Good Times On The Gold Coast. Located in the southeast corner of Queensland, the Gold Coast is an area in Australia popular amongst tourists for its gorgeous subtropical climate, active nightlife, beautiful surfing beaches, unique skyline, canal and waterway systems, rainforests, and tourists attractions. In fact, tourism is one of the leading industries here.
Each year approximately 10 million people visit the Gold Coast as tourists. Tourism is an important source for the economy and contributes nearly $4.5 billion to the city each year. Many of the residents, as many as 1 in 4, work directly for the service industries that support tourism. The area is loaded with amenities for tourists. At last count there were over 65,000 beds, 60 kilometres of ocean front, 600 kilometres of waterways and canals, over 500 restaurants, 6 theme parks and 40 golf courses.
The infrastructure that allows for travel in and around the area is well developed. The Gold Coast Airport provides domestic services through Jetstar, Tiger Airways and Virgin Blue. International flights from Fiji, Japan, Malaysia and New Zealand also use this airport. Domestic and international flights are also available from the Brisbane Airport, which is less than an hour away. Because cars are the dominant mode of transportation in the city, there are a vast number of highways that connect the Gold Coast to New South Wales, Brisbane and other local urban areas. The main roadways are the Pacific Highway and the Gold Coast Highway. Bus services in the area are provided by Surfside Buslines. They offer frequent stops at multiple locations throughout the city. Rail services through Queensland Rail run along the Gold Coast railway line. The ever-increasing onslaught of tourists has caused the government to make plans for a new ferry line as well as a rapid transit system in the future.
The city is famous for its many tourists attractions, especially the theme parks including Dreamworld, WhiteWater World, Sea World, Warner Brothers Movie World, and Wet ‘n’ Wild Water World. In addition to these parks, the many beaches and surfing points bring in many visitors each year. A unique feature of the Gold Coast is the bikini-wearing meter maids, stationed at Surfers Paradise. These stunning young women, in an attempt to thwart parking tickets from expired meters, put coins in meters as a gesture of good will while leaving their calling cards tucked neatly under the wipers of the car.
Each year, several large festivals and events are held on the Gold Coast. These include the Gold Coast Indy 300, the Magic Millions Carnival and the Wintersun Festival. They also host a leg of the ASP World Tour of Surfing.
The Gold Coast is also a leading cultural centre in the country, as well as a film and media centre. Several large production companies have studios in the city. It also is home to several art galleries and theatres that provide live entertainment. In keeping with their tradition of great cinema, two art theatres are available for the screening of local and foreign films. The Gold Coast is a popular tourist destination in Australia for both domestic and international travelers.