09 June 2021
5 mins Read
It’s the mecca of all holiday meccas in Australia – the Gold Coast, and in particular the Northern Gold Coast from Main Beach to Broadbeach.
Surfers Paradise is in the dead centre of the Northern Gold Coast, about 20km from The Gold Coast airport at Coolangatta, or 30 minute’s drive.
This is the more expensive part of the GC and therefore it is challenging to find a decent place that doesn’t cost the earth. As Surfers Paradise has been the epicentre of the Gold Coast tourism experience for a long time, it has some of the least appealing (ie. old and run down) accommodation of the coast as well as the most appealing (brand-spanking new). For the middle, affordable road try Aruba Surf Resort and the Best Western Broadbeach Travel Inn. Oscars at Main Beach is more upmarket. If you’re smart, and can stand sacrificing location for a really cheap deal so you can spend more on outside activities, then University Campus Summer Stays are the go. When the students leave Griffith University you can take over the studentliving accommodation, renting out a five-bedroom apartment all to yourself or sharing with others. Double beds can be hard to come by, though.
Well, this is the very-high season so the dollars don’t stretch far. The Best Western is a minimum seven-night stay at a reasonable $160 a night for a one-bedroom apartment; $250 for a two-bedder. Aruba Surf Resort has mostly one-bedroom apartments at $205 a night. Oscars is $450 for a two-bedroom apartment in Main Beach (five-night minimum). Campus Summer Stays are $350-$300 for a five-bedroom apartment. Like we said, amazing value.
Hurry! Put down the magazine and pick up the phone. The Northern Gold Coast is booked out by November so call before mid-October to get somewhere for that vital Boxing Day-New Year period. If you go for Campus Summer Stays you’ll have more time.
Worlds, Worlds and more Worlds. Beaches, shopping, golf, drinking and relaxing. This is Australia’s biggest playground, so make the most of it. For something unexpected, give the Australian Outback Spectacular a whirl. For peace and quiet, take the ferry to South Stradbroke. The jet boats at the marina are fun (pick a red one cos they are faster) and make the most of the new-look marina. Have breakfast on Tedder St at Main Beach for a look at the beautiful people and enjoy an afternoon drink at Shuck. For one of the best-value meals with an astonishing view, dine at Northcliff Surf Life Saving Club between Surfers and Broadbeach.
Aruba Surf Resort //
20-26 Anne Ave.
(07) 5539 0299; arubasurf.com.au
Best Western Broadbeach Travel Inn Apartments //
2651 Gold Coast Hwy. (07) 5570 1899; broadbeach.bestwestern.com.au
Oscars //
1 Hughes Ave. (07) 5527 0966; oscaronmain.com.au
Campus Summer Stays //
Kelvin Grove Student Village. 1300 308 845; www.campussummerstays.com.au
The racetrack at Mt Panorama puts Bathurst on the map, but the quiet town is a great base for exploring the Eastern Tablelands.
207km west of Sydney; a 3hr drive on the Great Western Highway.
A Settler’s Cottage is actually three semi-detached cottages on the edge of the CBD. The three- and four-bedroom homes date back to the 1890s – but don’t worry, the toilets are inside. Owner Gerarda Mader says, “They’re quirky, but you can handle quirky if you’ve got clean and comfortable beds.” More mainstream are rooms at the Citigate Mount Panorama. With pool, restaurant, gym and tennis court, non-boy-racers won’t get bored.
A Settler’s Cottage charges a cottage rental rate of $40 then $30 per person. For a single, that’s $70 per night for a four-bedroom cottage, all to yourself! Citigate Mount Panorama has studio rooms for $138 a night and studio deluxe rooms for $157.
It’s low-season over the summer break here. With the big races scheduled in October and April, availability in December and January looks great for anyone wanting a last-minute getaway.
Get a drive around Mt Panorama track out of your system before exploring the town’s historic streets. Stop by Annie’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlour for huge waffle cones or homemade fudge, then peruse the craft shops on Keppel St. Head west to visit Orange, or go south for Jenolan Caves.
A Settler’s Cottage //
142 Keppel Street.
(02) 6337 5111, asettlerscottage.com.au
Citigate Mount Panorama //
1 Conrod Straight.
(02) 6338 1888, mirvachotels.com
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