Gold Coast, Queensland
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The Gold Coast is a coastal region approximately 70 kilometres south of Brisbane, Australia that, over the past 50 years, has coalesced from a collection of scattered villages into a city of approximately 480,000 people - currently Australia's seventh largest city - and Australia's largest tourist resort. The South Coast Town Council changed its name to the Gold Coast Town Council in 1958 and Queensland officially proclaimed it the city of Gold Coast on May 16, 1959. The mayor of the Gold Coast is the former Olympic middle distance athlete Ron Clarke.
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The subtropical climate, attractive surf beaches (the closest to Brisbane), and savvy marketing have attracted millions of tourists domestically and internationally, and a large industry has arisen to support them. The narrow coastal strip is consequently covered with high-rise apartments, hotels, nightclubs, and the usual assortment of shops selling cheap tourist paraphernalia. The area also attracts large numbers of retired people, although Tweed Heads is better known for this.
The Gold Coast is served transport-wise by the recently upgraded Pacific Motorway, the QR CityTrain Gold Coast Line, (connecting to the Brisbane Airport Line) and the Gold Coast International Airport. The local bus operator is Surfside Buslines, with CityTrain providing north-south rail services to Brisbane.
On Friday the 27th of May 2005, a Gold Coast bid team was granted a licence to form the NRL's 16th team. It will be able to compete by the year 2007. A new multi-million dollar stadium is likely to be built as a "gift" with Queensland State Government and Gold Coast City Council funds, to be located near Robina Station. The team name is as yet undecided and it will likely play its first home matches at the current Gold Coast Stadium at Carrara.
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Geography
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The Gold Coast is situated in the southeast corner of Queensland stretching from the south end of Logan City to the border with New South Wales. The southernmost town is Coolangatta which includes Point Danger and its lighthouse, and is twin cities with Tweed Heads across the border. At Latitude 28.1667 degrees south, Longitude 153.55 degrees east, 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 about 40 km of holiday resorts and surfing beaches stretch north as far as the towns of Southport and Surfers Paradise, which together form the Gold Coast's commercial centre (latitude about 27.7 degrees south). The administrative area of the Gold Coast City Council continues north up to Beenleigh.
The major river in the area is the Nerang River. Much of the land between the coastal strip and the hinterland was once wetlands drained by this river, but the swamps have been converted into manmade waterways (over 260km [1] (http://www.goldcoastcity.com.au/t_std.asp?pid=322), or over 9 times that of Venice in Italy) and artificial islands covered in palatial homes. The highly developed coastal strip sits on a narrow barrier sandbar between these waterways and the sea.
Suburbs
Other towns and suburbs on the Gold Coast.
Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads, Currumbin, Main Beach, Mudgeeraba, Nerang, Palm Beach, Southport, Robina, Surfers Paradise.
History
The Aborigines knew the Gold Coast Area as Kurrungul. The term referred to the endless supply of hardwood for boomerangs. The local tribe was the Kom-bumerris and they camped mainly in the Bundall area for fresh water purposes. Cascade Gardens is said to have been one of the meeting places for Aborigines from as far a field as Maryborough. Tribal feasts were held at Bora rings and middens. Captain Cook passed this coast in 1770 and named Point Danger and Mount Warning.
A government surveyor named Dixon charted the Gold Coast region in 1840. He named many of the landmarks after senior naval officers as was the custom at the time. Since then the Surveyor General, Sir Thomas Mitchell, changed many of the names to Aboriginal names. Examples of these changes include:- the River Barrow became the Nerang River, the River Perry became Tallebudgera Creek, Anson Creek became Currumbin Creek and the River Arrowsmith became the Coomera River. The beach at Broadbeach named Kurrawa is aboriginal for "deep blue sea".
Historical figures
- James Cavill, owner of the Surfers Paradise Hotel.
- Johan Meyer, owner of the Meyer's Ferry and the Main Beach Hotel.
- Bruce Small, businessman, property developer, Mayor of the Gold Coast (1967-1973, 1976-1978)
National Parks
A number of National Parks are in the hinterland, close to the Gold Coast:
Tourist attractions
A number of theme parks are located near the Gold Coast.
Secondary and Tertiary Education
- Bond University
- Central Queensland University
- Gold Coast Institute of TAFE
- Griffith University
- The Southport School
- St Hilda's
Annual events
- January - Magic Millions Racing Carnival
- October - Lexmark Indy 300 Champ Car race, held in the streets of Surfers Paradise.
- Australian Surf Life Saving Championship
- Gold Coast City Marathon
- Asia Pacific Masters Games
- Gold Coast Show
- Late November - Mid December is Schoolies period.
Media
Newspapers
The local newspaper is The Gold Coast Bulletin part of the News Corporation group.
Television
The Gold Coast is unique in that it is officially in the license area of both the metro Brisbane area and the Northern New South Wales markets. Broadcasts from nine free-to-air stations are available, but as the hinterland is hilly there are 'blind spots' that mean not all stations may be available in all areas.
Stations
- Metro networks Seven, Nine and Ten, from the Brisbane license area;
- Regional affiliates Prime Television, NBN Television and Southern Cross Ten, from the Northern New South Wales license area;
- Queensland ABC television service
- SBS
- Foxtel (via cable) and Austar (via satellite) subscription television services.
Radio
FM stations include:
- 88 BeachFM (Tourist Info. Top 40)
- 89.3 4CRB-FM (Christian)
- 90.9 SEAFM (Top 40 Pop)
- 91.7 Coast FM (Contemporary Music with ABC Local News and Information)
- 92.5 Gold 92.5 (Mix of 70s, 80s, 90s and Top 40)
- 93.5 SBS (Brisbane)
- 94.1 Radio Hope Island (Jazz and Swing music)
- 97.7 4JJJ Triple J - alternative and chart music
- 102.9 Hot Tomato (Top 40 Pop)
- 104 4MBS Classic
- 105.7 Radio Metro (http://www.radiometro.com.au) (Dance, Pop, R&B and Leftfield)
- 106 ABC Classic
AM stations include:
- 882 4BH (Brisbane)
Weather
The Gold Coast has a subtropical climate with warm, mild winters and hot, bright summers. The Gold Coast is subject to humidity, mainly at the start of each calendar year.
Some of its climatic features:
- Average summer daily temperature range — 19°C to 29°C
- Average winter daily temperature range — 9°C to 21°C
- Average of 287 days of Sunshine per year
Sister cities
- Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang (China)
- New Caledonia (France)
- Corfu (Greece)
- Netanya (Isreal)
- Kanagawa, Takasu-cho & Hokkaido (Japan)
- Taipei (Taiwan)
- Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
- Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (U.S.A.)
- Shoalhaven, New South Wales
(from [2] (http://www.asca.asn.au/documents.html))
External links
- Gold Coast City Council (http://www.goldcoastcity.com.au/)
- Gold Coast Airport (http://www.goldcoastairport.com.au)
- Brisbane International Airport (http://www.bne.com.au)
- The Gold Coast Bulletin (http://www.gcbulletin.com.au)
- ABC Coast FM Radio (http://abc.net.au/goldcoast/)
- TransLink - Public Transport - Bus Train Ferry (http://www.translink.com.au)
- Coastal Watch (http://www.coastalwatch.com/) webcams