Gold Coast

Built for pleasure and remaining a place dedicated to sun, surf and the body beautiful, this strip of coast is possibly Australia’s most iconic holiday destination. Its shimmering high-rises can, when glimpsed from afar, resemble a make-believe city, and its reputation for tackiness is occasionally deserved. But this is far outstripped by the area's youthful spirit and startling physical beauty: some 52km of pristine sand with countless epic surf breaks, stunning sunsets, blissful water temperatures and 300 sunny days a year.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Gold Coast

This nicely restrained, old-style operation includes Australia’s biggest rainforest aviary, where you can hand-feed a technicolour blur of rainbow…
Captain Cook Memorial

Gold Coast

The headland of Point Danger marks the border between Queensland and New South Wales. There are amazing views from here both ways along the coast, and you…
Purling Brook Falls

Gold Coast

Just off Springbrook Rd, the feathery Purling Brook Falls drops a rather astonishing 106m into the rainforest: worth braving the vertigo-inducing lookout.
Tamborine National Park

Gold Coast

Queensland’s oldest national park comprises 13 sections stretching across an 8km plateau. Pick up a map at the information centre in North Tamborine for…
Burleigh Head National Park

Gold Coast

Burleigh Head is known to the local Kombumerri clan of the Yugambeh people as Jellurgal, who trace its formation to a creation spirit called Jabreen. As…
Dreamworld

Gold Coast

Australia's biggest theme park has stomach-churning thrill rides (with names like The Giant Drop and The Claw), whiz-bang multi-sensory rides (such as the…
Broadwater Parklands

Gold Coast

Hugging the water's edge on the Southport side of the Broadwater estuary, this large park features free barbecues, beach volleyball, a swimming pontoon,…
Jellurgal

Gold Coast

This Aboriginal cultural centre at the base of Burleigh Head (Jellurgal) showcases a collection of artefacts and artwork, and offers a variety of cultural…