Icecream Kids at Dreamworld
Icecream Kids at Dreamworld

Northern Gold Coast

Head True North. You Can’t Go Wrong.

With super-yacht marinas and championship golf courses, the Gold Coast Broadwater and theme parks galore; the northern gold coast is an oasis for sports and thrills. Sanctuary Cove is located at its heart, a world-class boating, golfing and lifestyle precinct, while Coomera is theme park headquarters with Dreamworld and White Water World plus Warner Bros. Movie World, Paradise Country, Australian Outback Spectacular and splashtacular Wet’n’Wild. If getting back to nature is on your bucket-list, Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area is one of the best places to spot wildlife on the coast. While Southport is home of our beautiful Broadwater Parklands, Main Beach ever-popular for its golden sweep of beaches and the glamorous hub of Marina Mirage and marine inspired theme park - Sea World, hovering close by.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • From some of the most opulent resorts that reside on the Gold Coast and beautiful Broadwater and marina-fronting apartments to family-friendly caravan parks close to theme parks, a stay in an actual theme park, plus houseboats you can call your own too - the Northern Gold Coast has plenty of options when it comes to finding a place to stay. The Sheraton Mirage, Palazzo Versace and InterContinental Sanctuary Cove offer luxe 5-star stays when you require a spoil, or thrill the kids with a stay at Sea World Resort where they can ride the monorail from the resort right into the park.
  • We like to call Northern Gold Coast the theme park capital of the Gold Coast - with all our parks nestled into our northern sweep. You’ll find Dreamworld and WhiteWater World at Coomera, Warner. Bros Movie World and Wet’n’Wild just down the road at Oxenford and Coomera, and Sea World sitting on the Gold Coast Spit, just a 10-minute drive from Surfers Paradise. Main Beach is one of the most popular places to swim on the Northern Gold Coast with a lifesaver-patrolled beach and warm golden sand, and you’ll find thrilling aquatic activities to try like jet boating, jet skiing, fishing, diving, snorkelling and whale watching tours all departing via the Gold Coast Broadwater from our northern end too.
  • Perhaps more than any other spot on the Gold Coast, our city's northern end offers more eateries than most ranging from decadent restaurants hovering beside super yachts to cheap and cheerful eats you can grab fresh from a local bakery or one of the trawlers plucked fresh from the sea. But if you find it hard to decide what to eat, head to Marina Mirage or Sanctuary Cove where an unrivalled choice awaits across multi-cultural cuisines served beside some of the best waterfront views you’ll find anywhere.
  • The northern Gold Coast is entertainment central for kids, not just because there are theme parks to hop. Families can find Australia’s largest inflatable aqua park to conquer, a golf course that uses micro-chipped balls that count points when you hit a target, go-carts to race, an authentic Aussie farm with lots of farm friends to visit, whale watching (in season) and jet boating to name just a few. You’ll find a city tour that turns into a cruise in an amphibious vehicle, surfing lessons to try and if that’s not enough, rest assured, there is plenty more too.
  • Broadwater Parklands is the go-to for parks on the northern Gold Coast with a brand new $5-million playground that includes a 4-level spiral tower, glockenspiel, binoculars, telescopes, suspended nets, rope tunnels, enclosed slides and more. There’s a water and sand play area complete with mini weirs and water gates for toddlers to get busy, while older kids can enjoy the swings, slides, jumping mats and even a carousel, offering endless hours of free family fun.
  • You certainly will, especially if you take a wander through the Coombabah Lakelands Conservation Area, which is home to as many as 274 species of animals, including koalas, kangaroos and over 20 species of migratory birds. You can walk or bike ride on designated trails weaving through the park. For the best chance to spot kangaroos, the Rain Tree Glen entrance is where they like to laze. For marine life, take a whale-watching tour from the Northern Gold Coast from June to November to see the majestic humpback whales that cruise by from Antarctica as they cruise north in search of warmer waters to give birth to their calves.
  • Golf is a favourite pastime on the Gold Coast, and our championship golf courses are amongst the best in the world. You’ll find The Links at Hope Island a challenging traditional links style course designed by British Open master Peter Thomson and an easy 25-minute drive from Surfers Paradise. Sanctuary Cove has two exceptional courses: The Pines and The Palms. Arnold Palmer designed the course, and Adam Scott is the touring professional. The Palms is a private course, and only available for guests of the Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove, but The Palms is a public course that challenges anyone to have a hit.