Gold Coast, Australia

The Gold Coast is a city and local government area in the southeast corner of Queensland, Australia. It is the second most populous city in the state and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is also the most populous non-capital city in the country. Gold Coast City is renowned for its sunny subtropical climate, popular surfing beaches, expansive waterway and canal systems, a skyline dominated by high-rise apartment buildings, a peaceful rainforest hinterland in the west of the city, active nightlife and its wide variety oftourist attractions.

 

Beaches

The city consists of 57 kilometres of coastline with some of the most popular surf breaks in Australia including,South Stradbroke Island, The Spit, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach, Nobby Beach, Miami, Burleigh Beach, Burleigh Heads, Tallebudgera Beach, Palm Beach, Currumbin Beach, Tugun, Bilinga, Kirra,Coolangatta, Greenmount, Rainbow Bay, Snapper Rocks and Froggies Beach. 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 theNew South Wales state border in Tweed Shire.

 

There are also beaches along many of the Gold Coast's 860km 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.

While the beaches are beautiful and enticing, there are also inherent dangers, and the Gold Coast has Australia’s largest professional surf life saving service to protect people on 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. No fatal shark attacks have occurred on protected ocean beaches, tidal waterways or canals on the Gold Coast since 1958 (however two fatal attacks have been recorded in inland lake areas that are separate from the tidal waterways network since 2000). 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 the water if it is considered that there is a safety risk.

 

Tourism

Around 10 million tourists visit the Gold Coast every year; comprising of 849,114 international visitors, 3,468,000 domestic overnight visitors and 5,366,000 daytrip visitors.

Tourism 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 bed spaces, 60 kilometres of beach, 600 kilometres of canal, 100,000 hectares of nature reserve, 500 restaurants, 40 golf courses and 6 major theme parks in the city.

Gold Coast Airport provides connection across Australia with airlines including Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Tiger Airways. International services from Japan, New Zealand, Malaysia and Fiji also land at Gold Coast Airport with airlines including Jetstar, Air New Zealand, Pacific Blue, Airasia X and Air Pacific.

Less than one hour from the centre of the Gold Coast is Brisbane Airport which provides wider domestic and international access to the Gold Coast.

 

Events

The Gold Coast Indy 300 (formerly known as Lexmark Indy 300) is a car racing event held annually, usually in October. The course ventures through the streets of Surfers Paradise and Main Beach. The Indy 300 comprises many other events such as the Indy Undie Ball and the Miss Indy Competition. The V8 Supercars event also coincides with the Indy 300, using the same track route.

The Magic Millions carnival is the brainchild of entrepreneurs Gerry Harvey (of Harvey Normans) and John Singleton. There are plans to relocate and build a state of the art new racetrack at Palm Meadows which will incoporate the Magic Million sale with facilities for up to 4000 horses.

Each June, Coolangatta hosts the Wintersun Festival, a two-week 1950s and 1960s nostalgia festival with free entertainment and attractions, includinghot rods, restored cars and revival bands playing music of the era.

Each July, more than 16,000 congregate on the Gold Coast from around the world to participate in the Gold Coast Marathon. It is also the largest annual community sporting event held on the Gold Coast.

Late November to early December sees thousands of school leavers across the country descend on the Gold Coast for Schoolies, a two week period of celebration and parties throughout Sufers Paradise, hosted by the Gold Coast City Council . The event is often criticised nationally and locally for its portrayal of drinking and acts of violence, however every effort by the Queensland Police and State Government to ensure all school leavers have a good time are put into place, including locals volunteering by walking the streets and keeping an eye out for those in need of assistance on where to go, what to do and how to have a good time.

Early each year the Gold Coast hosts one leg of the ASP World Tour of surfing, where some of the worlds best surfers compete in the Quiksilver Pro at Coolangatta.

The Gold Coast Arts Centre located in Evandale, features a fine art gallery featuring local and international works from painting to sculpture and new media. In addition, there is a theatre for live productions including musicals as well 2 arts cinemas showing foreign and independent films from Australia and abroad.

 

Tourism and landmarks

Tourism is Gold Coast City's main industry, generating total revenue of $2.5 billion per annum  Gold Coast is the most popular Queensland tourism location with over 13,000 available guest rooms contributing over $335 million to the local economy each year. Accommodation options available range from backpacker hostels to five star resorts and hotels. The most common style of accommodation is three and four star self-contained apartments.

Major tourist attractions include internationally renowned surf beaches, and theme parks including, Dreamworld, Sea World, Wet'n'Wild Water World,Warner Bros. Movie World, WhiteWater World, Currumbin Sanctuary, Fleays Wildlife Park, Australian Outback Spectacular and Paradise Country.

 

 

Bondi Beach

Bondi Beach is a world famous suburb and beachside locality of Sydney, capital of the Australian state of New South Wales.

Overview

The closest and arguably the most accessible ocean beach to the centre of Sydney, Bondi has become synonymous with Sydney's beach lifestyle - busloads of Japanese tourists, for example, frequently travel to Bondi direct from the airport, just so they can feel the warm yellow sand between their toes.

Bondi has become a favourite of the "barmy army" of British tourists, who annually gather on its sands for a Southern Hemisphere Christmas in the sun.Due to the worldwide popularity, Bondi is now home to numerous youth hostels with backpackers who congregate mainly in the summer months so it is not uncommon to hear Norwegian, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish or Spanish while walking across the beach or through the cafes.

Bondi Beach has a vaguely alternative feel, despite the obvious commercialism present, and attracts a large number of "individuals": watch out, for example, for the guy who will strip off near the shops, to walk stark naked through the traffic on Campbell Parade, before going down to the beach.

Bondi Beach is very tolerant as topless sunbathing is common and gay and lesbian couples displaying affection is common.

How to Get There

By bus

Buses run to Bondi Beach in approximately 10 minute intervals from Bondi Junction and the City during peak times (6am till 9pm) then at 15 minute intervals from approximately (9pm till 1am) then every half hour during the early hours. Buses from the City to Bondi Beach all run from Circular Quay and take approximately 45 minutes (more in heavy traffic) to make the journey. The city terminus is in Alfred Street, opposite Wharf 2 at stand D. Buses may be numbered 333-prepay (purchase a ticket beforehand at a nearby ticket vendor), 380, 382 or L82 with the destinations showing North Bondi, Dover Heights, Watsons Bay or Bondi Beach. Collectively, these are called the "380 bus" - all buses continue to Bondi Beach. The bus route passes along Elizabeth StreetHyde Park, turning at Liverpool street up to Taylor Square, thereafter to Paddington and Bondi Junction via Oxford Street.The fare from Circular Quay is $3.70. For more information on bus timetables go to: http://www.sydneybuses.info/ or call 131 500 next to

By Plane

Taxis from the Airport cost around $30 and takes about 25 minutes

Shuttle services run from the airport direct to Bondi and Cost around $15 per person. You need to get on a Eastern suburbs shuttle. [2]

The cheapest and also the slowest way is to get bus 400 to Bondi Junction direct from the airport, and then get bus 380 with runs right along the beach (Campbell Pde) terminating at the top of the hill in North Bondi.

By train

From central Sydney, take the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra line trains from Central, Town Hall or Martin Place stations to Bondi Junction (10 mins). From there, a bus (lines 380, 381, 382, L82, 15 mins), taxi or reasonable walk will get you to Bondi Beach (2 km downhill). The train ride takes 10 minutes from Town Hall to Bondi J

Things to Do

• Walk on the aformentioned coastal walk (at the bottom of Notts Avenue, off Campbell Parade) to Tamarama , Bronte , Coogee and eventually Maroubra.
• Bondi Icebergs [4] - a popular rock swimming pool with restaurant and bar facilities upstairs that look over the entire beach. It is named for the brave swimmers who compete here in the winter months. Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 6.00am and 7.00pm, Saturday & Sunday:6.30am - 6.30pm. Entry $4 Adults/$2.50 Children/Seniors.
• Surf with Let's Go Surfing[5], the only surf school on Bondi Beach. Alternatively, shops along Campebell Parade sell / rent surf boards and body boards, as well as wetsuits.
• Swim but always stay between the flags where lifeguards keep a watch on the swimmers. On weekends and public holidays, volunteer lifesavers also perform watch duty on the beach. Rip current tends to be strong on the beach, so the unexperienced swimmers should always find out the sea condition from the lifeguard or lifesaver before entering the water.

Events

• the Festival of the Winds [6]- an annual kite-flying Festival in September.
• North Bondi Surf Classic[7] Held each year a 2k swimming race for people of all ages.

• Sculpture by the Sea [8] an annual outdoor display of sculpture (over 100 separate works) distributed along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk (begins at the bottom of Notts Avenue, off Campbell

What to Eat

• Bondi Trattoria Café Restaurant, 34b Campbell Parade, tel 02 9365 4303
• Bondi Surf Seafoods, 128 Campbell Parade. ph 02 9130 4554. The Bondi Beach Fish Shop is the place to go for that dubious local speciality, the deep fried Mars Bar. Fans of the bar counsel caution: no matter how strong you think you are, restrict yourself to one deep fried Mars Bar daily.Bondi Surf Seafoods
• Gelato Bar Café Restaurant, 140 Campbell Parade. ph 02 9130 4033. Gelato Bar is one of the oldest places in Bondi and has built up a reputation over 40 years. They specialise in French pastries, crepes and of course gelato. It is a wondeful place to go for a quick coffee or even dinner, the food is a mix of Mediterranean using fresh Australian produce. It overlooks the beachfront and has a wonderful view.

What to Drink

The two biggest bars in Bondi are the Beach Road Hotel and Bondi Hotel. Both are excellent places to catch the finals in a cricket match or have a few drinks with your mates. Another great bar is at the previously mentioned Bondi Icebergs, it has a great view of the beach and relatively cheap drinks. Make sure to take some form of ID that proves you live outside a 5km radius as this is a club and the rule require that you be a member if you are inside 5km. Of course, if you want to be "seen" then go for Ravesis on the corner of Hall St and Campbell parade. It attracts the beatufil people.. or at least those who think they are beautiful. Bondi locals will tend to go for BBs. Relocated from its cramped spot on Curlewis St, BBs is hidden down an alley next to the Mambo surf shop on Campbell Parade. Live music, surf videos and a more relaxed vibe than the goldfish bowl up the road.