Gold Coast is one of Australia's premier holiday destinations. It has an amazing 42 km of golden beaches, which stretch from Coolangatta right up to Paradise Point. There is more than just beach to offer visitors though. The lush hinterland is strikingly beautiful, and within easy reach for bush walking and simply taking in the stunning views and surrounding nature.

Natural Attractions

As just mentioned, the hinterland is a wonderful area of forest and nature. As you westwards, you will climb to heights of 1000 metres. From here, spectacular vistas of Springbrook and the Numinbah Valley can be experienced. Winburra Lookout, the Hinze Dam, Purlingbrook Falls and English Gardens should be on every travellers list of things to see, as they give visitors a chance to take in the magnificent surrounding environment.

Mount Tambarine and Lamington National Park is within easy access of Gold Coast. This is the site of the largest preserved natural subtropical rainforest in all of Australia. There are so many activities possible here, including bushwalking, horse riding, abseiling, tree top walks and picnicking.

Currumbin Sanctuary is set in 27 hectares, and has a truly impressive and wide range of flora and fauna. From cute marsupials, like kangaroos and koalas, to snakes and lorikeets, they can all be encountered at the Currumbin Sanctuary. There are hand feeding sessions of the lorikeets, presentations and talks on wildlife, miniature train rides, walk through aviaries and a children's playground.

The Arts

The Gold Coast Arts Centre is where visitors can keep track of the world of the arts. This centre is in fact, the largest regional arts complex in Australia. The Centre Theatre seats 1200 and is used for operas, ballets and all sorts of concerts; The Space auditorium caters for cabaret, plays and jazz; there are regular film festivals with full Dolby sound; the two Art Galleries in the Centre display contemporary art works, as well as exhibiting a number of visiting works.

Theme Parks

Gold Coast has many fun theme parks to visit. Dreamworld is made up of nine different areas, ranging from Gold Rush Country and Koala Country, to Rivertown and the Blue Lagoon. There are rides, waterslides and of course, the famous Australian marsupial, the Koala, to cuddle and learn all about.

Warner Bros Movie Land is where you can experience all the thrilling fun of the movies. There are studio tours, a closer look at the world of stunts, with an action show, a chance to meet all your favourite stars, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, and there's the big parade on the Main Street.

Sea World Australia is one of the country's most popular attractions. There are dolphin, shark and sea lion shows, waterslides, rides and a whole host of other activities to keep you entertained and preoccupied. Ripley's Believe it or Not is full of unbelievable illusions and exhibits, which will have you amazed.

Other Attractions

The Races is a very popular pastime in the Gold Coast. And no wonder, with its excellent Turf Club. There is racing every Saturday, with a total of 64 race meetings every year. The prize money has been steadily increasing over the past two decades. Amongst the big meetings during the year are the Prime Minister's Cup, the Winfield Gold Coast Cup and the Gold Nugget, to name but a few.

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