Surfers Paradise

Attractions

Surfers Paradise Events & Attractions

• Major tourist attractions include internationally renowned surf beaches, World Heritage listed hinterland national parks, and theme parks including, Dreamworld, Sea World, Wet'n'Wild Water World, Warner Bros. Movie World, Currumbin Sanctuary, Fleays Wildlife Park, Australian Outback Spectacular and Paradise Country.

• Since 1991 the Champ Car World Series has run an annual race on the streets of Surfers Paradise, an event currently known as the Lexmark Indy 300. This race includes V8 Supercars, girls, burnout competitions & more.

• Each Wednesday there is a night market held along the beachside boardwalk at the top of Cavill St., and on Friday nights as well in the summer. These markets are also found in Broadbeach & Carrara / Cararra.

• Schoolies Week is celebrated by around 50,000 high school graduates each November.

• The city consists of 57 kilometres of coastline with some of the most famous beaches in Australia including, Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads, Currumbin, Greenmount, Kirra, The Spit and Main Beach, Mermaid Beach, South Stradbroke Island, Surfers Paradise and Tallebudgera.

• The Gold Coast has over fifty private and public golf courses which vary in the number of holes, par and exclusivity. Generally, golf club members play competitively every Saturday. A short list of eighteen hole golf courses within the city includes Arundel Hills Golf Club, Emerald Lakes Golf Club, Hope Island - The Links, Parkwood International Golf Course, Royal Pines Resort, Sanctuary Cove - The Palms, Sanctuary Cove - The Pines, Southport Golf Club, The Glades Golf & Spa, Robina Woods, Palm Meadows, Lakelands, The Colonial and Gainsborough Greens.

• Horse Racing: The Gold Coast Turf Club hosts weekly horse races every Saturday from 12 o'clock midday for a minor entry fee. Facilities include a bookmaker's ring, betting tote through UNItab, four small to large function venues and public food and drink outlets.

• Rugby League: On May 27, 2005, it was announced that Gold Coast was successful in its bid to submit a rugby league team into the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. The announcement came after much dedication and persistence from managing director, Michael Searle. The Gold Coast team to commence its inaugural season in 2007 is known as the Gold Coast Titans. The 'Titans' will be the first nationally recognised sporting team for Gold Coast since the collapse and or relocation of other such ventures such as the Gold Coast Seagulls and Gold Coast Chargers (Rugby League), Gold Coast Rollers (Basketball) and Brisbane Bears (VFL/AFL).

• AFL: Australian rules football is a popular sport on the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast is home to 3 out of 8 of the clubs in the semi-professional Queensland State League, the state's highest level of competition. The Southport Sharks are a highly successful club which has participated in bids to ender the Australian Football League, they have also produced young local stars such Queensland's first number one pick in the AFL Draft, Nick Riewoldt. Other Gold Coast clubs include the Broadbeach Cats and Labrador Tigers.

• Sports Super Centre: This facility is located at the northern end of the Gold Coast, in the suburb of Runaway Bay, has been earmarked as a world class training facility. The centre includes nine purpose built villas which provide accommodation for touring groups or sporting teams, FINA approved 50 metre outdoor swimming pool, an IAAF certified 10 lane 400 metre athletic track with 3000 seater capacity stadium, a 600m2 gymnasium and health spa.a

• Approximately an hour from Surfers Paradise is the Lamington National Park, one of the largest national parks in the world.