Pacific Center - Migration Services
GOLD COAST

GOLD COAST OVERVIEW:

The Gold Coast's star attraction is its beaches, including the world-renowned stretch of sand at Surfers Paradise. Beyond the beaches, discover laid-back neighbourhoods, a booming culinary scene and the Gold Coast's famous theme parks. And be sure to leave enough time for a trip into the subtropical hinterland for rainforest walks and waterfalls.


International flights fly directly into Brisbane Airport from many global hubs. From there it's a one-hour shuttle bus ride to the Gold Coast. If you are travelling to the Gold Coast from within Australia, direct flights arrive at Gold Coast Airport in Coolangatta.


The Gold Coast is renowned for its white sand beaches that stretch across 57 kilometres (35 miles) of coastline. Choose from the sheltered waters at Coolangatta and Currumbin beaches or the popular surfing breaks at Main Beach or Burleigh Heads. First-time surfers can book a group or private lesson with Get Wet Surf School at The Spit, Surfers Paradise.

The Gold Coast features immaculate beaches running almost the entire length of the region's coastline which faces the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean. Match this with a favorable climate, endless attractions, nightlife, dining, friendly people, along with a safe environment, and you have Australias favourite holiday destination that's open to the world.


The Gold Coast region is located 70kms south of Queensland's capital city, Brisbane, and almost 1000km's north of the capital of New South Wales, Sydney.


It has an estimated population of 480,000 and is Australia's sixth largest city. At the center of the Gold Coast region is the popular and well-known suburb of Surfers Paradise.


Inland from the beaches and behind the city, there are magnificent National Parks - Springbrook, Lamington, and Tamborine which feature World Heritage protected areas. These scenic sub-tropical rainforests are visitor friendly with picnic areas, short and long nature walks, amazing natural flora and fauna, and spectacular lookouts that gaze out across the hinterland, the city and out to the expanse of the ocean. The Hinterland and Mt Tamborine are also popular for its wineries.

As well as its beaches, the Gold Coast is equally famed for its world-class theme parks. Water lovers should head for Wet 'n' Wild with its extreme waterslides such as Kamikaze and the Tornado. Warner Bros. Movie World is great for families, with plenty of kid-friendly attractions and the chance to meet loveable cartoon characters. Dreamworld caters to adventure seekers with big rides, including The Giant Drop, Tower of Terror and Buzz Saw. To experience more than one park, buy a Mega Pass, which gives you access to Wet 'n' Wild, Movie World, Sea World (a marine animal park) and the Aussie farm and wildlife experience, Paradise Country. Tickets to Dreamworld can be bought separately.


Marvel at the views of the Gold Coast while freefalling from 12,000 feet with Gold Coast Skydive. Whether the thought excites, inspires or downright terrifies you, everyone feels the same sensation when hovering over the glistening Gold Coast skyline; pure thrill. The take off from the Gold Coast International Airport amongst the passenger jets offers its own unique experience before you have even left the ground. The ride to height allows you to take in the breathtaking scenery of the Gold Coast's white sandy beaches and enchanting hinterland, until you reach the drop point.

GOLD COAST WEATHER:

The Gold Coast averages 245 days of fine and sunny weather each year, and those rainy-day exceptions typically fall in the summer period (December - February).

During summer the average temperature on the Gold Coast is a pleasant 20-28°C (68-83°F). It can be humid in summer but this is usually offset by cool sea breezes.

In autumn (March - May), sunny days are followed by warm nights – making it ideal for outdoor water activities such as fishing and sailing. Autumn temperatures fall between 16-26°C (61-77°F).

Winter (June - August) on the Gold Coast is generally sunny and dry with comfortable temperatures of 11-21°C (52-70°F). Many Australians escape the cooler weather in the southern states for a holiday in Queensland at this time of year. The humidity is lower, there is less rain, but the temperature is still nice and warm.

Spring (September - November) on the Gold Coast offers sunny days followed by mild tropical evenings. September can sometimes be windy, making it great for sports such as kite-surfing, kite-boarding, windsurfing and sailing. The temperatures fall between 15-25°C (59-77°F).

You can get sunburnt even on cloudy days. Wear sun protection all year round, a broad brimmed hat, shirt with collar and sleeves and maximum sun screen to exposed skin.

Daylight saving is not observed in Queensland. The time zone in Queensland is Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), UTC +10.

December experiences the longest hours of daylight with sunrise at approximately 4:45am and sunset at 6:40pm. June has the least hours of daylight with sunrise at approximately 6:30am and sunset at 5pm.

On the Gold Coast, humidity rarely drops below 65 per cent, climbing as high as 75 per cent during summer. In summer the average sea temperature ranges from 25.4 - 27.1°C (77.7 - 80.8°F), and dips in winter to 21.5 - 22.6°C (70.7 - 72.7°F).

GOLD COAST LIFESTYLE:

From the high-rises of Surfers Paradise to the easy-going vibes of Palm Beach, the Gold Coast is one of Queensland’s most desirable destinations. It’s home to irresistible beaches, premium shopping spots, and an incredible line-up of entertainment and tourism attractions. But look beyond the glitz and glam of the coastal strip and you’ll find down-to-earth neighbourhoods that seem to have it all – waterfront abodes, well-regarded schools, pristine waterways and lush parklands. The best part is, the hinterland and beaches are always within easy reach.

Beach, eat, shop, repeat; Burleigh Heads knows how to live by the sea. With its beautiful surroundings of pristine beaches and serene parklands combined with its impressive café and bar scene, it’s not hard to see why Gold Coast locals are heading south to put down their roots at beachside Burleigh.

The city is home to the largest indoor stadium in Queensland as well as multiple major sporting venues, with quality facilities and a comprehensive program of activities run by skilled and capable people.

Thanks to the sunny weather, palm trees, and never-ending beaches, the Gold Coast is overflowing with holiday vibes. You’ll find that the pace is slower on the Gold Coast than in other major cities, and the friendly locals love to have a chat.

Gold Coasters have perfected a laidback beach culture that balances hard work with plenty of sunshine and good times. You may be studying a lot, but living on the Gold Coast will make it feel like an endless vacation.

Surfers Paradise boasts an unrivalled party reputation. The streets are lined with pounding dance clubs, bars, restaurants, and live music venues, meaning there’s an awesome venue to be found around every corner.

Outside of Surfers Paradise, the fun continues. Check out suburbs like Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads to discover top restaurants and trendy bars that’ll keep the drinks flowing from dusk until dawn. Combine this with cheap public transport and plenty of free and low-cost social activities, the Gold Coast is a very budget-friendly choice.

GOLD COAST COST OF LIVING:

Cost of living in Gold Coast, Australia is $1,779 and it seems affordable according to the average monthly salary which is $3,976. Cost of living in Gold Coast (Australia) is 16% cheaper than in Sydney. Rent in Gold Coast is, on average, 32.81% lower than in Sydney.

Eating well in Gold Coast is no problem, as the area is full of restaurants serving all kinds of cuisine for every budget and taste. Hop into a cafe for some lunch, and you can easily make it out spending $12 or less. A sit down dinner might run you closer to $20 per entree, add $4 on top of that if you’d like to wash your meal down with a Coke. A combo meal at McDonalds will cost close to $9. If you prefer cooking at home, a kg of chicken breast costs around $8.50, and a kg of rice averages $2.29.

If you are spending a while in Gold Coast, you’ll probably want to experience some of the attractions that make it the theme park capital of Australia. Yes, there are five major theme parks in the city, including Sea World and Warner Brothers Movie World. One time general admission to Movie World costs $93.

There are often promotions going on where you can snag a discount, for instance the VIP Magic Pass, which gives you unlimited access to three different parks until June 30 for $109.

Of course, the best thing about Gold Coast is, well, the coast! You could spend an entire month just exploring the different beaches and finding your own piece of paradise. Maybe consider taking up the local pastime with a surf lesson or two. A two hour group lesson will cost about $60.

Check some other prices:

Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle)3.31 A$
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g)3.00 A$
Banana (1kg)3.43 A$
Potato (1kg)3.41 A$
Rice (white), (1kg)2.56 A$

1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range)140.91 A$
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)109.38 A$
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat18.00 A$
One-way Ticket (Local Transport)4.65 A$
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult81.57 A$
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre1,314.29 A$

GOLD COAST TRANSPORT:

The main means of transport of Gold Coast are bus and tram:

The tramway (g: link) has only one line of 13 km in length and 16 stations and runs from Helensvale to Broadbeach South through the center of Gold Coast with stops at Southport or Surfers Paradise.

During the week it takes about 15 minutes and it works from 5 from morning to midnight. On weekends it works all night (great news for partygoers) although between midnight and five o'clock in the morning every 30 minutes passes.

All of Gold Coast's public transport comes together under the Translink (although each means of transport is operated by a different company). This means that with a single card, the Go Card. You can use the different means of transport; buses, trams, trains, and ferries throughout south-east Queensland (also serves Brisbane). There are different types of Go Card, if you are a student you will be interested in obtaining this one, since you will save a lot (an 50%).

Also, as with the public transport in Sydney, the cost of the journeys goes by distance and out of peak hours, the prices are lower. These discounts can not be used if you travel with a single ticket.

By the center of Gold Coast you can move perfectly by bike. The lanes are improving a lot and as the weather is good, the bike becomes a super practical, comfortable, cheap means of transport. You can buy it second hand without problem or even rent it if you are going to spend a few days here.

The Gold Coast train system is operated by Queensland Rail with stations at Varsity Lakes, Robina, Nerang, Helensvale, and Coomera. The train runs through to Brisbane city and also through to Brisbane Airport. If heading to Surfers Paradise or Broadbeach, the best station to depart from is Nerang from which you will need to take a connecting bus to Surfers/Broadbeach.

The Gold Coast public bus service is operated by Surfside bus lines who hold the contract with Queensland Transport for the provision of local scheduled bus services for the region extending from Dreamworld (at Upper Coomera) in the north to the Qld/NSW border. Surfside Buslines also has the contract for the Northern NSW region from Murwillumbah and the Tweed Coast to the NSW/QLD border.

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