Australia's Gold Coast Cities and Regions

This 2-mile-long beach more than lives up to its name. Stretching south to Coolangatta, its world-class surf, stylish hotels, pulsating nightclubs, and high-end fashion stores attract everyone from serious surfers and first-time novices to the cappuccino set and high-end rollers.

Home to the coast’s most luxurious hotels, including the Palazzo Versace and the Marina Mirage, Main Beach offers multi-million dollar vistas, café-lined boulevards, and boutique shopping all within a short strut of the beach. It’s also the location of Sea World.

While the shops, cafés, and restaurants form the heart of this region and give it a very contemporary feel, it’s the golden sand that gives Broadbeach its soul.

Along the main highway in this northern region is where you’ll find many of the Gold Coast’s popular theme parks, including Dreamworld, Warner Bros. Movie World, and Wet ’n’ Wild Water World – all competing for the biggest thrills and spills.

Extending to the border of New South Wales, the southern coast, with its laid-back lifestyle and quiet country appeal, embraces many of the region’s best-kept secrets. With the skyscrapers of Surfers Paradise in the distance you can enjoy excellent swimming, great surfing, and virtually deserted beaches.

The “green” behind the “gold,” the Gold Coast Hinterland is an impressive frame of lush rolling hills and steep mountains capped with World Heritage-listed rainforest and bushland.