Moving to the Gold Coast: a guide for families

• All the things that make the Gold Coast Australia’s favourite holiday destination, are also the things that make it a truly amazing place to live. 
• With a warm, sub-tropical climate, 52 kilometres of stunning surf beaches (including 28 patrolled year-round), endless active outdoor pursuits, a vibrant arts scene, and thriving café culture (serving, dare we say, some of the nation’s best coffee) and it’s easy to see why the GC is becoming Australia’s favourite sea change destination for families.

So, if you’re ready to give your down jackets to good will, and pack your pluggers for a new life on the coast, here are a few things worth knowing if you’re considering relocating to the Gold Coast:

Year-round swimming and surfing

First things first, the important stuff. Water temperatures on the Gold Coast typically stay in the twenties, year-round, which means you can look forward to swimming and surfing 12 months a year.

The average summer sea temperature of 25.4 – 27.1°C ‘plummets’ to 21.5 – 22.6°C in winter, compared to an ocean temp of just 9°C in Melbourne in the cooler months.

And while that few-degree drop is enough to keep most Queenslanders high and dry (excluding the surfers and lifeguards of course), if you’re a hardened Victorian you’ll be splashing your way right through winter. 

Getting around the GC and beyond

Just a stone’s throw back from the beach, the Gold Coast Highway runs the length of the coast connecting the GC’s iconic beachfront suburbs. From here a network of arterial roads link back to the M1 which will take you north to Brisbane and south over the border into New South Wales.  

Public transport options are also available including bus services and the G:Link Light Rail tram which runs from Helensvale south through Southport, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach. Visit translink.com.au to plan your journey then grab a go card and go.

If you’re heading interstate or overseas, the Gold Coast Airport offers an extensive schedule of flights meaning it’s not necessary to head to Brisbane to go up, up and away. 

However, if you prefer to travel by pedal power, the Gold Coast is crisscrossed by a network of over 2400 kilometres of bikeways and pathways. To plan your cycle route, download the Gold Coast Cycling Guide. 

Commuting to Brisbane

With the drive to Brisbane taking approximately 45 minutes up the M1 from the northern end of the coast (maybe a tad more in peak hour) commuting to the Queensland capital for work is definitely a viable option. And with the move to hybrid working, chances are you may only have to do the drive a couple of days a week.

If your new GC address is close to a station, catching the train to Brissy for work (which takes around an hour) is also a good, relaxing option. 

No compromising on education

With highly regarded state and private schools, TAFE campuses and university offerings including Griffith and Bond, a move to the Gold Coast does not mean having to compromise when it comes to education. 

Best of all, when the kids knock off for the day at three, you can head to the beach for a surf or some afternoon playtime.

World-class sporting facilities and clubs

With a healthy, outdoors lifestyle, sport is a huge part of life for Gold Coast families. The GC is home to over 300 sports clubs as well as training facilities for the Australian Institute of Sport.

And thanks to the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the upcoming 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, the Gold Coast really punches above its weight in the sporting arena. 

From skateboarding and mountain biking to swimming and field sports like soccer and hockey, you can be assured that the Gold Coast’s sporting facilities are second to none.

Get bang for your buck

While house prices are still on the rise on the Gold Coast, they still have a bit of catching up to do to reach Sydney levels. The beginning of 2024 has seen the Gold Coast’s median house price crack the one-million-dollar-mark at $1.03 million, up 8.4% in 2023. 

However, compared with Sydney’s median house price of $1.6 million, a new life in the Sunshine State by the ocean sounds like a veritable bargain. Perhaps a Queensland sea change could be good for your financial health as well as your physical and mental well-being? 

We’ve already found your Gold Coast dream home

Save yourself the trouble of searching for the ultimate Gold Coast address, because we’ve already found it! Endeavour Foundation’s $2.2 million Prize Home, at 85 Tooraneedin Road, Coomera, is perfectly positioned to make the most of the spectacular northern Gold Coast region.

Imagine waking up to sparkling riverfront views knowing that this stunning family dream home is all yours. 

Find out more about this amazing Prize Home package including $300,000 in gold bullion to help you start your new life. 

Don’t miss your chance to win this Gold Coast dream home. Grab your $10 ticket now and as well as giving yourself the opportunity to win, you’ll also be helping to give people with disability the opportunity to learn life skills, live independently and live their best life. 

Just imagine what’s possible.