With Compare & Choose UK we have everything you would need for your Gold Coast campervan rental deals. The Gold Coast, or the Goldie as the locals call it situated approximately 94 kilometres south of Queensland's capital city Brisbane. The true name of the Gold Coast is always a good topic of debate. Yet one thing is for sure, it was a name coined by some exceptionally insightful property developers. Today, the Gold Coast is the second most highly populated area in Queensland and a fantastic place to hire a campervan.
The Gold Coast was uninhabited until 1823 when a gentleman by the name of John Oxley landed at Mermaid Beach. To the west, the hinterlands were filled with vast quantities of red cedars, which subsequently drew the timber milling industry to the area. It wasn't until 1875 that the area of Southport was actually surveyed, and became one of the most desirable holiday destinations by Brisbane's upper class.
The establishment of the Surfer's Paradise hotel in the late 1920's was what really kick started the Gold Coast, and subsequently the area started to thrive and boom, predominately from tourism especially throughout the 1980's.
The tourism boom still continues today for the Gold Coast for both national and international tourists. With its sunny sub-tropical climate, lush rainforest hinterlands and golden sandy beaches what else could you want. The skyline of the Gold Coast is quite spectacular with some of the highest buildings residing on the winding coastline.
For families with children, the Gold Coast is a paradise for the young and young at heart. Some of Australia's best theme and fun parks are located here such as Warner Brothers Movie World, Sea World, Wet n Wild World, Dream World and the home of the legendary Australian Outback Spectacular show.
The Cavill Avenue mall is the beating heart of the Gold Coast. This is where you will find all of the action happening during the day, through the night, and into the small hours of the morning. With an array of bars, restaurants, eateries, retail shops and nightclubs there's something for everyone. For the punters there is also Jupiter's Casino which is located in Broadbeach.
There are a stack of beautiful beaches scattered along the greater Gold Coast region. Apart from Surfer's Paradise beach which is right across the road from the mall, some other popular beaches include Burleigh Heads, Kirra, Coolangatta, Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach, Miami, Palm Beach, Currumbin and Tugun.
Activities and attractions abound on the Gold Coast. If you're looking for ideas, why not consider having dinner at Dracula's Theatre Restaurant, visit Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Springbrook National Park, SkyPoint Observation Deck, the Glow Worm Caves, David Fleay Wildlife Park, Coomera Falls, Tamborine National Park, Infinity or the Wax Museum.
As far as accommodation goes, there are more dormitories, hostels, motels and hotels than you can poke a stick at, for absolutely any budget you can imagine. If you really want to live it up, why not spend a night or two at the Palazzo Versace!
And just to top it all off, the Gold Coast will be proudly hosted the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Those who did come to see the Commonwealth Games back in 2018 are going to want more than just sports entertainment, they are going to want more to enjoy as well. The Queen's Wharf Brisbane is a multi-billion dollar development that is located in the heart of the Brisbane central business district.
The partnership between the Destination Brisbane Consortium and Queensland Government is determined to offer a spectacular entertainment, leisure, and tourism precinct that is going to stimulate Queensland's economic growth. This could lead to the creation of around 8,000 jobs. The revitalised precinct will offer upgraded facilities for public events and every use. This is going to showcase Brisbane to international, interstate, and local visitors.
Queen's Wharf Brisbane is expected to become a vibrant and unique new world city development that will attract investment and visitors. It delivers high quality public spaces, preserves and celebrates Brisbane's heritage, and reconnects the activity of the Brisbane city centre to the river.
This is where Brisbane started 180 years ago, and it is here that Brisbane is going to develop a contemporary version of the city that shows that it is ready to move forward. It will serve as the hub that connects that defining parts of Brisbane, including the Brisbane River, the Parliamentary Precinct, South Bank, the Cultural Precinct, the Queen Street Mall, and the Botanic Gardens.
Given that it has a suburb named Surfer's Paradise, it should come as no surprise that the Gold Coast has long been considered a haven for surfers. There are more than 35 beaches available, making it difficult for visitors to choose. Standout beaches do include the Mermaid Beach, Narrowneck, and the Spit. It is expected that the tourist boom that the Gold Coast is going to experience with the 2018 Commonwealth Games is going to provide a boost to the local economy that is going to have a long-lasting impact.
If you want to explore the magic of the Great Hinterland Walk and get away from the beach for a moment, this is the perfect place to do so. Go through the World Heritage rainforests Springbrook and Lamington, here you can find a spectacular waterfall and an ancient volcano amidst native wildlife and incredible natural beauty.
You can find your favourite movie characters, extreme rollercoasters, and water parks at the Gold Coast theme parks. You can travel to Warner Bros. Movie World and meet cartoon characters on Main Street, or experience the Justice League 3D ride. You can also enjoy Dreamworld or frolic with the dolphins at Sea World.
If you want to experience nature from another angle (15 meters above the ground), the Tree Top Walkway is the perfect place to start. It puts you right in the midst of the canopy and spans across nine suspension bridges. You will have to do some climbing, but the Walkway is free to use.
Stroll down to Budds Beach and enjoy a waterview table at Bumbles. Alternatively, you can travel to Surfers Paradise for a cool night scene and excellent coffee at Black Coffee Lyrics. Nobby Beach has the amazing Hellenika, while Salt Grill is an tremendous offering from celebrity chef Luke Mangan.
As you can imagine, with so much to see and do, excitement is already building for the Gold Coast's hosting of the Commonwealth Games. This is one of the reasons that we see more and more people already schedule their flight and their hotel if they plan to attend. Because the later people reserve their flight and hotel, the more expensive it traditionally becomes.
Some great camping sites can be found which enable you to stay overnight in you camper van. Here are a list of recommendations when staying on the Gold Coast.
The Big 4 Camping The big 4 holiday parks have some excellent pitches for you to hook up your RV. There is plenty of entertainment and camping resources to choose from. They have been established since 1979 and have over 180 holiday parks around Australia, well worth a look.
Camping in Queensland Queensland holidays provide a wealth of information on camping sites around the Gold Coast, they also cover a lot more areas if you happen to be travelling around in your motorhome, so be sure to check them out.
If your looking for more information on Australia and thinking about renting a campervan elsewhere in Australia please see our Australia Campervan Rental section