Gold Coast

Gold Coast is part of Australia’s Queensland. The second-largest city in Queensland after Brisbane, the state capital, the Gold Coast is located roughly 66 kilometers south-southeast of Brisbane and ranks sixth among all the cities in Australia. With a population far above 600,000, it is the most populous non-capital city in the nation. 

The Gold Coast’s urban sprawl runs almost 60 kilometers along the coast, gently blending with the Greater Brisbane metropolitan area to the north and running to the state border with New South Wales to the south. Reflecting its vivid and energetic environment, this large urban area is affectionately called the “Glitter Strip” and “Goldy.” Gold Coasters are the term used by Gold Coast residents to capture the special character and culture of their city.

Originally inhabited by the indigenous Yugambeh people, the ground now makes up the Gold Coast was Starting with a group of little townships, Nerang was one of the first established in 1865. The 1920s were a turning point since tourism started to drive notable local economic expansion. The Gold Coast became formally a city by 1959, and its first skyscraper opened in 1960. From the 1980s forward, the city saw a building explosion marked by the rise of skyscrapers and a boost in development spurred on by so-called “white-shoe brigade” developers. Organized crime, including the yakuza and Russian mafia, also defined this age.

The Gold Coast today boasts a varied economy with strengths in construction, health, tourism, arts and culture. The city’s GDP in 2023 will be AU$45.3 billion. With a growing video games business and a vibrant community of content creators, the Gold Coast is regarded as one of Australia’s cultural and creative hotspots. Due in great part to its major film and television production activity, it earns the moniker “Goldywood” and leads the country in startups per capita. Prominent events like the Gold Coast Film Festival and the AACTA Awards help the city to establish its cultural center even more.

Renowned for its sunny, subtropical temperature and breathtaking natural beauty, the Gold Coast is a top tourist spot. It is well-known for its surfing beaches—Surfers Paradise among others—for its skyline dominated by high-rise buildings, energetic nightlife, and rich rainforest hinterland. The most often visited tourist destination in Queensland, the Gold Coast welcomes almost 10 million visitors a year—international visitors, domestic overnight guests, and day-trippers among others. With almost $4.4 billion annually added to the local economy and one in four citizens employed, tourism is the biggest sector in the city.

The city presents about 65,000 beds, 60 kilometers of immaculate beaches, 600 kilometers of canals, 100,000 hectares of nature reserves, 500 restaurants, forty golf courses, and five main theme parks. Among the noteworthy sites are Dreamworld, Sea World, Wet’n’Wild Water World, Warner Bros. Movie World, and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.

With airlines including Flyscoot, Jetstar, Qantas, Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia, and AirAsia X, Gold Coast Airport is a key gateway offering connections both domestically and internationally. Furthermore less than an hour away is Brisbane Airport; direct train lines improve access.

Originally the highest residential tower in the world, the Q1 building is one of the most famous features of the city. Offering amazing views from its observation deck on level 77, it is still a sought-after site for both residents and visitors. Rising over the Surfers Paradise skyline, the Q1 is Australia’s highest building.

Introduced in 1965 to help with the effect of new parking rules, the Surfers Paradise Meter Maids are another unusual feature of Gold Coast culture. Now run by private business, these maids remain a beloved component of the local way of life.

The rejuvenation of Southport as an international central business district (CBD) depends much on Chinatown in the Gold Coast. This project shows the city’s will to create a vibrant and varied urban environment, so improving its attraction as a travel destination and a modern city.