What to do on the Gold Coast between Christmas and New Year’s Eve
These in-between festive days, bookended by Christmas and New Year, are the official start of high-season silliness for the Gold Coast’s tourism industry, and this week is as intense as it gets.
Gold Coast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Gold Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Merry Merrineum!
Apparently the name given to these in-between festive days, bookended by Christmas and New Year, is the delightful portmanteau of merriness and perineum.
Other nominative alternatives include Betwixtmas, Festipause and Crimbo Limbo, but none have quite the same, uh, ring.
While the Merrineum can be a time of unceasing eating and drinking, bingeing on cricket and bickering with family who, like the leftovers, are inching towards their expiration date, it’s far more meaningful here on the Gold Coast.
The Merrineum is not the middle but the official beginning of tourism high-season silliness, and this week is as intense as it gets.
In fact, Experience Gold Coast’s head of visitor economy and corporate relations Rachel Hancock said 2024/2025 was looking like a bumper summer season.
“We’ve got really great bookings coming through, particularly from interstate. We’re up on last year so there is a real buzz around the industry and we hope to see those numbers climb,” Ms Hancock said.
The latest National and International Visitor Survey results from Tourism Research Australia revealed visitors are also spending more, generating $7.7 billion for the Gold Coast economy, an increase of 29 per cent from 2019.
The only bad news, barring any unforeseen weather events, is the level of crazy unleashed on the Coast in terms of crowds and busyness.
While locals often choose to hibernate indoors with the aircon, leftovers and an occasional dip in the pool (if they’re lucky) or trip to the beach, here are the top tips for visitors – as well as those residents keen to enjoy a holiday in their hometown.
1. It’s all about the early mornings.
There’s no need to set an alarm, the sun will be waking you up by 4am (damn you, Queensland and your lack of daylight saving).
Whether you want to catch the best waves at the beach, the best deals and carpark spots at the shops or best rides and shortest lines at the theme parks, the key is to start bright and early.
Don’t worry about being tired, the beauty of this plan is that, whatever you’re doing, you can be done by early or midafternoon … the perfect time for a quick kip in the aircon, followed by beer o’clock.
2. Walk on the wild side.
If the heat and humidity is getting you down, just head for the hills.
A quick drive up to the hinterland will see temps drop to a far more liveable level, with built-in shade from the rainforest canopy.
An added bonus is that so many of our walks incorporate waterfalls for a super chilled dip.
If you can’t be bothered with the drive, just head east and find an eatery with an ocean view and drink in that natural sea breeze. (I don’t mean the cocktail … or do I?)
3. Time is money
Visitors can’t resist a trip to our famous theme parks, and why would they? Well, locals might say the answer to that is ‘the crowds’.
But while we can choose to visit whenever we like, preferably midweek and midterm, visitors don’t have that luxury. Don’t let it put you off.
If you’ve come this far, just pay the extra for the ride passes and skip the queue. It’s a small price to pay to save the whinges and heat exhaustion.
4. Invest in the villages
Pacific Fair, Robina Town Centre, Harbour Town — they’re all amazing shopping destinations and should be visited.
Once you’ve crossed one or more off your shopping list, check out the small independent retailers and eateries embedded along the central strips of Burleigh Heads, Nobby Beach, Broadbeach, Main Beach and Paradise Point.
Almost every Gold Coast suburb has its own village vibe and offers gifts and goodies you won’t find in the major shopping centres.
Parking can be a problem but from Broadbeach north, simply take the light rail and consider it a shopping crawl.
If you should happen to find pubs along the way, well, no one is driving. Cheers!
Sign we need to get a grip of e-bike problem
OPINION: New signage painted on crowded Gold Coast footpaths has sparked controversy among residents fed up dicing with dangers caused by e-bikes. Here’s what we need to do, writes Ann Wason Moore.
NY-style sandwich, biscoff caramel iced latte: New shop a social hit
A unique convenience store that recently opened on the northern Gold Coast has become TikTok famous for its New York-style sandwiches and iced lattes.