Gold Coast City: Art, Coast and Nature

The Gold Coast borders the Pacific: famous beaches lie on one side, and a lush hinterland on the other. Culture and nature also shape Gold Coast City—from guided walks and contemporary art to wetlands, gardens and walking trails. This offers different ways to plan your stay, rather than associating the region only with beach visits.

Experience culture and art

Jellurgal offers guided walks exploring the history and culture of Aboriginal people on the Gold Coast. These also include Dreaming Stories associated with Jellurgal. HOTA, Home of the Arts, is a cultural precinct where live performance, visual arts, cinema and community life come together. The two places offer different cultural experiences: a guided walk featuring stories about Jellurgal and a diverse cultural program at HOTA.

At HOTA Gallery, you can find contemporary art across five state-of-the-art exhibition spaces. Art can also be found outdoors: the SWELL Sculpture Festival transforms the Gold Coast’s beaches into open-air galleries. Festival dates and programs vary; if you plan to attend, check the event dates for your travel period.

Wetlands, gardens and coast

The Coombabah Lakes Conservation Area protects more than 1,200 hectares of wetland, eucalyptus forest, salt marsh and mangrove swamp habitats. Possible experiences there include short walks, wildlife watching and identifying plants. Burleigh Heads offers world-class surf breaks; the Gold Coast also has world-class theme parks. This makes for a range of options, from nature watching and walks to surfing and theme parks.

The Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens cover 31 hectares of parkland and lakes. The Mangroves-to-Mountains Trail is one of the gardens’ visitor highlights. They are a short ten-minute drive from the centre of Surfers Paradise. Another nature destination is the Coombabah Lakes Conservation Area, with its wetlands and wildlife-watching opportunities.

Short walks and a long hiking route

If you’re choosing nature experiences based on how much time you have, you can compare short walks in the Coombabah Lakes Conservation Area with the 54 km Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk. The Great Walk can start or end at The Settlement campground in Springbrook National Park.

Springbrook is part of the wider region: at Gauriemabah, Springbrook’s first schoolhouse, built in 1911, exhibitions tell the diverse stories of the place. The Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens and the Coombabah Lakes Conservation Area offer their own nature experiences, with parkland, lakes or wetlands.

Cultural events and getting around

The free HOTA Parkrun takes place every Saturday morning at 7 am. The 5 km route goes around the lake and through the precinct’s parklands. The markets at HOTA take place every Sunday morning and offer fresh seasonal farm produce and artisan-made foods. Schedules for these activities may change; check the latest information if you’re planning to attend the run or market.

For getting around on foot and by bike, the HOTA Green Bridge connects HOTA with Chevron Island. The HOPO ferry operates between Surfers Paradise and the Broadwater Parklands, stopping at HOTA, Marina Mirage and Sea World. As route details may change, it’s a good idea to check the latest timetable before travelling. When choosing a hotel location, consider which of the activities mentioned will shape your daily plans and take the relevant routes into account.

Discover more destinations: Advancetown, Southern Downs Regional, Tablelands Regional, Carpentaria Shire, Scenic Rim Regional, Murweh Shire, Longreach Regional, Gympie Regional.

Go to the main travel overview: Queensland.