Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in New South Wales. Coolangatta still has the sleepy small-town feel ideal for
families, despite some major development in the past few years. Gold Coast Air-
port is on the other side of the highway from Coolangatta township.
West of Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach are the affluent suburbs of Ashmore
and Nerang, where luxury residential estates and many of the region's champi-
onship golf courses have sprung up.
GETTING AROUND
It's not necessary to have a car to get around. The hotels
listed below are within walking distance of the beach, shops, and restaurants,
and many tour companies pick up at hotels. You can reach the theme parks by
bus. A car is handy for a day trip to the hinterland, and to get around to restau-
rants and golf courses. Parking is cheap and plentiful in numerous parking lots
and on the side streets between the Gold Coast Highway and The Esplanade.
Avis
(
&
07/5539 9388),
Budget
(
&
07/5538 1344),
Hertz
(
&
07/5538
5366), and
Thrifty
(
&
07/5570 9999) have outlets in Surfers Paradise and at
Gold Coast Airport. Endless local outfits rent cars at cheap rates.
Surfside Buslines
(
&
13 12 30
or 07/5574 5111) is the local bus company.
Its best deals are passes that allow you to hop on and off the buses anytime you
like. The 1-day Ezy Pass costs A$10 (US$6.50) for adults and A$5 (US$3.25)
children and is valid for 24 hours. The
Freedom Pass
costs A$45 (US$29)
adults and A$22 (US$14) for children for 3 days; 5-, 7-, 10-, and 14-day passes
are also available. This is a particularly good deal if you're planning to visit the
theme parks, as the company's Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle operates door-to-door
transfers four times every morning from anywhere on the coastal strip. You must
book for this, but if you are staying in Surfers Paradise or Broadbeach you can
just hop on the Surfside Theme Park Express, which leaves every 15 minutes
from 8:30 to 11am from Pacific Fair shopping center at Broadbeach and picks
up at bus stops along the way.
WHAT TO SEE & DO ON THE COAST
HITTING THE BEACHES
Needless to say, the white sandy beaches are the number one attraction on the
Gold Coast. No fewer than 35 patrolled beaches stretch almost uninterrupted
from the Spit north of Surfers Paradise to Rainbow Bay, south of Coolangatta.
In fact, the Gold Coast is just one long fabulous beach—all you need do is step
onto it at any point, and you will spot the nearest set of red and yellow flags that
signal safe swimming. The most popular beaches are
Main Beach
,
Surfers
North, Elkhorn Avenue, Surfers Paradise, Mermaid Beach, Burleigh Heads,
Coolangatta,
and
Greenmount.
All are patrolled 365 days a year.
DOING THE THEME PARKS
The big three are Dreamworld, Sea World, and Warner Bros. Movie World.
Right next door to Movie World is Wet 'n' Wild Water World.
Sea World
is the only major theme park in the center of town. The others are
in northern bushland on the Pacific Highway, about 15 to 20 minutes away
from Surfers Paradise. You can ride to the theme parks on the Gold Coast
Tourist Shuttle (see above) or on
Surfside Buslines
(
&
13 12 30
in Queensland)
buses. Take Bus no. 1A to Movie World and Wet 'n' Wild; Bus no. 1A or X to
Dreamworld; and Bus no. 2 or 9 to Sea World.
If you are driving, take the M1 Pacific Motorway for about 15 to 20 minutes
north of the Gold Coast or 40 minutes south of Brisbane for Wet 'n' Wild,
Warner Bros Movie World, and Dreamworld. Exits are all well signposted. All
the theme parks have huge free car parks.
