Is this Australia's most liveable city?

IF you look beyond Australia’s capitals, there is a raft of cities that could rival our top ranked cities for the place of ‘most liveable city’.

City of Gold Coast

The Gold Coast, for example, with its enviable natural environment, emerging knowledge economy and bold leadership has all of the ingredients of a ‘liveable city’.

And, with the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games just around the corner, the Gold Coast has driven an ambitious investment program to ensure it is ready to step out onto the world stage come April.

Enviable lifestyle

Starting with the facts: the Gold Coast stretches along 57 kilometres of coastline and it’s not until you see it from the sky that you realise it has in excess of 260 kilometres of navigable waterways. Add to this approximately 21,000 hectares of parks and 100,000 hectares of world heritage-listed rainforest on its doorstep and it paints a picture of one of Australia’s most biodiverse cities.

These natural assets have helped to attract 13 million visitors to the city each year; built a thriving marine sector that draws in super yachts from around the world; acted as backdrops to international blockbusters; and made a home-away-from home for some of Australia’s biggest athletes.

Snapper Beach_Gold Coast Source: SuppliedHaving spent the start of her career working around the world, Peta Fielding made the decision to establish Burleigh Brewing on the Gold Coast.

“If you’re lucky enough to spend time living on the Gold Coast, you come to truly understand just how unique and special it is,” Peta says.

“From the weather, beaches and natural parks, the Gold Coast is a magical place, filled with people who want to get out and absorb it all.

“Head down to Burleigh Heads at 5am in the morning and its literally buzzing with activity.

“And, as a relatively young city, the Gold Coast is a growing city. With any growing city, there is an opportunity to be part of shaping its future.”

The depth of the offering on the Gold Coast is changing too. In the dining scene, the Gold Coast raked in the praise at the 2018 Good Food Guide Awards with Rick Shores, The Fish House, Social Eating House, Kiyomi and Mamsan Kitchen and Bar all receiving the coveted ‘hats’.

Bold cultural scene

Bleach Festival Source: SuppliedIn a city blessed with sunshine, it’s no surprise that the natural environment has become the stage for artistic and cultural performance. From Berlin Dance Company’s 48-hour performance in an estuary to the incredible installations peppered along the beach for Bleach* Festival, the physicality of the outdoors translates into the arts and culture on offer.

The City Gold Coast is 100 per cent behind the industry, investing millions in a new cultural precinct that will enhance the city’s cultural economy and create a point-of-difference across the region. Currently referred to as the Gold Coast Cultural Precinct, the centre will be the heart for arts, culture and creative enterprise.

Creina Gehrke, CEO Gold Coast Arts Centre says, like the city itself, the Gold Coast’s art and culture is unapologetic and adventurous. “As the Gold Coast evolves and attracts more professionals and young families who come here for lifestyle and opportunities, there is an expectation of the vibrant culture on offer.

“Our local artists are constantly creating work that has an energy and boldness to it, like nowhere else in Australia. You only have to look a the success of Bleach Festival, Blues on Broadbeach and the potential of our new Ampitheatre and Art Gallery to know that there is also an economic benefit.”

Educating future leaders

The Gold Coast has a strong education sector, ranking as the Best Student City by the Beach in the World QS Rankings.

With three research-intensive universities – Bond, Griffith and Southern Cross – and more than 200 education providers, the Gold Coast offers the greatest educational choice of any city of its size in Australia.

Shannon Willoughby, CEO of Study Gold Coast, says that the Gold Coast’s focus on being the most welcoming city in Australia, its emphasis connecting students to the workforce to enhance graduate outcomes and the quality and breadth of study choices were draw cards for students.

“The education and training sector is front and centre of the city’s growth and maturity. Students are coming here for a high-quality education and training experience which they experience in one of Australia’s most beautiful cities,” she says.

We are now seeing some of Australia’s top talent come out of the Gold Coast. Margot Robbie is gracing the screens of some of the world’s big blockbusters; Amy Shark is touring internationally after signing a record deal with Sony Music; and Jodi Fox co-founded the world’s first website where women can design their own shoes.

Health and knowledge

With health now the largest employing sector on the Gold Coast, it comes as no surprise that the city is attracting internationally acclaimed researchers to its emerging research and innovation hubs.

One example is Professor Mark von Itzstein who led the team that discovered the world’s first anti-flu drug, Relenza – a major breakthrough that could save the lives of 250,000 people each year. In 2000 Professor von Itzstein founded Griffith University’s Institute of Glycomics on the Gold Coast – the only one of its kind in Australia and one of the largest worldwide.

The Gold Coast is now establishing itself as a biomedical research hub and all of the translational facilities are already in place. Within the next 10 years I have no doubt that the Gold Coast will be seen as a world-leading research precinct.Professor Mark von Itzstein, founder of Griffith University’s Institute of GlycomicsThe work being done at the Institute of Glycomics is part of a large network of ground breaking research in health and medicine taking place at the city’s impressive Health and Knowledge Precinct. Supported by $5 billion in infrastructure, including the Gold Coast University Hospital, Private Hospital and Griffith University, the Precinct has created a unique environment where researchers, academics, clinicians and business leaders can collaborate and ultimately provide some of the best services in Australia.

A city on the move

As cities around the world try to address the challenges faced with growing population in urban centres, the Gold Coast is tackling the challenge head-on and investing now in sustainable modes of transport that will keep the city moving well into the future.

Active travel is a big part of the Gold Coast commuter culture and has ultimately resulted in a reduction in cars on the road. Millions is currently being invested in active transport improvements to connect major public domain precincts.

At the same time, road and light rail upgrades are helping to eliminate congestion. The Gold Coast light rail project is one of biggest public transportation projects in the country, and the biggest one undertaken on the Gold Coast. With Stage 1 complete, Stage 2 in testing, Stage 3 in planning and final stages at the core of the city’s vision for the future, the light rail is providing a sustainable transportation corridor along the city’s key economic centres and has positioned the city to support a growing population.

The Gold Coast Airport is a major drawcard for the city, providing routes to all major Australian cities and key locations internationally. In 2015/16, the Airport exceeded six million passenger movements making it the sixth busiest airport in Australia. It is preparing to undergo a $200 million redevelopment that will support growing passenger numbers and new international routes.

Bold leadership

The ambitious driving force behind the Gold Coast is its charismatic Mayor, Tom Tate. He has been instrumental in transforming the city into a $30 billion economy; and transitioning it away from a reliance on tourism and construction to the stability of a knowledge-based economy.

Health and Knowledge Precinct_ Asia Pacific© Emerging Health and Innovation Hub Source: SuppliedHe is overseeing a massive investment in infrastructure as the Gold Coast prepares to welcome an influx of visitors and media for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Health and knowledge hubs, world class transportation and a new cultural precinct are just the beginning. An overhaul of sporting facilities, Commonwealth Games Athletes Village, the largest film stage in the southern hemisphere and City funded digital infrastructure are also part of the infrastructure program.

This is an opportunity for Mayor Tom Tate to share this emerging city with the world.

“We are a city that is open for business. The way ahead is creating and environment for business growth and embracing that have-a-go spirit,” he says.

“We want to share that the Gold Coast is now a very cosmopolitan, multicultural and sophisticated city,” he says.

Originally published as Is this Australia's most liveable city?