold Coast is Coolangatta which includes Point Danger and its lighthouse. Coolangatta is a twin city with Tweed Heads, located directly across the border on the NSW side.From Coolangatta, approximately forty kilometers ( 24 miles) of holiday resorts and surfing beaches stretch north to the suburb of Main Beach, and then further on Stradbroke Island.
Queensland Rail operates rail services from Brisbane to the Gold Coast. An the Gold Coast Airport is located at Coolangatta approximately 22 kms (14 miles) south of Surfers Paradise.
Gold Coast History
Captain Cook became the first European to note the region when he sailed along the coast on 16 May 1770 in the Endeavour. Then Captain Matthew Flinders, an explorer charting the continent north from the colony of New South Wales, sailed past in 1802.
Local aborigines referred to the Queensland south coast as “Kurrungul”, a name derived from their word for endless supplies of timber, and the region was said to be a meeting place where tribes would come together to fish and camp
In 1925, tourism to the area grew rapidly when Jim Cavill established the Surfers Paradise Hotel. The population grew steadily to support the tourism industry and by the 1940s, real estate speculators and journalists were referring to the area as the “Gold Coast.” The true origin of the name is still debatable. During the 1970s, real-estate developers gained a dominant role in local politics, and high-rises began to dominate the area now known as Surfers Paradise and later in 1981, the airport was built.
Gold Coast Living
Waterfront canal living is a feature of the Gold Coast, and most canal frontage homes have pontoons (floats). The city consists of 57 kms (35 miles) of coastline with some of the most popular surf breaks in not only Australia but the world. In fifty years, Gold Coast City has grown from a small beachside holiday destination to Australia’s sixth largest city. Situated within South East Queensland’s growth corridor, the city is now considered Australia’s fastest growing large city.
Tourism is the region’s biggest industry, directly contributing more than $4 billion into the city economy every year and directly accounting for one in four jobs in the city. The city is also the major film production center in Queensland and has accounted for 75% of all film production in Queensland since the 1990s.
Activities
Recreational activities on the Gold Coast include surfing, fishing, boating and golf. The Gold Coast has numerous courses including Hope Island, Sanctuary Cove and the Glades. Other attractions besides beaches are theme parks including Dreamworld, Sea World, Wet’n’Wild Water world, Warner Bros Movie World, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and David Fleay Wildlife Park and Australian Outback Spectacular.
Each year up to 10,000 humpback whales pass the Gold Coast between June and the end of October. These magnificent giants of the deep frolic and play in the open waters off the Gold Coast for all to see, making it one of the premier whale watching locations in Australia
Q1 Observation Deck
Travel to the very top of Q1, the World’s Tallest Residential Tower, in one of the world’s fastest elevators – an exhilarating high-speed lift ride of less than 43 seconds. Rising 230 meters ( into the sky, the Observation Deck is located on level 77 of the magnificent Q1, located beachside in Surfers Paradise.
Set right in the heart of the city’s tourist hub, Surfers Paradise never fails to attract a sizeable cosmopolitan crowd. While proximity to high-rises, nightclubs, restaurants and shops is possibly the main appeal of Surfers beach, its clean stretch of white sand and sparkling surf don’t hurt either.
Surfers Paradise is the jewel of Queensland’s Gold Coast and one of the most popular holiday destinations in Australia. Surfers Paradise is where you’ll find the perfect fusion of city and beach lifestyles set amidst a spectacular skyline and brilliant stretch of coast. If you’re travelling there in March, you’ll be able to witness incredibly fit athletes competing in the Quicksilver Pro-Surfing Competition and the Surf Life Saving Championships.
Lest you think the area is all beach culture, Surfers Paradise is home to Palazzo Versace, recently voted Australia’s most luxurious hotel, The Sheraton Mirage and a host of other upscale accommodations.
Interesting bit of trivia
Bikini-clad meter-maids were introduced in Surfers Paradise in 1965 in an attempt to put a positive spin on new parking regulations. To avoid tickets being issued for expired parking, the Meter Maids dispense coins into the meter and leave a calling card under the wiper of the vehicle. The Maids are still a part of the Surfers Paradise culture.
Often referred to as the green behind the gold, the Gold Coast Hinterland and the Scenic Rim, the region around Tamborine Mountain (or Mount Tamborine) and the beautiful and extensive Lamington National Park, are all part of the Border Ranges. Within 30-minutes beyond the bustling coastal strip lies the Gold Coast hinterland where the city gives way to farmland, vineyards, quaint villages, sprawling National Parks and rainforest reserves.
The Hinterland is a change of pace where the variety of attractions allows visitors to be as active – hiking, riding horses, 4WD tours, hang gliding and abseiling – or relaxed – sampling local wines, browsing handmade art and crafts, perusing market stalls, or just soaking up the natural.
Tambourine Mountain Rainforest Skywalk
A 300m (990 ft.) long elevated walkway which allows visitors to explore the middle and upper reaches of the rainforest canopy. At its lowest points the walkway skirts Cedar Creek, rock pools and a butterfly lookout and ascends to the Cantilever – a 40m (132 ft.) span hovering 30m (110 ft.) above the valley below, providing awesome views.
The Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk is a hiker’s delight. The three-day hike links the Lamington and Springbrook National parks via the scenic Numinbah Valley over 54 kms (33 miles). The Gold Coast Hinterland boasts some of the best bushwalking trails in Australia – hundreds of kilometers of well-maintained tracks through some of the most beautiful country you could hope to see. The greatest collection of tracks is at Lamington – a total of 160kms (96 miles) built in the 1930s – offering a variety of routes catering for those who may want a leisurely stroll or for super-fit trekkers who think nothing of a 22km (13.2 mile) walk through difficult country.
Gallery Walk at Tamborine Mountain is a must-do on any Hinterland itinerary. As its name suggests, every inch along this street is jam-packed with galleries and craft shops selling everything from fine art through to kitsch. Cafes, restaurants and coffee stops abound.
Some of the more popular walks are:
The canopy walkway suspended high among the trees at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat.
The Border Track bushwalk between Binna Burra and O’Reilly’s (experienced trekkers only).
Another high-rise thrill is at the Adventure Park at Cedar Creek with a whole series of treetop walks.
The bushwalk through Joalah at Mt Tamborine, only a short distance from the tourist shopping hub of Gallery Walk.
The Best of All Lookouts at Springbrook (the name says it all).
Lamington National Park is about 110 kilometers (69 miles) miles from Brisbane. Lamington National Park is situated between subtropical and temperate climates so there is a staggering variety of plants, animals and birdlife. The scenery in the Park is startling. Mountain creeks plummet from sheer-faced cliffs through deep, narrow valleys. Woody vines, ferns and orchids grow beneath a canopy of tall trees in the subtropical areas. The diamond python, crimson rosella, Lamington freshwater cray, Australian brush-turkey and brilliant yellow and black male bowerbird are among those that inhabit Lamington National Park.
Lamington National Park Tree Top Walk was Australia’s first tree top walkway is 160 meters, (528 ft.) in length and made up of a series of nine suspension bridges, reaching up to 16 meters (53 ft.) above the rainforest floor, found near O’Reillys Plateau and the family-run guesthouse.
