SURFERS PARADISE
Area: Queensland
Country: Australia


Location:
Almost halfway up E coast of Australia, in SE corner of Queensland. 50 mls S of Brisbane; 60 mls S of Brisbane international airport. 14 mls N of Coolangatta airport.

Telephone code from UK:
61 7

Website:
http://www.goldcoastaustralia.com

Position:
On narrow spit of low-lying sand between South Pacific Ocean and mouth of Nerang River, where it forms intracoastal waterway. Spit runs N to S, with ocean on the E side and river to the W. Many small islands, peninsulas and waterways between main spit and mainland, which then stretches W across flat plain to Tamborine Mountains in distance.

Description:
Running for around 2 mls along narrow spit of land, Surfers Paradise is probably the best known and most built-up of the many S Queensland resorts, which are known collectively as the Gold Coast. Extending some 20 mls along the coast, geographically the whole area bears a marked resemblance to the E coast of Florida and Surfers is not unlike Miami Beach _ except that it has no Art Deco buildings since it only started to develop as a holiday destination in the 60s. The centre (around Cavill Mall) is rather small, with the usual collection of rather tawdry shops selling holiday souvenirs and accoutrements interspersed with a few better shops; the main nightclub and bar strip is adjacent. The whole place looks rather tatty: a lot of the buildings are showing their age and the esplanade which runs the length of the splendid beach is mostly separated from it by an area of untended greenery, bushes or coarse grass. The outer parts of the resort are mainly high-rise apartments and hotels.

Suitability:
Area's sub-tropical climate has winter temperatures in low 70s, making it a major holiday area for Australians from cooler southern cities; also attracts beach bums, surfers, backpackers and bikers. International tourism is dominated by SE Asian tour groups, especially Japanese, Korean and Hong Kong Chinese. Although undoubtedly offering superb climate, beach and surfing, British tourists can find similar offerings closer to home. Unless relatives or friends live in the country, this is a long way to travel for a beach holiday.

Accommodation:
Wide range from grotty backpackers' hostels to luxurious, themed resort hotels _ the latter frankly seeming as out of place as 5-stars in Benidorm.

Shopping:
Cavill Mall and its offshoots have plenty of shops aimed mainly at the Japanese tourist. Better, nontourist shopping at Pacific Fair Shopping Centre at Broadbeach, 2» mls S.

Beach:
Long and wide with consistency and colour of fine demerara sugar, extending for miles in both directions. Surfing needs high seas and breakers, so swimming can be dangerous and lots of people get into trouble here. Follow safety code indicated by flags and ensure lifeguard is on duty. Water sports other than surfing are best practised in calmer waters of intracoastal waterway to W of resort.

Entertainments:
Daytime: mainly beach based, water sports etc. Wildlife sanctuaries. Nightlife: various discos and clubs. Large casino.

Eating:
McDonald's and home-grown fast-food outlets seem to predominate. "Food malls" _ various cheap takeaway outlets sharing common eating areas _ are a feature all over Australia. In Surfers, competition is so severe that you can eat all you want at some places for little more than spare change. Surely the best value on the continent?

Public-transport:
Shuttle buses up and down the "strip" as well as long-distance buses in both directions. Taxis abound.

Local-excursions:
Several theme parks which are copies of Florida versions _ Warner Bros Movie World, Sea World, Dreamworld (a mini Disneyworld), Wet 'n Wild water park. Currumbin Sanctuary (wildlife centre with koalas, kangaroos and birds).