Gold Coast

Lieutenant James Cook became the first European to chart the region when he sailed along the coast on 16 May 1770. Captain Matthew Flinders, an explorer charting continent north of the colony of New South Wales sailed past in 1802. Escaped convicts from Moreton Bay penal settlement hid in the region. The region remained uninhabited when John Oxley landed at Mermaid Beach, which was named after a cutter named Mermaid.

The climate of the Gold Coast ensures that travellers are able to enjoy the area year round. It has a mild, sub-tropical climate, with an average high of 29°C in January and 21°C in July. The winter months tend to have little rainfall, while the summer has frequent storms originating from the west. Daylight hours run from 6:40AM to just before 5PM in the winter months. During the summer, sunrise is as early as 4:40AM, and sunset is around 6:45PM.

Predictions of rain often equate to brief and intense afternoon storms, rather than extended periods of gentle rain.

The Gold Coast, that visitors are more familiar with, stretches along the coastal suburbs from Paradise Point to Tweed Heads (about 35 km).

Gold Coast Airport (OOL ^IATA) is widely known as Coolangatta Airport, even though it is in Bilinga. It may be unique in the world in that, because it straddles the NSW and Queensland borders, you land in one state and arrive in another. It is a fairly small terminal but 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 not a 24-hour airport and closes at night, so don't plan on spending the night before an early morning flight. It is around 30 minutes drive to Surfers Paradise.

The 777 bus runs every 15 minutes connecting the airport to the southernmost tram station at Broadbeach South, from where you can easily transfer to Surfers Paradise.

Public transport from Gold Coast Airport to Brisbane city: Take public bus No 470 (Robina) to Varsity Lakes Train Station. Then take the train to Brisbane City. Bus 470 picks up and drops off passengers inside the terminal complex, and not (as Google Maps will tell you) 800 meters from the terminal. The cost is about $19.50 (August 2018). You only need to buy one ticket from the bus driver. Using the express train Varsity Lakes to Brisbane, total traveling time is about two hours.

Brisbane Airport (BNE ^IATA) is used by many overseas visitors because it is larger, served by more international air carriers, and has direct air flights to many Australian cities. However, the transport to the airport is more tedious and inconvenient. Options include:

• Rental car - 80 minute drive along the Gateway and Pacific Motorway but the most viable option.
• Direct Airport Transfer - about 1hr 40 min, can drop off at accommodation, fares from $40 to $50.
• Train with car transfer package
• Train with connecting local bus at Nerang or Robina
• Train with connecting local tram at Helensvale

Domestic

Major domestic carriers include Virgin Australia, Jetstar, and Qantas.

There are regional Queensland flights to make many cities and towns.

• Airnorth, Jetstar, Qantas, QantasLink, Virgin Australia

International

• Air Asia X from Kuala Lumpur
• Air New Zealand from Auckland and Christchurch
• Jetstar from Auckland, Queenstown, Seoul Incheon International Airport, Tokyo Narita International Airport, Wellington

Queensland Rail runs a train service from Brisbane to Coomera, Helensvale, Nerang and Robina. Trains run half-hourly 06:00-23:59 daily taking just over an hour from Brisbane Central to Helensvale, Nerang and Robina. The trains can get crowded at peak times, but it's unusual to have to stand. The tram connects to Southport, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach at Helensvale. Buses connect Nerang and Robina to Surfers Paradise, Coolangatta, and into northern New South Wales.

NSW Trainlink in NSW runs trains from Sydney with bus connections at Casino for services direct to Surfers Paradise or Tweed Heads. However, this is a slow (11½ hr) and expensive service. Set aside a whole day for the trip.

All attractions around the Gold Coast are accessible by car, and there are large car parks at the theme parks and other attractions. Parking meters are found in the busiest streets of Surfers Paradise, Southport and Burleigh Heads, but free parking can be found a few street blocks away. There are paid parking areas in Surfers Paradise and Southport operated by shopping centres and the city council that charge about $1 per hour, the largest is the Bruce Bishop Car Park adjacent to the transit centre.

The Gold Coast doesn't suffer from the same congestion as Brisbane, largely because it has several business centres. The morning peak hour is 07:00-08.30, while the afternoon peak is 15:30-17:00. Roads to avoid at these times include Bundall Road, Southport-Nerang Road, The Gold Coast Hwy at Surfers Paradise and the Pacific Motorway between Nerang and Palm Beach.

Most car rental dealers are in the main business district of the suburb, between the Gold Coast Highway and Surfers Paradise Boulevard. Most major car rental companies allow you to hire cars for a one way trip. There are also local car rental companies such as Costless Car Rental, Brian's Auto Centre & East Coast Car Rentals, which may also offer competitive pricing.

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 with an additional surcharge. To avoid delays, check with your car rental provider beforehand if you are under 25.

The G:Link (Gold Coast Light Rail) service runs a route from Helensvale Station via Gold Coast University Hospital and Surfers Paradise to Broadbeach South. The trams run from 5AM till midnight on weekdays and 24 hours on weekends running every 15 minutes or less in the hours of 5AM till midnight.

Payment can be made using a contactless card (Visa/MasterCard/American Express). This is far more convenient than purchasing a reloadable go card, and you don't have to worry about residual amounts remaining on the card when you leave. All the same benefits apply to using a contactless card as apply to using an adult go card. Remember to touch on and off using the pink validators on the platforms. Single tickets are available from the fare machine on the platform but they are 30% more expensive.

An extension to Burleigh Heads is under construction and is expected to be in operation by 2025. A further extension to the NSW border via Gold Coast Airport is planned to open before the 2032 Olympics.

Surfside Buslines 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 the daytime. All the main tourist attractions are serviced by bus. The frequency of services up and down the coast along the beach between Coolangatta and Surfers Paradise is very good at least every half hour. For other routes, and theme parks, it is best to check the timetable in advance.

Surfside Buslines uses the same ticketing system as the trams, individual tickets are no longer sold on board.

Airport Transfers (shuttles) operate 'door to door' between Coolangatta Airport and accommodation along the coast and are a popular alternative to taxis. They cost approximately $21 per person

Expect to wait up to an hour or more for a taxi on busy nights:Taxi services. 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 $100-110.

The Gold Coast Oceanway is a 36-km pathway for pedestrians and cyclists linking Point Danger to the Gold Coast Seaway, stretching along most of the city coastline. It can be a little crowded with pedestrians in parts.

There are over 52 km of ocean beaches maintained by the local council. In addition to this there are (largely un-patrolled) ocean beaches in the Tweed Shire of Northern NSW and numerous waterway beaches.

List of beaches (north to south):

The Gold Coast also has numerous beaches in calmer, more protected water away from the surf, ideal for families with small children.

Promoted as "the green behind the gold", the Gold Coast Hinterland refers to the mountainous area between the Gold Coast and the Scenic Rim region. It is home to national parks, mountain resorts, waterfalls, reservoirs, scenic drives and lookouts, wineries, and rock formations. The area is mostly covered in subtropical rainforest, but sections have been cleared for dairy farmland and wineries. The Hinterland is best seen by car or on a bus tour as the roads wind through the mountains with various lookout points along the way and towering trees lining the roads. It is truly a beautiful drive.

• Tamborine Mountain featuring:
  • Numerous lookouts offering panoramic views in all directions
  • A great cottage industry with fantastic restaurants, fudge shops, and wineries - many of which offer free samples!
• Springbrook Mountain
• Hinze Dam and Advancetown Lake
• Lamington National Park
• Numinbah Valley featuring the Natural Bridge rockpool and waterfall (see glow worms at night).
• Tallebudgera Valley
• Currumbin Valley

Many tours operate in the hinterland area. Some are more of a bus tour as opposed to an all inclusive day. Watch the small print and enjoy. 4WD tour companies generally offer all inclusive tours to the hinterland area.

Be wary of street vendors promising free tickets to theme parks. Generally found along Cavill Mall in Surfers Paradise, they promise free theme park tickets in return for 3-4 hours of your time watching a timeshare presentation followed by high pressure salesmanship to sign up.

Many legitimate vendors sell discounted theme park tickets. Check out the tourist information booths run by Gold Coast Tourism Corporation.

Many accommodation operators offer free Wi-Fi access to their guests. Other Wi-Fi hotspots include McDonalds and Hungry Jacks restaurants and coffee shops such as Starbucks and Gloria Jeans. Free Wi-Fi is also available in all Gold Coast City Branch libraries, except Mudgeeraba and the mobile library.

Almost all beaches between the Gold Coast Seaway and Coolangatta are patrolled by volunteer and professional lifesavers. The patrolled areas are marked by red and yellow flags. Signs on the beaches will show you the closest patrolled beaches at any particular time of year.

Always swim between the flags. The flags have been lined up with the safest parts of the beach and are patrolled by lifesavers. If you do get into trouble or feel yourself being pulled out of your depth by a "rip", don't try to swim against the water. Swim parallel to the beach and raise your hand to attract the attention of a lifesaver. Always check the lifeguard chalk board near the (usually) yellow flag for up to date swimming conditions, water temperature, tide times and other information.

Swimming is also not recommended:

• After heavy rain when water quality and clarity become poor. Debris and other aquatic organisms are in the water and sometimes an algae or seaweed bloom occurs for a few days afterwards.
• When jellyfish (or stingers) are present. They usually appear in the summer months brought in by northerly winds in the afternoon.
• If schools of small fish are present, as these may attract sharks. If a shark has been spotted, lifeguards will direct people to get out of the water quickly.
• During choppy or unstable surf conditions, check the lifeguard chalk board.
• In canals, due to bull sharks and jet skis.

Dogs are permitted on beaches provided except within 200 m of flagged areas, part of Gold Coast City Dog Exercise Areas.

Surfers must not surf in the zone between the flags.

The Gold Coast Oceanway, which is a 36-km network of pathways along beaches from the Gold Coast Seaway (The Spit) to the Point Danger Lighthouse (Coolangatta), is a great way to walk or cycle between the beaches.

105.7 Radio Metro has detailed surf reports at 07:00, 12:00 and 15:00 daily.

Violence can erupt late at night and in the early hours of the morning, particularly from Thursday to Saturday. Areas to be careful to avoid include Cavill Ave and Orchid Ave in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach Mall in Broadbeach and Griffith St in Coolangatta.

• Brisbane, the state capital, is about 1 hour north.
• The Sunshine Coast lies north of Brisbane.

• Northern Rivers region of NSW which includes:
  • Tweed Shire which starts at the NSW border at Tweed Heads and includes Wollumbin National Park
  • Australia's most easterly point at Cape Byron and Byron Bay (75 km south)
  • Regional city of Lismore

• Coolangatta airport has inexpensive flights on budget carriers to New Zealand, only about 2 to 3 hours away.

• Gold Coast Hinterland
• Scenic Rim area (60 to 120 km west), a farming area overlooked by Mt Barney, and the quiet town of Boonah.
• Granite Belt (120 to 200 km west) with the towns of Stanthorpe and Warwick