Surfers Paradise - QLD

Surfers Paradise

is a suburb within the local government area of Gold Coast City in Queensland. Colloquially known as 'Surfers', the suburb has many high-rise apartment buildings and a wide surf beach.


The feature of the heart of the suburb is Cavill Mall, which runs through the shopping and entertainment precinct.
Exploring Timezone (the largest Indoor Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) in Australia and the biggest TIMEZONE™ Family Entertainment Centre in the world with 5000 sqm of leading edge interactive and the latest interactive attractions and entertainment products), I came across two 'games' from my youth. A shoot out, where you fire water at targets to make movements

and mum's favourite - camel racing! Where you roll the balls into holes to make the camel move.

Cavill Avenue, named after Jim Cavill, an early hotel owner, is one of the busiest shopping strips in Queensland, and the centre of activity for night life.

Surfers Paradise is the Gold Coast's entertainment and tourism centre and the suburbs high-rise buildings are the best known feature of the city's skyline.

The median/average age of the Surfers Paradise population is 36 years of age, 1 year below the Australian average.
49.4% of people living in Surfers Paradise were born in Australia.

Although, since it's winter, the weather wasn't exactly perfect, you could see the rain coming from a long way off

but afterwards, it was worth it for the beautiful (double) rainbows


One of the features of the area is the Surfers Paradise Meter Maids introduced in 1965 by Bernie Elsey to help beat the bad image created by the installation of parking meters on the tourist strip in December 1964. This was a controversial promotion, using young women dressed in gold lame bikinis and tiaras, who strolled the streets of Surfers Paradise feeding coins into expired parking meters, and leaving a calling card under the windscreen wipers.

In 1967, the Gold Coast was battered by cyclonic seas smashing into the coastline, so the then Major, Sir Bruce Small, along with the Meter Maids went on a campaign trail promoting the Gold Coast to Australia, getting people back to the beaches and our beautiful holiday resort. Within weeks the idea had attracted national and worldwide publicity and the Meter Maids became the spearhead of many a promotional drive throughout Australia and New Zealand. This was one of the best known gimmicks and probably the best known Gold Coast promotion.

Gone are the outdated tiaras, replaced by the sun-conscious and true Aussie Akubra hat ideal for our tropical climate, while Gold Lycra Bikinis with the occasional sequin have replaced the traditional lame bikini and even the traditional form of financing the service has taken a new turn. Modern Meter Maids with the famous Meter Maid Cutout. In the past a weekly contribution of a few dollars was paid by each local business as part of their community service but in this commercially competitive era, sponsors are expecting public profile and positive media exposure in return for their dollar.
I ventured out on the buses to Carrara Markets - Australia's largest market

a little different to the well known Beach Markets at Surfers Paradise

Each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday night, treasure hunters, bargain spotters and after-dinner walkers make their way to the Beachfront Markets to wander along the coastal stretch of more than 120 market stalls, while live entertainers set a casual mood in their performance.

One of the largest of the Gold Coast Night Markets, the Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets feature a variety of premium products, including fashion, jewellery, accessories, artworks, photographs, beauty products and home wares.
There were some funky light up t-shirts

cool artists

a talented Didgeridoo busker

and great views along the beach


and back to the city