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Australia > Queensland
> Gold Coast
By
Jessica Lloyd
 Beaches, sun and surf,
bikini babes and hunky guys, for that getaway to summer, the Gold
Coast is a stretch of beaches starting at the Queensland/New South
Wales border and runs north from Tweed Heads and Coolangatta through to Burleigh
Heads, Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise and Brisbane, (the Queensland State Capital).
The coastal strip is virtually a continuous development of high rise
hotels adjacent to great beaches and recreational facilities. Where
as inland you will find national parks with a variety rainforests,
bush lands, wilderness, extensive waterways, valleys and wide open
spaces with the uniquely Australian wildlife. Lamington National
Park is Australia's largest reserve of subtropical rainforest; with
a variety of terrain and over 500 waterfalls
Want it all? You
will find it here
Australia's sixth largest city has everything - surf, sand,
nightlife, theme parks and anything else you can think of to satisfy
the hunger of tourists. With 4.2 million visitors a year, it is the
tourist capital of Australia, which means there is every conceivable
convenience you may require for your stay will be readily available.
You hang out in this beautiful place for a year and still not manage
to visit all the wonderful attractions it has to offer - from
subtropical rainforest to the long sandy beaches, you won't get
bored here, that much is certain. There are the huge theme parks;
Movieworld, Dreamworld, Seaworld and Wet 'n' Wild - each a day trip
in themselves and full of weird and wonderful things to do, which
will captivate and enchant you in the world of the unreal.
The sun is shining
The sun shines all the time here, with over 300 days of sunshine per
year and a mean temperature in summer of 25 degrees C - the
reputation of the Sunshine State, Queensland, surely earns its keep.
The beaches are the main attraction here, and if you're looking to
find someone to dance with, the odds of finding them are above
average - the atmosphere is conducive to mating games. Shopping is
excellent here, with much more than your credit card can surely
handle. If you want to visit the last drive in movie theatre in
South East Queensland, the Yatala Drive in Theatre is waiting for
you.
Since the 1950's when Surfers Paradise was established as a beach
side town, the Gold Coast has been a favourite for Australians and
international visitors alike. You can bungee jump out of a
helicopter above the Pacific Ocean, (or of course lie on the beach
and watch other people doing it), bush walk, watch the ASP surfing
titles, fish, play polo, go scuba diving or learn diving. The
options are endless, and there is always a full calendar here. The
70km of beaches provide a playground for visible dolphins, who
regularly teach their young how to chase fish up against the rocks.
Only advice? Swim between the flags. The water can get pretty rough
and if you are here then the beach is patrolled by trained surf life
savers and you will be as safe as can be. If you surf though, keep
out of the flagged area.
Best Beaches
The best family beaches are Budds Beach, on the river side of
Surfers, Rainbow Bay/Greenmount in Coolangatta, Currumbin Estuary
and The Broadwater but only inside the shark nets. The best surfing
beaches are Currumbin Alley, Duranbah, Kirra, Burleigh Heads,
Snapper Rocks, South Stradbroke - check a surf report for whats best
when, with what winds etc.
Beach Dangers
Since the instigation of the Gold Coast's shark net program, sharks
are hardly ever seen on surf beaches. But, they do seem to have a
preference for the canals and people die every year from Bull shark
attacks in canals. Simple advice - don't swim in canals, swim in
netted beaches. Other dangers are things like sunburn, strong
currents during bad weather, dangerous surf (the beach will be
closed if it is too bad), overcrowding and Blue Bottle jelly fish
(they hurt but they won't kill you).
Theme Parks
Dreamworld, at $58 entry for up to 7 hours of koala cuddling, tiger
watching and riding the fastest and tallest rides in the world.
Enjoy a BBQ or dress up in old fashioned clothes and get your photo
taken. Seaworld offers you unique experiences with dolphins, seals
and other aquatic animals - enjoy the cool air and the smell of
fish! Warner Brothers Movieworld - could you ask for a more
interesting place to go on rides and see your favourite stars? Wet
'n' Wild is a great place to cool off - hydro slides, pools and spas
all await you on a hot day to have fun in the water, it is a great
place to play.
Nightlife
When the sun goes down, parties on. There is no doubt that one other
main attraction of this stretch of coast is the night life - it is
always on and always hot. Wherever you decide to go, there is
always people, fun drinks, fun music and an atmosphere to suit.
Restaurants, bars, cafes, pubs and clubs all offer a respite from a
long day doing whatever it is that you choose to do. Sun burnt faces
and short skirts all make up the character of the Gold Coast.
Events
Schoolies week is based here, and thousands of students from all over Australia
swarm to the coast to celebrate the end of school, (19th - 27th of Nov
2005) and one of the features of schoolies week are the great beach
parties -
website. Schoolies week
is a nightmare for some residents, and depending on your age, maybe you too.
From Indy to Surf Lifesaving carnivals, scenic drives or hiring a
scooter, what you want is what you will get, plus more.
The
Gold Coast is on Eastern Standard Time throughout the
year and does not join the Southern states in
Daylight saving and is 10 hours forward from
'Greenwich Mean Time'.
Gold
Coast Accommodation
Aegean Resort Apartments
Gold Coast Beachfront Tour
Gold Coast Nightclub Directory
Gold Coast Directory
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