Recently in Gold Coast Category

It goes against the grain for me to suggest a rural retreat that's just so danged spiffy... but it's my bid for practicality. This country home is the perfect getaway from your hectic city life. With 2.5 acres of usable land, you could sow the seeds (heh heh) for your alternate retirement career right here! The acres are paddocked, manicured, fully fenced in and come with 2 large equipment sheds, water tanks and a natural freshwater pool! Isn't that nice?
The house itself is an ultra-modern affair with 4 bedrooms all with built-in wardrobes, study, large spa bath, gourmet style kitchen, formal lounge and dining, family room with bar and covered deck area looking over your land. Phew!
With all that, the swimming pool and garage goes without saying. Additions are - full insulation, crimesafe screen and fully ducted air-conditioning! This place is worth your $985,000.

A 4 bedroom rural home in Mount Tamborine region is up for sale for $549,000. It's been beautifully renovated with tropically landscaped 3 acres and is fully fenced in. What's exciting about this property is its potential for income with little investment. The land has 2 dams that irrigate the 3 large horticultural sheds and has been approved as a wholesale nursery with 30,000 plants on the books to be included in the sale. The house itself is air-conditioned with lovely bright red walls so you can never be in a bad mood, blue roof and windows with white frames in a stone facade.

The Cockatiel Homestead is ideal for a peaceful lifestyle just a short distance away from local shops, beaches and Currumbin Valley. Set amongst 1 acre of lawns and natural fauna, the home has 4 bedrooms with formaland informal living, ensuite and large deck for entertainment. I'm quite sold on the deck actually... with its wooden flooring and sun loungers, wooden balustrade and view, it's rather perfect for reading. Beyond the house, on the rolling land, there are separate farming workshops and enough space for a pool, tennis court or equestrian plans.

Plain bare land to do what you will with is available all over Gold Coast. Make your own country retreats if you don't find one in the place and style of your choice.
I have never found it easier to find a house perfect for me. There are just so many absolutely smashing sites to help you in your search, whether for townhouses or landed estates, apartment/units or country homes and by region. There's also a whole list of real estate agents to help you through your quest!

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Purlingbrook Lodge... I've just realized that maybe i'm not most practical advisor over homes. I mean... I get carried away by things like names that put me in the mind of babbling Tennyson poems or by the fact that the home has a history (thus my fascination with castles) or that it has a garden or... that it just feels right.
This property is all that. Available for $530,000, this townhouse spread over three levels has manicured gardens to be idly viewed as you relax on a covered deck reaching out from a cozy lounge with fireplace. The timber floors and powder room (!!) are quaint and the kitchen is a fully equipped delight. Three huge sized bedrooms on the second level and a third level with bar and billiard room is quite an addition to an attractive offer. What would clinch the deal for me though, are the rock pool and private botanical gardens complete with an all year round running creek!

A two bedroom townhouse with courtyard in Currumbin $255,000 or body corporate rent of $18 a week. Located within walking distance to the beach with the large living room leading out into the courtyard, this house has a very pleasant feel. With a seating area in the courtyard, a TV unit and foosball table (hmm), this two level compact home is a good investment opportunity.

A townhouse near Bond University and Market square comprises open living with resort facilities for a great holiday home. With four bedrooms ensuite, gym and double garage, this lovely two level home with porches and courtyard along a lovely ingorund pool with palms swaying is quite a find.

A recently renovated townhouse in Nerang is a superb investment opportunity if you're not in the mood to live there for good! Nerang is one of the more popular suburbs with easy access to all parts of Gold Coast. Just 20 kms fromany theme park, 14 kms from Surfer's Paradise, this 3 bedroom house is at present earning $240 per week. You can buy it for $210,000 and get a brand new kitchen, security gated complex, swimming pool and tennis courts for your money's worth!

A federation style townhouse in Southport with three double bedrooms (one of them ensuite), powder room and a modern, convennient kitchen is available for $334,000. Part of ten units in a security gated complex, it comes with a single lockup garage, huge courtyard for entertaining and sparkling pool. What I like about it is the space and light flowing into the living area with its cushy white couches.

Find more townhouses and land estates by browsing through the gazillion Gold Coast options.

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The Blue C beachside apartment in Coolangatta has been slashed from $619,000 to $599,000. It has 2 bedrooms and features an inground heated poo, gym, sauna, spa and barbeque area. The master bedroom has a walk through wardrobe and ensuite. Situated just beside the Kirra hill, you get lovely ocean views while being just a short walk away from the famous surf at Kirra and Snapper's Rock. Restaurants, public transport and shops are all nearby.

A riverfront apartment building in central Surfer's Paradise, ensconched in the curve of the river gives you city as well as Chevron island views. The apartments will have heated pool, gyms, in-house cinema and lounges as well as parklands and gardens. With 1 bedroom and so centrally located, they're for sale for $425,000.

A 2 bedroom apartment in Rainbow Bay overlooks the boat harbor and has been recently repainted so that is ready to go with not a penny to be spent on it. (other than the $379,000 to buy it, that is). Furnished with swimming pool and rare tandem car space, it's just a short walk from Rainbow Bay and the Coolangatta beaches.

Another 2 bedroom apartment at Mermaid Beach is a compact place, recently renovated with new blinds, tiles and a whole new kitchen. With it's beachside location, this ground floor aprtament is just a short walk from Nobby'd Beach shops and has a garage to go with it. You can buy it for $269,000.

An 18th floor apartment in an executive building is centrally located in Broadbeach. Close by are the Conrad Jupiter, Victoria Park and the Convention Center. That's certainly a great area! The fully furnished apartment gives you a great view of the ocean, the hinterland and the sky line. It comes along with 2 pools, gym, steam room, games room and barbeque area. Broadbeach is one of the quieter and more casually chic areas of Gold Coast and perfect for anyone who likes to set his own pace.

The Paradise Towers apartment is a 1 bedroom trendy home located in the center of Surfer's Paradise. Placed on the 9th level, it gives you a lovely view over the river and the city. Just a few minutes away from patrolled beaches, cafes and all kinds of entertainment, this fully furnished apartment is perfect for holiday renting or permanent living.

The thing with Gold Coast is that it seems to be a real destination for home hunters. There are so many, many, many to choose from - resort apartments to luxury apartments, units to apartments for every budget - and i'm defnitely not doing justice to the best out there.

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The Keep is a 7 bedroom villa situated at Point Lookout. With that fascinating smuggler-worthy location, The Keep is the highest place on the Point, giving you great views across the ocean, Moreton Island, offshore rock formations and the Glasshouse Mountains. The house comes with covered decks and the option of a nursery off the main bedroom. But what's really a USP is the whale-watching towers that can be reached from the main deck. The Keep is ideally located for watching the migrating whales from land. These observations towers serve as a great place to lounge over a breakfast or sunset even when there are no whales to be seen! The furnishing and fittings are virtually new and you'll find the Keep a very comfortable stay.

The Solaz self-contained villa at Mermaid Beach just south of Broadbeach is available for $3,200 to $4,500 per week with possibly higher rates during Christmas and holidays. Spread over three levels, the villa comes with a elevator and underground parking space. With oversized bedrooms, balconies overlooking the ocean, gourmet kitchen and a spectacular penthouse suite with spa bath and walk in wardrobe, this place is a steal. The living room flows out of the pool and you have a lounging room thrown in. There's even a wine cellar! (Which you can use for more mundane storage).

This one bedroom villa at Benowa is being rented out at $190 per week at the moment but is up for grabs from a discerning investor for $189,000. Besides the ensuite King's size room and a modern kitchen, you'll also get a private courtyard, a garage and salt water pool! Besides the pool, there is a heated sauna and spa, a mini gym and a barbeque. It's spacious, comfortable and centrally located... really a good investment.

The Runway Bay Villa is a single level 2 bedroom affair. The rooms are reallyspacious and carpeted with a two way bathroom. You can buy it for $199,000 and rent it out for about $230 per week. The villa is really pretty with it's warm red sloping roof, green trim and purple flowers. Besides the private courtyard at the back, there are landscpaed gardens with a swimming pool and barbeque area. 

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Shopping in Gold Coast is a exhaustingly fun experience... the kind where you come home in the evening with bags and bags, lighter of pocket, tired of feet and grinning idiotically over your purchases. Whether you're a elegant arcade shopper or a market stall enthusiast, shopping in GC is a trip.

For fashion labels selling directly at a big discount, venture into Harbor Town, where you'll also find opne air restuarants, cafes and the largest movie hall in GC.

The Pacific Fair and Australia Fair host an extravaganza of department stores and specialty shops.

Just 5 minutes from Surfers Paradise is the The Evergreen Lifestyle Centre which is a treasure chest overflowing with exotic/contemporary homewares, glassware, pottery, fine furniture, hand-painted ceramic tiles, gourmet deli and sculptured cakes! The Center is open daily from 9 to 5.

The Sanctuary Cove Marine Village harbor is a waterfront retail market where cruise boats meandering north from Surfers Paradise can get you for the very best of Australian designer labels and creative handicrafts.

A very popular facet of Gold Coast are its weekend markets. You can explore the wonderful world of art and craft markets, souvenirs, gifts, oddities, knicks and bracks at the many browse worthy country and beachfront markets.
The most popular of these is the humongous Carrara Market with over 500 unique stalls! You can find anything under the sun here.
Other markets are the Friday night market at Surfer's Paradise, first and thrid sunday af-fairs at Broadbeach, lat sunday at Burleigh Heads, saturday markets at Robina Town Center and second sunday markets at Coolangatta and Tambourine Mountain. These markets have about 200 stalls and you have to remember to throw bashfulness aside and bargain like crazy!

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A culinary feast of international cuisines is waiting around every corner on the Gold Coast for those with discerning palates. Fresh seafood and tropical fruits selected daily by the region's award-winning chefs. In fact Gold Coast is home to an astonishing number of award winning restaurants.
Seafood, Japanese, French, Italian, Australian, family restuarant, pubs, alacarte restaurants... whatever you're looking for, by cuisine or atmosphere, taste or budget... you'll find it here.
The gourmet center of GC is Tedder Avenue with the main restaurants lining up on either side of the road.
While Tedder avenue is rather cosmopolitan, you might get more variety and less dearer food at Surfer's Pradise and Broadbeach. The surf clubs dotting the coastline offer not just great views but great meals for under $15 a person.

I'm just going to list some of the award winning restuarants for the food aficionados.
Shogun Japanese Restaurant (best asian), Ristorante Fellini (italian of course), Cav's Steakhouse, George's Paragon Seafood, (all self-evident) and the best family establishment - Montego's. If you want to woo a lady... you could just take her to Venice, but failing that, you could dine her at Gold Coast Gondoloas.

But before you spoil yourself with the award winning stuff, mayeb you should eat out at simple old recommended joints.

If you've had you fill of scuba diving, rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping and the like for your entertainment and are yearning for some usual manufactured smoke filled-music pumping fun, then fret not, Gold Coast has a sizzling nightlife too!
Surfer's Paradise is the acknowledged party spot with pubs, bars, nightclubs galore, especially along Orchid and Cavill avenues.
If you're not one for music, you could relax at a cigar lounge, cabaret club or shoot some pool at a pub.
The Capitol Bar & Lounge has been the pioneer is lounging long before it hit New York. A melting pot of design, creativity and free spirits, it's a superb hangout.
If you want to watch a game or flutter on the live daily races, The Clock Tower is your place. Even without sports, there's always something brewing here.
The Base Cabaret restaurant is the winner of the People's Choice award and features 2 hours of dazzling live music and comedy.
The other highly recommended outings are the "Rhythm of the Night" at the Conrad Juipter and the casino at the same hotel.

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The art in Gold Coast is like a voyage... It's a discovery, a pleasant find you make as you go about your day.
You might be on your day trip to Mount Tambourine when you'll stumble upon the Gallery Walk with it's sculptures and pottery and woodworks or the Crafter's Gallery.
You might be taking a walk along the beautiful Curumbin Beach Ocean-Walkway and you'll get to see some really fascinating sculptures by 60 of the world's leading artists at the Swell Sculpture Festival.
Or you might wander in for a beer at the Hard Rock Cafe and find yourself looking through a collection of music memorabilia at rock n' rolls most famous museum in Queensland.

The Gold Coast War Museum has an array of memorabilia from the two world wars and the Vietnam War, including tanks, armoured vehicles, planes and posters.

The River Mill located on the Nerang-Beaudesert Rd, just before the Mt Tamborine turnoff is an historic mill built in 1910. It was Australia's first arrowroot mill and has been turned into a popular tourist attraction functioning as a museum, with the old machinery intact. There is a cafe and a small animal park where children can feed camels, donkeys, horses and deer.

Spread over 12 themed galleries, Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum, is a more "today" affair with its buzarre collection. For anyone who's ever played the Ripley's board game as a kid and been fascinated with the trivia, this is a must visit.

The Beudesert Museum showacases a Pioneer Homestead complete with farm implements and a buggy!
There are other collections of aborginal art, a race car museum of Dick Johnsson and even a wax museum for those who haven't made it to Tussaud's.

The Gold Coast City Art Gallery at Surfer's Paradise is one of Australia's most prolific public regional galleries.

Keep yourself willing and open at Gold Coast, cultural activities will beckon and you must plunge in. The Wintersun festival will offer you a taste of sun and wine; Tastes of Gold Coast will tease your palate; Music fests and stage plays at the Conrad Jupiter for the more artistically inclined; just let yourself go and savor every bite and sip and glance. Let the sheer enthusiasm of the people and place... the "aliveness", if you will, infest you!

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Some time ago I dreamt of a rainbow of gold and purple and red. When I woke up all I could remember of it was that it was beautiful and I wondered what made me clash such colors in my sleep. Frazer island is an enigma like that. Sand and rainforests go seemlessly together, freshwater lakes, dingos, creeks, the world's longest sand isalnd with rainbow beaches... that's Frazer island. The island is such a detination in itself that it even boasts a museum!

Lady Elliot Island is a must visit for taking in a sight of the Great Barrier Reef. This coral cay is one of the most popular destinations for reef diving and you can while away hours snorkeling and scuba diving with rainbow colored sea anemones, tropical fish, manta rays for company. There's 25 meters visability!
The island is also home to some 57 species of bird, nesting sea turtles and has one of the first lighthouses built in Australia for a landmark.

Sunshine Coast has pristine beaches and tranquil hinterland. You'll be greeted by glass house mountains and pineapple farms on your way to Noosa, a great place to do some window shopping. At Underwater World in Mooloolaba you mighteven get to touch a shark's egg! Sunshine Coast is a very populat holiday spot and you might want to take off from Gold Coast for a mere day to wallow in it.

Mount Tambourine is an enchanted escape with orchards and vineyards, 7 national parks, sub-tropical rainforests and a gorgeous view over Gold Coast! Whether you indulge in some wine tasting, view a craft show, hike around walking trails or tour through the wildlife sanctuary, Mt Tambourine will fill your day well. Infact you might find that you wnat to stay longer once you see how much there is to do once you get there. There are restaurants and galleries, fuschia farms and a fishing world as well as a heritage center.

Lamington National Park is a world heritage park with immense rainforests. The most exciting thing about a visit to the park is the treetop walkway where you get to walk 16 feet above the ground amid the trees! While there, also take some time to enjoy the Alpaca Barn which houses the unique Alpaca, bred by Inca Indians in the Andes. You can sit there and enjoy a tranquil view.

Of course, if you got to Gold Coast straight from your hometown, you might want to venture into Brisbane for a day. See the ever growing and young city, relax on the river, go trawl through the Cultural Centre, Museum or Treasury Casino. Visit South Bank Parklands, which is Australia's only inner city beach.

Besides this, drive your car to Cairns and hot air balloon, hitch a ferry to Moreton Bay and whale-watch. Talk to the locals and ferret out your own day trips (and let me know about them).

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The GC is known as Australia's capital for theme parks and with reason.
Movie World, Seaworld, Dreamworld, Snow World and Wet 'n' Wild Water world lead the band of theme parks. With terrifying rides and dolphin antics, Batman and Superman vying to be faster, there's never an opportunity to be without some absolutely voice-tearing fun.

But the man-made delights aside, the place I like most... so natural and simple in its magic, is the glow worm colony in Natural Arch Cave in Springbrook. I remember being fascinated even with just one glow worm as a child and following it around for as long as it was visible like I was mesmerized. Now just imagine the sheer beauty of seeing the largest glow worm colony, like so many emeralds sparkling out of reach.
Beyond the live green lanterns in the caves, Springbrook also boasts some of the prettiest waterfalls.
While at Springbrook, visit the plateau and gaze up at starry skies and hope to encunter some unique nocturnal wildlife.

Paradise Country is a recreation farm and function centre approximately 20-30 minutes' drive from Surfers Paradise. You get to experience real Australian farm life and a slice of outback adventure with tours including meeting koalas, emus and wallabies, milking cows, rounding-up sheep, watching the stock horse in action with the cattle, small animal feeding, testing your boomerang skills and cracking the whip and savouring delicious scones and billy tea.

Catch-A-Crab ia a multi-award winning tour in Tweed Heads that combines natural scenic beauty with Aussie style family fun. You get to catch the famous Queensland mud crabs, feed the pelicans, catch your own bait (yabbie pumping), go fishing or sit back and enjoy the scenery. Highlight of the day is gourmet dining on one of the most sought after seafood delicacies - freshly caught Queensland mudcrabs.

If you take a tour of the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary you get a peek into a wildlife reserve with the world's largest collection of Australian native wildlife. A visual spectacle of innureable brightly multi-coloured lorikeets which fly in to be hand-fed every day will meet you. The sanctuary also features a walk-through aviary and other native animals.

At the Superbee Honeyworld located right opposite Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary there are over a million live bees and 15 different honeys to taste for free! You can watch the honey being created right before your eyes along the bee walk. Entry is also free here.

Other than all this you must certainly hot air balloon in Cairns. In fact this particular item was long on my to-do-in-life list. And hot-air ballooning over the marvellous coast line with sparkling sand and rainforest open to your sight is an awesome experience.

Sail, oceanraft, parasail, windsurf or simply catch a cruise boat, pontoon boat to explore inland waterways at Southport Broadwater.

Cast an eye over the day trips, enetertainment and arts and culture section for still more to do in Gold Coast.

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Either you get to the Gold Coast airport at Coolangatta or you reach Brisbane from where it'll take you about an hour by road to get to Gold Coast.
Once there, the Surfside Busline runs 24 hour buses along the highway and can drop you off at all the main shopping malls, roads and theme parks. You can explore Gold Coast by buying a 24 hour $30 ticket and touring the spots at your leisure.
Gold Coast is one of the leading leisure boat destinations and ferries and water taxis connect islands and canal estates. You can hire jet skis, speedboats, houseboats, fishing charters, et al.
An unusual way to see the Coast is to be part of a tour on an amphibious vehicle called the Aqua Duck that gives you a tour of the streets and waterways at the same time.
Renting a car, cycle or a good old monster bike to ride with you is another way to see the Gold Coast.

Read through some good tips to getting to and around Gold Coast before you get there.

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The best season to go to Gold Coast is any season! It sounds trite I know, but with its sub-tropical climate, Gold Coast enjoys mild winters and lovely hot summers with about 287 sunny days a year!
With some of the most popular beaches, one of them actually called 'Surfer's Paradise'... GC really is a great place to go for surfing enthusiasts and experts. If you want to choose a particular surfing season or spot then you might worry about when you get to Gold Coast.

Another activity in Gold Coast that's season oriented is the humpback whale watching. In the months from June to October, the whales migrate between the Antarctic wilderness and the Great Barrier Reef and can be seen at Moreton bay.

The festive calendar at Gold Coast breezes through food, music, races, wine, films and of course, surfing.
The Gold Coast Film Fantastic and the In the Bin Film Festival are both held in September. One for fantasy films and the other for shorts.

The Big Day Out music festival held on the Gold Coast in January has bands start playing from 11am and going on late into the night (around 11.30pm). The festival features bands from all over the world and Australia. There are two main stages featuring the headlining acts, some smaller stages for local bands and the Boiler room, for DJ's and dance music. Don't miss this one if you enjoy live music.
Blues on Broadbeach is 5 days of the best in blues.

A la Carte in the Park and On the Beach are food and wine festivals where you get to sample food from the best restaurateurs, caterers and wine merchants.
Tastes of Gold Coast held in August on Surfer's Paradise is another food and wine festival in the same vein.

An interesting festival is the Medieval & Militaria festival with 2 days of laser skirmishes, tournaments, battles, military vehicles, militaria markets and history being re-enacted in general.

The Lexmark Indy 300 is held in October - from parties to some serious horse power.
The Conrad Jupiters Magic Millions Racing Carnival is 18 days of parties, dinners and races with prizes worth a minimum of 100,000 AUD.
And the popular Australian Surf Life Saving Championship held towards the end of March.

Besides these, there are the golf tournaments and the performing art events, the innurable wine fests and the tasty food experiences... a whole host of events to look forward to whichever month you find yourself in Gold Coast.

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