Gold Coast beaches named among best in Surf Lifesaving Queensland’s annual list

A Gold Coast beach has been named one of the best in the state in an exclusive list released by Surf Lifesaving Queensland — but the top spot winner may surprise you. SEE THE FULL LIST

A GOLD Coast beach has been named one of the best in the state in an exclusive list released by Surf Lifesaving Queensland today.

Burleigh Heads beach was listed as third overall in SLSQ’s Top Ten Beaches for 2018/19, coming in behind North Stradbroke Island’s Cylinder Beach (first) and Kings Beach (second) on the Sunshine Coast.

The iconic southern Gold Coast beach was one of four Gold Coast swimming spots named in the list with Rainbow Bay (sixth), Tallebudgera Creek (seventh) and Tugun Beach (tenth) all getting a mention.

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Hayley Smith and Leticia Boyce from Coolangatta makes the most of the sunshine at Tallebudgera Creek which came in seventh in the list. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

The list, released to coincide with the start of summer, ranks popular locations based on a range of criteria including coastal conditions, patrol times, incident history and amenities.

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Gold Coast chief lifeguard Warren Young speaks with fellow lifeguards at Burleigh beach. Picture by Scott Fletcher

SLSQ Acting Chief Executive Officer Craig Williams said safety was the primary consideration.

“Safety is our core focus as we aim for zero preventable deaths in Queensland public waters. With that in mind, when determining our top beaches, we consider patrol times and services, incident history, coastal conditions and the quality of visitor information on display,” Mr Williams said.

A pod of four whales spotted at Rainbow Bay. Photos: Kellie Wilson

“We also look at other factors such as how user-friendly the beach is, including things such as amenities, its location, access to parking and public transport, nearby services and cleanliness.

“Cylinder ranked number one for the second year in a row, which isn’t surprising given it is quite protected from strong winds, and has great conditions for swimmers.”

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Gold Coast Lifeguards on duty at the Spit Beach, with Surfers Paradise skyline behind. Picture: Jerad Williams

Mr Williams said Queensland’s beaches were iconic, attracting millions of visitors every year.

“No doubt, many Queenslanders have their own favourite, based on personal criteria. Determining our top ten is always a tough job, but one that we enjoy due to the sheer number of beautiful locations along our coastline,” he said.

Zoe Bisschop, 9, enjoys the warm water at Kirra beach. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

SLSQ’s Top Ten Beaches for 2018/19*

1. Cylinder Beach — North Stradbroke Island

2. Kings Beach — Sunshine Coast

3. Burleigh Heads Beach — Gold Coast

4. Mooloolaba Beach — Sunshine Coast

5. Rainbow Beach — Sunshine Coast

6. Rainbow Bay — Gold Coast

7. Tallebudgera Creek — Gold Coast

8. Elliott Heads Beach — Bundaberg

9. Etty Bay — North Queensland

10. Tugun Beach — Gold Coast

Rainbow Bay is popular among surfers and beachgoers alike. Photo by Richard Gosling