The Gold Coast is made up of 5000 square kilometres of land mass, holding around 630,000 people along 70km of pristine coastline. As Australia’s 6th largest city, it’s a place you want to consider studying in. Gold Coast is home to Australia’s most diverse cultures, ethnicity, and vegetation and is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Encompassing the highlights of a large city and the chilled vibes of a beach town, The GC as it’s known, has something for everyone. Shopping, epic nightlife, nature reserves and lots of beaches – if you are looking for a place to enjoy some sunshine as you mingle with people from all parts of the world, then there is no better place in Australia than the Gold Coast.
Things To Do
O’Reilly’s Tree Top Walk, located in Lamington National Park is a must do when you’re in the GC. It’s made up of 9 suspension bridges located up to 16 metres above the ground. It’s the best place to get up close and personal with the local birdlife.
Take a 30-minute tour through the Mt Tamborine Glow Worm Caves, the only place in Queensland to see Glow Worms during the day. You can learn about these cute little worms, their lifecycle and behaviour from 10am-4pm, 7 days a week.
Harbour Town is arguably Gold Coasts best shopping precinct. An outdoor venue made up of hundreds of outlets stores, you’ll in for some real bargains! It’s located in Biggera Waters and has a shuttle bus from some of the main GC locations such as Surfers Paradise.
The best and main attraction/s in the GC is obviously it’s beaches. They’re free and stretch over 59km there’s a free spot of sand waiting for you. Remember to only swim on patrolled beaches, between the red and yellow flags.
Dreamworld is the GC’s biggest theme park with thrill rides, family rides and a giant waterpark all on the same premises. If you don’t like rides, Dreamworld is also home to many attractions including Tiger Island, where you can feed and walk a tiger!
Looking for a cheap meal? Look no further than Après Surf. They have happy hours and deals up on their specials board every day. They’re located on the Gold Coast Highway – you don’t want to miss it!
Little Mali is located in Rainbow Bay and is a hole-in-the-wall cafe with a minimalist approach and maximum taste breakfasts. Open 5.30am-5pm, it’s a great little spot to catch up with a friend.
For a vegan / vegetarian option, head to Govindas – they’ve won awards for the best vegetarian on the GC – they’re open until 8.00pm everyday and for only $13 a plate – you’ll get the best curries, pasta bakes and salads.
For a locally made brew, head to the Burleigh Brewing Company. They’ve been running since 2006 and offer the best beer on the coast. They often have live music and local food trucks and events on Thursdays.
Cineplex Nerang is your movie go-to. It’s showing all the latest pictures while keeping student friendly prices. Standard students’ tickets are only $6.50, but you must have a valid (i.e. current and not expired) student ID card, indicating that you are a full time student.
For a spot of trivia, head to the Last Night On Earth in Southport on a Wednesday – they also offer board games and live acoustics, relaxed vibe and cheeky antics.
Topgolf is the Gc’s newest hotspot – offering golfing games for all ages as well as a bar and chef’s menu. It’s located in Oxenford it’s the coolest new spot to hangout with friends. They offer a shuttle within their local area too.
The Gold Coast Film Festival has been running since 2002 and showcases both Australian and international films. In 2017 they featured 32 films from 13 countries – including four world premieres!
Carols on the Beach is held every December, in Surfers Paradise, where residents and visitors come together to reflect and enjoy traditional Christmas tunes, played by local artists.
The Gold Coast Show is held August – September and is an event for the whole family. From baby farm animals to arts and crafts, your weekend will be jam packed of things to Each day is finished with a breathtaking light festival, lighting up the CBD.
October is the month for the famous Gold Coast 500, a street festival of world class motorsport and entertainment. You’re in for three days of street racing, music acts from around the country and it’s right in the centre of town.
Things To Know
The Gold Coast has the largest professional life guard service in Australia (remember – always swim between the red and yellow flags at the beach)
The Gold Coast is home to the largest subtropical rainforest remnant in the world as well as more than 100,000 hectares of nature reserves and World Heritage sites
The GC is Australia’s one of Australia’s top holiday destinations with over 14 million visitors in 2019 and is listed as one of the most desirable places in the world to live
In 2002 local surfer Damon Harvey rode a wave from Snapper Rocks to Kirra Beach, which is about 1.5kms or 5 minutes of straight surfing – one of the longest waves ridden EVER
Summer runs from December to February and average temperatures range from 20-28°C (68-83°F). It can be humid in Summer but this is usually offset by cool sea breezes.
Autumn lasts from about March to May. Autumn temperatures fall between 16-26°C (61-77°F). Autumn is ideal for outdoor water activities such as fishing and sailing.
Running from June to August, winter is obviously Gold Coast’s coldest month. Average temperatures range from 11-21°C (52-70°F). Though its “cold” days are sunny and dry so many Australians escape the cooler weather in the southern states for a holiday here.
Spring averages temperatures of between 15-25°C (59-77°F). The Gold Coast offers sunny days followed by mild tropical evenings in spring, so pack a jumper for those night excursions.
For public transport you’ll need a Go Card. They’re a prepaid card, much like a debit card, where you load money onto it at the station or other store (you can find such stores on their website) and use it to tap on and off public transport as you travel. The fares are based on how far you travel. If you don’t have a Go Card, you’ll need to pay per ride, and cash fares are generally higher than those on the Go Card. Off-peak prices apply from 9am-3.30pm and 7pm-3am weekdays and all day on weekends and public holidays.
Uber is legal in Gold Coast – you can simply log in via their app and order one much like a Taxi – it’s cheaper and a great way to meet some locals who know their way around the city. Uber is great as you can confirm the fare before you take off – meaning you will know an approximate price before confirming the ride.
Trams are popular with the new G:link light rail system. It operates from 5am to midnight on weekdays and throughout weekends. The route links Helensvale, Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach with a 7.5 minute service between 7am and 7pm weekdays.
Buses are another popular option, there are more than 60 bus routes in the city including turn up and go services, and seven buses that operate every 15 minutes or better, seven days a week.
Trains are also an option, run by Queensland Rail, they connect major centres and Brisbane city. Timetable information is available through Translink.
Bikes – a super cheap, and healthy way to get around the city – There are designated bike lanes and tracks around Gold Coast – 800 kms of them! Learn more here.
Taxi’s are an option also, they can be reasonable prices if you share a cab (especially on a night out). Gold Coast Cabs can be booked directly on 131 008.
For Public Transport: you must apply for a Tertiary Transport Concession Card, this process can be completed through your institution. You’ll receive a 50% discount on the adult fare.
UNiDAYS – Use your student email account to sign up and receive 10-25% discount on a huge range of stuff. Visit their website for more info.
ISIC – The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is the most internationally-recognised student ID offering amazing discounts on products and services throughout Australia and the world. It’s also handy if you need official proof that you’re a student.
Insider Guides share their top tips on finding student discounts and have heaps of blog posts about discounts for students in Australia. Make sure you check them out.
Tourism Videos
Sources
www.gold-coast.com.au
www.northsouthtravel.com
www.destinationgoldcoast.com
www.queensland.com
www.surferparadise.com
www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au
www.theurbanlist.com
www.facebook.com/apressurfmermaidbeach
https://burleighbrewing.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/littlemalicafe/
http://www.surfersparadise.com/whats-on/annual-events/surfers-paradise-carols-on-the-beach-2018
http://www.top3gc.com/best-cinemas-gold-coast/
http://blankgc.com.au/light-rail-gold-coast-stage-2-open
https://www.dreamworld.com.au/
https://www.gcfilmfestival.com/
https://blog.queensland.com/2018/03/28/best-beaches-gold-coast/
https://www.glowwormcavetamborinemountain.com.au/
https://www.supercars.com/gold-coast/
https://www.goldcoastshow.com.au/
https://govindas.net.au/
https://harbourtowngoldcoast.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/lastnightonearthbar
http://www.surfersparadise.com
https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/traffic-reports
http://www.coolcampervan.com/tag/gold-coast/
www.topgolf.com.au
www.oreillys.com.au
http://www.tribecanyc.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/griffithuniversity
https://www.facebook.com/southerncrossuniversity/
https://www.facebook.com/bonduniversity/
https://www.goldcoastaustralia.com/gold-coast-beach-safety.html
https://www.destinationgoldcoast.com/places-to-see/mt-tamborine/attractions/tamborine-rainforest-skywalk
https://twitter.com/profithb
https://www.facebook.com/DestinationGoldCoast/
https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/gold-coast-light-rail-extension-prompts-new-bus-schedule/news-story/8c122305eda881c5eb492ef836722d49?memtype=anonymous
