Opinion: Broadbeach is becoming unaffordable for families because of the rental crisis and redevelopments

A beachside kindergarten is struggling to fill spots and local residents say it is because the Gold Coast suburb is becoming “unaffordable for our families”. Here is what needs to change

The Gold Coast is becoming a cautionary tale of two cities.

Close to the coastline, our suburbs sparkle with ever more opulent mansions, like diamonds in the rough they transform from dirt patches into rare gems for our rich residents.

As it to highlight their shine, they occasionally rub shoulders – or boundaries – with the ever-dwindling supply of decades-old bungalows where senior residents reside, those who bought back when this city was a steal.

The sad truth is that those seaside suburbs which once were the beating heart and soul of this city have now become the domain, primarily, for the rich and the old.

To live close to the beach these days, you must either have bought before the last decade, or have made a fortune in the meantime.

But head 30 kilometres north-west and there is a whole different story to discover, perhaps even a different city.

Ann Wason Moore says Broadbeach is becoming unaffordable for families because of the rental crisis and redevelopments

Schools are crowded, homes are smaller and the demographic is firmly ‘families’.

The perfect snapshot of this Gold Coast grand canyon is captured in the story of a struggling beachside kindy.

Broadbeach Kindergarten in Armrick Avenue is the oldest kindy on the Gold Coast, established in 1953 when a local group realised the needs of the growing population of parents.

The land, then on the Reserve for Camping and Recreation, was granted by Minister E.J. Gaven (you might recognise that now suburban surname) and the kindergarten’s website stated it “will remain a kindergarten for as long as there is a need in the area”.

And that’s where the problem comes in.

A spokesperson for the centre told me that after decades of waiting lists that were literally out the door, they could no longer fill their spots and this year had only offered one kindy group rather than two.

“Broadbeach has become completely unaffordable for our families,” she said.

“The rental crisis and redevelopments are kicking them out of the area, all of the three-storey walk-ups where you could still find something reasonable are being turned into five-star highrises.

“We’d love to offer two groups next year, but we can’t find the families.”

Ann Wason Moore says Broadbeach is becoming unaffordable for families because of the rental crisis and redevelopments

The spokeswoman said it was not only the Broadbeach Kindergarten that was struggling.

“There are five centres in the catchment and they all have vacancies, that used to be just unheard of because this was where everyone wanted to live. Our position is incredible, we take the kids to the beach each day for our surf safety program, but now this location means families can’t afford to live near it.

“I’ve heard the schools are struggling too, between private schools and families leaving. Even the park next door used to be filled with kids playing but now it’s empty. You get the odd tourist there but that community feeling has gone.”

Compare this to the statistics from the northern suburbs of the Gold Coast, where Bulletin analysis showed some areas had as little as one childcare space available for every ten children aged up to nine years old.

On the Gold Coast, by far the biggest populations of young children are in the north of the city, with census data showing almost 5000 under tens living in Pimpama, 4360 in Upper Coomera and 3513 in Coomera.

Pimpama also has one of the lowest overall median ages in Queensland at

29 - far below the national average of 38.

While this two-speed city – where the old and rich live near the beach and the young and growing live out the back – may be a reality right now, surely we can all agree this is not how it should be.

It just highlights, yet again, why we need to find that ‘missing middle’ in the coastline strip. Premium towers with all the amenities might make sense for developers, but it can’t be at the cost of our community.

We need a mix of all ages, of all abodes – townhouses, low-rise units, duplexes – to bring back the lifeblood of our beach burbs, and alleviate the pressure further north.

It’s time we stop segregating our city.