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- THE GOLD COAST-
Arguably the most highly developed tourist destination in Australia, the Gold Coast stretches for over forty kilometres from the New South Wales border to Southport, making up Queensland's most southern section of coastline.
Encompassing over twenty townships - including the pulsing Surfers Paradise, it's attractions include resort to hostel styles of accommodation, thumping nightclubs, restaurants, a casino, and various amusement and theme parks. If your seeking a slightly quieter pace, there is also a wide range of natural and commercialised wildlife reserves, great shopping, and many golden beaches to simply laze about on.
The Gold Coast hosts:
The Billabong Pro as well as many other surfing championships.
The National Surf Lifesaving titles at Kurrawa beach.
Uncle Toby's Ironman Series.
The annual Indy Grand Prix
and much much more....
Known as the "Twin Towns", Tweed Heads and Coolangatta mark the end of New South Wales, the start of Queensland, and the start of the fabulous Gold Coast. The warmer seasons encourage surfers, travellers and families to pour into the district for it's three outstanding point breaks, pristine beaches, and always relaxed atmosphere. With less neon and fewer skyscrapers than further up the coast, the less commercialised Tweed Heads and Coolangatta still offer a good range of accommodation as well as plenty of places to eat and drink. Some of the biggest sports and entertainment clubs in the country are here and a visit to Minjungbal Aboriginal Culture Centre in Tweed Heads is an insightful experience.
South, and still in New South Wales, is the idyllic coastal town of Kingscliff. Home to yet another fine beach, it's a good place to escape the up-tempo pace at which most of the Coast pulses along at.
Surfers Paradise and Main Beach create the epicentre of the Gold Coast, unmistakable for their high rise apartments and hotels which are packed along a narrow urban strip, lining the beach. A myriad of accommodation, shopping complexes, restaurants, bars and nightclubs lie within and constitute a commercial, vibrant, beachside resort.
In high season tourists, backpackers, and Aussie holiday makers, flood to Surfers literally tripling the area's population. With partying on most people's agenda, the nightlife scene is prolific and although most clubs stay open until 5am, closing times just transfer the party to the street. Having a good time is mandatory!
Further south are the other beachside resort towns Broadbeach, Miami, Burleigh Heads,and Currumbin respectively. Best described as quieter and less concentrated versions of Surfers and Main Beach, although ironically with better surf. Broadbeach offers the best access to Jupiter's Casino and Currumbin has 28 hectare wildlife park where parrots and waterbirds nest and feed on a natural lake.
Regardless on where you should decide to stay along the beach, there are many theme and amusement parks in the vicinity, including Dream World, Sea World, Movie World and Wet 'N' Wild. There's also an abundance of other enjoyable attractions and activities, not forgetting the coast's hinterland which is overflowing with scenic drives and walks.
The Spit is a narrow three kilometre long sandbar just north of Main Beach which plays host to a marina, three seaside shopping complexes as well as Seaworld, the largest marine park in the Southern Hemisphere. It's world-class attractions include performing dolphins and sea lions, shark feeding, a skyway, and monorail all integrated within an amusement park filled with rides and side shows. All this is adjoined by the park's own resort.
On the other side of the Broadwater, the calm bay created by The Spit, is the modern residential suburb of Southport. Once the original Gold Coast settlement, Southport is a pleasant, quiet place that makes a good alternative base from which to explore from.
Ten kilometres inland from the coast, the towns of Nerang and Helensvale make ideal spots from which to make day trips into the Coast's spectacular hinterland. Also in the area are the Gold Coast's other four "heavy weight" theme parks. Warner Brothers Movie World, otherwise known as "Hollywood on the Gold Coast", is based on the world famous Hollywood movie set and claims to be Australia's 
number one tourist attraction. Wet 'N' Wild, just south of Movie World, is a water fun park, filled with an amazing variety of water slides and pools set in landscaped barbecue and picnic grounds. Dreamworld (the home of Australia's "Big Brother") and White Water World, located a couple of kilometres north on the outskirts of Coomera, are a Disneyland styled entertainment complex set amid landscaped gardens and natural bushlands. There are many thrilling rides, a wildlife sanctuary, a water playground, and a variety of speciality shops and restaurants. Any one would make an excellent day out.
Back on the coast is the exclusive residential resort of Sanctuary Cove. Situated where the picturesque Coomera River runs into the Broadwater, the waterside paradise has a unique shopping village, luxury hotel, marina, golf courses, tennis courts, and even brewery tours.
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