Going to the Gold Coast
When my first Sydney sit canceled, it was a mad scramble to line up jobs after my kick off 3 weeks in Melbourne. I filled the 2 week gap between Melbourne and Brisbane with a second Melbourne sit, a quick Cairns Great Barrier Reef birthday excursion, and a few days on the Gold Coast. Despite having listened to Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights tale of a Sydney Bait & Switch exchange experience, I too found myself a lot further from the destination I was pitched when I signed on. My host was AMAZING, and I don’t have any crazy tales like Mr. Alright Alright about my time spent in the home, but I still found myself 2 hours and a couple transfers away from any Gold Coast sightseeing. Tweed Heads is on the river, not the ocean, and the public transit from there was pretty limited. I had two dogs to look after and not a lot of time in town, but I still managed to sneak out to explore Surfer’s Paradise, Coolangatta, and Kirra Beach to get a feel for the beautiful beaches the area is known for.
Coolangatta was my nearest beach. The bus pick ups by my sit were so infrequent, I found myself ubering closer to town and then bussing back. I was dropped off at one end of the beach, strolled all the way down along the water to Kirra Beach, and then meandered along the shops on the way back. It was a beautiful way to spend a day, but nothing to make a special trip to see.
My favorite stop in Coolangatta was the Palm Springs inspired Pink Hotel. I have a soft spot for gloriously kitschy hotels, and like my beloved Madonna Inn, this one boasts uniquely decorated rooms. The addition of custom neon and art, mid-century furnishings and a quirky sense of humor was irresistible. I popped into the gift shop to see if they had any interesting swag and started chatting with the concierge. She generously offered to show me around and took me into a few unoccupied rooms. They were all AMAZING, as were the rooftop deck, beautiful beach views, and vibes that just can’t be beat. If you find yourself on the Gold Coast, this would be a fabulous place to stay.
Kirra Beach is home to beautiful white sand beaches, spectacular surf, and some really funky boutiques and shops. I had to make a stop at a beach bistro named Siblings in honor of my sister, Kyra. The real star of the show for me was Love Street Store. It’s a little off the main drag, but their beautiful mural and signage lured me in. I wandered onto their patio and my eyes bugged out of my head seeing how BEAUTIFUL their farm to table dishes looked. I took a lap around their adorable mercantile and wanted to run one of everything to the counter. They were selling beautiful gold tarot card pendants, and this sun card really spoke to me.
My attempted field trip to Byron Bay was a total fail. I ubered to the airport to grab an express bus that Google Maps suggested, but it didn’t seem to exist. I spent two hours trying to figure it out, but gave up and went the opposite direction on a city bus to wander around Surfer’s Paradise. It was a chilly/overcast day, but the beach and boardwalk were full of fun. There were so many murals, excellent neon signs, sculptures along the esplanade, and tons of shops and restaurants to explore. I took the tram out to the end of Surfer’s Paradise and backtracked all the way back to Broad Beach. A little half day excursion was more than enough for me. I know Australia is really famous for the beautiful beach towns, but they pretty much all feel the same to me.
Gold Coast was actually pretty high on my wishlist, and 4 days didn’t quite seem like enough time when I booked my housesit. It was a fairly simple bus/train to Brisbane, so I decided I could book a follow up sit after if I wanted to go back. I’m disappointed I couldn’t make it to Byron Bay, and Sunshine Coast is proving to be too far from my sit in Brisbane, but I think I got a good feel for the East Coast beaches anyway. I don’t think you need a long time to explore them, but staying more central to the beaches and renting a car will make it a LOT easier for you.
