Cavill Mall: Full details of Surfers Paradise tourist landmark’s transformation

Cavill Mall will become much longer in an astonishing big-money revamp of Surfers Paradise’s most famous street, with new images revealing its colourful new look. SEE THE VIDEO

A $100m Cavill Mall redevelopment beginning in 2026 will extended it by 100 metres with new plans revealing how Gold Coast’s tourism hub will be transformed.

The revamp, first announced two years ago, will see much of the existing mall cleared to make way for more greenery, lighting and digital art through the mall and The Esplanade.

The suburb’s last remaining tourism information centre will also close.

Area councillor Darren Taylor said a final round of community consultation will be held before the work begins.

From this … Picture Glenn Hampson

… to this – How Cavill Mall will be transformed. Picture: Supplied by Gold Coast City Council.

“We have to declutter Surfers Paradise and, as a new city, there will be smarter ways we can provide information to our guests,” he said.

“There’s no date yet for construction to begin but we are around 12-18 months away from the work happening, so we still have a bit of community consultation to do before we go out to procurement.

Digital art will become a key feature. Picture: Supplied by Gold Coast City Council.

“It has always been planned to open up the mall and connect the (Nerang) River to the sea.”

Public consultation was held on the project last year.

A council spokeswoman said work on the project would take several years to realise.

“Procurement of a suitably qualified construction contractor to deliver the project will commence in 2026, with works expected to commence in 2028,” she said.

Council’s concept plans say the revitalisation around the Esplanade will “blur the edge between Cavill Mall and the Beach, establishing a new experience economy”.

“The Mall will be extended by 100m to Surfers Paradise Boulevard by shifting the existing vehicle lane north; and creating a central spine that connects the beach to Cavill Avenue,” the plans read.

“A series of garden rooms positioned asymmetrically along The Mall provide shaded

spaces to sit and gather.

Surfers Paradise Mall will be made 100m longer. Picture: Supplied by Gold Coast City Council.

“Circulation spaces will be combined with open plazas to people watch, by day and night.

“Feature programmable lighting integrated with the landscape gardens and trees will light up Cavill Avenue, Cavill Mall and The Esplanade, connecting the river to the beach.

Lighting projections onto the new pavilions in Cavill Mall and the underside of the parasols will bring the architectural structures to life during night time.”

More greenery will be added to the mall Picture: Supplied by Gold Coast City Council.

The beginning of construction will coincide with the 50th anniversary of Cavill Ave being closed off to make way for the mall.

The mall of that era was initially only a temporary construction and quite different from that of today’s walkway, with dining tables and umbrellas as well as hanging plant baskets.

How the Esplanade will be transformed. Picture: Supplied by Gold Coast City Council.

The permanent mall was built in 1982 at a cost of $600,000 and a giant sunken chess board was created as well as the information booth which was leased to the Gold Coast Visitors Bureau, today known as Experience Gold Coast. The three staff at the info centre are to be offered redeployment.

Today Cavill Mall remains one of Australia’s best-known and most instagrammed locations, beloved the world over and at the heart of events like the Pacific Airshow.