60 huge Gold Coast moments as city celebrates 60 years since name change from South Coast
Our city has seen plenty of incredible things since the old South Coast officially took on its “Gold Coast’’ name 60 years ago. Here are 60 major Gold Coast icons, moments and developments from 1959 to today.
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OUR city has seen plenty of incredible things since the old South Coast officially took on its “Gold Coast’’ name 60 years ago. Here are 60 major Gold Coast icons, moments and developments from 1959 to today.
1 Kinkabool (1959)
The Gold Coast’s first tower, it was completed in December 1959, just months after the city’s name change. It is now heritage listed and continues to stand in central Surfers Paradise today.
2Miami Chairlift (1962)
It was one of the Gold Coast’s first big tourist attractions. The chairlift opened in 1962 and became popular with locals and tourists.
It was incorporated into the Magic Mountain theme park which opened in 1983, several years after the Magic Castle was built.
3Council sacking (1979)
Mayor Sir Bruce Small had a famously difficult relationship with Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen while the 1970s-era council was known for its wild meetings.
It came to a head in early 1979 when the State Government sacked the councillors and replaced them with an administrator.
4 Conrad Jupiters Casino opens (1985)
The Gold Coast’s casino opened at Broadbeach in late 1985 at one of the biggest parties the city had turned on. With a gaming floor, restaurants and stage shows, it immediately proved to be a popular attraction. Now run as The Star, billions are being spent to expand the Broadbeach complex.
5 1974 Floods
Southeast Queensland was devastated by flooding. Photographs show some of the Gold Coast’s best-known streets in central Surfers Paradise completely underwater as the Nerang River overflowed.
6 CMC/CCC inquiries (2004-2006, 2016-19)
The Gold Coast City Council came under scrutiny following the 2004 election when the Bulletin revealed a group of candidates had presented as independents but had accepted money from a developer. It led to a lengthy inquiry and changes to the Local Government Act.
A second inquiry was held following the 2016 election after the Bulletin published more than 60 reports about allegations surrounding the election, under a “Trojan Council” banner. Ultimately, failed mayoral candidate Penny Toland was convicted of misleading the CCC’s Operation Belcarra inquiry.
5 First McDonald’s (1975)
Fast food came to Queensland first on the Gold Coast in mid-1975 when McDonald’s opened at Mermaid Beach. It became a popular venue from the 1970s until the late 1990s when it finally closed, but by then many other franchises were operating across the city.
6 Horror on the mountain (1990)
Eleven people died when a Tweed Heads-based tour and travel bus crashed out of control and rolled down an embankment off Tamborine Mountain’s notoriously steep Henri Robert Drive.
Dozens more were injured.
7 Downfall of a Premier (1987)
The Gold Coast bore witness to the downfall of Queensland’s longest-serving premier in 1987 as revelations from the Fitzgerald Inquiry made Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s position untenable. The end of his career also spelled the end of Gold Coast-based “Minister for Everything”, Russ Hinze.
8 The Queen’s visit (1963)
The Gold Coast had its first visit from a monarch on March 7, 1963, when Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip arrived to mark the 11th year of her reign.
9 Moon landing (1969)
Man’s historic first landing on the moon changed the world on July 20, 1969, and the Gold Coast was no exception.
The Bulletin reported the city was in the grip of “moon fever” after seeing astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon’s surface.
There was speculation that titanium mined in the region might have been part of the landing
module, part of which remains on the Moon today.
10 Fairley Arrow (1991)
Desperate for fame, entertainer Fairlie Arrow made headlines when she faked her
own abduction. The mother-of-two was found blindfolded and bound in a motel at Nerang.
It took less than a week for Arrow to admit she had faked the abduction. She was fined $5000 and hit with $18,500 in costs. She later posed for Penthouse.
11 Millennium (1999/2000)
The Gold Coast celebrated the biggest party ever as the clock ticked over and the 21st century began. The epicentre of the party was Cavill Ave, where revellers climbed over the famous Surfers Paradise sign.
12 The Bikie Brawl (2013)
The scourge of the Gold Coast’s outlaw motorcycle gangs plagued the city for years, with increasing displays of public violence. The October 2013 Broadbeach bikie brawl sparked a major crackdown by the Newman government, which hit back at gangs that had boasted “we run this town” by introduced tough anti-bikie laws and a major police operation.
13 Dreamworld opens (1981)
John Longhurst bought a giant block of land at Coomera in 1974 and went on to realise his dream of building a theme park. Dreamworld opened in 1981 and became a Coast icon.
14 Mannix case (1984)
In July 1984 Tweed sex shop owner Kevin Mannix was murdered, with his body left outside his flat. He had been bound and gagged, and his throat cut.
Police fingered Mannix’s son Barry and announced he had confessed to the killing. It was later revealed that another man had confessed to the crime and named his accomplices, which did not include Barry. The case led to police having to record all interviews.
15 Magic Mountain’s closure (1987)
The beloved Gold Coast theme park was an icon of the 1980s. Despite its reputation, the Miami attraction struggled and closed in 1987. It would later reopen briefly in 1991 but by 1993 it was closed and abandoned.
16 Fisherman’s Wharf (1983-1998)
A favourite Gold Coast location of the 1980s and 1990s, it was well-known for its wild events and great concerts from INXS, Midnight Oil, the Violent Femmes, Nirvana, Joe Cocker and Jimmy Barnes.
But it was never financially successful and closed in 1998 before being demolished.
17 Olympic fever (2000)
The Gold Coast caught a big case of Olympic fever in the lead-up to the 2000 Games. Our own superstar swimmer Grant Hackett went on to win gold in the 1500m. The British track team trained at Couran Cove.
18 Doctor Haneef (2007)
One of the nation’s most famous miscarriages of justice occurred in July 2007 when a Gold Coast doctor was arrested and alleged to be part of a terrorist attack in the UK.
Despite it being proven he was not involved, Mohammed Haneef’s visa was cancelled by the Howard government and he was deported to India.
19 Movie magic (1980s-present)
The Gold Coast has become a popular movie-making destination, with plenty of films shot here over the past four decades. They include Thor: Ragnarok, San Andreas, Street Fighter, The Phantom and Aquaman.
20 Movie World opens (1991)
The Gold Coast theme park opened on June 2, 1991, with some of the world’s biggest stars in attendance. They included Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson, Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn and Yahoo Serious.
21 Q1 rises (2005)
The Southern Hemisphere’s tallest residential tower was built by Sunland and rose over the Coast’s skyline over its two-year construction period. Q1 was completed in late 2005.
22 Paradise Centre (1981)
The central Surfers Paradise shopping mall was controversial from the start when its construction meant the demolition of the Surfers Paradise Hotel.
It was home to Grundy’s Entertainment Centre. The mall continues to service tourists.
23 Evandale (1976)
Evandale, bordering the Nerang River at Bundall, was selected as the site for a new Gold Coast council headquarters and construction began in 1974. Work was completed in mid-1976 and its official opening was on September 11, 1976.
24 Dreamworld disaster (2016)
The popular theme park witnessed its darkest day in 2016 when an accident on the Thunder River Rapids ride led to the deaths of four people.
It closed the park for six weeks.
25 Schoolies (1970s-present)
Schoolies began as an excuse for Brisbane private school students to play up for a week at the end of 12 years of schooling.
The event grew rapidly through the 1980 and 1990s to become one of the Coast’s biggest annual festivals in central Surfers Paradise.
26 Keith Hunt dies (1982)
Gold Coast Mayor Keith Hunt was a popular figure who was voted into the city’s top job after the period of administration, imposed by the Bjelke-Petersen government, ended.
But his time in the role was short. He died suddenly in late 1982. Denis O’Connell replaced him as Mayor.
30 Meter Maids (1965-present)
The Meter Maids were founded in 1965 by entrepreneur Bernie Elsie after the Gold Coast City Council introduced parking meters to central Surfers Paradise.
The service was used to promote the Gold Coast across Australia and the world, with the Meter Maids receiving huge publicity when they were included in a famous promotional trip to Melbourne in 1967 with Mayor Sir Bruce Small, who wanted Australia to know the Gold Coast was open for business despite the impact of cyclonic weather.
31 Sundale (1969-1990)
The famous Gold Coast shopping centre opened at Southport in early 1969 and became an icon. With a bevy of famous shops, it dominated the Coast’s retail market for a decade.
But as newer complexes opened, the centre suffered and Sundale closed at the beginning of the 1990s.
32 South Straddie chopper crash (1991)
In March 1991 a Sea World helicopter crashed on South Stradbroke Island while on a joy flight. Six people died and the aftermath was captured in a series of photos.
33 Coolangatta Gold (1984)
The movie sparked the birth of the modern professional lifesaving endurance event. Set on the Gold Coast, it showed two brothers clashing in a head-to-head contest. Surf lifesaving legend Grant Kenny played himself. To film the race, the producers decided to run an actual event rather than shoot set-up shots. The actual race was won by Manly’s Guy Leech, who backed up to win again the next year.
34 Pacific Fair (1977-present)
The Coast’s largest shopping centre, it opened in August 1977. Big revamps in the 1980s and 1990s saw it establish dominance over the city’s retail scene.
35 Gold Coast-Tweed Giants (1988)
The Gold Coast-Tweed Giants entered the Australian Rugby League competition in the 1988 season with key players including Ron Gibbs and Chris “Choppy” Close.
The team struggled and, after multiple rebrandings, the club folded.
36 Railway torn up (1964)
Later declared to be the worst mistake a government has made, the ruling National Party ripped up the Gold Coast railway line in July 1964.
The decision was soon regretted, but it took until the 1990s for passenger trains to return to the Gold Coast. The heavy rail line stops at Varsity Lakes, with governments continuing to dodge further construction to take it to the airport.
37 Expo 88 (1988)
The global event was held in Brisbane but it proved to be a major economic boost for the Gold Coast.
Many businesses and locals enjoyed success out of Expo. Sea World even received its monorail after its closure.
38 Commonwealth Games (2018)
The Gold Coast’s moment on the international sporting stage came in April 2018. The Commonwealth Games was a big success and deemed the best Games.
While some businesses suffered, political leaders hailed the economic and reputational boon to the city.
39 Light rail launch (2014)
The Gold Coast light rail had been 17 years in the making, from discussions and planning to construction, when it was launched in mid-2014.
Huge crowds and support from political leaders led to its extension by 2017 and talk of future links.
40 Kirra surfriders (1962)
In the summer of 1962 a handful of local boardriders with nine-foot hardwood planks under their arms met next to the Kirra Surf Life Saving Club to have a chat.
It was the founding meeting of the Kirra Surfriders, Queensland’s first surfing club.
41 Tragedy at the Aussies (1996, 2010, 2012)
The Australian Surf Live Saving Championships are one of our biggest events but sadly, have been visited by tragedy three times.
Robert Gatenby, 15, drowned at Kurrawa during the 1996 titles and Saxon Bird, 19, drowned after being hit by a surf ski in 2010. In 2012 Matthew Barclay, 14, also died at the Aussies.
42 Indy (1991-2008)
The Gold Coast’s annual motorsports carnival, it began in 1991 and proved to be a major drawcard for the city. Growing rapidly over the years, it was always at risk of losing funding as the rights to host the event became ever more expensive.
The final open-wheel Grand Prix race was held in October 2008. The V8s have been the big event ever since.
43 Robina Town Centre opens (1996)
A major piece of the Robina dream put forward by developers Robin Loh and Arthur Earle, the shopping centre opened in 1996 and proved popular. It was redeveloped in the late 2000s.
44 Oasis Monorail (1990-2018)
The monorail ran from the Oasis Shopping Centre to Jupiters Casino and was a popular attraction. But its age and plans to redevelop the casino precinct led to its closure.
45 Playroom (1962-1999)
A popular music venue, it was at the centre of the city’s live scene in the 1970s.
Star billings included such top-line acts as INXS, Johnny O’Keefe, John Farnham, Normie Rowe, Billy Thorpe and Cold Chisel. It was torn down and replaced by a car park.
46 Southport Mall (1988-1999)
Nerang Street was closed to make way for a pedestrian mall which boasted a stage, restaurant and children’s slide.
But it proved to be a financial disaster for businesses. The mall was reopened for limited traffic in the late 1990s.
47 The M1 (1998-present)
With construction announced in 1996, the M1 — or Pacific Motorway — was a major expansion of the old Pacific Highway.
It was the Borbidge government’s major infrastructure legacy for the city, with the tenders confirmed in 1998 just days before it lost power. The M1 was finally delivered two years later.
48 Big Brother (2001-2008, 2012-2014)
The Gold Coast was the centre of Australian reality TV through its first decade with the Big Brother House at Dreamworld. Particularly popular in its early years, interest waned in later years. The house was destroyed by fire earlier this year.
49 Cbus stadium (2008-present)
The Gold Coast finally had a new NRL team in the Gold Coast Titans, which entered the competition in 2007. But the Titans did not have a home and work soon began on a stadium, which is now a major landmark at Robina.
50 Fine Cotton (1984)
Australia’s most infamous and outrageous horserace fix, it was hatched on the Gold Coast by punter John Gillespie. A ring-in horse with a bad dye job, Bold Personality, was used to replace the actual Fine Cotton, which had average form, and won the race. But paint came off mid-race and the deception was revealed. Six people were warned off racecourses for life, two were jailed and reputations were damaged.
51 Convention Centre (2004-present)
First mooted in 1999, the Gold Coast finally got its convention centre in mid-2004. Its opening was a gala event and it soon became a major economic boon for the Coast.
52 A Gold Coast Premier (1996-1998)
The Gold Coast reached the peak of its political influence in 1996 when Surfers Paradise MP Rob Borbidge became Premier. During his short-lived administration, the state was led from the Glitter Strip.
53 Grundy’s Entertainment Centre (1981-1993)
A popular amusement park, its famous slides sat by the beachside. The Surfers Paradise centre lasted for 12 years and was replaced by Timezone.
54 Building the Seaway (1984)
Stabilising the mouth of the Nerang River was a long-awaited project which saw the creation of the Seaway and Wavebreak Island. The project was hailed as an engineering marvel.
55 4GG (1967-1989)
The Gold Coast’s first commercial radio station, it launched with great fanfare and was a major part of the Coast community for more than 20 years. But the market changed in the late 1980s and the station ceased to exist as 4GG.
56 The Main Event (1988)
Sanctuary Cove opened in early 1988 and developer Mike Gore wanted to make a statement.
So he hired US stars Frank Sinatra and Whitney Houston, among other big-name figures, for the opening concert that was dubbed The Main Event.
57 Jack Evans porpoise pool (1961)
Jack Evans launched his shark pools in the late 1950s but it was not until 1961 that he created his purpose-built porpoise pools. They were an icon of the border region for decades.
58 Founding Billabong (1973)
Billabong was brought to life at a Springbrook Road farm in 1973 when founders Gordon and Rena Merchant made boardshorts on their kitchen table.
It grew to become a surfwear giant.
59 Surfers International Raceway (1964-1987)
Built by Keith Williams near the Nerang River, it held rag racing events and the Australian Grand Prix in 1975. The raceway closed in 1987 and was redeveloped to become Emerald Lakes.
60 Skase’s downfall (1989-1991)
Former stockbroker and finance journalist Christopher Skase became one of the best-known Australian business identities of the 1980s. In his time at the top he built the Sheraton Mirage at Main Beach. But his downfall was sudden in the late 1980s as his company, Qintex, collapsed. Facing charges, he fled to Majorca where he died in 2001 from stomach cancer.
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