How our relationship with Gold Coast beaches has changed

HAS the Gold Coast’s beach culture changed over the years? Our relationship with the beach isn’t what it used to be, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. VOTE IN OUR POLL

THE sun-soaked ’70s scene of families carting the equivalent of a second home to the beach, with mum smearing too much sunscreen over kids’ noses and yanking down a dorky bucket hat, is all but gone.

Instead, Surfers Paradise beach is packed with mainly internationals – a combination of brief visits (a month or less), semi-permanent residency (1-2 years) or more permanent moves of, well, however long they’re allowed to stay. Forever, ideally.

GET A TABLET WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE GOLD COAST BULLETIN

Simone Gomide of Brazil travels from Brisbane to the Coast every week for the beach. Picture Mike Batterham

Simone Gomide from Brazil lives in Brisbane but travels the two-plus hours at least once a week to get her dose of vitamin sea.

For Pedro and Matheus, Surfers Paradise beach is literally their back yard. They head down of a morning multiple days a week and usually stay until the skyscrapers start to cast a shadow over the beach. On this particular day, kicking around a soccer ball, they absorbed Daniel from Korea and Raphael from France into their group and the four played like old mates.

LEADERS BACK COMMERCIALISATION OF BEACHES

People enjoying themselves on Surfers paradise Beach. L-R Daniel Park of Korea , Raphael Gaudeau of France Pedro Goncalves of Brazil, and Matheus Nery of Brazil. Picture Mike Batterham

Marie and Leo from France had read about the Gold Coast’s magical beaches online, in tourist and backpacker forums, and decided to chase the surf.

Paula and Francisca didn’t even bring their bikinis. They just wanted to soak up some sun while sitting on the sand.

Paula Ldini and Francisca Guajardo of Chile. Picture Mike Batterham

Dean Gould, Destination Gold Coast’s executive director of corporate affairs and strategy, said the change was representative of the times.

FIRST LOOK AT $1B JEWEL BEACHSIDE POOL AND DINING

“The beach is central to the marketing of the Gold Coast but it is fair to say the way we portray the beach has evolved over the years,” he said.

“The beach is now more the setting or the environment of a much broader Gold Coast experience than a singular destination in its own right. The idea of sunbaking for hours on the sand has also changed over the generations so the way visitors use the beach now has also altered.

GET A TABLET WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THE GOLD COAST BULLETIN

People enjoying themselves on Surfers paradise Beach. Picture Mike Batterham

“It is more of a compelling backdrop to all the different things visitors can do – walk on the sand, take photos of the sunrise, whale watching, learning to surf, fishing, swimming, the list goes on. It is the beauty of our beachside city that gives the Gold Coast its ambience and everything from art shows to cuisine to theme parks is affected by it.”