When you think ‘Gold Coast’, you probably think ‘sun, sand, surf and theme parks’ – and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

WORDS NICKY ADAMS

Like any popular destination, the Gold Coast has an entire spectrum of appeal that extends well beyond the obvious attractions that spring to mind. Does this mean that the things that we’re so familiar with – miles of sandy beaches, theme parks and bush walks – have become ho-hum? Absolutely, resoundingly not! This is a location that is easy, accessible and fun for any age and stage.

The weather gods were undoubtedly on our side on our recent family holiday. Ten glorious days of sunshine beat down, complete with cool mornings and cloudless skies. Flying into Gold Coast Airport, we made a beeline for our accommodation at Burleigh on the Beach Apartments.

Along with the adults, we had a range of young people to please (12, 16, 19), and Burleigh Heads ticks a lot of boxes. The beachfront location was worth the investment; the beach is stunning and patrolled by lifeguards, and overlooking the action is the surf club, which buzzes all day long and serves great ‘pub grub’-style meals. The Burleigh Pavilion screams ‘too cool for school’ and is apparently a hunting ground for candidates for the Aussie version of Married at First Sight. By day, it’s a great place to grab a beer and people-watch; at night, entrance prices rise, as DJs hit the decks and the young and beautiful come out to play. The town is filled with boutique everything – fashion, bakeries, butcheries. Our self-catering apartment was a dream, and we found everything else within walking distance.

*Sunset on the waterways at Sanctuary Cove.*

Resisting the urge to just sit around and wile away the days, activity-wise, we attempted to cover off something for everyone. The grunty electric bikes that peppered every corner made for a fun pedal up to the headland for my husband and children, to enjoy scenery that serves as a reminder of just how beautiful this stretch of Queensland coastline is. I’m not known for my biking prowess – electric or not – so I made it a daily treat to walk along the beach in one direction or another, over to the lookout spots and through the bush.

A family of animal lovers, we’d planned to swim with turtles at nearby Tweed Heads. Unfortunately, on the day of our trip, a huge swell meant it was cancelled at the last minute. Our Uber driver was already downstairs revving up, so we pivoted and headed to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary instead.

What can I say, except that a great wildlife park is the ultimate family trip whether you’re 10 or 100. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is one of those places at which you could never get bored – think cute koalas so still in their trees that you’re convinced they’re stuffed; huge lizards sitting on rocks, watching with beady eyes as you pass by. Although rules around manhandling animals have been massively tightened up, you can still get up close and personal with some species. Our gang was thrilled by the snake experience, and there aren’t many places where you can stroke a dozy baby ’roo as tame as a cat.

Naturally, we weren’t going to visit Burleigh without scratching the shopping itch; the Pacific Fair mall is a 10-minute drive away. On the Gold Coast, public transport has been capped at 50c for any distance, so bussing was the obvious choice for the kids, who happily navigated the journey. The only thing I would say is that although the buses are great, the ongoing roadworks required to install a rail system are causing a bit of congestion.

Our trip was two-phase, with the second part covering off the theme parks. Excitement was at fever pitch by the time we headed up to Sanctuary Cove, a gated area built around a marina, located around 15 minutes from the parks. Surrounded by waterways, it gives you a totally different perspective on the area, and the whole vibe is low-key and relaxing.

*Nicky and husband Scott on Main Street, Movie World.*

A sweeping entranceway announces your arrival, and there’s a feeling of zen as you cross the threshold. A world-class golf course stretches as far as the eye can see in one direction; to the other is the luxury of an InterContinental resort. A stone’s throw from the hotel is a boutique shopping complex with everything you need – a supermarket, a pharmacy, an ice-creamery (very important), retail, restaurants and bars. The private residential area is made up of both permanent and holiday homes; here, locals zip around on golf carts. Both the hotel and houses or apartments are available to rent.

I haven’t been to the Gold Coast theme parks for years, and confess it’s something I approach with some trepidation; it’s an understatement to say that being thrown upside down at speed is not my thing. There are multiple options, so it’s worth doing your research beforehand. We plumped to kick off with Warner Bros Movie World, where adrenaline-pumping rides abound. Highlights for us were the Superman Escape roller-coaster, which sends you from zero to 100km/hr in seconds, and the Joker ride, which lifts you what feels like miles high, before plunging in a vertical drop, then into a corkscrew loop. I’m assured both were mind-blowingly fun.

Warner Bros characters dot the streets, music cranks and there’s action at every turn. If you visit in the school holidays, progress is slow; fast passes can be purchased once you’re there, but are an expensive addition. If you wait until after 1pm, you can buy single passes to specific rides, and another strategy we employed was to take advantage of our multi-day pass and go back an hour before closing, when many people were leaving. This ‘golden hour’ saw the kids able to run from ride to ride, cramming in multiple turns with hardly any wait time.

Scheduling in a day to recover in between, next on our hit list was Dreamworld. This time, I summoned my inner strength and went on an airplane ride that was basically an airborne carousel. Together with a scenic train ride around the park and the Sky Voyager flying theatre simulator ride, that was me done.

The adrenaline junkies on the other hand, were exhilarated by the Steel Taipan, a crazy, high-speed, trick-filled roller-coaster, and the Jungle Rush; this was apparently low level, but upside down and backwards were warning signs to me. There’s more than enough at Dreamworld to keep everyone going – we loved the wildlife area and wished we’d found it earlier in the day, as time runs out quickly.

After that, we had one day left to choose between Sea World (which is further up the coast) and Wet’n’wild. Since the weather was still glorious, we opted for the water park – which, if I’m honest, may not have been the best choice. It was fun and definitely a day well spent, but the wait times for the rides took the shine off a bit.

I’m not ready to join the exodus of Kiwis moving to the GC, but its appeal as a holiday destination is huge. When you leave a place, get home and straight away start googling the flight deals to return, you know you’ve hit a winner.

STRIKE GOLD

BANK ON LIVING

MINDSET RESET