QLD: The Gold Coast

"The Razzle and Dazzle of Paradise - the Gold Coast"

Queenslands South Coast to the State Border is the Gold Coast

The Gold Coast in South-East Queensland is centered around Surfers Paradise, stretching south to the border and the twin twins of Coolangatta/Tweed Heads and west to the hinterland of Nerang at the foot of the hills that are part of the Great Dividing Range. Highway One running from Brisbane to Sydney provides easy access to all suburbs east to the coast and west to the hills and the new electric rail service from Brisbane is of a very high standard. The Gold Coast has all the main services with a university, hospitals, community clubs, plenty of parks and gardens as well as surf lifesaver beach patrols on all the beaches most of the year.

There are over seventy kilometres of long beautiful beaches and great accommodation with over five hundred and fifty hotels, resorts and apartments to choose from. There are wonderful places to shop, live entertainment and surf clubs that offer just about everything; they sit almost on the sand so you are able to watch people swimming, fishing and surfing. There are fine dining restaurants and beachside caf�'s, with a large selection of entertainment and sporting venues and facilities.

The attractions of the Gold Coast are the beaches and the tourist attractions like the Currumbin Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary, Dreamworld, Movie World and Sea World while the nightlife and the international events add an extra touch of excitement.

The Gold Coast is not unlike Miami in the United States; with plenty of sun, beaches and excitement and a fair bit of well-deserved 'hype' surrounding the place. A major Formula One race every year attracts thousands, so if it is action you are looking for the Gold Coast is the right place. The Gold Coast also is noted as being the number one tourist place to visit in Australia and that is very easy to understand because it is seen as one of the worlds most beautiful and relaxing destinations delivering the widest range of holiday facilities, entertainment and community services to all visitors.

Moreover if you feel the need to move away from the sand and coastline you could head west and travel up to Mount Tamborine and the Gold Coast Hinterland to take in the views, visit some of the wine makers, cheese manufactures, mushroom farmers and a number of other produce growers. There are world heritage listed national parks, fantastic green rainforests, mountains to climb and wonderful lookouts with awesome views of waterfalls and the coastline. The Hinterland also features remaining remnants of the logging days where the huge cedar trees provided timber for the development of Brisbane and the growing coastal towns.

Although the first Post Office in the vicinity was established as early as the 1870s it is the rapid growth in the 1950s and 1960s that has established the Gold Coast as the modern-featured community and tourist attraction it is today. Nevertheless some of the history remains and old farmhouses, original motels and even some of the original bathing pavilions first established are still an attraction.