104-490: The Lowood Airfield Circuit was a motor racing venue in Queensland , Australia . The circuit, which was used from 1946 to 1966, was located at a former wartime airfield site at Mount Tarampa , near Lowood , 72 km (45 mi) west of the state capital Brisbane . It utilised the airfield's runway for its 1.9 km (1.2 mi) long 200 m (220 yd) wide main straight and also used various taxiways and tarmac from
208-500: 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
312-581: A major film and television production industry, leading to the city's metonym of Goldywood . The Gold Coast 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
416-406: A self-governing Crown colony with responsible government . Brisbane was selected as the capital city. On 10 December 1859, a proclamation was read by George Bowen , the first Governor of Queensland , formally establishing Queensland as a separate colony from New South Wales. On 22 May 1860 the first Queensland election was held and Robert Herbert , Bowen's private secretary, was appointed as
520-567: 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
624-400: A diverse economy with strengths in health, tourism, arts and culture, and construction, with 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
728-422: 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
832-503: 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
936-584: A force of settlers and native police at Battle Mountain near modern Cloncurry . The subsequent battle of Battle Mountain ended in disaster for the Kalkadoon, who suffered heavy losses. Fighting continued in North Queensland , however, with First Nations raiders attacking sheep and cattle while Native Police mounted heavy retaliatory massacres. Tens of thousands of South Sea Islanders were kidnapped from islands nearby to Australia and sold as slaves to work on
1040-557: A great rush to take up the surrounding land in the Darling Downs , Logan and Brisbane Valley and South Burnett onwards from 1840, in many cases leading to widespread fighting and heavy loss of life. The conflict later spread north to the Wide Bay and Burnett River and Hervey Bay region, and at one stage the settlement of Maryborough was virtually under siege. The largest reasonably well-documented massacres in southeast Queensland were
1144-630: A population of half a million people. Since then, Queensland has remained a federated state within Australia, and its population has significantly grown. In 1905 women voted in state elections for the first time. The state's first university, the University of Queensland , was established in Brisbane in 1909. In 1911, the first alternative treatments for polio were pioneered in Queensland and remain in use across
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#17328630670081248-472: A process known as blackbirding or press-ganging, and their employment conditions constituted an allegedly exploitative form of indentured labour. Italian immigrants entered the sugar cane industry from the 1890s. During the 1890s, the six Australian colonies, including Queensland, held a series of referendums which culminated in the Federation of Australia on 1 January 1901. During this time, Queensland had
1352-533: 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
1456-501: 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
1560-770: 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
1664-475: 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
1768-508: 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,
1872-548: 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
1976-483: 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
2080-883: 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
2184-460: 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
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#17328630670082288-511: 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
2392-477: Is home to the Torres Strait Islander peoples . Torres Strait Islanders are ethnically and culturally distinct from mainland Aboriginal peoples. They have a long history of interaction with both Aboriginal peoples of what is now Australia and the peoples of New Guinea . In February 1606, Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon landed near the site of what is now Weipa , on the western shore of Cape York . This
2496-446: Is larger than all but 16 countries . Due to its size, Queensland's geographical features and climates are diverse, and include tropical rainforests , rivers , coral reefs , mountain ranges and white sandy beaches in its tropical and sub-tropical coastal regions, as well as deserts and savanna in the semi-arid and desert climatic regions of its interior . Queensland has a population of over 5.5 million, concentrated along
2600-654: 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
2704-524: Is the ancestral home of a number of Indigenous clans of 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
2808-607: 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
2912-570: The 138th meridian east , and to the southwest by northeastern South Australia . The state's southern border with New South Wales is constituted in the east by the watershed from Point Danger to the Dumaresq River , and the Dumaresq, Macintyre and Barwon rivers. The west of the southern border is defined by the 29th parallel south (including some minor historical encroachments ) until it reaches South Australia. Like much of eastern Australia,
3016-518: 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
3120-464: The Bjelke-Petersen era of the late 20th century, Queensland has received a high level of internal migration from the other states and territories of Australia and remains a popular destination for interstate migration. Queensland has the third-largest economy among Australian states, with strengths in mining, agriculture, transportation, international education , insurance, and banking. Nicknamed
3224-512: The Brisbane River . He returned in 1824 and established a penal settlement at what is now Redcliffe . The settlement, initially known as Edenglassie , was then transferred to the current location of the Brisbane city centre . Edmund Lockyer discovered outcrops of coal along the banks of the upper Brisbane River in 1825. In 1839 transportation of convicts was ceased, culminating in the closure of
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3328-609: The Gayiri Aboriginal people in response. Frontier violence peaked on the northern mining frontier during the 1870s, most notably in Cook district and on the Palmer and Hodgkinson River goldfields, with heavy loss of Aboriginal lives and several well-known massacres. Raids conducted by the Kalkadoon held settlers out of Western Queensland for ten years until September 1884 when they attacked
3432-656: The Great Dividing Range runs roughly parallel with, and inland from, the coast, and areas west of the range are more arid than the humid coastal regions. The Great Barrier Reef , which is the world's largest coral reef system, runs parallel to the state's Coral Sea coast between the Torres Strait and K'gari (Fraser Island) . Queensland's coastline includes the world's three largest sand islands: K'gari (Fraser Island) , Moreton , and North Stradbroke . The state contains six World Heritage -listed preservation areas:
3536-619: The Kilcoy and Whiteside poisonings, each of which was said to have taken up to 70 Aboriginal lives by use of a gift of flour laced with strychnine . At the Battle of One Tree Hill in September 1843, Multuggerah and his group of warriors ambushed one group of settlers, routing them and subsequently others in the skirmishes which followed, starting in retaliation for the Kilcoy poisoning. Central Queensland
3640-642: The Kingdom of Great Britain on 22 August 1770 at Possession Island , naming eastern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales . The Aboriginal population declined significantly after a smallpox epidemic during the late 18th century and massacres by the European settlers. In 1823, John Oxley , a British explorer, sailed north from what is now Sydney to scout possible penal colony sites in Gladstone (then Port Curtis ) and Moreton Bay . At Moreton Bay, he found
3744-519: 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
3848-615: 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
3952-559: 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
4056-594: The Sunshine State for its tropical and sub-tropical climates, Great Barrier Reef , and numerous beaches, tourism is also important to the state's economy. Queensland was one of the largest regions of pre-colonial Aboriginal population in Australia. The Aboriginal occupation of Queensland is thought to predate 50,000 BC, and early migrants are believed to have arrived via boat or land bridge across Torres Strait . Through time, their descendants developed into more than 90 different language and cultural groups. During
4160-610: 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,
4264-520: The Torres Strait to the north, with Boigu Island off the coast of New Guinea representing the northern extreme of its territory. The triangular Cape York Peninsula , which points toward New Guinea, is the northernmost part of the state's mainland. West of the peninsula's tip, northern Queensland is bordered by the Gulf of Carpentaria . To the west, Queensland is bordered by the Northern Territory , at
Lowood Airfield Circuit - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-616: The White Australia policy came into effect, which saw most foreign workers in Australia deported under the Pacific Island Labourers Act 1901 , which saw the Pacific Islander population of the state decrease rapidly. A public meeting was held in 1851 to consider the proposed separation of Queensland from New South Wales. On 6 June 1859, Queen Victoria signed letters patent to form the separate colony of Queensland as
4472-474: The White Australia policy in 1973 saw the beginning of a wave of immigration from around the world, and most prominently from Asia, which continues to the present. In 1981 the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland's northeast coast, one of the world's largest coral reef systems, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In 2003 Queensland adopted maroon as the state's official colour. The announcement
4576-483: 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
4680-448: 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
4784-634: The Brisbane penal settlement. In 1842 free settlement, which had already commenced, was officially permitted. In 1847, the Port of Maryborough was opened as a wool port. While most early immigrants came from New South Wales, the first free immigrant ship to arrive in Moreton Bay from Europe was the Artemisia , in 1848. Earlier than this immigrant ship was the arrival of the Irish famine orphan girls to Queensland. Devised by
4888-789: 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
4992-592: The Feisty Colleens, never set foot on Sydney soil, and instead sailed up to Brisbane (then Moreton Bay) on 21 October 1848 on board the Ann Mary . This scheme continued until 1852. In 1857, Queensland's first lighthouse was built at Cape Moreton . The frontier wars fought between European settlers and Aboriginal tribes in Queensland were the bloodiest and most brutal in colonial Australia. Many of these conflicts are now seen as acts of genocide. The wars featured
5096-424: 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
5200-470: 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
5304-587: 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
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#17328630670085408-1012: The Great Barrier Reef along the Coral Sea coast, K'gari (Fraser Island) on the Wide Bay–Burnett region's coastline, the wet tropics in Far North Queensland including the Daintree Rainforest , Lamington National Park in South East Queensland , the Riversleigh fossil sites in North West Queensland , and the Gondwana Rainforests in South East Queensland. The state is divided into several unofficial regions which are commonly used to refer to large areas of
5512-623: The Lowood circuit in June 1964 and was won by Greg Cusack driving an Elfin Ford . Queensland Queensland ( locally / ˈ k w iː n z l æ n d / KWEENZ -land , commonly abbreviated as Qld ) is a state in northeastern Australia , and is the second-largest and third-most populous of the Australian states. It is bordered by the Northern Territory , South Australia and New South Wales to
5616-578: 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
5720-643: The Native Police between 1859 and 1897. The military force of the Queensland Government in this war was the Native Police , who operated from 1849 to the 1920s. The Native Police was a body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander troopers that operated under the command of white officers. The Native Police were often recruited forcefully from far-away communities. Conflict spread quickly with free settlement in 1838, with settlement rapidly expanding in
5824-408: The age of sixteen. In total, approximately 15,000 South Sea Islander slaves died while working in Queensland, a figure which does not include those who died in transit or who were killed in the recruitment process. This represents a mortality rate of at least 30%, which is high considering most were only on three year contracts. It is also similar to the estimated 33% death rate of enslaved Africans in
5928-523: 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
6032-407: The city include the ‘Glitter Strip’ and the ‘Goldy’. The demonym of a Gold Coast resident is Gold Coaster. The area that became 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
6136-457: 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
6240-573: 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
6344-453: 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
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#17328630670086448-400: The closure of the state borders. With a total area of 1,729,742 square kilometres (715,309 square miles), Queensland is an expansive state with a highly diverse range of climates and geographical features. If Queensland were an independent nation, it would be the world's 16th largest. Queensland's eastern coastline borders the Coral Sea , an arm of the Pacific Ocean. The state is bordered by
6552-479: The colony of New South Wales, which included all of what is now Queensland. Queensland was explored in subsequent decades, and the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement was established at Brisbane in 1824 by John Oxley . During the Australian frontier wars of the 19th century, colonists killed tens of thousands of Aboriginal people in Queensland while consolidating their control over the territory. On 6 June 1859 (now commemorated as Queensland Day ), Queen Victoria signed
6656-480: The colony's agricultural plantations through a process known as blackbirding . This trade in what were then known as Kanakas was in operation from 1863 to 1908, a period of 45 years. Some 55,000 to 62,500 were brought to Australia, most being recruited or blackbirded from islands in Melanesia , such as the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu ), the Solomon Islands and the islands around New Guinea . The majority of those taken were male and around one quarter were under
6760-401: 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
6864-411: The east coast, particularly in South East Queensland . The capital and largest city in the state is Brisbane , Australia's third-largest city . Ten of Australia's thirty largest cities are located in Queensland, the largest outside Brisbane being the Gold Coast , the Sunshine Coast , Townsville , Cairns , Ipswich , and Toowoomba . 24.2% of the state's population were born overseas . The state has
6968-407: The first Premier of Queensland . In 1865, the first rail line in the state opened between Ipswich and Grandchester . Queensland's economy expanded rapidly in 1867 after James Nash discovered gold on the Mary River near the town of Gympie , sparking a gold rush and saving the State of Freddy-Mercury-land from near economic collapse. While still significant, they were on a much smaller scale than
7072-414: The first commercial production of oil in Queensland and Australia began at Moonie . During World War II Brisbane became central to the Allied campaign when the AMP Building (now called MacArthur Central ) was used as the South West Pacific headquarters for General Douglas MacArthur , chief of the Allied Pacific forces, until his headquarters were moved to Hollandia in August 1944. In 1942, during
7176-458: The first three years of being taken to America. The trade was legally sanctioned and regulated under Queensland law, and prominent men such as Robert Towns made massive fortunes off of exploitation of slave labour, helping to establish some of the major cities in Queensland today. Towns' agent claimed that blackbirded labourers were "savages who did not know the use of money" and therefore did not deserve cash wages. Following Federation in 1901,
7280-536: 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
7384-422: The gold rushes of Victoria and New South Wales. Immigration to Australia and Queensland, in particular, began in the 1850s to support the state economy. During the period from the 1860s until the early 20th century, many labourers, known at the time as Kanakas , were brought to Queensland from neighbouring Pacific Island nations to work in the state's sugar cane fields. Some of these people had been kidnapped under
7488-580: The highest inter-state net migration in Australia. Queensland was first inhabited by Aboriginal Australians , with the Torres Strait Islands inhabited by Torres Strait Islanders . Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon , the first European to land in Australia, explored the west coast of the Cape York Peninsula in 1606. In 1770, James Cook claimed the east coast of Australia for the Kingdom of Great Britain . In 1788, Arthur Phillip founded
7592-506: 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
7696-561: 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
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
7904-424: The last ice age , Queensland's landscape became more arid and largely desolate, making food and other supplies scarce. The people developed the world's first seed-grinding technology. The end of the glacial period brought about a warming climate, making the land more hospitable. It brought high rainfall along the eastern coast, stimulating the growth of the state's tropical rainforests. The Torres Strait Islands
8008-490: The later decades of the 20th century, the humid subtropical climate —regulated by the availability of air conditioning—saw Queensland become a popular destination for migrants from interstate. Since that time, Queensland has continuously seen high levels of migration from the other states and territories of Australia. In 1966, Lyndon B. Johnson became the first U.S. president to visit Queensland. During his visit, he met with Australia prime minister Harold Holt . The end of
8112-455: 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
8216-426: The letters patent to establish the colony of Queensland, separating it from New South Wales and thereby establishing Queensland as a self-governing Crown colony with responsible government . A large part of colonial Queensland's economy relied on blackbirded South Sea Islander slavery. Queensland was among the six colonies which became the founding states of Australia with Federation on 1 January 1901. Since
8320-558: 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
8424-452: The most frequent massacres of First Nations people, the three deadliest massacres on white settlers, the most disreputable frontier police force, and the highest number of white victims to frontier violence on record in any Australian colony. Across at least 644 collisions at least 66,680 were killed — with Aboriginal fatalities alone comprising no less than 65,180. Of these deaths, around 24,000 Aboriginal men, women and children were killed by
8528-459: The most populous non-capital city. The city's central business district is located roughly in the centre of 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
8632-418: 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
8736-472: 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
8840-616: The old hangar area. Lap distance was 4.54 km (2.82 mi). The circuit was first used in June 1946 for the running of the Queensland Grand Prix, however it hosted only occasional meetings between then and 1956. In that year the Queensland Racing Drivers' Club took over the site, hosting their first meeting there in November and subsequently developing the circuit into Queensland's premier motor racing venue. The circuit
8944-399: The only Australian state with a unicameral parliament . In 1935 cane toads were deliberately introduced to Queensland from Hawaii in an unsuccessful attempt to reduce the number of French's cane and greyback cane beetles that were destroying the roots of sugar cane plants, which are integral to Queensland's economy. The toads have remained an environmental pest since that time. In 1962,
9048-599: 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
9152-469: 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,
9256-473: 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 ,
9360-406: The second Australian Touring Car Championship , in 1961. The race was won by Bill Pitt , driving a Jaguar 3.4 . Three 4 Hour races for production sedans were held at the Lowood circuit during the mid sixties. Although the emphasis was on class victories, the entries credited with line honours for covering the greatest distance were: The inaugural Australian Formula 2 Championship was staged at
9464-680: 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
9568-418: The state's vast geography. These include: Gold Coast, Queensland The Gold Coast , also known by its initials, GC , 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
9672-535: 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
9776-545: The then British Secretary of State for the Colonies, The Earl Grey Scheme established a special emigration scheme which was designed to resettle destitute girls from the workhouses of Ireland during the Great Famine. The first ship, the "Earl Grey", departed Ireland for a 124-day sail to Sydney. After controversy developed upon their arrival in Australia, a small group of 37 young orphans, sometimes referred to as The Belfast Girls or
9880-428: The war, Brisbane was the site of a violent clash between visiting US military personnel and Australian servicemen and civilians, which resulted in one death and hundreds of injuries. This incident became known colloquially as the Battle of Brisbane . The end of World War II saw a wave of immigration from across Europe, with many more immigrants coming from southern and eastern Europe than in previous decades. In
9984-459: 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
10088-521: The west, south-west and south, respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and the Pacific Ocean ; to the state's north is the Torres Strait , separating the Australian mainland from Papua New Guinea , and the Gulf of Carpentaria to the north-west. With an area of 1,723,030 square kilometres (665,270 sq mi), Queensland is the world's sixth-largest subnational entity ; it
10192-582: The world today. World War I had a major impact on Queensland . Over 58,000 Queenslanders fought in World War I and over 10,000 of them died. Australia's first major airline, Qantas (originally standing for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services"), was founded in Winton in 1920 to serve outback Queensland. In 1922 Queensland abolished the Queensland Legislative Council , becoming
10296-600: Was closed in November 1966. Rounds of the Australian Drivers' Championship were held at Lowood each year from 1957 to 1962. Lowood twice hosted the nation's premier sports car race, the Australian Tourist Trophy . Lowood hosted the nation's premier motor racing event of 1960 the Australian Grand Prix . It was won by Alec Mildren driving a Cooper T51 . The Lowood circuit was the host track of
10400-542: 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 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
10504-570: Was made as a result of an informal tradition to use maroon to represent the state in association with sporting events. After three decades of record population growth, Queensland was impacted by major floods between late 2010 and early 2011 , causing extensive damage and disruption across the state. In 2020 Queensland was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic . Despite a low number and abrupt decline in cases from April 2020 onward, social distancing requirements were implemented from March 2020 including
10608-552: Was particularly hard hit during the 1860s and 1870s, several contemporary writers mention the Skull Hole, Bladensburg, or Mistake Creek massacre on Bladensburg Station near Winton , which in 1901 was said to have taken up to 200 Aboriginal lives. First Nations warriors killed 19 settlers during the Cullin-La-Ringo massacre on 17 October 1861. In the weeks afterwards, police, native police and civilians killed up to 370 members of
10712-532: Was surveyed and established as a base for 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
10816-545: Was the first recorded landing of a European in Australia , and it also marked the first reported contact between Europeans and the Aboriginal people of Australia . The region was also explored by French and Spanish explorers (commanded by Louis Antoine de Bougainville and Luís Vaez de Torres , respectively) before the arrival of Lieutenant James Cook in 1770. Cook claimed the east coast under instruction from King George III of
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