The Gold Coast is a coastal region approximately 70 kilometres south of Brisbane, Australia that, over the past 50 years, has coalesced from a collection of scattered villages into a city of approximately 400,000 people - Australia's sixth largest - and Australia's largest tourist resort. The South Coast Town Council changed its name to the Gold Coast Town Council in 1958 and Queensland officially proclaimed it the city of Gold Coast on May 16, 1959.
The subtropical climate, attractive surf beaches (the closest to Brisbane), and savvy marketing have attracted millions of tourists both domestically and internationally, and a large industry has arisen to support them. The narrow coastal strip is consequently covered with high-rise apartments, hotels, nightclubs, and the usual assortment of shops selling cheap tourist paraphernalia.
Like the Florida coastline, the area also attracts large numbers of retired people.
Thanks to a new link to the State Capital Brisbane with the recent Pacific Motorway upgrade, taking three years finishing in 2000 at a cost of just under A$1 billion, the Gold Coast is served by two major airports, Brisbane International Airport and Gold Coast Airport.
To be covered:
History of the region (first surfers in the 1950s, development through the Joh era, the arrival of Japanese tourists and developers in the 1980s).
Description of the city (mention the hinterland development, for instance, the theme parks, the casino, golf courses etc).
Environmental issues (they have to pump the sand onto the beaches)
Reputation in Australia (cultural desert and retirement home)
visitors guide (best time to visit, major events, etc).
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The Gold Coast is a coastal region approximately 70 kilometres south of 
Other places also use the name