Queensland's Gold Coast

A landscape of high-rise apartment complexes and buildings backs a popular beach that stretches some 40km from its state border at Coolangatta in the south up to Southport in the north.

While the region's status as a tourist mecca cannot be disputed with over two million visitors a year, it's heritage as a string of quiet seaside towns can still be seen to some degree in the areas further south.

See our detailed Queensland's Gold Coast map.

Things to See and Do

The Gold Coast features some of the best theme parks in Australia from the abundance of water-based rides in Wet n Wild to Movie World where film and cartoon characters come to life as well as Dreamworld with its collection of thrilling rides and entertaining shows and attractions.

Most of the theme parks are located further up towards the north on the Pacific Motorway which connects to Brisbane with the exception of the Sea World marine park which lies along the Southport Spit in Main Beach, closer to the main destinations.

Most of the entertainment, nightlife, bars and clubs are located at Surfers Paradise, particularly around Cavill and Orchid Avenue. Just a little further north and south from Surfers is Southport and Main Beach and Broadbeach where visitors will find some relatively more refined attractions, shopping centres and eateries.

Moving further south, the pace slows down as the quieter towns of Burleigh Heads, Currumbin and Coolangatta approaches. Less crowded than their counterparts up north and without the ongoing commercial developments, these seaside towns have become renowned for their scenic parks, pristine beaches and for producing some of the best surf breaks in the world.

Queensland's Gold Coast Hotels and Accommodation

There's a good concentration of hostels around Surfers Paradise and the southern parts of Southport and Main Beach with each hostel providing residents with various vouchers for nightclubs and parties.

Nearby, motels and apartment buildings also take up their fair share of real estate at and around Surfers, particularly in the areas close to the beach.

Upmarket luxury hotels and resorts are located on the Southport Spit close to the picturesque marinas at the Gold Coast Broadwater while more affordable accommodation can be found in the quieter towns further south.

Weather Tips

The sub-tropical climate of the Gold Coast means there's never really an 'off-season' here. The region boasts some 300 days of sunshine each year and the winters are usually quite mild with average maximum temperatures usually staying within a pleasant 20 to 23 degrees Celcius during the months between June and August.

Getting to Queensland's Gold Coast

The Gold Coast Airport lies towards the south, almost at the border to New South Wales in Coolangatta. From the airport, visitors can hire a car, catch a taxi or take the Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle which runs regularly from the airport, making stops along the Gold Coast Highway up to Surfers Paradise.

The Gold Coast is just an hour from Brisbane and visitors can catch buses by Kirkland's or Coachtrans from the Roma Street Transit Centre. Coachtrans also has direct theme park transfers from places of accommodation in Brisbane. Alternatively, catch the Citytrain to Nerang Station followed by a Surfside bus into Surfers.

To get around, Surfside buslines run a 24-hour service, with up to seven services an hour, covering the areas from Coolangatta to Surfers Paradise and all the theme parks.

Tourist Information

The Gold Coast Tourism Bureau has established the open-air Surfers Paradise Visitor Information Centre booth on Cavill Avenue as well as the Coolangatta Visitor Information Centre located at the corner of Warner Street just off Marine Parade. Staff at both centres can assist visitors to the Gold Coast with general information as well as booking tours, cruises, transportation and accommodation.

Alternatively, just Contact Us regarding any queries you may have about your visit.