83-697: The Pimpama River is a perennial river in the South East region of Queensland , Australia . Its catchment lies within the Gold Coast local government area and covers an area of 171 square kilometres (66 sq mi). The Pimpama River rises in the Darlington Range on the north-western slopes of Wongawallan Mountain, west of Willow Vale in the Gold Coast hinterland . The river flows generally north-easterly, joined by two minor tributaries before emptying into Tipplers Passage where it
166-500: A World Heritage area in recognition of its "outstanding geological features displayed around shield volcanic craters and the high number of rare and threatened rainforest species". The area attracts bushwalkers and day-trippers. Important rainforest pollinating and seed-dispersing Black flying foxes (Pteropus alecto) are found in the area and may be heard foraging at night. The City of Gold Coast includes suburbs, localities, towns and rural districts . The declaration of Southport as
249-597: A major film and television production industry, leading to the city's metonym of Goldywood . The Gold Coast is also host of the AACTA Awards and the Gold Coast Film Festival . The Gold Coast is a major tourist destination with a sunny, subtropical climate and has become widely known for its surfing beaches (such as Surfers Paradise ), high-rise dominated skyline, theme parks , nightlife , and rainforest hinterland . The Gold Coast
332-583: A Priority Development Area (PDA) and new investment into the CBD is driving transformative change and creating new business and investment opportunities. Waterfront canal living is a feature of the Gold Coast. Most canal frontage homes have pontoons. The Gold Coast Seaway , between The Spit and South Stradbroke Island , allows vessels direct access to the Pacific Ocean from The Broadwater and many of
415-400: A diverse economy with strengths in health, tourism, arts and culture, and construction, with a GDP of AU$ 45.3 billion as of 2023. The city ranks highly as one of the country's cultural and creative hotspots, alongside content creators , a growing video games industry , and leads Australia in startups per capita. The Gold Coast is central to the nation's entertainment industry with
498-422: A division of the city. Businessman Tom Tate is the current Mayor of the Gold Coast , first elected in 2012. Former mayors include Ron Clake , Gary Baildon, Lex Bell , Ray Stevens , Ern Harley and Sir Bruce Small , who was responsible for the development of many of the canal estates that are now home to thousands of Gold Coast residents. At the state level, the Gold Coast area is represented by eleven members in
581-510: A few weeks at a time giving residents "the summer blues", while winter is pleasantly mild to warm with little rain. In fact, it is for this pleasant winter weather that both the city and the Sunshine Coast —the coastal region north of Brisbane—are internationally renowned. Extreme temperatures recorded at Gold Coast Seaway have ranged from 2.5 °C (36 °F) on 19 July 2007 to 40.5 °C (105 °F) on 22 February 2005, although
664-539: A reputation as a secluded holiday destination for wealthy Brisbane residents. Post-World War One Era saw the rise of the "seaside shack". The seaside shack provided the opportunity for the coastal "getaway" with modest investment. From 1914 to 1946, they popped up all along the South Coast. Seaside shacks were exceedingly cheap and were an early use of the concept of recycling. Many were built of disused or second grade timber, all kinds of materials were used for
747-501: A rise of 61 percent. Tourism remains fundamental to Gold Coast City's economy, with almost 10 million visitors a year to the area. In the past the economy was driven by the population derived industries of construction, tourism and retail. Some diversification has taken place, with the city now having an industrial base formed of marine, education, information communication and technology, food, tourism, creative, environment and sports industries. These nine industries have been identified as
830-466: A risen when the location of jobs in areas such as health and education are at distance from where the majority live. Road transport in Brisbane relies on the car as the dominant form of transport. As of 2014, the population of South East Queensland is estimated to be approximately 3.4 million, meaning that between one in six and one in seven Australians call the region home. The regional population
913-822: A series of works for Gold Coast Beaches including Gold Coast Seaway , works at Narrow Neck that resulted in the Northern Gold Coast Beach Protection Strategy and works at the Tweed River that became the Tweed River Entrance Sand Bypassing Project. By 2005 most of the recommendations of the 1971 Delft Report had been implemented. City of Gold Coast commenced implementation of the Palm Beach Protection Strategy but ran into considerable opposition from
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#1732771969147996-485: A significant portion of the Gold Coast at the federal level since 1949; the three Gold Coast divisions have only returned Liberals since 1984. At the state level, Labor was fairly competitive in the Gold Coast for most of the early part of the 21st century. However, as part of its massive landslide in the 2012 state election , the Liberal National Party won every seat there. The LNP repeated its sweep of
1079-517: A small beachside holiday destination to Australia's sixth largest city (and the country's most populous non-capital city). Situated within South East Queensland's growth corridor, the Gold Coast is one of Australia's fastest growing large cities, with a 5-year annual average population growth rate to 2015 of 1.8%, compared to 1.5% nationally. Gross Regional Product has risen from A$ 9.7 billion in 2001, to A$ 15.6 billion in 2008,
1162-562: A tourist-centred image, there is evidence of local resident-driven culture (such as surf gangs ) in geographical pockets and a broader 'Gold Coaster' identity drawn from globalised resort and real estate marketing material. The Gold Coast hosts cultural activities that attract tourists and residents alike. Music groups in this region include the Northern Rivers Symphony Orchestra and Operator Please . Musicians Cody Simpson and Ricki-Lee Coulter are from
1245-545: Is a twin city with Tweed Heads located directly across the NSW border. At 28°10′00″S 153°33′00″E / 28.1667°S 153.55°E / -28.1667; 153.55 , this is the most easterly point on the Queensland mainland (Point Lookout on the offshore island of North Stradbroke is slightly further east). From Coolangatta, approximately forty kilometres of holiday resorts and surfing beaches stretch north to
1328-532: Is actually within NSW but is often included in planning processes for SEQ. While not officially part of the Translink public transport network, Kinetic Group run a seamless service across the border that appears to passengers as though it is integrated. A highly effective integrated ticketing system for public transport has averted transport gridlock in the region. The region is a complex, regional hybrid linking
1411-900: Is almost 42 km of unbroken beachfront. Duranbah Beach is one of the world's best known surfing beaches and is often thought of as being part of Gold Coast City, but is actually just across the New South Wales state border in the Tweed Shire . There are also beaches along many of the Gold Coast's 860 km (530 mi) of navigable tidal waterways. Popular inland beaches include Southport , Budds Beach, Marine Stadium, Currumbin Alley , Tallebudgera Estuary, Jacobs Well, Jabiru Island, Paradise Point, Harley Park Labrador, Santa Barbara, Boykambil and Evandale Lake. Beach safety and management The Gold Coast has Australia's largest professional surf lifesaving service to protect people on
1494-517: Is also a subsidiary Magistrates Court, located at the southern suburb of Coolangatta . In 2013 a brawl between members of Outlaw motorcycle gangs also called "bikies" who fought each other outside a Broadbeach restaurant caused mass fear to restaurant patrons and police. This led to the toughest anti-bikie laws introduced in Australia known as Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment Act 2013 . In fifty years, Gold Coast City has grown from
1577-520: Is also investing into the quality and capacity of the Gold Coast Oceanway that provides sustainable transport along Gold Coast beaches. The Gold Coast experiences a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa/Cwa ), with mild to warm winters and hot, humid summers. The city experiences substantial summer precipitation mostly concentrated in thunderstorms and heavy showers with rain events occasionally lasting up to
1660-704: Is contiguous as a conurbation with Brisbane/Gold Coast), and 140 kilometres (87 mi) west to Toowoomba (which is simultaneously considered part of the Darling Downs region). It is the third largest urban area in Australia by population. South East Queensland was the first part of Queensland to be settled and explored by Europeans. Settlements initially arose in the Brisbane and Ipswich areas with activity by European immigrants spreading in all directions from there. Various industries such as timber cutting and agriculture quickly developed at locations around
1743-515: Is established in the Lockyer Valley . Timber cutting, mining and a range of agricultural pursuits including dairying were once prominent in South East Queensland. Tourism, in part due to Brisbane serving as major transport and export hub and destinations such as the Gold Coast and the availability of land for industry, has grown in recent decades together with specialised skills in professional services and manufacturing. Car dependency has
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#17327719691471826-503: Is fuelled principally by migration from the southern states and overseas. In 2010, South East Queensland's population grew by an average of about 1,200 new residents each week. Between 1991 and 2016 the population rose from 1.9 million residents to 3.3 million. South East Queensland is expected to be home to 4.4 million by 2031. A 2010 report concluded that the region will reach 5.5 million people by 2051. The population growth rate in SEQ
1909-452: Is heavily urbanised and concentrated along the coast. The three largest population centres of Brisbane , Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast account for 90 per cent of the region's population. In the year to June 2020, the City of Ipswich was the fastest growing local government area in Queensland. South East Queensland is one of the fastest-growing regions in Australia. Growth in the state
1992-870: Is joined by the North Branch of the Coomera River in the Southern Moreton Bay Islands National Park and south of Woogoompah Island . From here the river forms its confluence with the Broadwater , part of the southern Moreton Bay and enters the Coral Sea either south or north of South Stradbroke Island . The catchment area of the Pimpama River is bounded by the Logan and Albert rivers catchment to
2075-662: Is less than one hour from the centre of Gold Coast, and direct trains operate. Gold Coast City has over 13,000 available guest rooms contributing over $ 335 million to the local economy each year. Accommodation options available range from hostels to five star resorts and hotels. Tourist attractions include surf beaches, and theme parks including Dreamworld , Sea World , Wet'n'Wild Water World , Warner Bros. Movie World , WhiteWater World , Topgolf , Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary , David Fleay Wildlife Park , Australian Outback Spectacular, and Paradise Country. Since
2158-820: Is located in the south of the region. The Cunningham Highway passes southwest to the Darling Downs via Cunninghams Gap . Several highways including the Bruce Highway , Warrego Highway and the Pacific Motorway link to the adjoining regions. The region is mountainous. McPherson Range , Teviot Range , D'Aguilar Range , Little Liverpool Range , Blackall Range as well as the Springbrook Plateau and Tamborine Mountain Plateau . Isolated volcanic peaks are found at Moogerah Peaks and
2241-535: Is the ancestral home of a number of Indigenous clans of the Yugambeh people, including the Kombumerri , Mununjali , and Wangerriburra clans. Europeans arrived in 1823 when explorer John Oxley landed at Mermaid Beach. The hinterland's red cedar supply attracted people to the area in the mid-19th century. A number of small townships developed along the coast and in the hinterland. The western suburb of Nerang
2324-607: Is the region's biggest industry, directly contributing more than $ 4.4 billion into the city economy every year and directly accounting for one in four jobs in the city There are approximately 65,000 beds, 60 kilometres (37 mi) of beach, 600 kilometres (370 mi) of canal, 100,000 hectares of nature reserve, 500 restaurants, 40 golf courses and five major theme parks in the city. Gold Coast Airport provides connection across Australia and internationally with airlines including Flyscoot , Jetstar , Qantas , Air New Zealand , Virgin Australia and Airasia X . Brisbane Airport
2407-518: The 2018 Commonwealth Games . In the 2016 census , the urban area of the Gold Coast had a population of 540,559 people. According to the 2016 census , the population of the Gold Coast including rural areas was 569,997. The median age was 39 years old, 1 year older than the nationwide median. The male-to-female ratio was 48.6-to-51.4. The most commonly nominated ancestries were English (29.3%), Australian (22.5%), Irish (8.2%), Scottish (7.5%), and German (3.6%). 64% of people were born in Australia, while
2490-589: The Glass House Mountains . Along the coast are several large islands including Bribie Island , Moreton Island and North Stradbroke Island with many smaller islands in Moreton Bay . Several major water supply and flood mitigation dams have been constructed here. The SEQ Water Grid , Western Corridor Recycled Water Scheme and Gold Coast Desalination Plant were built to counter the effects of drought in South East Queensland. Just over half
2573-532: The Legislative Assembly of Queensland . The seats they hold are: Bonney , Broadwater , Burleigh , Coomera , Currumbin , Gaven , Mermaid Beach , Mudgeeraba , Southport , Surfers Paradise and Theodore . Federally, the Gold Coast area is split between five divisions in the House of Representatives : Fadden (northern), Moncrieff (central) and McPherson (southern) are located entirely within
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2656-763: The Logan River ; and the Gubbi Gubbi people whose traditional lands were known to exist north of the Pine River , to Burrum River in the north, and west to the Conondale Range . According to history researchers the Aboriginal population declined to around 10,000 over the next 60 years. Early explorers in the area including Matthew Flinders , Allan Cunningham , John Oxley and Patrick Logan . Around 1839, European settlers were able to move into
2739-640: The Queensland Ballet . Musicals, plays and a variety of performances are regularly scheduled. The city is also home to the Gold Coast City Art Gallery . Film festivals and the Comedy Club host international artists. A redeveloped Gold Coast cultural precinct opened before the city hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games . The two most popular sports on the Gold Coast are Australian rules football and rugby league , of which
2822-567: The Shire of Nerang on 17 June 1949 with the effect of having the present-day Gold Coast coastal strip as a single local government area. As the tourism industry grew into the 1950s, local businesses began to adopt the term Gold Coast in their names, and on 23 October 1958 the Town of South Coast was renamed Town of Gold Coast . The area was proclaimed a city, despite the lack of a cathedral, less than one year later on 16 May 1959. The area boomed in
2905-633: The Surfers Paradise skyline, with the observation deck 230 metres (750 feet) high, and the spire extending nearly another hundred metres up. In total, the Q1 is 322.5 metres (1,058 feet) high, making it the tallest building in Australia . Another famous tourist attraction are the Surfers Paradise Meter Maids , instituted in 1965 to put a positive spin on new parking regulations. To avoid tickets being issued for expired parking,
2988-487: The 1980s as a leading tourist destination. In 1994, the City of Gold Coast local government area was expanded to include the Shire of Albert , becoming the second most populous local government area in Australia after the City of Brisbane . In 2007, the Gold Coast overtook the population of Newcastle, New South Wales , to become the sixth largest city in Australia and the largest non-capital city. The Gold Coast hosted
3071-448: The 1990s, with an expenditure of around $ 150 million per year. The Gold Coast is the third largest film production centre in Australia, behind Sydney and Melbourne. It is the filming site for major motion pictures including Muriel's Wedding (1994), Ghost Ship (2002), Scooby-Doo (2002), House of Wax (2005), Superman Returns (2006), Unbroken (2014), The Inbetweeners 2 (2014), San Andreas (2015), Pirates of
3154-501: The Brisbane metropolitan area with several surrounding cities. South East Queensland includes the following cities: New developments are currently underway at Springfield , Ecco Ripley , Yarrabilba and Flagstone . Some geographers suggest several more master-planned communities will be needed to cater for the expected population growth rates. The region exports a number of crop products including broccoli, onion, Chinese cabbage, sweet corn and celery. A sizeable vegetable industry
3237-821: The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018), Aquaman (2018), Dora the Explorer (2019) and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). Village Roadshow Studios are adjacent to the Warner Bros Movie World Theme Park at Oxenford . The Studios consists of eight sound stages, production offices, editing rooms, wardrobe, construction workshops, water tanks and commissary. These sound stages vary in size and have an overall floor area of 10,844 sq metres, making Warner Roadshow Studio one of
3320-424: The Gold Coast seats at the 2015 election , and retained all but one Gold Coast seat at the 2017 state election . Southport Courthouse is the city's major courthouse and has jurisdiction to hear petty criminal offences and civil matters up to A$ 250,000. Indictable offences, criminal sentencing and civil matters above A$ 250,000 are heard in the higher Supreme Court of Queensland which is located in Brisbane. There
3403-470: The Gold Coast, while Forde (north-west) and Wright (south-west) encompass parts of the Gold Coast and other areas of Southeast Queensland. Politically, the Gold Coast has often tilted conservative. It was a Country Party bastion for most of the first three decades after World War II, but increasing urbanisation has made it a Liberal stronghold. Labor has historically only done well around Labrador and Coolangatta. Only one Labor MP has ever represented
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3486-605: The Gold Coast. Music events include Big Day Out , Good Vibrations Festival , Summafieldayze, the Blues on Broadbeach Festival and V Festival (2007–2009). Home of the Arts (HOTA) is the Gold Coast's premier cultural facility for visual and performing arts with a performance theatre, two cinemas and an underground venue. The theatre has hosted performance by the Imperial Russian Ballet , The Australian Ballet and
3569-592: The Meter Maids dispense coins into the meter and leave a calling card under the windscreen wiper of the vehicle. The Maids are still a part of the Surfers Paradise culture but the scheme is now run by private enterprise. Chinatown, Gold Coast , is an integral part of the revitalisation of Southport as an international CBD. The Gold Coast is the major film production hub in Queensland and has accounted for 75% of all film production in Queensland since
3652-537: The Scenic Rim were added to the biosecurity zone as part of a national fire ant eradication program. Gold Coast, Queensland The Gold Coast , also known by its initials, GC , is a coastal city and region in the state of Queensland , Australia, located approximately 66 kilometres (41 mi) south-southeast of the centre of the state capital , Brisbane . It is Queensland's second-largest city after Brisbane, as well as Australia's sixth-largest city and
3735-685: The Southern Moreton Bay Island National Park and the Ramsar wetland site. The Pimpama River wetlands has mangroves, saltmarshs and marine flats providing protected breeding grounds for marine species including four frog species and the vulnerable false water rat ( Xeromys myoides ). The wetlands are an important conservation area for a recorded 184 species of native plants, 134 vertebrate fauna species including 13 species of mammals, 108 species of birds and nine species of reptiles. Like most other coastal rivers in
3818-538: The animal is threatened by mining and land development. Numbers in Redland City have seen a dramatic decline in recent years. The state government launched the Koala Conservation Plan in 2006. The plan involved the rehabilitation of cleared areas, domestic dogs containment and koala signage. Another initiative was launched in 2010 to protect and rehabilitate koala habitats by tree planting and
3901-539: The beaches and to promote surf safety throughout the community. The Queensland Department of Primary Industries carries out the Queensland Shark Control Program (SCP) to protect swimmers from sharks. Sharks are caught by using nets and baited drumlines off the major swimming beaches. Even with the SCP, sharks do range within sight of the patrolled beaches . Lifeguards will clear swimmers from
3984-414: The capital city Brisbane ; the Gold Coast ; and the Sunshine Coast . Its most common use is for political purposes, and covers 35,248 square kilometres (13,609 sq mi) and incorporates 11 local government areas , extending 240 kilometres (150 mi) from Noosa in the north to the Gold Coast and New South Wales border in the south (some sources include Tweed Heads, New South Wales which
4067-407: The city include the ‘Glitter Strip’ and the ‘Goldy’. The demonym of a Gold Coast resident is Gold Coaster. The area that became the Gold Coast was originally inhabited by the indigenous Yugambeh people . The city grew from a collection of small townships, the earliest being Nerang in 1865. From the 1920s onwards, tourism led to significant economic growth in the region, and by 1959 the Gold Coast
4150-564: The city rarely experiences temperatures above 35 °C (95 °F) in summer or below 5 °C (41 °F) in winter. The average temperature of the sea at Surfers Paradise ranges from 21.5 °C (70.7 °F) in July and August to 27.1 °C (80.8 °F) in February. Administratively, the Gold Coast is a local government area called the City of Gold Coast . The City of Gold Coast Council has 14 elected councillors, each representing
4233-625: The city that is home to over 80,000 residents. The city consists of 70 kilometres (43 mi) of coastline, with some of the most popular surf breaks in Australia and the world, including South Stradbroke Island , The Spit , Main Beach , Surfers Paradise , Broadbeach , Mermaid Beach, Nobby's Beach, Miami , North Burleigh Beach, Burleigh Beach, Burleigh Heads , Tallebudgera Beach, Palm Beach , South Palm Beach, Currumbin Beach, Tugun, Bilinga , North Kirra Beach Kirra , Coolangatta , Greenmount , Rainbow Bay, Snapper Rocks and Froggies Beach. There
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#17327719691474316-670: The city's canal estates. Breakwaters on either side of the Seaway prevent longshore drift and the bar from silting up. A sand pumping operation on the Spit pipes sand under the Seaway to continue this natural process. Residential canals were first built in the Gold Coast in the 1950s and construction continues. Most canals are extensions to the Nerang River, but there are more to the south along Tallebudgera Creek and Currumbin Creek and to
4399-613: The community participating in a NO REEF protest campaign. The City of Gold Coast Council then committed to completing a review of beach management practices to update the Delft Report. The Gold Coast Shoreline Management Plan will be delivered by organisations including the Environmental Protection Agency , City of Gold Coast and the Griffith Centre for Coastal Management. Gold Coast City
4482-611: The construction of koala friendly fencing. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change SEQ is one of Australia's regions most vulnerable to climate change . After many years of water restrictions due to severe drought , the Government of Queensland lifted restrictions across the whole of South East Queensland on 1 January 2013. A fire ant outbreak is underway in South East Queensland. In 2022, 60 new suburbs around Brisbane, Moreton Bay, and
4565-612: The federal and state levels. As Queensland has no upper house, there are no Legislative Council provinces or regions to bear the name either. South Eastern Queensland , as an interim Australian bioregion , comprises 7,804,921 hectares (19,286,380 acres) and includes the Moreton Basin , South Burnett , and the Scenic Rim along with ten other biogeographic subregions. It extends as far north as Gladstone , and south into north-eastern New South Wales . South East Queensland
4648-536: The framework for the city's long-term growth and prosperity. The strategy outlines actions in the following areas, Innovation, Culture, Infrastructure, Competitive business, Workforce, International. The Gold Coast is the most popular tourist destination in Queensland. It is Australia's 5th most visited destination by international tourists. Around 10 million tourists visit the Gold Coast area every year consisting of 849,114 international visitors, 3,468,000 domestic overnight visitors and 5,366,000 daytrip visitors. Tourism
4731-516: The holiday seaside shack – including fibro cement, metal containers, and left-over farm sheds; even disused trams were sold off as seaside shacks. After the establishment of the Surfers Paradise Hotel in the late 1920s, the Gold Coast region grew significantly. The Gold Coast was originally known as the South Coast (because it was south of Brisbane). However, over-inflated prices for real estate and other goods and services led to
4814-509: The key industries by the City of Gold Coast Council to deliver the city's economic prosperity. Gold Coast City's unemployment rate (5.6 per cent) is below the national level (5.9 per cent). The declaration of Southport as the Gold Coast central business district (CBD) and a Priority Development Area (PDA), as well as new investment into the CBD, is driving transformative change and creating new business and investment opportunities. The Gold Coast Economic Development Strategy 2013–2023 outlines
4897-453: The land is used for grazing. South East Queensland is flood-prone. South East Queensland includes 12 adjoining local government areas (LGAs). Generally, the agglomeration/region consists of the metropolis of Brisbane (2.5 million inhabitants) and the Gold Coast (0.6 million inhabitants), Sunshine Coast (0.33 million inhabitants), Toowoomba (0.18 million inhabitants) and the Shire of Noosa (0.06 million inhabitants): The Tweed Shire
4980-583: The largest studio lots in the Southern Hemisphere. The Queensland Government actively supports the film and television production industry in Queensland and provides both non-financial and financial assistance through the Pacific Film and Television Commission. The Gold Coast's culture has been affected by rapid development and traditional marketing programs orbiting around 'sun, sand, surf and sex.' Despite rapid socio-economic changes and
5063-526: The length of the canals of Venice , Italy) and artificial islands covered in upmarket homes. The heavily developed coastal strip sits on a narrow barrier sandbar between these waterways and the sea. To the west, the city borders a part of the Great Dividing Range commonly referred to as the Gold Coast hinterland . A 206 km (80 sq mi) section of the mountain range is protected by Lamington National Park and has been listed as
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#17327719691475146-558: The most common religious affiliations in Gold Coast reported were none (43.4%), Catholic (18.2%), Anglican (11.9%), Uniting Church (2.9%), Non-denominational Christian (3.1%), Presbyterian and Reformed (1.9%), Buddhism (1.4%), Pentecostal (1.3%), Baptist (1.1%), Hinduism (1.1%) and Islam (1.0%). The Gold Coast is approximately half covered by forests of various types. This includes small patches of near-pristine ancient rainforest, mangrove-covered islands, and patches of coastal heathlands and farmland with areas of uncleared eucalyptus forest. Of
5229-467: The most populous non-capital city. The city's central business district is located roughly in the centre of the Gold Coast in the suburb of Southport . The urban area of the Gold Coast is concentrated along the coast, sprawling almost 60 kilometres, joining up with the Greater Brisbane metropolitan region to the north and to the state border with New South Wales to the south. Nicknames of
5312-418: The nickname of "Gold Coast" from 1950. South Coast locals initially considered the name "Gold Coast" derogatory. However, soon the "Gold Coast" simply became a convenient way to refer to the holiday strip from Southport to Coolangatta . The Town of South Coast was formed through the amalgamation of Town of Coolangatta and Town of Southport along with the coastal areas (such as Burleigh Heads) from
5395-481: The north along the Gold Coast Broadwater , South Stradbroke Island , Coomera River and southern Moreton Bay. Early canals included Florida Gardens and Isle of Capri which were under construction at the time of a 1954 flood. Recently constructed canals include Harbour Quays and Riverlinks completed in 2007. There are over 890 kilometres (550 mi) of constructed residential waterfront land within
5478-424: The north, the Coomera River catchment to the south and the Broadwater in the east. The name of the river was the source for the naming of nearby Pimpama . The Pacific Motorway crosses the river between Kingsholme and Ormeau . The Gold Coast railway line crosses to the east between Pimpama and Ormeau. A conservation area is located on the southern bank of the river at its junction with Moreton Bay, bordering
5561-449: The opening of what was then the world's highest residential tower in 2005 (it is now the 17th highest), the Q1 building has been a destination for tourists and locals alike. It is the second highest public vantage point in the southern hemisphere after the Eureka Tower in Melbourne. The observation deck at level 77 is the highest of its kind in Queensland and offers views in all directions, from Brisbane to Byron Bay . It towers over
5644-400: The other most common countries of birth were New Zealand (7.9%), England (5.2%), China and South Africa (1.2% each), and Japan (0.7%). Indigenous Australians accounted for 1.7% of the population. The most commonly spoken languages other than English were Mandarin (1.6%), Japanese (1.0%), Korean and Spanish (0.6% each), and Cantonese (0.5%). According to the Australian Official Census in 2021,
5727-415: The period from 2009–2031 and focuses on slowing development along the coast, in order to prevent creating a 200 km city , and instead aim for growth in the west, in particular around Springfield and Beaudesert . Infrastructure planning in South East Queensland is almost exclusively designed to facilitate trans-metropolitan travel and reduce traffic congestion. The region's big picture planning document
5810-418: The plantation pine forests that were planted in the 1950s and 1960s, when commercial forest planting for tax minimisation was encouraged by the Commonwealth government, tiny remnants remain. Most of the Gold Coast area was covered by forest prior to European human settlement and extensive land clearing in the 19th century. Gold Coast City lies in the southeast corner of Queensland , to the south of Brisbane ,
5893-500: The region from the 1840s onwards. Transport links have been shaped by the range of terrain found in South East Queensland. The economy of South East Queensland supports and relies on a wide diversity of agricultural manufacturing industries, commerce and tourism. The region has an integrated public transport system, Translink . The gross domestic product is $ 170 billion. The term South East Queensland has no equivalent political representation. The area covers many lower house seats at
5976-476: The region's southern border ranges, an area known as the Scenic Rim , such as Lamington National Park and Main Range National Park . Within the region, the koala is listed as vulnerable. In South East Queensland the koala is threatened by habitat loss , disease such as chlamydiosis and increased mortality due to domestic animals and motor vehicles. The Australian Koala Foundation says
6059-409: The region, the river was used to transport timber cut during the 18th century. The fertile delta area of the river centered on Jacobs Well was home to a thriving arrowroot crop. Growing sugarcane has become the area's main land use. A bridge was first constructed over the Pimpama River between late 1871 and early 1872 by John Thomas Brigg. In 2015, the remains of Tiahleigh Palmer were found in
6142-475: The region. Logging was the first industry to develop. The first railway built in Queensland linked Grandchester to Ipswich in 1865 along a narrow 1067 mm gauge . South East Queensland became the scene of war against the coalition of Aboriginal tribes from 1843 to 1855. Major floods were experienced in 1893 , 1974 , 2011 and 2022 . In 2005, the region suffered its worst drought in recorded history. Queensland's fifth highest peak, Mount Superbus ,
6225-517: The river. South East Queensland South East Queensland (SEQ) is a bio-geographical , metropolitan , political and administrative region of the state of Queensland in Australia , with a population of approximately 3.8 million people out of the state's population of 5.1 million. The area covered by South East Queensland varies, depending on the definition of the region, though it tends to include Queensland's three largest cities :
6308-693: The state capital. The Albert River separates the Gold Coast from Logan City , a local government area south of the City of Brisbane . Gold Coast City stretches from the Albert River, Logan River , and Southern Moreton Bay to the border with New South Wales (NSW) approximately 56 km (35 mi) south, and extends from the coast west to the foothills of the Great Dividing Range in World Heritage listed Lamington National Park . The southernmost town of Gold Coast City, Coolangatta , includes Point Danger and its lighthouse . Coolangatta
6391-493: The suburb of Main Beach, and then further on Stradbroke Island. The suburbs of Southport and Surfers Paradise form the Gold Coast's commercial centre. The major river in the area is the Nerang River . Much of the land between the coastal strip and the hinterland were once wetlands drained by this river, but the swamps have been converted into man-made waterways (over 260 kilometres (160 mi) in length or over 9 times
6474-465: The water if it is considered that there is a safety risk. Gold Coast beaches have experienced periods of severe beach erosion . In 1967, a series of 11 cyclones removed most of the sand from Gold Coast beaches. The Government of Queensland engaged engineers from Delft University in the Netherlands to advise what to do about the beach erosion. The Delft Report was published in 1971 and outlined
6557-547: Was declared a city, with its first skyscraper being built in 1960. The Gold Coast boomed from the 1980s onwards with skyscraper construction . This era was defined by the city's ‘white-shoe brigade' developers, neon lights , and organised crime , particularly the yakuza and the Russian mafia . The late 20th century saw the city's tourism diversify with theme park openings, and in the early 21st century became an international destination for film production. The Gold Coast has
6640-997: Was home to around 20,000 Aboriginals prior to British occupation. The local tribes of the area were the Yugarapul of the Central Brisbane area; the Yugambeh people whose traditional lands ranged from South of the Logan River, down to the Tweed River and west to the McPherson Ranges; the Quandamooka people whose traditional lands encompassed the Moreton Bay Islands to the mouth of the Brisbane River to Tingalpa and south to
6723-537: Was more than twice the rate of the rest of Queensland over the past 2 decades. More than 80% of population growth in the state between 1999-2019 occurred in SEQ. Population growth was putting pressure on schools and hospitals in the region in 2021. South East Queensland's future development will be heavily based on the South East Queensland Regional Plan , released by the Queensland state government in 2005. The regional plan covers
6806-537: Was surveyed and established as a base for the industry and by 1870 a town reserve had been set aside. By 1873, the town reserve of Burleigh Heads had also been surveyed and successful land sales had taken place. In 1875, the small settlement opposite the boat passage at the head of the Nerang River , known as Nerang Heads or Nerang Creek Heads, was surveyed and renamed Southport , with the first land sales scheduled to take place in Beenleigh. Southport quickly grew
6889-470: Was updated for the third time in 2017 with the release of South East Queensland Regional Plan, Shaping SEQ. Shaping SEQ was reviewed in 2023 because of rapid population growth in South East Queensland. Predominantly rural landscapes lie to the west of the urbanised coastal centres. The Lockyer Valley , a major agricultural area referred to as "South East Queensland's Salad Bowl", lies outside Brisbane. Many World Heritage listed rainforests are located along
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