The Gold Coast in Queensland is a popular place to visit and for many a dream destination to move to. But what is it really like to move to and live on the Gold Coast?
In this interview, Layla shares her personal experiences and practical tips for moving to and living on the Gold Coast.
This interview is part of the Ask an Expat series. In this series, I interview people living all over the world but outside of their home country. I try to help paint an honest picture of the ups and downs of life abroad, share tips about moving to the place the expat now calls home, and information about what to see and do here.
Living on the Gold Coast, Australia
Name: Layla Turner
Hometown: Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England
Her Story:
”I moved with my partner to the Gold Coast from Sydney, a few months after the pandemic kicked off in 2020.
We had always planned to move from Sydney to Southeast Queensland after almost two years of living there however, the move ended up being a rushed move due to the closing of our state borders.
We had to decide to move quickly, and we’re glad we did as the Queensland border with New South Wales was closed for over a year after that.
I have been nomadic for over 10 years and have been living all over Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
I identify as a slomad, preferring slow, immersive travel where I live in a place for months and really get to know it.
We use house sitting and short-term rentals to live somewhere long-term and I mostly work online running my travel blog and freelance writing.”
Also Read: How to Work Remotely From Anywhere and The Best Cities in Australia for Digital Nomads
Why Did You Move to the Gold Coast?
”Having lived in Perth and Sydney previously, I wanted to move to SE Queensland to experience more nature, warmer winters, the hip beach-life culture, and better proximity to travel to other Australian destinations.”
What Do You Like About Living on the Gold Coast?
”The beaches are the number one drawcard!
The Gold Coast has around 70 km of golden beaches in this area of SE Queensland, which stretches from Coolangatta up to the Southport Spit.
I also love that I can live in a small city but still experience nature here.
The Gold Coast has many waterways, so there’s lots of bird life here and plenty of small lizards and water dragons.
One of the places we lived in here on the Gold Coast backed onto a lake, and we used to get daily visits from a family of ducks as well as some black swans.”
What Do You Dislike About Living on the Gold Coast?
”I don’t like the ‘glitter strip’ which is the area here aimed at tourists called Surfers Paradise.
Originally, ‘Surfers’ was an iconic holiday destination that attracted families visiting for their holidays. However, it has become neglected and used as a playground for party-goers, so now it attracts unsavory types such as gangs and drug dealers.”
Also Read: Things to Consider Before Moving to Another Country
Is Gold Coast Safe as a Place to Live?
”I would say the Gold Coast is safe if you stay away from certain areas at night.
As mentioned before, due to the volatile nature of Surfers Paradise, I wouldn’t go to many places on my own late at night and not into Surfers.
However, I have no problems with going out at night around my local area which is Burleigh, and anywhere south of here.”
What Is Your Favorite Thing to Do on the Gold Coast?
”Hanging out at the beach is my favorite thing to do here – I specifically love Burleigh Beach or Kirra Beach near Coolangatta.
I also love going exploring along the coastal walkways or visiting nature attractions.
We have the ‘humpback highway’ here, so whale-watching trips are an exciting and affordable thing to do in whale season, which runs from June to the end of November.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is also a brilliant place to go see and learn about native wildlife.”
Also Read: 20 of the Best Beaches in Queensland You Should Check Out
What Is Your Favorite Place to Hang Out on the Gold Coast?
”The Gold Coast has a lot of hip places in the way of boutique cafes, bars and restaurants to hang out in.
One of my favorites is The Paddock Bakery café which bakes all their own drool-worthy, sour-dough pastries.
I also love Eddies Grub House which is a dive bar in Coolangatta. It’s one of the few places here that is eclectic, a bit shabby with amazing burgers and lots of whiskeys. And it’s still only two minutes from the beach!
There aren’t a lot of ‘on the beach bars’ here, but all the local Surf Clubs offer great views of the beach, and Coolangatta’s Rainbow Bay Surf Club at Snapper Rocks has an awesome view, overlooking one of Australia’s best surf breaks.
The most popular place to hang out — which is where you’ll find all the influencers — is Burleigh Pavillion, which has a beachfront location, boho décor, and an award-winning restaurant.”
What Is the Expat / International Community Like on the Gold Coast?
”It’s a very mixed expat community here, with areas split into northern and southern Goldie.
Most expat families that move to the Gold Coast tend to live on the northern Goldie where the infrastructure and suburbs are set up for families and the houses are cheaper to rent/buy.
The famous theme parks are in the northern area too as are most of the popular school catchment areas and the ‘business district’ of the Gold Coast which is Southport.
The southern end of the Goldie (where I live) is quieter and is less built up with fewer amenities, and more focus on beaches and hip eateries, so it often attracts the younger expats.
A lot of the expats that come to live in the southern Goldie are influencers or health & wellness professionals that have moved here from the bigger cities, and you’ll mostly find them moving to areas such as Mermaid Beach, Miami, or Burleigh Heads.
The Gold Coast is a popular holiday destination for the rest of Australia to descend on during school holidays and gets busy in peak holiday times.
It’s also a very transient place, so it’s rare to meet someone who has lived on the Gold Coast their whole life.
Some expat groups on Facebook and Meetup.com get together to mingle, which is a good way to meet other expats living on the Gold Coast.”
Any Tips for Moving To / Living on the Gold Coast?
”If you’re moving to the Gold Coast, take some time to research the areas that would be most suitable for you and your situation — there are 50 suburbs on the Gold Coast.
If you love theme parks, family-friendly outdoor spaces, tourist attractions, and easy access to Brisbane, then the northern Gold Coast might be for you.
However, if you’re young, free, health-conscious, and love a boho beach bar or two, the southern end might work for you.
The next tip is to secure somewhere to live before you move to the Gold Coast, as rental vacancies are very limited and sadly we’re in the middle of a housing crisis.
Having a vehicle is a big help if you’re living in the inner suburbs. The public transport is plentiful on the Gold Coast — we have trains, light rail, and plenty of buses — but only along the coastal suburbs and around the city center.”
Any Resources You Found Useful During the Process of Moving to and Building a New Life in Gold Coast?
Housing (buying and renting): Look on Realestate.com.au and Facebook groups such as Gold Coast Private Rental Properties. Or for a room rental try Flatmates.com.au.
Public transport: Get a Go card to use the trains, buses, and light rail. Check out the Translink website for timetables and journey planners.
Job hunting: Seek and Indeed are the best job sites.
Resources for moving to the Gold Coast: Gold Coast Australia.
Things to do outdoors: Queensland Parks and Wildlife.
Theme parks and other attractions: Destination Gold Coast.
Is There Something You Just Have to See or Do When You Are in Gold Coast?
Visit the beaches – North Burleigh Beach and Coolangatta Beach are two of my favorites. But Surfers Paradise Beach is very popular, and so are the Broadwater and the Spit in Southport.
There are lookouts at North Burleigh Lookout and Elephant Rock at Currumbin for excellent photo opportunities.
Q1 building – go up the tallest building on the Goldie for panoramic views of the whole coast and the hinterland.
Theme parks – Just a short drive from Southport you’ll find a mass of theme parks including Warner Bros. Movie World, Dreamworld, SeaWorld, WhiteWater World, Wet n Wild, and a few more.
Whale Watching trip – See humpback whales and their calves frolicking in the waves during whale season.
Springbrook National Park – for ancient hinterland rainforest and waterfalls.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary – to see native wildlife up close and learn about local conservation efforts.
About Layla
Layla is a nomadic, freethinking explorer and writer.
She’s been traveling for 15 years and writes about moving countries and what it’s really like to travel long-term.
You’ll find her living an unconventional life and candidly blogging about long-term travel, house-sitting, digital nomad life, and mental health wellness.
She’s also a freelance writer (a popular digital nomad job), a global house & pet sitter, a beach dweller & palm tree enthusiast.
Follow her on Alialtravelgal.com as she explores and discovers our planet, through long-term, slow, immersive travel.
She’ll show you the real side of travel and what it’s like to travel forever.
About the Gold Coast, QLD
The Gold Coast is a city in Queensland, Australia, located south of the state’s capital Brisbane.
The Gold Coast is the sixth-largest city in Australia with a population of around 750,000.
The city is a major tourist destination known for its sunny, subtropical climate, world-class surfing beaches, high-rises, lively nightlife, and several theme parks.
In just 50 years the Gold Coast has grown from a small beachside tourism destination to one of the largest cities in the country.
Tourism remains an important industry for the city, but marine, education, IT, sports, and other industries are also contributing to the city’s economic prosperity.
The Gold Coast has 70 kilometers (43 miles) of coastline with some of the most popular surf breaks in Australia and the world.
The Gold Coast Hinterland, the area away from the coast, offers some stunning nature. Mainly covered in tropical rainforest, you can find three national parks here, numerous mountains, creeks, waterfalls, valleys, and natural rock formations.
The Gold Coast is closely connected to Brisbane and many workers commute between the two by rail and by road.
Also Read:
- 10 Things to Know Before You Move to Australia
- What It’s Like to Live in Brisbane, Queensland
- 20 Best Beaches in Queensland
- Free Things to Do in Hervey Bay, Queensland
- What Living in Melbourne is Like
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I left the Gold Coast to move to Townsville/Magnetic Island, love life, it’s so much better here. The Gold Coast was not for me anymore, the people here are more genuine.