The Gold Coast

 

Climate

Shopping

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

 

The Gold Coast is fast becoming one of the hottest tourist destinations in Australia. It is situated in the southeast corner of Queensland, stretching from Coolangatta in the South, through Main Beach and onto Stradbroke Island in the North. Around 500,000 people live on this stretch of coastline and millions visit each year from all around the world. It’s also become the destination for thousands of people looking to move to Australia. There’s a huge variety of Gold Coast holiday apartments and resorts in and around the Gold Coast to suit all tastes and budgets.

The landscape is one of golden sandy beaches, vivid blue ocean with fantastic surfing waves and incredible Gold Coast accommodation in imposing highrises that dominate the skyline. An eclectic mix of people live and work here, from surfing dudes to film stars – the Gold Coast is the third largest film production centre in Australia. What you will find with the people is that their disposition is like the weather – sunny and inviting. This is very much a bright, lively and colourful place to be, there really is no other place quite like the Gold Coast.

People visit the Gold Coast for many different reasons, the diversity of the city is just phenomenal! The waves are a surfers dream and the sunkissed beaches are just so tempting and warm and soft, the ocean so inviting and blue…. The city also has a buzzing and vibrant nightlife scene with many annual music festivals and live bands to cater for every musical taste. Theme parks galore are there to provide the thrills and spills – infinity is our particular recommendation for an experience not easily forgotten! And just a 10 minute drive out of the city and you’d think you were in another world, for wildlife watchers get their kicks and more as they decide between whale watching or exploring one of the many rockpools beneath secluded rainforest waterfalls. All this and family friendly too! Where else in the world offers such a variety of attractions?

Our city guide aims to give you just a taster of the very best that the Gold Coast has to offer, but for more detailed information about the city, visit the Gold Coast website.

Gold Coast Facts

Population	514,277 thousand
Annual Rainfall	1,218.2 mm
Average Annual Temp.	21.1°C
Website	Very Gold Coast

The Gold Coast was known as Kurrungul to the Aborigines, which literally means plenty of boomerang wood! The area was well used by the Aboriginal people and many of their ceremonies and feasts were held at Bora rings and middens. The good quality cedar wood was not lost on the Europeans when they came to settle here around 1840 and the state that would become Queensland began to expand. By 1923 the tourist industry was established by wealthy landowners buying up land for hotels in the area. It wasn’t until 1933 that Surfers Paradise was named and since then the Gold Coast has grown to become Australia’s sixth largest city.  The city got its name during the 1940s when estate agents and journalists referred to the area as the ‘gold coast’ because of its rapid expansion.

Climate

The Gold Coast is not called “Australia’s Playground” for nothing, it enjoys a sub-tropical climate with plenty of sunshine for around 300 days a year - no wonder the people have a sunny disposition! Even in winter the temperature never normally goes below 9 celsius. But don’t make the mistake of thinking that the summers will be akin to roasting alive in an oven, the temperature rarely creeps above a very manageable 29 celsius – sounds like my ideal place!

Gold Coast Weather Information

Month	Average Low Temp.	Average High Temp.	Average rainfall
January	21.8°	28.5°	106.8 mm
February	21.8°	28.4°	169.1 mm
March	20.6°	27.7°	89.2 mm
April	18.3°	25.7°	109.3 mm
May	15.4°	23.4°	115.6 mm
June	13.1°	21.3°	123.3 cm
July	12.0°	21.1°	44.6 mm
August	12.5°	21.8°	58.2 mm
September	14.8°	23.8°	43.6 mm
October	16.9°	25.3°	88.1 mm
November	18.8°	26.6°	139.9 mm
December	20.5°	27.8°	123.8 mm

Shopping

Designer boutiques, quirky little stores, bustling markets, elegant arcades or shopping malls – you’ll find your ultimate shopping experience here in the Gold Coast. In fact it might well be called ‘shoppers paradise’ at it rivals Melbourne in the shopping stakes. The Gold Coast is huge business for tourism and as a result you’ll find shopping here a real treat – you can even grab yourself a bargain if you know where to head for.

Shopping Malls

Centro Surfers Paradise is situated in the major tourist district on Cavill Avenue. It’s extremely popular with tourists as it’s an iconic part of Surfers Paradise. It does tend to cater for the sports-minded with a large array of sports and leisure stores and a huge Timezone gaming complex, but there are plenty of other restaurants and shops to satisfy your spending habit – definitely worth a visit for all the surfing dudes in the latest gear!

Australia Fair is one of the biggest shopping malls in the Gold Coast with over 220 stores to choose from as well as cinemas, pharmacies and so on. Whatever you need, from hangover medicine to fishing tackle you’ll find it here.

The Oasis Shopping Centre is for your more refined shopper. Boasting a large array of restaurants and beauty treatment centres, as well as a dry cleaner for those spillage disasters. You can also browse through the many gift stores at prices that range from bank-busting to bargain.

Harbour Town is the designer outlet of the major shopping malls, but at sale prices. This is more like a designer High Street than a shopping mall, here you really can bag that bargain as many of the outlets sell quality end of season lines. Harbour Town also houses the Gold Coast’s largest cinema complex where you can catch the latest new release on one of their 14 screens.

Marina Mirage is ideally set on the waterfront and is a culture vulture’s paradise. It has award-winning restaurants, designer stores selling top fashion labels as well as art galleries where you can stop for a while and meditate on all the spending that you’ve done!

Other shopping malls include Robina Parkway, Chevron Renaissance and Sanctuary Cove.

Markets

The Gold Coast has numerous markets offering a wide variety of products from handmade gifts to fruit and veg. The markets are open most Sundays all around the Gold Coast, so you’re sure to stumble across one on your travels. Don’t miss out on a truly local shopping experience.

Broadbeach and Burleigh Arts and Craft – located right at the edge of the beach this is perfect for picking up that unique and unsual handmade gift. They are held on alternate Sundays from 8am – 2.30pm.

Bundall Farmers Market – a popular market that has now opened another market off Palm Beach, Currumbin due to its growing popularity. The original is at the Turf Club off Surfers Paradise. Both markets are open every Sunday from 6am – 11am.

Carrara Markets are permanent market stalls that currently have around 500 stalls offering clothing, fashion, food, gifts, arts & crafts and so on, they also provide free entertainment so the kids are kept amused whilst you shop! They are located off exit 77 on the M1 and are open every Saturday and Sunday from 7am – 4pm.

Monaco Markets specialise in high quality pre-loved and new fashion at bargain prices. They also do award-winning coffee as well as oils, silks, candles and so on. Open the last Sunday of each month near Broadbeach.

Organic Gold Coast Farmers Market – the freshest and juiciest fruit and veg are sold here as well smoothies, herbs, yoghurts and even skin care! For yummy people only! Situated at Miami it’s open every Sunday from 6am – 11.30am.

The Village Markets showcases young up and coming designers and artists. Here you’ll find a lively, bustling atmosphere as all the trendy young things get together to show off their skills. It’s a talent bazaar! Held at Burleigh Heads State School the first Sunday of every month from 8am – 1pm.

Where to Eat

You don’t have to limit yourself to Australian barbeques in the Gold Coast – although there are a fair few of these around! There is a vast selection of restaurants from around the world, all on your doorstep. So if you fancy a Thai, a Mexican or even an English, you won’t have to travel far to find a restaurant that caters to your taste. We’ve brought you a selection of restaurants from within each area of the Gold Coast, of course if you hear of more or if you have a recommendation to make – so long as you are not Mr. Diablo from Diablo’s Pizzas – contact us and we’ll put your recommendation in our article.

Hope Island and Sanctuary Cove

These 2 areas are only 3 km apart so are very accessible. Sanctuary Cove benefits from a large marina complex where you’ll find many fantastic restaurants and there are shopping villages in each.

The Boardwalk Tavern is one restaurant that is set in such a shopping village, the Hope Island Marina Village. But this isn’t your typical shopping centre restaurant that you’d find in the UK. The Boardwalk Tavern has a gorgeous verandah outside where you can take in the spectacular views of the bay whilst you dine and inside is a plush, lavish interior you just want to sink into. It’s a popular dining experience for both tourists and locals alike, with it’s exquisite menu, large gaming room and Harbour Point room with 270 degree views.

Seafood is obviously a popular choice here, with many restaurants serving fish that was caught just hours earlier. George’s Paragon Seafood Restaurant is an award-winning restaurant offering a wide range of fresh seafood such as oysters, lobster, squid, barramundi, schnapper, octopus etc. You can find George’s restaurant on the waterfront at Marine Village in Sanctuary Cove.

Main Beach

This is the most popular spot for tourists looking for a place to eat so our advice is, if you see somewhere you’d like to eat – book it! The restaurants and cafes along the waterfront are the ideal place to dine in the evening whilst watching the sun setting over the watery horizon.

Omeros Brothers have won many awards over the years for their excellent service and cuisine. Again they specialise in fresh seafood but also do steak and pasta. Children are welcome with their own menu. Attention to detail is everything here and your dish is as much a work of art both on the plate and in your mouth. If you want to be treated like a superstar then head for this restaurant!

For something a little cheaper but with lots of cheer try Saks Restaurant and Bar, they have a varied menu that includes pizza and salads with live entertainment and dancing until 2am! Most seating is outside overlooking the bay and they also have a large cocktail bar indoors. The owners claim that they throw the best parties in town!

Surfers Paradise

This area is renowed for its many nightclubs and bars, but there are also plenty of good places to eat along this stretch and high competition means reasonable prices too. Orchard Avenue and Cavill Avenue are full of restaurants and bars but don’t miss those little gems that are often tucked away off the main streets.

Flames on the River looks right out onto the water and specialises in mouth wateringly juicy steaks and wood-fired pizza, but you can also get a good selection of seafood and chicken dishes. It has won 2009 awards for excellence and best alfresco dining.

Four Winds is a unique revolving restaurant situated above the Crowne Plaza. It has breathtaking 360 degree views of the entire city – what a way to dine! It specialises in exquisite Asian food that you can choose from a buffet. Choices include Thai chilli basil beef and Hong Kong style steamed fish. Just enough to set you up for a night of partying!

Broadbeach

Fancy a bite to eat? How about satisfying those hunger pangs by getting stuck into Dracula’s Cabaret Restaurant. This place serves up quite a delight with its fiendishly good dishes by award-winning chef Paul Hoff. To scare up an appetite victims, I mean, guests are given a ghostly train ride followed by dinner and then some ghastly entertainment, theatrical style! You won’t forget this dining experience!

Mario’s has been described as an icon of Broadbeach. Serving the very best in Italian cuisine, both traditional and modern. Why not try Steak Mario washed down by a fine Italian red? You’ll find Mario’s in the Oasis Shopping Centre, just ask as everyone is sure to know Mario’s!

 

Where to Stay

Where to start with this one! There’s a huge variety of accommodation choices in and around the Gold Coast to suit all tastes and budgets. Whether you want a conventional hotel with room service or something a little different, we’ve tried to give you an example of the very best the region has to offer. As always, if you have a recommendation or know something we don’t, do let us know!

Budget Travellers

There are a host of hostels in and around the Gold Coast that are ideal for backpackers and indeed families travelling on a budget. Your typical hostel is now a far cry from the shared dormitories of past years, now they have en suite and family rooms with pristine kitches and in-house entertainment.

The official YHA at Surfers Paradise is just a stone’s throw from the beach. It has double and twin rooms as well as dormitories, a downstairs bar plus wi-fi. A free courtesy bus will take you into town and back and the friendly staff can book you on tours and activities. With prices ranging from $26.50 you can choose to spend your pennies on painting the town red! To see the whole range of youth hostels in the region check out the Australian YHA site.

Hey Big Spender!

Straight to luxury now and how about having a fabulous 5 star penthouse all to yourself? Oceana on Broadbeach offer superb two – four bedroomed apartments with fantastic views overlooking the bay. These apartments actually work out bigger than my house! Guests can enjoy balcony views over the harbour, fully equipped kitchens, ensuite bedrooms, large screen TVs, direct access to the beach as well as benefitting from everything the hotel has to offer which includes a heated swimming pool, gym, tropical gardens, sauna and spa. Or if it’s a luxury hotel you’re after there are plenty of 5 star hotels around offering the very best in luxurious accommodation, such as the Palazzo Versace Hotel with a private bar in every room and all you could want on tap – you’ll never want to leave the hotel!

Muddling in the Middle

For mid-range budgets there are plenty of hotel chains on the Gold Coast including Radisson, Best Western, Accor, Holiday Inn, Ibis and more. Depending on your budget and needs you are sure to find a hotel to cater for you. Most enjoy central locations with their own car parks and restaurants and most are family friendly.

Get Away From it All

Fancy something a little more rural? Just an hour away from the hustle and bustle of the city lies the Hinterland, a forgotten paradise of rainforest, mountains and streams just teeming with wildlife. Here you can book yourself into a woodland retreat or stay as a guest at one of the farmhouses. You can even book yourselves into a cottage in the heart of the Scenic Rim for a truly romantic hideaway. Have a look at some of the accommodation ideas at the gold coast information site.

Carry on Camping

Camping fans needn’t fear either, there are numerous camping sites out on the Gold Coast. You can either pitch your own tent or stay in a wooden lodge with balcony – the choice is yours. Gold Coast Tourist Parks have seven sites scattered around the Gold Coast, all family friendly with their own entertainment and most situated right on the beach or within 5 minutes walk of the beach. The great thing about camping holidays is that you can either choose to go self-catering or take advantage of local cuisine. And if you don’t fancy venturing far from your site there’s plenty going on to keep you and your family entertained.