With glorious beaches, perfect weather and a thriving entertainment and nightlife scene, who wouldn’t want to be living on the Gold Coast?
Famous for its relaxed beachside lifestyle, this city also offers international students world-class educational institutions and promising career opportunities.
Here are ten awesome reasons to live on the Gold Coast.
1. The nature
It’s impossible to talk about the Gold Coast without mentioning its most famous attractions—the beaches. From busy hotspots like Main Beach to local gems such as Echo Beach, there’s something for everyone here.
The Gold Coast’s white sandy beaches stretch along 70 km of coastline, which play host to sporting events and recreational activities. These include international surfing competitions and community triathlons, so there’s always something fun to do.
What’s more, the Gold Coast is home to lots of amazing national parks that are pretty much as beautiful as it gets.
Burleigh National Park is a popular spot that offers stunning views of Surfers Paradise and the Pacific Ocean. Nearby, you can even explore the breathtaking Gondwana Rainforests, part of the largest subtropical rainforest system in the world.
2. The weather
While the sun might not shine every day on the Gold Coast, it does come pretty close. In fact, the city enjoys around 300 sunny days each year.
Summers here aren’t too hot, with temperatures averaging between 21°C and 28°C. The winters are milder than in cities like Sydney and Melbourne, too, so it’s warm enough to swim and surf all year.
3. The laidback vibe
Thanks to the sunny weather, palm trees, and glorious beaches, life on the Gold Coast feels like a never-ending holiday. You’ll find that the pace of life here is slower than in other major cities, and the friendly locals love to stop and have a chat.
The people here enjoy a laid-back beach culture that balances hard work with plenty of sunshine and good times. When you’re looking for a break from work or study, check out local favourites, such as the Burleigh Pavilion, your nearest surf life-saving or bowls club.
4. The multiculturalism
The Gold Coast is a fun, diverse and multicultural place to live. In fact, along with the many tourists that visit the area, nearly one in three residents were born overseas.
You’ll even find plenty of multicultural events and activities occurring each year, including the Multicultural Festival in September and Multicultural Month in August.
The popular Chinatown in Southport also hosts regular street markets and cultural festivals.
5. The nightlife
The Gold Coast lifestyle boasts an unrivalled party reputation. The streets of Surfers Paradise are lined with pounding dance clubs, bars, restaurants, and live music venues, meaning there’s an awesome spot to be found around every corner.
Outside of Surfers Paradise, the fun continues. Check out suburbs like Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads for trendy bars and restaurants, including Justin Lane and Maman Bar and Kitchen.
6. The world-class universities
The Gold Coast doesn’t just offer an unbeatable lifestyle! It’s also home to several globally-ranked educational institutions.
Griffith University, located in Southport, offers a wide variety of degrees in business, arts, communication and more to its student base of over 21,000. It has steadily risen in the QS University rankings over the last five years to sit in the top 250 universities in the world.
Bond University, located in Robina, hosts international students from more than 90 countries. Bond has been rated #1 in Australia for student experience for the last 16 years.
Southern Cross University has more than 16,000 students over three campuses in Northern NSW and the Gold Coast. It offers degrees in business, tourism, environmental and health sciences, Indigenous studies, education, law and a broad range of the arts.
In addition to universities, you’ll find several fantastic colleges and TAFE campuses on the Gold Coast offering courses in all kinds of areas, including cookery, hospitality, design, tourism and IT.
7. The employment opportunities
While the Gold Coast may be smaller than capital cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, there are still plenty of opportunities to secure a job and build your career.
While on a student visa in Australia, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during the semester and unlimited hours during holiday breaks. This allows you to gain valuable work experience, support yourself financially and build your professional network.
Popular part-time jobs for students in Australia include roles in hospitality, retail and tourism. You can even find paid internships and work experience opportunities through your university.
If you stay in Australia after graduation, you’ll have the chance to launch your career in one of the country’s fastest-growing cities. On the Gold Coast, industries such as tourism and construction are always strong, and the health and tech sectors are also seeing rapid growth.
8. Opportunities to live and work in Australia longer
After experiencing life on the Gold Coast, you’re almost guaranteed to want to stay. Who wouldn’t enjoy more time living by picture-perfect beaches in the sunshine?
International students who study on the Gold Coast may be eligible for up to four years of living, working and studying here after graduation with a Temporary Graduate visa. This compares favourably to other Australian cities, like Sydney or Melbourne, which can only offer three years. Plus, if you’re a student studying in the fields of health, technology, education and construction, you may also be eligible for a further extension of your post-study working rights!
9. The good public transport access
The city’s fantastic public transport system makes getting around very easy. There’s no shortage of buses, trains and trams to get you where you need to go, and the network usually runs on time.
Plus, you can even use public transport to take day or overnight trips to other destinations, such as Brisbane, Byron Bay and small coastal towns like Yamba.
As a student, you may qualify for a concession rate on your go card, meaning you can save up to 50 per cent on your travel costs.
10. The endless entertainment and events
There’s always something happening on the Gold Coast.
The city offers the biggest collection of theme parks in the Southern Hemisphere, including Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, Dreamworld,
Wet‘n’Wild, and more.
You’ll also find countless festivals celebrating food, film, music, culture, art, and everything in between. Some of the best events include the Gold Coast Film Festival and the Spilt Milk Music Festival.
Don’t miss a trip to the Home of the Arts (HOTA), a cultural hub where you can check out the latest movies, live concerts, exhibitions, and more.
Plus, there are always events and activities taking place in parks, entertainment venues, beaches, and libraries across the city. Whatever you’re into, you’ll never be bored on the Gold Coast!
