Maybe you’ve been to the Gold Coast before, but we guarantee there are still unexplored corners of our destination waiting to be discovered. They’re not that hard to find – you just have to know where to look. Luckily we’re more than happy to spread the love and share some local knowledge. Read on for some of Gold Coast’s local gems, including creature encounters, fresh produce providers and full permission to play with sharp objects.
DAVID FLEAY WILDLIFE PARK
LUMBER PUNKS
CURRUMBIN COMMUNITY MARKETS
Fill your basket with fresh produce from local farmers and foodies at this boutique weekly market. Flowers, fruit and veg, bakery goods, take home meals and all sorts of delicious delicacies can be sourced at Currumbin Community Markets. Don’t eat breakfast before you go – you’ll want an excuse to sample something from the food stalls. Enjoy an alfresco market breakfast enhanced by sunshine and live acoustic music. No wonder this wholesome community market is such a beloved local hangout. Kids and dogs welcome, every Thursday from 7-11am, opposite the Currumbin RSL.
164 Duringan St, Currumbin
SNORKEL WITH THE TURTLES
If you’re up for an aquatic adventure with amphibious friends, then head to Cook Island – home to a permanent population of turtles. Hop on board a snorkelling tour and take a short cruise down the Tweed River, out to the island just off Fingal Head on the Queensland/NSW border. Once you arrive at the destination, it’s overboard for a turtle-y awesome time. An experienced snorkel guide is with you in the water to ensure you feel safe and will be a wealth of information about all the marine life you’ll see. On any given day you’ll be swimming with numerous turtles plus subtropical fish, rays, crustaceans, dolphins and whales. It’s an eco-conscious adventure where you can enjoy the wonders of the Pacific Ocean below water level and the beauty of the Tweed/Coolangatta coastline above. Watersports Guru and Cooly Eco Adventures both offer this incredible experience.
Watersports Guru: Sutherland St, Kingscliff (NSW)
Cooly Eco Adventures: 114 Dry Dock Rd, Tweed Heads South (NSW)
MIAMI FISH MARKET
When you’re this close to the ocean, fresh seafood is a must on the menu and it doesn’t get any fresher than Miami Fish Market – the Gold Coast’s new supplier of responsibly sourced, sustainable seafood. With a focus on local, you can pick up a huge selection of fresh and live seafood. You’ll be blown away by the quality and variety – from scampi, cod, marinated prawns, crayfish, shellfish and the most delectable oysters. If you’re overwhelmed with the choice, the friendly staff are more than happy to share their passion and knowledge to help you select the right ingredients for your seafood feast. And if you just can’t wait, pull up a stool in the courtyard and place an order at the specialist oyster and sashimi bar.
1/54 Paradise Ave, Miami
SOUTHERN CROSS 4WD TOURS
If you’re visiting the city without a car, it can be hard to get to the hinterland, which is one of our best assets and definitely deserves a visit. Cue Southern Cross Tours, your ideal hinterland transit solution. You get a fully chauffeured and intimate tour to some of the best hinterland hideaways with a warm, enthusiastic guide who has a ton of local knowledge to share. Different tours offer different experiences, but all of them provide the opportunity to get off the beaten track and experience the beauty and charm of our hinterland region. Choose to explore Springbrook or Mount Tamborine. You might go on guided bush walks to waterfalls in ancient rainforests, indulge in a spot of wine tasting, animal spotting or bird feeding and stop at a little cafe for a traditional Devonshire Tea. Or take an evening tour and witness glow worms twinkling away in their natural habitat. It’s a fun, informative day from the moment you get picked up until the time you get dropped off back at your accommodation.
If you enjoyed this story you might also like: Hidden Gems of the Gold Coast.
Circle on Cavill, Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Destination Gold Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are situated, the Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connections to the lands, waters and their extended communities throughout Southeast Queensland.