19-672: The Federation Walk Coastal Reserve is a reserve comprising the eastern part of The Spit on the Gold Coast, Queensland , Australia . The reserve was opened on 22 June 2003, and is approximately 93 hectares in size. The area supports a subtle mix of habitats including littoral rainforest, native grasslands, and pockets of wetlands. The Federation Walk track goes throughout the reserve. 27°57′00″S 153°25′41″E / 27.950°S 153.428°E / -27.950; 153.428 Southport Spit Download coordinates as: The Southport Spit (officially known as The Spit )
38-783: A large-scale refurbishment in 2007. In 2008, the Sea World Water Park became part of the resort with regular park guests having to pay an additional fee to make use of the water park. In 2010, part of the Water Park was demolished to make way for Castaway Bay . Television series filmed at Sea World include the Australian children's programs Dolphin Cove , Camp Orange , Toasted TV (since early 2007), H 2 O: Just Add Water , and its spin-off Mako Mermaids . Several accidents or incidents have occurred at or near
57-576: A narrow section of land on Stradbroke Island. This made a new ocean passage, the Jumpinpin Channel , which divided Stradbroke Island in two ( North Stradbroke Island and South Stradbroke Island ). The continuous longshore drift it created continued to erode South Stradbroke Island and the township of Moondarewa began to be lost to the sea from the late 1930s during storms as the Broadwater Entrance migrated northwards. During
76-609: A rival attraction, Marineland, in 1976. Marineland was situated on the site of the current Sheraton resort. On the end of The Spit is the Gold Coast Sand Pumping Jetty ( 27°56′19″S 153°25′57″E / 27.9386°S 153.4324°E / -27.9386; 153.4324 ( Sand Bypass Pumping Jetty ) ), a popular destination for fishermen and part of the Gold Coast Seaway's Sand Bypassing System. The Gold Coast Oceanway and
95-565: A similar name . Sea World was founded by Keith Williams as the Surfers Paradise Ski Gardens . The main attractions were "water ski shows that combined SOS, aqua ballet and action" . In 1971, the Surfers Paradise Ski Gardens moved to land on The Spit . Major dredging works were required to build the new ski lake. A year later, the Surfers Paradise Ski Gardens became known as Sea World with
114-496: Is a marine mammal park , oceanarium , and theme park located on the Gold Coast, Queensland , Australia . It offers attractions such as rides and animal exhibits and promotes conservation through education and the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. The park is commercially linked to Warner Bros. Movie World and Wet'n'Wild Gold Coast as part of the theme park division of Village Roadshow . The park has no affiliation with an American park chain of
133-835: Is a spit and neighbourhood within the northern end of Main Beach , City of Gold Coast , Queensland , Australia. It is a permanent sand spit that separates the Southport Broadwater from the Pacific Ocean . Seaworld Drive is the main street connecting the area of The Spit to the rest of Main Beach . Parklands and naturally vegetated sand dunes on the eastern ocean side of the Spit start in Main Beach at Kemp Street and Main Beach Parade and run continuously to
152-511: Is a reserve comprising the eastern part of The Spit. There are a number of parks: Doug Jennings Park covers the whole north end of The Spit, with views to Wave Break Island to the east and South Stradbroke Island to the north. It is a popular family park, suitable for fishing, diving, surfing, boating and swimming. 27°57′07″S 153°25′37″E / 27.952°S 153.427°E / -27.952; 153.427 ( Southport Spit ) Sea World (Australia) Sea World
171-515: Is home to Sea World ( 27°57′21″S 153°25′33″E / 27.9559°S 153.4257°E / -27.9559; 153.4257 ( Sea World ) ), Sea World Resort, the Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa, as well as Palazzo Versace ( 27°58′01″S 153°25′33″E / 27.9670°S 153.4259°E / -27.9670; 153.4259 ( Palazza Versace Australia ) ). Sea World expanded after purchasing
190-508: The Federation Walk ( 27°56′37″S 153°25′36″E / 27.9435°S 153.4266°E / -27.9435; 153.4266 ( Federation Trail ) ) provide opportunities for pedestrians and cyclists to explore the Spit. The Federation Walk Coastal Reserve ( 27°57′00″S 153°25′41″E / 27.950°S 153.428°E / -27.950; 153.428 ( Federation Walk Coastal Reserve ) )
209-697: The 1940s the Southport Yacht Club grew and added marina facilities for the increasing number of private boats wanting to moor on the Spits' eastern side of the Broadwater. Since the 1950s and '60s, the local prawning industry used The Spit for their berth. The Spit continued to develop, with tourist attractions opening in the 1960s. It is now home to Sea World theme park, an upmarket shopping restaurant and bar precinct and several resorts. Navigational difficulties caused boating accidents, prompting
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#1732790543904228-504: The Australian Tourism Awards through the 1980s. In 1984, Keith Williams sold the park to property development group Pivot Leisure. In 1988, Pivot built the 402-room Sea World Nara Resort, a joint development between SeaWorld Property Trust and Nara Hotels Japan. In 1991, Pivot Leisure, Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow jointly developed and opened Warner Bros. Movie World, a Hollywood theme action park, at Oxenford on
247-590: The Gold Coast. That year, Pivot also purchased the Wet n' Wild Water park located next to the site of Warner Bros. Movie World. In 1993, Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow jointly acquired Pivot Leisure's interest in Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and the adjoining Sea World Nara Resort. As the name suggests, Sea World Resort and Water Park is an adjoining Resort and Water Park to Sea World. The resort underwent
266-500: The Sea World theme park. On 3 March 1991 at 1:58pm, six passengers and the pilot on board a Bell 206L-1 LongRanger II were killed during a joy-flight departing from Sea World. The helicopter climbed steeply with its nose facing almost vertically upwards. It then fell backwards, resulting in the tail boom being severed by the main rotor blades, causing the helicopter to crash on a South Stradbroke Island beach. The investigation found
285-436: The helicopter was airworthy and there was no evidence of the pilot attempting a deliberate manoeuvre such as a torque turn. Although the pilot was unknowingly suffering from myocarditis , which could result in loss of consciousness or death, the reason for the loss of control could not be established. On 2 January 2023 at 1:59pm, two helicopters operated by Sea World Helicopters (a separate company from Sea World ) collided near
304-458: The introduction of dolphins, marine displays, a replica of the Endeavour, a swimming pool, a licensed restaurant and a gift shop. Additions over the next decade included the purchasing of the competitor marine park, Marineland , and the transfer of animals and exhibits to Sea World, as well as more shops and food outlets. SeaWorld was repeatedly rated as Australia's best tourist attraction by
323-647: The planning and design of the Gold Coast Seaway , built from 1984 to 1986. The design relied on data from the Beach Protection Authority to prevent it becoming a baymouth bar connecting to South Stradbroke Island . Construction of the project had six main phases: In 2018, the Spit Master Plan was announced to revitalise the area for community use. At at October 2024, the work is still in progress. The Southport Spit
342-532: The tip of the Spit. There was a township called Moondarewa located on the southern tip of Stradbroke Island (now South Stradbroke Island ). On 9 February 1881 the Queensland Government auctioned 156 town lots at Moondarewa which was described as "southern end of Stradbroke Island and opposite Southport" (. The name Moondarewa is a corruption of the Aboriginal name Moonjerrabah which
361-518: Was the name for a mosquito. Moondarewa was located in the area near where Seaworld is located today ( 27°55′48″S 153°25′32″E / 27.9300°S 153.42556°E / -27.9300; 153.42556 ( Moondarewa, Queensland ) ). The Spit was formed between 1897 and 1898, a product of longshore drift when high seas broke through at Jumpinpin ( 27°43′50″S 153°26′43″E / 27.7306°S 153.4453°E / -27.7306; 153.4453 ( Jumpinpin ) ),
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