Brisbane & The Gold Coast Holidays

Taste craft beer in mountaintop breweries, spot koalas on coastal walks and surf on white-sand beaches.

Brisbane is the cool new kid on the block, with its hip art scene, foodie revolution and small-town charm. This urban up-and-comer sits on the doorstep of Southern Queensland’s coastal gems, from adventure-fuelled Fraser Island to Noosa’s laid-back beach boutiques. And, unlike some of its Australian city rivals, Brisbane stays warm year round. We’ve got a big soft spot for East Coast underdog Brisbane. It’s artsy, cosmopolitan and quirky (and much less crowded). There’s a fantastic foodie culture here. You’ll find artisan coffee in underground cafés, doughnut fries served out of retro campervans, and worldclass seafood restaurants edging the river.

A popular playground for sun worshippers and adrenaline junkies, the Gold Coast is a place where powder-soft sands front glittering skylines and crashing waves set the scene for surf lessons. Its coastline stretches for 35 miles, from off-the-tourist-trail Coolangatta to larger-than-life Surfers Paradise. But it’s not all about the beach here. Head to the hinterland to see Springbrook’s roaring waterfalls, go on bushwalks in Lamington National Park, and wash down slices of wood-fired pizza with ice-cold schooners on Mount Tamborine.

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Brisbane & The Gold Coast Hotels

Our recommendations for the best places to stay in Brisbane & The Gold Coast

O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat

A family-run rainforest retreat on the Gold Coast

Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast

A stylish and opulent 'I'm a Celebrity' hotel

QT Gold Coast

This retro hotel by the beach has a fun vibe and innovative drinks and dining.

Spicers Balfour Hotel

Spicers Balfour offers a stylish boutique escape in one of Brisbane’s hip inner-city suburbs.

Spicers Hidden Vale

This historic homestead offers a relaxing luxury escape in the Australian bush.

Spicers Peak Lodge

An intimate and luxurious Australian wilderness lodge in the Scenic Rim

The Sebel Brisbane

A modern apartment-style hotel in Brisbane’s city centre.

Vibe Hotel Gold Coast

A modern hotel, just minutes from the golden sands of Surfers Paradise Beach

Get to know Brisbane & The Gold Coast and those important practicalities when planning your perfect holiday.

Capital
TIME DIFFERENCE

GMT +10 hours; Queensland does not observe daylight saving time so is 9 hours ahead of the UK during British Summer Time

CURRENCY

Australian Dollar

FLYING TIME TO DESTINATION

Brisbane: approx. 21 hours (not including stopover times)

RELIGION

Majority Christian

LANGUAGE

Australia has no official language but the majority of people speak English as their first language. Approximately 250 indigenous Australia languages are spoken.

Where is Brisbane & The Gold Coast?
Brisbane is located on the east coast of Australia and is the state capital of Queensland. South of Brisbane, The Gold Coast is famed for its sandy beaches and surf waves. Inland from here, you will find the tropical rainforests of the Hinterland.

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The City
Brisbane’s centre (known locally as ‘the city’) is easily walkable, and is where you’ll find plenty of shopping and entertainment. This is a high-rise city, with modern apartment blocks and offices. In the midst of the centre is Queen Street Mall – a pedestrianised mall with six shopping centres and over 700 shops. There’s also a thriving restaurant, bar and cultural scene here, with some hip little gems hidden among the laneways and a year-round calendar of events from farmers markets to weekend music.

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Brisbane’s South Bank
Across the river, the South Bank is one of the city’s most popular spots. Here, the 40 acres of parklands have cool cafés and views of the high-rise centre. Star attractions include the inner-city Streets Beach – complete with man-made beach and lagoon – and the huge Wheel of Brisbane ferris wheel. This is also where you’ll find Brisbane’s cultural side, as the location of the Queensland Cultural Centre on Grey Street, housing the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Museum and Queensland Art Gallery.

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The suburbs
Brisbane’s suburbs each have their own distinct vibe. A five-minute drive from the city centre, New Farm is one of the city’s hippest inner-city suburbs. Highlights of this upmarket area include cool eateries, old Queenslander homes that have been converted into boutique hotels, and the Brisbane Powerhouse – an arts and music venue. Northeast of Brisbane, the coast is lapped by the turquoise waters of the Moreton Bay Marine Park. This wide expanse offers the chance to discover wetlands, offshore reefs and islands, and spot turtles, dugongs and whales. Just an hour from Brisbane, Spicers Hidden Vale sits secluded in 12,000 acres of Australian bush in the scenic Lockyer Valley.

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The Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is an iconic Australian holiday destination with its sandy beaches, top surfing spots and attractions. At its heart, Surfer’s Paradise is glitzy and ostentatious, with high rise blocks dominating the sky – and shore – line and a thriving restaurant, bar and entertainment scene. The main activities here are water-based, with surfing, swimming and jet boating the most popular. ‘Surfers’ is often used as a base, or starting point, to visit the Gold Coast’s theme parks, waterparks and vibrant beach towns.

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The Hinterland
Away from the surf, you’ll find the Gold Coast hinterland – a densely forested region of ancient landscapes and national parks. Designated a World Heritage Area in 1994, Lamington is a beautiful national park, with more than 500 waterfalls, towering forests, mountain views and diverse birdlife.

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Brisbane & The Gold Coast Weather

Mar - May, Sep - Nov

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