Surfers Paradise

Queensland (South East Coast)

Surfers Paradise
Spiritually, if not geographically, SURFERS PARADISE is at the heart of the Gold Coast, the place where its aims and aspirations are most evident. For the residents, this involves making money by providing services and entertainment for tourists; visitors reciprocate by parting with their cash. All around and irrespective of what you’re doing – shopping for clothes, sitting on the beach, partying in one of the frenetic nightclubs or even finding a bed – the pace is brash and glib. Don’t come here expecting to be allowed to relax; subtlety is non-existent and you’ll find that enjoying Surfers depends largely on how much it bothers you having the party mood rammed down your throat. Beaches here have been attracting tourists since late in the nineteenth century, though the town only started developing along commercial lines during the 1950s when the first multistoreyed beachfront apartments were built. The demand for views over the ocean led to ever-higher towers which began to encroach on the dunes; together with the sheer volume of people attracted here, this soon caused serious erosion problems along the entire coast. Attempts to stabilize the foreshore with retaining walls, groynes and sand pumping from offshore have had little long-term success. But this hardly seems to matter.

Although Surfers Paradise is a firm tribute to the successful marketing of the ideal Aussie lifestyle as an eternal beach party, most people would probably say that they come here not for the beaches but simply because everyone else does. The City - and the Theme Parks
Downtown Surfers Paradise is a thin ribbon of partially reclaimed land between the ocean and the Nerang River which – as the Broadwater – flows north, parallel with the beach, past the Spit and South Stradbroke Island into the choked channels at the bottom end of Moreton Bay. Reclaimed land in the river forms islands whose names reflect the fantasies of their founders – Isle of Capri, Sorrento, Miami Keys – and which have become much-sought-after real estate. From its dingiest club to its best restaurant, Surfers exudes entertainment, and at times – most notoriously at New Year and Christmas – you can spend 24 hours a day out on the town. Another thing you’ll spend is money; the only free venue is the beach and with such a variety of distractions it can be financial suicide venturing out too early in the day. The city is full of tourists staggering around at noon, with terrible hangovers and empty wallets, complaining how expensive their holiday has become. The area around Cavill Avenue is a bustle of activity from early morning – when the first surfers head down to the beach and the shops open – to after midnight, when there’s a constant exchange of bodies between Orchid Avenue’s bars and nightclubs. If you spend any length of time in town, you’ll get to know the district intimately. The block between the sea and Orchid Avenue is a mall, given over to snack bars, coffee houses and shopping arcades; you can pick up a cheap T-shirt or play a game of chess at one of the outdoor tables. Raptis Plaza here is a collection of exotic eateries overlooked by a replica of Michelangelo’s David. Across the Esplanade, the beach is all you could want as a place to recover from your night out. In early afternoon, the sun moves behind the apartment buildings, but you can escape the shadows by moving up to Main Beach. If you’re feeling energetic, seek out a game of volleyball or head for the surf: the swell here is good in a northerly wind, but most of the time it’s better for boogie-boards. North of Main Beach, the Spit’s attractions include the world’s first “Versace hotel” – a six-star edifice currently under construction, to be fitted out with all things Versace – and Sea World (daily 10am–5pm; tel 07/5588 2222; $41, family rates; access on the Surfside Bus from the highway), the longest running of the Gold Coast’s theme parks. Besides various stomach-churning rides, the park features immaculately trained dolphins and killer whales, and helps rehabilitate stranded wild dolphins for later release. Your stomach can be churned some more at the bungee jump, next to Sea World on the west bank of the Spit (for bookings call 07/5531 1103; $49), though this is a dismal way to do it – from a wire cage hauled to the required height by a crane. As an alternative, you might try “Rocket Bungee”, which sling-shots you into the air from the corner of Palm Ave and Gold Coast Highway (tel 07/5570 2700; $25). The other theme parks are out of town. Dreamworld (daily 10am–5pm; info tel 07/5588 1111; $41, family rates), on the Pacific Highway at Coomera, 17km north of Surfers Paradise, has a violent double-loop roller coaster and a fairground atmosphere, as well as a collection of tigers that includes the world’s first white tiger born in captivity. Baby tigers are reared by humans before being released into a large enclosure; this may be as close as they’ll get to the wild, but at least here they’re protected from poachers. Movie World (daily 10am–5pm; info tel 07/5573 3999; $41, family rates), also on the Pacific Highway, 14km north of Surfers, is a slice of Hollywood featuring studio tours, and western and stunt shows. Near Movie World, Wet ‘n’ Wild (daily 10am–4.30pm or later; tel 07/5573 2277; $21) has a series of pools linked by vicious water slides – the back-breaking “twister” and the 25-metre-tall, high-speed slide alone are worth the entrance fee. Surfing the Gold Coast
As locals will tell you, the Gold Coast has some of the best surfing beaches in the world. And in terms of consistency this might be true – on any given day there will be rideable surf somewhere along the coast – with 200-metre-long sand bottom point breaks and rideable waves peaking at about four metres in prime conditions. The area is known for its barrels, particularly during the summer cyclone season when the winds shift around to the north; in winter the swell is smaller but more reliable, making it easier to learn to surf. A rule of thumb for finding the best surf is to follow the wind: north when the wind blows from the north, south when it comes from the south. Generally, you’ll find the best swell along the southern beaches, and on South Stradbroke Island. While sharks might worry you, more commonplace hostility is likely to come from the local surfies who form tight-knit cliques with very protective attitudes towards their patches. On the subject of sharks and general safety, all beaches as far north as Surfers are patrolled; look for the signs. Sea temperatures range between 26°C in summer and 17°C in winter, so a 2–3mm wetsuit is adequate. Hard-core surfies come for Christmas and the cyclone season, though spring is really the busiest time. You’ll find competitions or events on most weekends, advertised through local surf shops. Gold Coast Indy
Despite financial and sponsorship problems, the Gold Coast Indy car race every October is Surfers’ premier “event” of the year. The biggest fans of the race – first held in 1990 and boosted by Nigel Mansell’s 1993 Indy debut – are the businesses that benefit from the longer tourist season it creates; other locals are somewhat ambivalent about the disturbance it causes to everyday life. The track takes in a section of the Pacific Highway between Breakers Street and View Avenue and completes the circuit along the Esplanade. Trackside passes range from $20 for general entry to $450 for reserved seating watching the race on closed-circuit TV; one way around this is to find a room overlooking the race circuit. While you pay top prices for booking in advance, if you start looking about a week before the race, prices are far lower; with only days to go, it’s not unknown for motels on the track to charge as little as $55, but you run the risk of ending up without accommodation. The only way you’ll get this kind of deal (they won’t be advertised) is by walking around to motels along the circuit and bargaining hard. Getting there and around
Surfers’ bus station (tel 07/5531 6400) is on Beach Road on the corner of the highway, one street down from Cavill Avenue. Here you’ll find luggage lockers, bus company desks and an accommodation information counter. If the hostel you want isn’t listed, call them for a free pick-up, and don’t be surprised if, while walking around with your luggage, hostel minibuses stop for you as they pass. The tourist information office is on Cavill Avenue (Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 9am–3.30pm). Security is worth bearing in mind. Many people migrate to Surfers in search of an easier life, only to find themselves homeless and hard up. Don’t leave vehicles unlocked at any time, don’t take valuables onto the beach, and don’t wander alone at night; muggings are common, especially around nightclubs –so take advantage of the courtesy buses run by hostels. The situation definitely gets worse around the peak times of Christmas and Easter. Eating
Some of the beachfront resorts offer bargain all-you-can-eat breakfasts, while during the rest of the day there’s always something to eat at the cafés and snack bars along Cavill Avenue and the Esplanade. Restaurants are geared towards the exotic, although some offer early-bird specials in the evening before a certain hour. More and more people are heading to convenient takeaway and burger joints out of Surfers to eat – south to the area around Broadbeach Mall, or north to Tedder Avenue, in Southport, where there’s usually a Porsche or two parked along the trendy café strip. For supplies, there’s a supermarket downstairs in the Paradise Centre (on Cavill Avenue mall) and a 24hr Night Owl store on the highway near Trickett Street. Bavarian Steakhouse, corner of Gold Coast Highway and Cavill Ave (tel 07/5531 7150). Theme restaurant on several floors with counter-meal prices; about $17 for steak, salad and fries. Crab Cooker, corner of Gold Coast Highway and Thornton St (tel 07/5538 6884). Good, Australian-style fresh seafood restaurant where a plate of prawns, bugs and fish costs around $23, and their famous mud crabs start at $40. Lunch from noon, dinner from 5.30pm. Dracula’s, 1 Hooker Blvd, Broadbeach (tel 07/5575 1000). Gothic cabaret restaurant open Tues–Sat from 6pm; $45 per head ($52 on Saturday); advance booking and payment essential. Latin Quarter, Elkhorn Ave (tel 07/5592 3162). Serious “Mediterranean” restaurant, with a mouthwatering chicken boscaiola. Open for lunch Tues–Sun, daily for dinner from 5.30pm. Montezuma’s, 8 Trickett St, under the Aloha Tower (tel 07/5538 4748). A cramped Mexican restaurant, but the food’s fresh and spicy. $18 will fill you up; open for lunch and dinner. Sumo, Raptis Plaza. Japanese takeaway known for its fair prices and large portions, from seafood tempura ($9.50) down to humble buckwheat noodle soup ($5). Tandoori Place, 7–9 Trickett St (tel 07/5592 1004). Fast-food ambience, but actually better than first impressions would suggest; their sweet curries are engagingly different. Nothing over $15, and most main dishes around $12. Entertainment
Find out what’s on through the hostels or by word of mouth; the free weekly magazines Point Out, Look and Wot’s On are simply business directories. If you are desperate for an injection of culture amid all the brash goings-on, check out the programme at the Arts Centre, 135 Bundall Rd (tel 07/5581 6900), where there’s a theatre, gallery, restaurant and bar. You’ll find cinema complexes on the corner of Clifford Street and Gold Coast Highway (tel 07/5575 3355), as well as inside Pacific Fair Shopping Centre, Mermaid Beach (tel 07/5575 3355) and Australia Fair shopping centre, Southport (tel 07/5531 2200). Realistically, though, it’s Surfers’ clubs that provide most of the nightlife. Initially, particularly if you’re staying at a hostel or have picked up a free pass somewhere, your choice will most likely be influenced by the various deals on entry and drinks. The places listed below have been around for a while and have a dependable reputation; none is especially chauvinistic, though places do change. Opening times are from around 6pm until 3am or later. Benson’s, 22 Orchid Ave (tel 07/5538 7600). Boasts one of the few surviving dance floors that lights up, Saturday Night Fever-style. Mostly “alternative” music, very little dance/techno. Closed Mon & Tues. Berlin Bar, on a lane off Orchid Ave. A bit discreet and stylish for Surfers, with a more civilized scene than you find elsewhere; well-heeled 20–35 crowd being slinky and sexy to Seventies disco and funk tunes. Pricey drinks, no cover charge. Cocktails and Dreams, Orchid Ave. Seventies nights on Tuesday from 8pm; nightly rhythm and blues at the Bourbon Bar; cheap drinks and extended happy hours. Closed Wed. The Party, at The Mark, Orchid Ave. Live rock bands Fri & Sun (often with a $5 cover charge); DJs for the rest of the week. Penthouse, Orchid Ave. Four floors comprise main dance floor, “R&B room”, pool tables and a piano bar. $5 cover charge, generally waived for “backpackers”. Rose and Crown, Raptis Plaza, Cavill Ave (tel 07/5531 5425). Surfers’ “local” pub; entertainment varies from decent local bands to DJs and strip shows (male & female). Shooters, right beside Cocktails and Dreams. Crowds heading for more serious dance spots start out here for a game of pool and a few drinks. Surfers Beergarden, Cavill Ave, opposite Orchid Ave. Live music with local and interstate band talent on Thursday and Saturday nights. Accommodation
You need to book all accommodation in advance. Motels sometimes insist on a minimum three-day stay – during quieter times bargaining may get you a reduced rate. Peak-season motel rates range from $55 to a few hundred dollars a night; during off-season and midweek, rooms are considerably cheaper. Expect to pay more for ocean views. There are simply too many possibilities to give a comprehensive list; those below are central and good value. All Seasons Mermaid Waters Resort Candlelight Holiday Apartments, 22–24 Leonard St (tel 07/5538 1277). Very pleasant, self-contained one-bedroom units in a quiet street close to the bus station; very helpful and friendly owners. $61–74. Carlton Apartments, corner of Northcliffe Terrace and Clifford St (tel 07/5538 5877). Self-contained two-person units in a seven-storey building on the beach. $75–94. Conrad Jupiters Casino Enderley Gardens, 38 Enderley Ave (tel 07/5570 1511). Self-contained units, one block away from the beach, 10min from the heart of Surfers; facilities include pool, spa and tennis court. $61–74. Hyatt Sanctuary Cove Resort Mercure Resort Surfers Parkroyal Hotel at Surfers Paradise Silver Sands Motel, 2985 Gold Coast Highway (tel 07/5538 6041). Low-rise and pleasant, despite a location on the main highway. One hundred metres from the beach; there’s a pool, too. $75–94. Villas de la Mer, corner of Markwell Ave and Northcliffe Terrace (tel 07/5592 6644, fax 5592 6324). Attractive apartments in a three-storey security complex, with ocean views from upper levels. Rooms are simple but modern and well furnished. Two-and three-bedroom apartments. $95 and over. Maps
Gold Coast Greater Gold Coast Area