100-684: Gooding Drive (state route 50) is a major road on the Gold Coast, Queensland . The road begins at the intersection of Hinkler Drive in Worongary where it passes over the Pacific Motorway and runs through the suburb of Merrimac before terminating in Carrara where it joins up with Nerang–Broadbeach Road (state route 90). As part of the most direct route from the Gold Coast Highway at Broadbeach to
200-500: A World Heritage area in recognition of its "outstanding geological features displayed around shield volcanic craters and the high number of rare and threatened rainforest species". The area attracts bushwalkers and day-trippers. Important rainforest pollinating and seed-dispersing Black flying foxes (Pteropus alecto) are found in the area and may be heard foraging at night. The City of Gold Coast includes suburbs, localities, towns and rural districts . The declaration of Southport as
300-898: A special education program and an intensive English language program. There is no government secondary school in Surfers Paradise. The nearest government secondary schools are Keebra Park State High School in neighboring Southport to the north-west and Benowa State High School in Benowa to the west. Gold Coast Learning Centre is a continuing education provider with classes in general English, IELTS, TESOL, business, accounting, management, marketing, workplace health and safety, and human resources. English in Paradise, an English language school and international college that has been operating since 2001. Holmes Institute, an integrated multi-sector private provider of education. The institute consists of
400-430: A tiara but the outfit would go through several changes during their existence. The attire has now evolved into a gold lycra bikini and an Akubra hat. A sash is often worn emblazoned "Surfers Paradise Meter Maids". Controversial retired Australian rules football player Warwick Capper underwent a short stint as a Surfers Paradise meter maid in 2007. The evolution of parking meters to no longer take coins has ended
500-420: A GDP of AU$ 45.3 billion as of 2023. The city ranks highly as one of the country's cultural and creative hotspots, alongside content creators , a growing video games industry , and leads Australia in startups per capita. The Gold Coast is central to the nation's entertainment industry with a major film and television production industry, leading to the city's metonym of Goldywood . The Gold Coast
600-567: A Priority Development Area (PDA) and new investment into the CBD is driving transformative change and creating new business and investment opportunities. Waterfront canal living is a feature of the Gold Coast. Most canal frontage homes have pontoons. The Gold Coast Seaway , between The Spit and South Stradbroke Island , allows vessels direct access to the Pacific Ocean from The Broadwater and many of
700-422: A division of the city. Businessman Tom Tate is the current Mayor of the Gold Coast , first elected in 2012. Former mayors include Ron Clake , Gary Baildon, Lex Bell , Ray Stevens , Ern Harley and Sir Bruce Small , who was responsible for the development of many of the canal estates that are now home to thousands of Gold Coast residents. At the state level, the Gold Coast area is represented by eleven members in
800-503: A few weeks at a time giving residents "the summer blues", while winter is pleasantly mild to warm with little rain. In fact, it is for this pleasant winter weather that both the city and the Sunshine Coast —the coastal region north of Brisbane—are internationally renowned. Extreme temperatures recorded at Gold Coast Seaway have ranged from 2.5 °C (36 °F) on 19 July 2007 to 40.5 °C (105 °F) on 22 February 2005, although
900-418: A long time and now hosts the Gold Coast 500 each October. Schoolies week is an Australian tradition of high-school graduates (also known as 'schoolies' or 'leavers') having week-long holidays following the end of their final exams in late November and early December. The tradition began on the Gold Coast in the early to mid 1980s and Surfers Paradise is still the largest single venue for the event. Prior to
1000-473: A low-scale open area on the river which even in the early history of the area was a centre for boating, fishing and swimming. In the early 2010s, the annual Surfers Paradise Festival was held in March and April. It was a celebration of local music, food, fashion, film and art and is a key driver of the Gold Coast's long-term cultural development. Across the four weekends of the festival, the Surfers Paradise precinct
1100-533: A reputation as a secluded holiday destination for wealthy Brisbane residents. Post-World War One Era saw the rise of the "seaside shack". The seaside shack provided the opportunity for the coastal "getaway" with modest investment. From 1914 to 1946, they popped up all along the South Coast. Seaside shacks were exceedingly cheap and were an early use of the concept of recycling. Many were built of disused or second grade timber, all kinds of materials were used for
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#17328844676521200-501: A rise of 61 percent. Tourism remains fundamental to Gold Coast City's economy, with almost 10 million visitors a year to the area. In the past the economy was driven by the population derived industries of construction, tourism and retail. Some diversification has taken place, with the city now having an industrial base formed of marine, education, information communication and technology, food, tourism, creative, environment and sports industries. These nine industries have been identified as
1300-571: A safe, fun environment for school leavers. The area is monitored for exclusive use of current Year 12 school leavers. Schoolies Hub Beach area opens nightly from 7pm. Volunteers in bright orange vests are the Schoolies Support Team who provide practical support and advice. Recharge Zones are located close to the Schoolies Hub to provide a safe place to keep hydrated with free water available. A number of well-known sporting teams represent
1400-770: A series of works for Gold Coast Beaches including Gold Coast Seaway , works at Narrow Neck that resulted in the Northern Gold Coast Beach Protection Strategy and works at the Tweed River that became the Tweed River Entrance Sand Bypassing Project. By 2005 most of the recommendations of the 1971 Delft Report had been implemented. City of Gold Coast commenced implementation of the Palm Beach Protection Strategy but ran into considerable opposition from
1500-475: A significant portion of the Gold Coast at the federal level since 1949; the three Gold Coast divisions have only returned Liberals since 1984. At the state level, Labor was fairly competitive in the Gold Coast for most of the early part of the 21st century. However, as part of its massive landslide in the 2012 state election , the Liberal National Party won every seat there. The LNP repeated its sweep of
1600-508: A small beachside holiday destination to Australia's sixth largest city (and the country's most populous non-capital city). Situated within South East Queensland's growth corridor, the Gold Coast is one of Australia's fastest growing large cities, with a 5-year annual average population growth rate to 2015 of 1.8%, compared to 1.5% nationally. Gross Regional Product has risen from A$ 9.7 billion in 2001, to A$ 15.6 billion in 2008,
1700-483: A system of canals. Macintosh Island is an island, substantially redeveloped to create a canal residential estate ( 27°59′09″S 153°25′25″E / 27.9858°S 153.4236°E / -27.9858; 153.4236 ( Macintosh Island ) ). It was named after Hugh Macintosh, a draftsman in the Queensland Lands Department, who was heavily involved in the surveying of Gold Coast area. It
1800-548: A tourist-centred image, there is evidence of local resident-driven culture (such as surf gangs ) in geographical pockets and a broader 'Gold Coaster' identity drawn from globalised resort and real estate marketing material. The Gold Coast hosts cultural activities that attract tourists and residents alike. Music groups in this region include the Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra and Operator Please . Musicians Cody Simpson and Ricki-Lee Coulter are from
1900-670: A variety of stores located in Cavill Avenue and surrounding streets as well as at the Centro Surfers Paradise Shopping Centre is located in Cavill Avenue. Adrenalin Park is a small amusement park in Surfers Paradise operated by Funtime . The park features the Sling Shot and Vomatron rides as well as a mini golf course. The Surfers Paradise Meter Maids were introduced in 1965 when entrepreneur Bernie Elsey opposed
2000-401: Is a coastal city and region in the state of Queensland , Australia, located approximately 66 kilometres (41 mi) south-southeast of the centre of the state capital , Brisbane . It is Queensland's second-largest city after Brisbane, as well as Australia's sixth-largest city and the most populous non-capital city. The city's central business district is located roughly in the centre of
2100-490: Is a government primary (Preparatory to Year 6) school for boys and girls at 42 St Andrews Avenue on the Isle of Capri ( 28°00′43″S 153°25′15″E / 28.0119°S 153.4207°E / -28.0119; 153.4207 ( Surfers Paradise State School ) ). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 658 students with 50 teachers (44 full-time equivalent) and 28 non-teaching staff (20 full-time equivalent). It includes
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#17328844676522200-536: Is a twin city with Tweed Heads located directly across the NSW border. At 28°10′00″S 153°33′00″E / 28.1667°S 153.55°E / -28.1667; 153.55 , this is the most easterly point on the Queensland mainland (Point Lookout on the offshore island of North Stradbroke is slightly further east). From Coolangatta, approximately forty kilometres of holiday resorts and surfing beaches stretch north to
2300-883: Is almost 42 km of unbroken beachfront. Duranbah Beach is one of the world's best known surfing beaches and is often thought of as being part of Gold Coast City, but is actually just across the New South Wales state border in the Tweed Shire . There are also beaches along many of the Gold Coast's 860 km (530 mi) of navigable tidal waterways. Popular inland beaches include Southport , Budds Beach, Marine Stadium, Currumbin Alley , Tallebudgera Estuary, Jacobs Well, Jabiru Island, Paradise Point, Harley Park Labrador, Santa Barbara, Boykambil and Evandale Lake. Beach safety and management The Gold Coast has Australia's largest professional surf lifesaving service to protect people on
2400-512: Is also a subsidiary Magistrates Court, located at the southern suburb of Coolangatta . In 2013 a brawl between members of Outlaw motorcycle gangs also called "bikies" who fought each other outside a Broadbeach restaurant caused mass fear to restaurant patrons and police. This led to the toughest anti-bikie laws introduced in Australia known as Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act 2013 . In fifty years, Gold Coast City has grown from
2500-524: Is also host of the AACTA Awards and the Gold Coast Film Festival . The Gold Coast is a major tourist destination with a sunny, subtropical climate and has become widely known for its surfing beaches (such as Surfers Paradise ), high-rise dominated skyline, theme parks , nightlife , and rainforest hinterland . The Gold Coast is the ancestral home of a number of Indigenous clans of
2600-511: Is also investing into the quality and capacity of the Gold Coast Oceanway that provides sustainable transport along Gold Coast beaches. The Gold Coast experiences a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa/Cwa ), with mild to warm winters and hot, humid summers. The city experiences substantial summer precipitation mostly concentrated in thunderstorms and heavy showers with rain events occasionally lasting up to
2700-467: Is called Surfers Paradise Beach ( 28°00′08″S 153°25′53″E / 28.0022°S 153.4314°E / -28.0022; 153.4314 ( Surfers Paradise Beach ) ) and is a continuous sandy surf beach. The Esplanade is a road that runs along the coast in the north-east of the suburb. It is bounded to the north-west by the Nerang River which then flows through the suburb to exit at
2800-537: Is connected to the mainland by the Gold Coast Highway, which passes through the eastern part of the island from north ( Main Beach ) to south (Surfers Paradise). Chevron Island is a natural island which has been developed for residential use as a neighbourhood ( 27°59′49″S 153°25′12″E / 27.9969°S 153.4199°E / -27.9969; 153.4199 ( Chevron Island ) ). Thomas Drive
2900-502: Is constantly criticised as promoting teen sex and under age drinking/drug taking. The event also attracts over age and under age attendees that are referred to as 'toolies' and 'foolies'. It is estimated that around 40,000 teenagers travel to the Gold Coast for the Schoolies event every year. A dedicated Schoolies event zone, featuring live music and youth-themed activities, is established each year on Surfers Paradise Beach in order to provide
3000-726: Is fronted to the east by the Surfers Paradise Foreshore, a rejuvenated public space that fronts Surfers Paradise Beach and the Pacific Ocean . The Foreshore was completed in 2011 and feature contemporary coastal streetscaping that incorporates existing trees and vegetation, including about 95 pandanus trees. The masterplanned space hosts a full calendar of free public events such as the Australian Sand Sculpting Championships. The area of Surfers Paradise east of Surfers Paradise Boulevard sprawling towards
3100-654: Is less than one hour from the centre of Gold Coast, and direct trains operate. Gold Coast City has over 13,000 available guest rooms contributing over $ 335 million to the local economy each year. Accommodation options available range from hostels to five star resorts and hotels. Tourist attractions include surf beaches, and theme parks including Dreamworld , Sea World , Wet'n'Wild Water World , Warner Bros. Movie World , WhiteWater World , Topgolf , Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary , David Fleay Wildlife Park , Australian Outback Spectacular, and Paradise Country. Since
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3200-707: Is only accessible by road via Chevron Island. Cronin Island is named after Jack Cronin, the first engineer employed by the Southport Town Council (now the Gold Coast City Council ). Budds Beach is a beach on the Nerang River on the mainland part of the suburb facing Macintosh Island, Chrevron Island and Cronin Island ( 27°59′35″S 153°25′27″E / 27.9930°S 153.4241°E / -27.9930; 153.4241 ( Budds Beach ) ). It
3300-495: Is reflected in the density of development. Of all places on the Gold Coast the high-rise buildings in this area constitute a dominant and enduring image visible from as far south as Coolangatta and from the mountain resorts of the hinterland. In the 2011 census , the suburb of Surfers Paradise had a population of 19,668 people. In the 2016 census , the suburb of Surfers Paradise had a population of 23,689 people. Of these 51.1% were male and 48.9% were female. The median age of
3400-563: Is the Gold Coast 's entertainment and tourism centre and the suburb's high-rise buildings are the best known feature of the city's skyline. In 2009 as part of the Q150 celebrations, Surfers Paradise was announced as one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland for its role as a "location". Surfers Point is bounded to the east by the Coral Sea of the Pacific Ocean . The entire coastline of Surfers Paradise
3500-431: Is the main road on an east–west axis and which connects the island by two bridges to mainland Surfers Paradise to the east and to the suburb or Southport to the west. It has another bridge to the north to Cronin Island ( 27°59′34″S 153°25′07″E / 27.9927°S 153.4186°E / -27.9927; 153.4186 ( Cronin Island ) ), a smaller reclaimed island and residential neighbourhood which
3600-607: Is the region's biggest industry, directly contributing more than $ 4.4 billion into the city economy every year and directly accounting for one in four jobs in the city There are approximately 65,000 beds, 60 kilometres (37 mi) of beach, 600 kilometres (370 mi) of canal, 100,000 hectares of nature reserve, 500 restaurants, 40 golf courses and five major theme parks in the city. Gold Coast Airport provides connection across Australia and internationally with airlines including Flyscoot , Jetstar , Qantas , Air New Zealand , Virgin Australia and Airasia X . Brisbane Airport
3700-518: The 2018 Commonwealth Games . In the 2016 census , the urban area of the Gold Coast had a population of 540,559 people. According to the 2016 census , the population of the Gold Coast including rural areas was 569,997. The median age was 39 years old, 1 year older than the nationwide median. The male-to-female ratio was 48.6-to-51.4. The most commonly nominated ancestries were English (29.3%), Australian (22.5%), Irish (8.2%), Scottish (7.5%), and German (3.6%). 64% of people were born in Australia, while
3800-519: The Legislative Assembly of Queensland . The seats they hold are: Bonney , Broadwater , Burleigh , Coomera , Currumbin , Gaven , Mermaid Beach , Mudgeeraba , Southport , Surfers Paradise and Theodore . Federally, the Gold Coast area is split between five divisions in the House of Representatives : Fadden (northern), Moncrieff (central) and McPherson (southern) are located entirely within
3900-615: The Queensland Ballet . Musicals, plays and a variety of performances are regularly scheduled. The city is also home to the Gold Coast City Art Gallery . Film festivals and the Comedy Club host international artists. A redeveloped Gold Coast cultural precinct opened before the city hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games . The two most popular sports on the Gold Coast are Australian rules football and rugby league , of which
4000-559: The Shire of Nerang on 17 June 1949 with the effect of having the present-day Gold Coast coastal strip as a single local government area. As the tourism industry grew into the 1950s, local businesses began to adopt the term Gold Coast in their names, and on 23 October 1958 the Town of South Coast was renamed Town of Gold Coast . The area was proclaimed a city, despite the lack of a cathedral, less than one year later on 16 May 1959. The area boomed in
4100-610: The Surfers Paradise skyline, with the observation deck 230 metres (750 feet) high, and the spire extending nearly another hundred metres up. In total, the Q1 is 322.5 metres (1,058 feet) high, making it the tallest building in Australia . Another famous tourist attraction are the Surfers Paradise Meter Maids , instituted in 1965 to put a positive spin on new parking regulations. To avoid tickets being issued for expired parking,
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4200-448: The flying foxes (fruit bats) which roost on the island. Despite its name, the Isle of Capri is not an island but a canal residential neighbourhood ( 28°00′42″S 153°25′28″E / 28.0116°S 153.4244°E / -28.0116; 153.4244 ( Isle Of Capri ) ) in the south-west of the suburb on the western side of the Nerang River. Also on the western side of
4300-480: The "Surfers' Paradise Estate", but the auction failed because access was difficult. This was the first recorded reference to the name Surfers Paradise. Elston began to get more visitors after the opening of Jubilee Bridge and the extension of the South Coast Road in 1925. Elston was no longer cut off by the river and speculators began buying land around Elston and further south at Burleigh Heads . Estates down
4400-586: The 1950s and 1960s. The first highrise in Surfers Paradise was erected in 1959 and was named the Kinkabool. The Kinkabool stood 10 stories high and remains to this day in Hanlan Street. Many tall apartment buildings were constructed in the decades that followed, including the iconic buildings included the Iluka, St Tropez and The Pink Poodle . The boom later saw strong Japanese investment in the 1980s. Little remains of
4500-483: The 1980s as a leading tourist destination. In 1994, the City of Gold Coast local government area was expanded to include the Shire of Albert , becoming the second most populous local government area in Australia after the City of Brisbane . In 2007, the Gold Coast overtook the population of Newcastle, New South Wales , to become the sixth largest city in Australia and the largest non-capital city. The Gold Coast hosted
4600-496: The 1980s, school leavers enjoyed one "muck up day" at the end of their Senior year, which often ended by meeting up at one of the old beer gardens in Surfers or Broadbeach. Official Schoolies events on the Gold Coast are drug-free and alcohol-free events held on the beach. The events often include concerts and parties. The event is often seen as a rite of passage for graduating students and a transitional period from youth to adulthood. It
4700-448: The 1990s, with an expenditure of around $ 150 million per year. The Gold Coast is the third largest film production centre in Australia, behind Sydney and Melbourne. It is the filming site for major motion pictures including Muriel's Wedding (1994), Ghost Ship (2002), Scooby-Doo (2002), House of Wax (2005), Superman Returns (2006), Unbroken (2014), The Inbetweeners 2 (2014), San Andreas (2015), Pirates of
4800-789: The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), Aquaman (2018), Dora the Explorer (2019) and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). Village Roadshow Studios are adjacent to the Warner Bros Movie World Theme Park at Oxenford . The Studios consists of eight sound stages, production offices, editing rooms, wardrobe, construction workshops, water tanks and commissary. These sound stages vary in size and have an overall floor area of 10,844 sq metres, making Warner Roadshow Studio one of
4900-480: The Gold Coast in the suburb of Southport . The urban area of the Gold Coast is concentrated along the coast, sprawling almost 60 kilometres, joining up with the Greater Brisbane metropolitan region to the north and to the state border with New South Wales to the south. Nicknames of the city include the ‘Glitter Strip’ and the ‘Goldy’. The demonym of a Gold Coast resident is Gold Coaster. The area that became
5000-475: The Gold Coast seats at the 2015 election , and retained all but one Gold Coast seat at the 2017 state election . Southport Courthouse is the city's major courthouse and has jurisdiction to hear petty criminal offences and civil matters up to A$ 250,000. Indictable offences, criminal sentencing and civil matters above A$ 250,000 are heard in the higher Supreme Court of Queensland which is located in Brisbane. There
5100-430: The Gold Coast was originally inhabited by the indigenous Yugambeh people . The city grew from a collection of small townships, the earliest being Nerang in 1865. From the 1920s onwards, tourism led to significant economic growth in the region, and by 1959 the Gold Coast was declared a city, with its first skyscraper being built in 1960. The Gold Coast boomed from the 1980s onwards with skyscraper construction . This era
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#17328844676525200-470: The Gold Coast, while Forde (north-west) and Wright (south-west) encompass parts of the Gold Coast and other areas of Southeast Queensland. Politically, the Gold Coast has often tilted conservative. It was a Country Party bastion for most of the first three decades after World War II, but increasing urbanisation has made it a Liberal stronghold. Labor has historically only done well around Labrador and Coolangatta. Only one Labor MP has ever represented
5300-587: The Gold Coast. Music events include Big Day Out , Good Vibrations Festival , Summafieldayze, the Blues on Broadbeach Festival and V Festival (2007–2009). Home of the Arts (HOTA) is the Gold Coast's premier cultural facility for visual and performing arts with a performance theatre, two cinemas and an underground venue. The theatre has hosted performance by the Imperial Russian Ballet , The Australian Ballet and
5400-707: The Main Beach Hotel. By 1889, Meyer's hotel had become a post receiving office and subdivisions surrounding it were called Elston , named by the Southport postmaster after his wife's home in Southport , Lancashire , England. The Main Beach Hotel licence lapsed after Meyer's death in 1901 and for 16 years Elston was a tourist town without a hotel or post office. In 1917, a land auction was held by Brisbane real estate company Arthur Blackwood to sell subdivided blocks in Elston as
5500-519: The Meter Maids dispense coins into the meter and leave a calling card under the windscreen wiper of the vehicle. The Maids are still a part of the Surfers Paradise culture but the scheme is now run by private enterprise. Chinatown, Gold Coast , is an integral part of the revitalisation of Southport as an international CBD. The Gold Coast is the major film production hub in Queensland and has accounted for 75% of all film production in Queensland since
5600-661: The Pacific Motorway it is a key component of Gold Coast infrastructure. The road was probably named for the Gooding family, who ran a dairy farm in the area for many years. Braeside , a home built early in the twentieth century, is on Gooding Drive. It now functions as a wedding and funeral centre. The road is in the City of Gold Coast local government area. [REDACTED] Australian Roads portal Gold Coast, Queensland The Gold Coast , also known by its initials, GC ,
5700-504: The Surfers Paradise population was 37 years, 1 year below the national median of 38. 44.6% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were New Zealand 7.1%, England 3.7%, India 3.6%, Brazil 2.4% and Japan 2.1%. 59.3% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 2.5%, Portuguese 2.4%, Japanese 2.3%, Punjabi 1.8% and Spanish 1.6%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 29.2% and Catholic 19.3%. Surfers Paradise
5800-623: The Uniting Church congregations on the Gold Coast resulted in the closure of the Clifford Street church, which was relocated to Emmanuel College in Carrara to serve as their chapel. It was officially reopened at the college on 7 July 1991. In the late 40s Margot Kelly moved here and had the Hibiscus Room built. This was a fine-dining restaurant and entertainment venue that attracted an exclusive clientele. A development boom followed in
5900-511: The Yugambeh people, including the Kombumerri , Mununjali , and Wangerriburra clans. Europeans arrived in 1823 when explorer John Oxley landed at Mermaid Beach. The hinterland's red cedar supply attracted people to the area in the mid-19th century. A number of small townships developed along the coast and in the hinterland. The western suburb of Nerang was surveyed and established as a base for
6000-430: The area of Northcliffe Terrace, a name that refers to a 1920s real estate development between Enderley Avenue and Fern Street. James Beattie, a farmer, became the first European to settle in the area when he staked out an 80-acre (32 ha) farm on the northern bank of the Nerang River , close to present-day Cavill Avenue. The farm proved unsuccessful and was sold in 1877 to German immigrant Johan Meyer , who turned
6100-434: The beach tends to focus on family-friendly attractions such as Time Zone, Ripley's Believe it or Not museum and Adrenalin Park; while the nightclubs and adult entertainment tend to be concentrated in the western part of the suburb. The precinct offers high rise accommodations to tourists such as Circle on Cavill , Hilton , Q1 and Soul . Surfers Paradise offers some of the Gold Coast's best shopping opportunities, with
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#17328844676526200-523: The beaches and to promote surf safety throughout the community. The Queensland Department of Primary Industries carries out the Queensland Shark Control Program (SCP) to protect swimmers from sharks. Sharks are caught by using nets and baited drumlines off the major swimming beaches. Even with the SCP, sharks do range within sight of the patrolled beaches . Lifeguards will clear swimmers from
6300-838: The church. In September 1940, tenders were called again to build the church in Clifford Street. On Saturday 23 October 1940, the stump-capping ceremony was held. On Saturday 14 December 1940, the Surfers Paradise Methodist Church was opened by Reverend Wilfred Slater, the President of the Methodist Conference. In 1977, it was part of the amalgamation that created the Uniting Church in Australia and became known as Clifford Street Uniting Church. The church celebrated its 50th anniversary in December 1990. An amalgamation of
6400-407: The city is represented by professional teams in two most popular national competitions: Surfers Paradise, Queensland Download coordinates as: Surfers Paradise (or Surfers colloquially) is a town and suburb in the City of Gold Coast , Queensland , Australia. In the 2021 census , the suburb of Surfers Paradise had a population of 26,412 people. Colloquially known as "Surfers",
6500-555: The city rarely experiences temperatures above 35 °C (95 °F) in summer or below 5 °C (41 °F) in winter. The average temperature of the sea at Surfers Paradise ranges from 21.5 °C (70.7 °F) in July and August to 27.1 °C (80.8 °F) in February. Administratively, the Gold Coast is a local government area called the City of Gold Coast . The City of Gold Coast Council has 14 elected councillors, each representing
6600-573: The city that is home to over 80,000 residents. The city consists of 70 kilometres (43 mi) of coastline, with some of the most popular surf breaks in Australia and the world, including South Stradbroke Island , The Spit , Main Beach , Surfers Paradise , Broadbeach , Mermaid Beach, Nobby's Beach, Miami , North Burleigh Beach, Burleigh Beach, Burleigh Heads , Tallebudgera Beach, Palm Beach , South Palm Beach, Currumbin Beach, Tugun, Bilinga , North Kirra Beach Kirra , Coolangatta , Greenmount , Rainbow Bay, Snapper Rocks and Froggies Beach. There
6700-453: The city's canal estates. Breakwaters on either side of the Seaway prevent longshore drift and the bar from silting up. A sand pumping operation on the Spit pipes sand under the Seaway to continue this natural process. Residential canals were first built in the Gold Coast in the 1950s and construction continues. Most canals are extensions to the Nerang River, but there are more to the south along Tallebudgera Creek and Currumbin Creek and to
6800-416: The coast were promoted and hotels opened to accommodate tourists and investors. In 1925, Brisbane hotelier Jim Cavill opened the Surfers Paradise Hotel located on what would later become the site of the Surfers Paradise Centre which incorporates the Surfers Paradise Beer Garden and Hard Rock Cafe. In opening the hotel and neighbouring zoo, Cavill created the first attraction in the suburb. Located between
6900-401: The community participating in a NO REEF protest campaign. The City of Gold Coast Council then committed to completing a review of beach management practices to update the Delft Report. The Gold Coast Shoreline Management Plan will be delivered by organisations including the Environmental Protection Agency , City of Gold Coast and the Griffith Centre for Coastal Management. Gold Coast City
7000-446: The early vegetation or natural features of the area and even the historical association of the beachfront development with the river is tenuous. The early subdivision pattern remains, although later reclamation of the islands in the Nerang River as housing estates (e.g. Chevron Island ), and the bridges to those islands, have created a contrast reflected in subdivision and building form. Some early remnants survived such as Budds Beach —
7100-408: The ferry jetty and the white surf beach off the South Coast Road, it became popular and shops and services sprang up around it. In the following years Cavill pushed to have the name Elston changed to Surfers' Paradise. The suburb was officially renamed on 1 December 1933 after the local council felt the Surfers Paradise name was more marketable. In July 1936 Cavill's timber hotel burnt to the ground and
7200-536: The framework for the city's long-term growth and prosperity. The strategy outlines actions in the following areas, Innovation, Culture, Infrastructure, Competitive business, Workforce, International. The Gold Coast is the most popular tourist destination in Queensland. It is Australia's 5th most visited destination by international tourists. Around 10 million tourists visit the Gold Coast area every year consisting of 849,114 international visitors, 3,468,000 domestic overnight visitors and 5,366,000 daytrip visitors. Tourism
7300-506: The holiday seaside shack – including fibro cement, metal containers, and left-over farm sheds; even disused trams were sold off as seaside shacks. After the establishment of the Surfers Paradise Hotel in the late 1920s, the Gold Coast region grew significantly. The Gold Coast was originally known as the South Coast (because it was south of Brisbane). However, over-inflated prices for real estate and other goods and services led to
7400-489: The industry and by 1870 a town reserve had been set aside. By 1873, the town reserve of Burleigh Heads had also been surveyed and successful land sales had taken place. In 1875, the small settlement opposite the boat passage at the head of the Nerang River , known as Nerang Heads or Nerang Creek Heads, was surveyed and renamed Southport , with the first land sales scheduled to take place in Beenleigh. Southport quickly grew
7500-433: The installation of parking meters in Surfers Paradise. The maids were hired to top up expired parking meters with coins and dressed in gold bikinis. Meter feeding is against the law but council decided to ignore the offence due to the good publicity it garnered. Gold Coast Mayor Bruce Small promoted the city in 1967 through the use of the bikini-clad meters maids. The meter maids initially dressed in gold lamé bikinis and
7600-509: The key industries by the City of Gold Coast Council to deliver the city's economic prosperity. Gold Coast City's unemployment rate (5.6 per cent) is below the national level (5.9 per cent). The declaration of Southport as the Gold Coast central business district (CBD) and a Priority Development Area (PDA), as well as new investment into the CBD, is driving transformative change and creating new business and investment opportunities. The Gold Coast Economic Development Strategy 2013–2023 outlines
7700-460: The land into a sugar farm and mill. Meyer also had little luck growing in the sandy soil and within a decade had auctioned the farm to focus on providing access to tourists wanting to visit the surf beach. From 1880 to 1928, Meyer's Ferry operated across the Nerang River transporting passengers and vehicles. He operated a horse-and-buggy service from the Southport railway station to the beach. He built
7800-568: The largest studio lots in the Southern Hemisphere. The Queensland Government actively supports the film and television production industry in Queensland and provides both non-financial and financial assistance through the Pacific Film and Television Commission. The Gold Coast's culture has been affected by rapid development and traditional marketing programs orbiting around 'sun, sand, surf and sex.' Despite rapid socio-economic changes and
7900-517: The length of the canals of Venice , Italy) and artificial islands covered in upmarket homes. The heavily developed coastal strip sits on a narrow barrier sandbar between these waterways and the sea. To the west, the city borders a part of the Great Dividing Range commonly referred to as the Gold Coast hinterland . A 206 km (80 sq mi) section of the mountain range is protected by Lamington National Park and has been listed as
8000-701: The local area. At national level representing the Gold Coast include National Rugby League club, the Gold Coast Titans and Australian Football League team, the Gold Coast Suns . Additionally, clubs and teams based in Surfers Paradise include Australian Shooting Academy, Surfers Paradise Rowing Club, Surfers Paradise Apollo Soccer Club , Surfers Paradise Rugby Union Club , Surfers Paradise Triathlon Club, Surfers Paradise Cricket Club, Surfers Paradise Golf Club, Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club and Surfers Paradise Baseball Club . Surfers Paradise State School
8100-457: The meter maids's traditional role, but they continue to assist visitors and participate in tourism events. The "Gold Coast Nightlife Precinct" offers many after-dark activities for visitors, especially around Cavill Avenue. The precinct is considered Australia's nightlife capital and attracts close to 20,000 visitors daily. The precinct also hosts the largest Schoolies week event in the country, attracting tens of thousands of school leavers to
8200-558: The most common religious affiliations in Gold Coast reported were none (43.4%), Catholic (18.2%), Anglican (11.9%), Uniting Church (2.9%), Non-denominational Christian (3.1%), Presbyterian and Reformed (1.9%), Buddhism (1.4%), Pentecostal (1.3%), Baptist (1.1%), Hinduism (1.1%) and Islam (1.0%). The Gold Coast is approximately half covered by forests of various types. This includes small patches of near-pristine ancient rainforest, mangrove-covered islands, and patches of coastal heathlands and farmland with areas of uncleared eucalyptus forest. Of
8300-418: The nickname of "Gold Coast" from 1950. South Coast locals initially considered the name "Gold Coast" derogatory. However, soon the "Gold Coast" simply became a convenient way to refer to the holiday strip from Southport to Coolangatta . The Town of South Coast was formed through the amalgamation of Town of Coolangatta and Town of Southport along with the coastal areas (such as Burleigh Heads) from
8400-472: The north along the Gold Coast Broadwater , South Stradbroke Island , Coomera River and southern Moreton Bay. Early canals included Florida Gardens and Isle of Capri which were under construction at the time of a 1954 flood. Recently constructed canals include Harbour Quays and Riverlinks completed in 2007. There are over 890 kilometres (550 mi) of constructed residential waterfront land within
8500-651: The opening of what was then the world's highest residential tower in 2005 (it is now the 17th highest), the Q1 building has been a destination for tourists and locals alike. It is the second highest public vantage point in the southern hemisphere after the Eureka Tower in Melbourne. The observation deck at level 77 is the highest of its kind in Queensland and offers views in all directions, from Brisbane to Byron Bay . It towers over
8600-469: The other most common countries of birth were New Zealand (7.9%), England (5.2%), China and South Africa (1.2% each), and Japan (0.7%). Indigenous Australians accounted for 1.7% of the population. The most commonly spoken languages other than English were Mandarin (1.6%), Japanese (1.0%), Korean and Spanish (0.6% each), and Cantonese (0.5%). According to the Australian Official Census in 2021,
8700-473: The plantation pine forests that were planted in the 1950s and 1960s, when commercial forest planting for tax minimisation was encouraged by the Commonwealth government, tiny remnants remain. Most of the Gold Coast area was covered by forest prior to European human settlement and extensive land clearing in the 19th century. Gold Coast City lies in the southeast corner of Queensland , to the south of Brisbane ,
8800-489: The precinct. Surfers Paradise hosts a calendar of free public events, largely targeting residents of the Gold Coast, visitors from southeast Queensland and interstate and international tourists. In July, Surfers Paradise hosts the annual Gold Coast Marathon in July, attracting runners from around the world. In Surfers Paradise there also is the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit , which hosted CART for
8900-700: The river and to the north of the Isle of Capri is Evandale Park ( 28°00′06″S 153°24′58″E / 28.0016°S 153.4161°E / -28.0016; 153.4161 ( Evandale Park ) ) which is a park which contains the Gold Coast Council Chambers (administrative centre) and the council's Home of the Arts cultural precinct. Northcliffe Beach is a section of the Surfers Paradise Beach ( 28°00′22″S 153°25′54″E / 28.0061°S 153.4316°E / -28.0061; 153.4316 ( Northcliffe Beach ) ) in
9000-619: The school relocated to its current site on the Isle of Capri. In December 1938, tenders were called to construct a Methodist Church in Hamilton Avenue, just off the Pacific Highway, close to the beach. The church was to seat 140 people and was designed by architect W. J. E. Kerrison. It was anticipated that the church would open at Easter in 1939. However, tenders were called again in July 1939. In June 1940, church officials indicated that they still did not have sufficient funds to build
9100-680: The state capital. The Albert River separates the Gold Coast from Logan City , a local government area south of the City of Brisbane . Gold Coast City stretches from the Albert River, Logan River , and Southern Moreton Bay to the border with New South Wales (NSW) approximately 56 km (35 mi) south, and extends from the coast west to the foothills of the Great Dividing Range in World Heritage listed Lamington National Park . The southernmost town of Gold Coast City, Coolangatta , includes Point Danger and its lighthouse . Coolangatta
9200-481: The suburb has many high-rise apartment buildings and a wide surf beach. The feature of the heart of the suburb is Cavill Mall , which runs through the shopping and entertainment precinct. Cavill Avenue , named after Jim Cavill, an early hotel owner, is one of the busiest shopping strips in Queensland, and the centre of activity for night life. One of the features of the area is the Surfers Paradise Meter Maids designed to build goodwill with tourists. Surfers Paradise
9300-433: The suburb of Main Beach, and then further on Stradbroke Island. The suburbs of Southport and Surfers Paradise form the Gold Coast's commercial centre. The major river in the area is the Nerang River . Much of the land between the coastal strip and the hinterland were once wetlands drained by this river, but the swamps have been converted into man-made waterways (over 260 kilometres (160 mi) in length or over 9 times
9400-537: The suburb's most northerly boundary almost at the mouth of the river where it flows into the southern end of Moreton Bay . The south-west of the suburb is land on the western bank of the river and is bounded by Bundall Road. The Gold Coast Highway passes through the suburb from north to south. The course of the river has been modified extensively in the latter part of the 20th century to create permanent islands for residential development, some of which were natural features while others were on reclaimed land created by
9500-459: The water if it is considered that there is a safety risk. Gold Coast beaches have experienced periods of severe beach erosion . In 1967, a series of 11 cyclones removed most of the sand from Gold Coast beaches. The Government of Queensland engaged engineers from Delft University in the Netherlands to advise what to do about the beach erosion. The Delft Report was published in 1971 and outlined
9600-441: Was an ethnically diverse suburb, including the largest Jewish community (119 people; 0.5%), the largest Spanish Australian community (285 people; 1.2%), and the largest Lebanese Australian community (84 people; 0.4%) of any suburb in Queensland . In the 2021 census , the suburb of Surfers Paradise had a population of 26,412 people. Surfers Paradise has a number of heritage-listed structures, including: Surfers Paradise
9700-480: Was defined by the city's ‘white-shoe brigade' developers, neon lights , and organised crime , particularly the yakuza and the Russian mafia . The late 20th century saw the city's tourism diversify with theme park openings, and in the early 21st century became an international destination for film production. The Gold Coast has a diverse economy with strengths in health, tourism, arts and culture, and construction, with
9800-566: Was named after Alan Foster Budd who built a house there in the 1940s. Jarriparilla Cove is the body of water that lies between Budds Beach and Macintosh Island ( 27°59′24″S 153°25′34″E / 27.99°S 153.4261°E / -27.99; 153.4261 ( Jarriparilla Cove ) ). It is a traditional Aboriginal name. Girung Island is a small undeveloped island ( 28°00′34″S 153°25′09″E / 28.0095°S 153.4191°E / -28.0095; 153.4191 ( Girung Island ) ) named using Yugambeh word for
9900-415: Was rebuilt the following year. In 1934, Surfers Paradise State School was first established on the north-east corner of Laycock Street and the Gold Coast Highway (now Gold Coast Boulevard), three blocks south of Cavill Avenue ( 28°00′14″S 153°25′44″E / 28.0038°S 153.4289°E / -28.0038; 153.4289 ( Surfers Paradise State School (1934 site) ) ). In 1976,
10000-491: Was transformed into a vibrant showcase of the Gold Coast's emerging arts and cultural scene.The festival comprised an accessible mix of family events, exhibitions, live music, street markets and short film screenings. By 2020, minor changes had occurred in extending the road along the beachfront since the early subdivision and The Esplanade road is now a focus of activity, with supporting shops and restaurants. The intensity of activity, centred on Cavill, Orchid and Elkhorn Avenues,
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