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TravelTips24 : Oceania : Australasia : Australia : Queensland : Gold Coast

Gold Coast

The Gold Coast [1][2] is an extensive coastal city (actually, a conurbation of cities, towns and suburbs) in the southeast corner of the state of Queensland in Australia, located between the state capital of Brisbane to the north and the New South Wales state border to the south. Now combined into what amounts to the 6th largest city in Australia (500,000 inhabitants), the Gold Coast has long been a high profile tourist destination for Australians and overseas travelers alike. The name of the chief constituent city of the region, Surfers Paradise, says it all...

Culture and History

The Gold Coast was once an informal name for the stretch of coastal towns from Surfers Paradise in the north to the state border with New South Wales in the south. With a warm climate and miles of beaches, the towns have grown rapidly, especially with migrating southern retirees. The merged towns are now suburbs of the City of Gold Coast, and the city has also stretched out to take in more areas to the north and west.

The northern end (especially Surfers Paradise to Broadbeach) is more commercialized, with plenty of action for backpackers and "schoolies" (school leavers celebrating the end of exams). The southern end still caters mainly to families holidaying from the colder southern states. Away from the coast, the western side, called the "hinterland", consists of mountain ranges covered with rainforest, much of it national park.

Travel to Gold Coast & Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Gold Coast

  • The Gold Coast Airport (OOL) [3] is located in Coolangatta and is also often referred to as the Coolangatta Airport. It is a fairly small terminal but it handles around 3.5 million passengers per year with frequent connections from major Australian cities and some international flights from New Zealand and Asia. It is around 30 minutes drive to Surfers Paradise. There is a shuttle bus connecting the airport to the main Surfside buses route between Tweed Heads and Surfers Paradise.
  • A viable alternative, especially if hiring a car, is to fly into Brisbane Airport (BNE). You can catch a direct train to Robina, or it is around 90 minutes drive.

By train

Queensland Rail runs an electric CityTrain service [4] from Brisbane to Nerang and Robina, with connecting buses to Surfers Paradise, Coolangatta, and into northern New South Wales.

Countrylink [5] run trains from Sydney with bus connections at Casino for services direct to Surfers Paradise or Tweed Heads.

Tours & Getting around Gold Coast

By Car

All attractions around the Gold Coast are accessible by car, and there are large parking lots at the theme parks and other attractions. Parking in Surfers Paradise, and by the beach can be problematic.

Most reputable car hire companies have offices located at Brisbane and Gold Coast Airport. While most car rental companies hire to people 25 years of age and over, some all age car rental companies do hire to younger drivers over 18 years of age.

  • Alpha Car Hire, [6]. Alpha has car rental offices throughout Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Alpha Car Hire guarantees to beat any competitors rates.
  • East Coast Car Rentals, [7] has the best valued rates. Offices at Brisbane Airport,Gold Coast Airport / Coolangatta Airport, Surfers Paradise,Brisbane City and in Cairns. Free Airport pick up. The best rates are when booking online.
  • All Age Car Rentals, [8] provides Rental Cars for drivers from 18 years to 80 years of age, including Drivers Under 21 years of age.
  • Surfers Paradise Car Hire, [9] servicing families through its affiliated companies since January 1987 has one of the most competitive and cheapest Rates in Town.
  • Commodore Car Rentals, [10] Serving the Gold Coast and surrounding areas since January 1987 with Quality Rental Cars. Cheapest Rates on the Coast for Budget conscious Families.
  • Gold Coast Car Hire, [11] The Original, Registered and Trademarked "Gold Coast Car Hire" Company.
  • Car hire gold coast, [12] provides cheap car rentals in Gold Coast
  • Ezy Car Hire, [13] provides brand new rentals cars throughout Gold Coast, Queensland from just $26 a day
  • Beachside Red Rocket, [14]. Gold Coast car hire from $22 Per Day. Serving the Car Rental Industry for almost 30 years and where you ONLY pay for what you request with no Hidden Extras or Surprises.

Buses to Gold Coast

Surfside Buslines, [15] provide the main form of public transport around the Gold Coast and stops are located on most main roads. Buses run 24 hours a day, but are more frequent in daylight hours. All the main tourist attractions are serviced by bus. The frequency up and down the coast along the beach between Coolangatta and Surfers Paradise is very good. For other routes, and theme parks, best to check the timetable in advance.

By Taxi

Expect to wait up to an hour or more for a taxi on busy nights. A taxi fare between the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta and Surfers Paradise costs around $55 and a sedan limousine is about the same. Stretch limousines are another option for groups of more than four with a cost of around $100-$110. Another way to get from Gold Coast Airport to an accommodation house further up the coast is to book a bus transfer. These usually cost somewhere between $15 and $30 per person. Trains run between Robina, Nerang and Helensvale, but the rail service is more useful for commuting to Brisbane than getting around the Gold Coast.

By Bike

Gold Coast Oceanway [16]is a 36km pathway for pedestrians and cyclists linking Point Danger to the Gold Coast Seaway. It can get a little crowded with pedestrians in parts.

Gold Coast attractions and sightseeing

Beaches

There are 40 km of beaches to see and almost all are patrolled by volunteer and professional lifesavers. 105.7 Radio Metro [17] has detailed surf reports at 7am, midday and 3pm each day.

  • Surfers Paradise has a long stretch of beach, with flags and patrols ever few hundred metres along the beach. Sure to find a place for a swim.
  • Greenmount beach in Coolangatta offers the most spectacular scenery and views up the coast and across to the famous Snapper Rocks surfing break, home of the Quiksilver Pro.
  • Tallebudgeera Creek is a popular swimming lagoon with families, Burleigh Heads and Kirra are home to world-renowned waves and Surfers Paradise is home to backpackers, beach volleyball, and countless tourists.

Hinterland

Referred to as "the green behind the gold" (a reference to Australia's national colours - green and gold), the Gold Coast Hinterland is home to three national parks, numerous mountains, creeks, waterfalls valleys, and natural rock formations. The area is mostly covered in sub-tropical rainforest, but sections have been cleared for dairy farm land and wineries. The Hinterland is best seen by car or on a bus tour.

Gold Coast city tours

The Gold Coast region is big on theme parks:

  • Sea World [18] — first opened in 1958, moving to its present site in 1971, Sea World is the oldest, but also one of the best established theme parks in Australia.
  • Dreamworld [19] — traditional theme park with popular tiger zoo and the home of the Australian Big Brother House. Lots of rides. Great little kids area with Wiggleworld.
  • Warner Bros. Movie World [20] — movie-themed park with theatres and Warner Bros. themed rides. More intensely themed.
  • Wet'n'Wild [21] — water theme park with slides, wave pool, and 'dive-in movies' at night.
  • Australian Outback Spectacular - New Epic Outback Show, complete with stampeding cattle, wild horses and an Australian Dinner.
  • WhiteWater World New Water Park next to Dreamworld.

Gold Coast souvenirs & shopping

The Gold Coast is renowned for cheap souvenir and t-shirt shops; plastic koalas are one of the most popular items. There are dozens of stores catering exclusively for the tourist market and Australian opals, sheepskins, wool products, and aboriginal "artefacts". Watch out for overpricing. Local newspapers regularly run stories about "discount warehouses" being taken to court for selling souvenirs at exorbitant prices to Asian tourists on organized tours.

Pacific Fair in Broadbeach contains a large number of chain and independent stores selling pretty much every consumer item you can think of, although its labyrinthine layout can be very confusing for the first-time visitor.

The Gold Coast also caters to the big budget shopper as there are numerous designer boutiques around the city.

Gold Coast Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

The back arcades of Surfers Paradise have dozens of cheap Japanese and Korean "lunchbox" style restaurants and the quality is usually excellent, not to mention the price (less than $15 for a large main meal). Tedder Avenue in Main Beach and the Broadbeach area have the largest concentration of restaurants and cafes with food ranging from gourmet seafood to pub fare. Expect to pay $20–$35 for a main meal.

Gold Coast nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

Try a local surf club for a cheap beer with a great view, you'll find one or two in every beachside suburb of the Gold Coast. Currumbin Beach Surf Lifesaving Club, Nobby Beach Surf Life Saving Club and North Burleigh Surf Lifesaving Club are the picks for their location, friendly service and good value for money food and drink. Broadbeach and Surfers Paradise offer the biggest choice of bars, clubs, and cafes, and you can order almost anything you can dream up.

Further south, Coolangatta Surf Lifesaving Club, Tweed Heads & Coolangatta Surf Lifesaving Club and Rainbow Bay Surf Lifesaving Club have spectacular decks, good food and entertainment and friendly welcomes. Just sign in as a guest.

Twin Towns RSL is the largest RSL in NSW. On the border of Queensland and NSW it offers a variety of dining options, outstanding entertainment and a friendly environment all at club prices.

Be wary

Be wary of street vendors promising free tickets to theme parks. You generally see these people on Cavill Mall in Sufers Paradise. They promise free theme park tickets in return for 3-4 hours of your time watching a timeshare presentation. Many legitimate vendors sell discounted theme park tickets. Check out the tourist information booths run by Gold Coast Tourism Corporation [22].

Gold Coast cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels & lodging

  • There are a handful of luxury resorts, including the six-star Palazzo Versace Hotel, [23], but apartment accommodation in high- and low-rise family resorts is by far the most popular choice.
  • A two-bedroom apartment in Surfers Paradise will cost around $150 per night in the off-season, and upwards of $300 a night in peak summer periods.
  • Serviced apartments are widely available, for stays as short as one night. Amenities typically include kitchen, washer and dryer, and separate bedrooms.

Splurge

  • Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, Manor Circle Sanctuary Cove Resort, ☎ +61 7 5530 1234(sanctuary@hyatt.com.au), [24]. 5 star hotel in the colonial style. 247 rooms and suites with golf, garden, marina and beach lagoon views. The hotel has options for formal, casual and alfresco dining. edit

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This page was last edited at 03:31, on 30 October 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Ian Sergeant, Dennis Bisson and Bobby Ellis, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.

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