Originally discovered in 1823 for its hinterland’s red cedar, the Gold Coast went by a number of different names, until the name ‘Gold Coast’ was officially applied to the area in 1958. The true origin of the name is still unknown. 94 kilometres south of Brisbane, it is the second most populous city in the state, and also holds the title of the largest cross-state population of any metropolitan area in Australia, due to its extension into New South Wales.

With a population of 591,473 (2010 Census), the city of Gold Coast has 57 kilometres of coastline, and covers four major commercial districts – Tweed Heads, on the border of New South Wales, Robina in the south, and Southport and Broadbeach in the north.

The area is internationally renowned for its beaches and humid subtropical climate, with mild, dry winters and humid, wet summers. Occasionally the Gold Coast is subjected to cyclones and severe thunderstorms, however it has not been badly impacted since 1954.

With 10 million visitors to the area every year, tourism has become the driving force of the Gold Coast’s economy, drawing annual revenue of $2.5 billion. However after some diversification within the city, nine key industries have been identified for the city’s future economic prosperity. These are the marine, education, information communication and technology, food, tourism, creative, environment and sports industries.

The city of Gold Coast holds many attractions for both domestic and international tourists. The Gold Coast Marathon has entrants from all over the globe, as does the Gold Coast 600. The idyllic weather and scenery has drawn many movie makers to the Gold Coast for their film production. While the city prides itself on its coastal lifestyle, the hinterland has hidden gems of its own, with Mount Tamborine, Lamington National Park and the Currumbin Rock Pools, and children are always entertained at the popular theme parks, Dreamworld, Seaworld and Movieworld.