At Kirra Beach, a holiday feels like an old-fashioned Byron Bay getaway
The last time I was on the Gold Coast they had meter maids - I can’t begin to tell you how much it’s changed. At Kirra things are taking on a distinct Byron-like flavour.
How far is the accommodation from the airport?”
“About five minutes.”
“Five minutes?”
“Yes, five minutes.”
Well, that’s what management told us when we booked into Kirra Point Holiday apartments on the beachfront at Kirra, on the blue and beautiful border between Queensland and New South Wales.
Naturally, I took this with a grain of salt ... or maybe that should be sand? Five minutes, door to door? Come on.
It turned out to be completely true: you could Uber from Gold Coast Airport to Kirra in less time than it takes to get your luggage off the plane. You could in fact ditch the Uber, and walk.
We didn’t because we – the surfer in my party, and me – were hauling a coffin bag. Don’t be alarmed: that’s what surfers call the long, wheeled bags in which they stash their boards when flying around the world.
You will see a lot of coffin bags in Kirra, because it’s one of the finest surf beaches in the world.
To be clear, it’s not me saying that. I wouldn’t really know. But Mick Fanning says that, and so does Kelly Slater, and they most certainly do.
In any case, we Ubered into Kirra (the fare was $11) and because it was late, made our way straight to Bar Evelyn in the beachfront dining precinct for sourdough pizza and home-made pasta, served by friendly staff on quirky op-shop plates. It was ace.
From there, we walked back along the foreshore to the holiday apartments.
Now, the last time I was on the Gold Coast, they had meter maids. I don’t say that like it’s a bad thing. The meter maids were a key part of Queensland holiday glamour in the 1980s, like those big T-shirts that made you look like you were wearing a bikini.
I can’t even tell you how things have changed. Locals will tell you that Kirra has always been a bit different. Technically the Gold Coast, but it’s not glitz and glam.
It is naturally very beautiful, with milk-white beaches, soft sand and Norfolk pines, but it’s also different in … can I say vibe? It has an early Byron vibe.
The Kirra Point Holiday Apartments are new, and they have brought a little “barefoot luxury” to town. Developed by KTQ Group, which also did Elements of Byron, the apartments sit directly behind the salty old Kirra Surf Life Saving Club. It’s a nice short-stay-meets-hotel situation: the reception desk is open from 7am to 7pm; there’s a gym, a hire service for cots, beach carts, and bikes; and they can arrange a babysitter. The one, two and three-bedroom apartments are equipped with coffee machines, full-size fridges, laundries and kitchens.
We made our way to an ocean-facing three-bedroom apartment that nobody had ever stayed in before (the complex only opened on April 12). The designers have done a lovely job with the textures and the soothing coastal palette. You want to touch everything. We climbed into our beds, and I left the balcony doors open so I could hear the sea and see the sunrise.
Up at five as a result, I had coffee at Made Café on the ground floor (they do a six-hour cold drip and a single origin vegan chai, which is all very Byron, isn’t it?). From there, I made my way to the lagoon on the beach – Kirra is a rare, north-facing beach, and it’s right across the road from the apartments. At this time of year it’s still warm enough to swim in a one-piece, no wetsuit required.
Some kids with buckets and spades were already out, as were the fishermen, who are allowed to drive on the beach, ahead of launching their little boats. Between June and November, you’ll also see whales.
In terms of how to spend your day after your morning swim, well, you could pick up bikes and ride along the foreshore; you could hike to the top of Kirra Hill; you could commandeer one of the free barbecues; you could stroll into Coolangatta; you could go paddle-boarding or paragliding, or do yoga or have a hot stone massage.
But me? I made my way to the hotel pool. It’s on the third floor, with a view of the ocean, and it’s heated. Meanwhile, the surfer-son made his way to Snapper Rocks which is just 20 minutes by foot – barefoot! – from Kirra.
I don’t pretend to understand how waves work, but a 2001 sand pumping project, in which sand was moved from the Tweed River to Snapper, led to the creation of what’s known as the Superbank – and an astonishing 1.8km perfect wave from Snapper to Kirra. You can, on a good day, ride the length of it. No wonder the World Surf League’s annual Quiksilver and Roxy Pro events are held here.
And so the surfer did his thing (barrels) and I did mine (books) before we reconvened for lunch at the Kirra Beach Hotel, directly below the accommodation. They’ve been doing uncomplicated beachfront beers and burgers here since 1956, and it’s fair to say they’ve got the mix absolutely right.
After lunch? You could go on a bit of an adventure. Kirra is 20 minutes from the Currumbin Rock Pools, and 30 minutes to Cougal Cascades. There’s almost always something going on in Coolangatta. In June they host Cooly Rocks On, where everyone dresses like it’s Milwaukee in the ’50s. You’ve never seen such slick coiffure on men. There’s also a “pin-up pageant” for pretty girls, celebrating the “hair and make-up of yesteryear”.
If you can’t find the rockabilly in you, maybe just explore the rock pools?
If all that sounds a little too perfect, here’s a complaint: the sun goes down too quickly in early winter. It’s dark around 5.30pm. But it’s not like there aren’t plenty of places to eat in Kirra: you could try Billy Chow (Asian cuisine), or Agave Rosa (modern Mexican fusion). We ate at the Kirra Beach House, with its Byron luxe vibrations, tempura bug rolls, succulent half-roast chickens and cheeky Cherry Ripe desserts. They’ve got booths, or else you can hire a cabana. And here’s another nice touch: the wall mural says: “Tourist call it paradise. We call it home.”
Lucky them! But also you, if you choose to go.
Checklist
Getting there: Kirra is five minutes from Gold Coast Airport.
Accommodation: Rates at Kirra Point Apartments from $395 a night for a one-bedroom suite to $1,410 a night for a deluxe three-bedroom apartment. (kirrapoint.com.au)
Eat: For uncomplicated, beachfront burgers and beers try Kirra Beach Hotel (kirrabeachhotel.com.au).