Transport on the Gold Coast, Queensland
Encyclopedia
The Gold Coast
has a wide range of public and private Transport options from cars and bikes to buses, rail and monorail. The car is the dominant mode of transport for Gold Coast but with the increasing population that leads to more traffic congestion. This has led to the Queensland State Government and Gold Coast City council placing more effort into providing public transport including a new Ferry service and the proposed Gold Coast Rapid Transit System
which is a 36 km network of pathways along the coastline. Locals residents and visitors alike often walk to the beach, shops or anywhere nearby, particularly so in areas of high-density living.
The Gold Coast hinterland also embraces the World Heritage listed Lamington National Park
, established in 1915, with over 160 km of graded walking tracks maintained by the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service. The development of the national park tracks and accommodation at Binna Burra
owe a great deal to the work of Romeo Lahey and Arthur Groom
in the 1920s and 1930s.
out to the hinterland. The V1 is an emerging cycle route along the M1 freeway corridor from Smith Street Gaven to the Logan River at Beenleigh. In the future it will be extended southwards along the M1 corridor through Nerang, Robina, Varsity Lakes, West Burleigh, Palm Beach and behind the Gold Coast airport to the NSW state border.
is the brand for Gold Coast behaviour change programs for encouraging sustainable transport
. Enjoy the way you move is the tag line that rewards those already walking and cycling and encourages reflection on behaviour change for anyone who doesn't enjoy traffic jams.
(M1
) is a motorway grade section of the Pacific Highway
connecting the Gold Coast with Brisbane
. The Gold Coast Highway
runs close to the coast for most of its route and through the centres of Southport, Surfers Paradise, Burleigh Heads and Currumbin.
The local hinterland areas, being so close to the central region of the Gold Coast, are popular with locals. Caution is advised when travelling in hinterland areas due to many blind entrances to properties and roads are narrow and winding and especially hazardous in wet conditions. Speed limits should be observed at all times.
Self drive car hire is one of the most popular forms of transport for tourists and business visitors to the Gold coast.
In Queensland, Mopeds and scooters with an engine capacity of 50cc's or less may be ridden by those holding a non provisional car licence. Making them a popular form of transport for residents and tourists alike.
. With the population boom in South East Queensland, more and more effort is being put into improving Public Transport, from the extension of the Gold Coast rail line to the 'Quality Public Transport Corridor' on the Gold Coast Highway.
known as TransLink, which offers integrated fares and tickets across all modes of public transport. Services run at high frequencies along the Gold Coast Highway
.
but the increasing popularity of the motor car forced the closure of the line in 1964, which was subsequently resumed for development. The new Gold Coast railway line was constructed further inland in the mid-1990s and runs roughly parallel to the Pacific Motorway alignment, terminating at Varsity Lakes railway station. QR
Citytrain
services connect the Gold Coast with Brisbane, running express between Beenleigh and South Bank
stations, with most services continuing onto Brisbane Airport
. Track duplications are currently underway, and future extensions of the line to Tallebudgera, Elanora and Coolangatta are also planned for completion by 2016.
service. The 2008 ferry service was to operate initially between Point
, Labrador
, Spit, Southport
, Surfers Paradise West
and Surfers Paradise Central. It was expected that the ferry service will be operated with solar power
ed catamaran
s and be operating by June 2008. A smaller ferry service is also a possibility to connect Surfers Paradise South to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
, Conrad Jupiters
and Pacific Fair. Unlike Brisbane
's popular CityCat ferry services, Gold Coast Ferries will not be part of TransLink (South East Queensland)
. This means that fares will be in addition to Surfside Buslines journeys and probably also much more expensive for travelling the same distance. The project has since been put on hold.
In September 2011 Gold Coast City Council again called for expressions of interest for a public ferry
service. The 2011 ferry service is to include
Ferry trips will cost $2 for either a one way trip or a return same day trip. Unlike Brisbane
's popular CityCats, Translink
has not yet agreed to recognise Gold Coast Ferries as a public transport service and so the fares for the ferry will not be included on South East Queensland
's go cards. The ferrys will operate until 11pm on a high frequency timetable. The new ferry services are expected to commence on 12 December 2011 and operate for a 12 month trial period.
, Australia
currently under construction. The Gold Coast is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia with travel demands exceeding population growth. In order to tackle congestion effectively, there is a need to squeeze much more capacity from existing corridors. The system is expected to encourage visitors
and residents to use public transport
to reduce major traffic congestion
and pollution
problems. Stage 1, which is currently under construction, will run from Griffith University
to Broadbeach
.
systems on the Gold Coast one at Sea World
and the other at Broadbeach.
At Sea World
a 2 kilometres (6,561.7 ft) monorail
circuit, known as the Sea World Monorail System
, facilitates transport within Sea World and links it to the Sea World Resort & Water Park. Opening in 1986, it was the first monorail in Australia and is a Von Roll MkII Installation. It gained an additional monorail set after the Expo '88
monorail was dismantled.
At Broadbeach a 1.3 kilometres (4,265.1 ft) route operates between Oasis Shopping Centre
and Jupiter Casino on a Von Roll Type III System with three stations. There are plans for this to be extended to service the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre and Pacific Fair.
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
has a wide range of public and private Transport options from cars and bikes to buses, rail and monorail. The car is the dominant mode of transport for Gold Coast but with the increasing population that leads to more traffic congestion. This has led to the Queensland State Government and Gold Coast City council placing more effort into providing public transport including a new Ferry service and the proposed Gold Coast Rapid Transit System
Walking
The Gold Coast has extensive paths one of which is called the Gold Coast OceanwayGold Coast Oceanway
The Gold Coast Oceanway is a foreshoreway along beaches in Gold Coast, Queensland. The Gold Coast Oceanway is a shared use pedestrian and cyclist pathway on the Gold Coast, connecting the Point Danger lighthouse on the New South Wales and Queensland border to the Gold Coast Seaway...
which is a 36 km network of pathways along the coastline. Locals residents and visitors alike often walk to the beach, shops or anywhere nearby, particularly so in areas of high-density living.
The Gold Coast hinterland also embraces the World Heritage listed Lamington National Park
Lamington National Park
Lamington is a national park in Queensland, Australia, lying on the Lamington Plateau of the McPherson Range on the Queensland/New South Wales border...
, established in 1915, with over 160 km of graded walking tracks maintained by the Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service. The development of the national park tracks and accommodation at Binna Burra
Binna Burra
Binna Burra is a parcel of private land surrounded by Lamington National Park in Queensland, Australia. The settlement lies in the north-eastern corner of the Lamington Plateau, 75 km south of Brisbane. It is a part of the World Heritage site, Gondwana Rainforests of Australia...
owe a great deal to the work of Romeo Lahey and Arthur Groom
Arthur Groom (Australian writer)
Arthur Groom was an Australian writer, conservationist, journalist and photographer, the son of Arthur Champion Groom.-Early career:...
in the 1920s and 1930s.
Cycling
The Gold Coast is largely flat providing excellent opportunities for cycling. The river corridors provide opportunities to link west from the Gold Coast OceanwayGold Coast Oceanway
The Gold Coast Oceanway is a foreshoreway along beaches in Gold Coast, Queensland. The Gold Coast Oceanway is a shared use pedestrian and cyclist pathway on the Gold Coast, connecting the Point Danger lighthouse on the New South Wales and Queensland border to the Gold Coast Seaway...
out to the hinterland. The V1 is an emerging cycle route along the M1 freeway corridor from Smith Street Gaven to the Logan River at Beenleigh. In the future it will be extended southwards along the M1 corridor through Nerang, Robina, Varsity Lakes, West Burleigh, Palm Beach and behind the Gold Coast airport to the NSW state border.
Behaviour Change
Active travelActive travel
Active travel refers to an approach to travel and transport that focuses on physical activity as opposed to motorised and carbon-dependent means. Given that in the UK over 50% of car journeys are under 5 km, there exists considerable scope to replace motor car journeys with more active forms...
is the brand for Gold Coast behaviour change programs for encouraging sustainable transport
Sustainable transport
Sustainable transport refers to any means of transport with low impact on the environment, and includes walking and cycling, transit oriented development, green vehicles, CarSharing, and building or protecting urban transport systems that are fuel-efficient, space-saving and promote healthy...
. Enjoy the way you move is the tag line that rewards those already walking and cycling and encourages reflection on behaviour change for anyone who doesn't enjoy traffic jams.
Road
The car is the dominant mode of transport for Gold Coast residents. The Pacific MotorwayPacific Motorway
The Pacific Motorway is a 100 km long motorway in Australia between Brisbane, Queensland, and the New South Wales-Queensland border at Tweed Heads. The motorway starts at Coronation Drive at Milton in Brisbane, and from 2008 links the Tweed Heads bypass in New South Wales...
(M1
M1, Queensland
The M1 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, is a major urban road corridor. It connects Tugun near the New South Wales-Queensland border to the Sunshine Coast hinterland via the following corridors:*Pacific Motorway between Tugun and Eight Mile Plains...
) is a motorway grade section of the Pacific Highway
Pacific Highway (Australia)
The Pacific Highway is a major transport route along part of the east coast of Australia and is part of Australia's national route 1.It is 960 km long and links Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, to Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, along the coast, via Gosford, Newcastle, Taree, Port...
connecting the Gold Coast with Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. The Gold Coast Highway
Gold Coast Highway
The Gold Coast Highway in Queensland, Australia links the coastal suburbs of the Gold Coast. 33 km in length, the highway passes through popular tourist resorts such as Southport, Surfers Paradise, Burleigh Heads and Currumbin...
runs close to the coast for most of its route and through the centres of Southport, Surfers Paradise, Burleigh Heads and Currumbin.
The local hinterland areas, being so close to the central region of the Gold Coast, are popular with locals. Caution is advised when travelling in hinterland areas due to many blind entrances to properties and roads are narrow and winding and especially hazardous in wet conditions. Speed limits should be observed at all times.
Self drive car hire is one of the most popular forms of transport for tourists and business visitors to the Gold coast.
In Queensland, Mopeds and scooters with an engine capacity of 50cc's or less may be ridden by those holding a non provisional car licence. Making them a popular form of transport for residents and tourists alike.
Public transport
The Gold Coast has a range of public transport options including trains and buses which operate under TransLinkTransLink (South East Queensland)
The TransLink Transit Authority is the authority introduced by the Queensland Government in June 2003 as a section of Queensland Transport to coordinate and integrate rail, bus and ferry services. TransLink works with Airtrain, Brisbane Transport, Brisbane Ferries, QR Citytrain and 17 other...
. With the population boom in South East Queensland, more and more effort is being put into improving Public Transport, from the extension of the Gold Coast rail line to the 'Quality Public Transport Corridor' on the Gold Coast Highway.
Rental cars
The Gold Coast has a number of Car Rental companies located across a variety of suburbs.Bus
The local bus operator is Surfside Buslines, which provides regular services and a network covering most locations. The Gold Coast is part of an integrated public transport network in South East QueenslandSouth East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
known as TransLink, which offers integrated fares and tickets across all modes of public transport. Services run at high frequencies along the Gold Coast Highway
Gold Coast Highway
The Gold Coast Highway in Queensland, Australia links the coastal suburbs of the Gold Coast. 33 km in length, the highway passes through popular tourist resorts such as Southport, Surfers Paradise, Burleigh Heads and Currumbin...
.
Trains
Trains once travelled the Old South Coast Line from Beenleigh to SouthportSouthport, Queensland
-Sport:The Southport Sharks Australian rules football club has a presence in the area, including a club and function centre.-Transport:The Broadwaterway is a foreshoreway that encourages pedestrians and cyclists to travel along the Broadwater foreshores of Southport.A ferry terminal is planned for...
but the increasing popularity of the motor car forced the closure of the line in 1964, which was subsequently resumed for development. The new Gold Coast railway line was constructed further inland in the mid-1990s and runs roughly parallel to the Pacific Motorway alignment, terminating at Varsity Lakes railway station. QR
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
Citytrain
CityTrain
Citytrain is the brand name of urban, suburban and inter-urban electric passenger railway services in South East Queensland, Australia. Its network, centering in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, is approximately in route length...
services connect the Gold Coast with Brisbane, running express between Beenleigh and South Bank
South Bank railway station, Brisbane
South Bank railway station is a railway station in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia. It is part of the Queensland Rail City network, located in Zone 1 of the TransLink integrated public transport system....
stations, with most services continuing onto Brisbane Airport
Brisbane Airport
Brisbane Airport is the sole passenger airport serving Brisbane and the third busiest in Australia, after Melbourne and Sydney Airports. Brisbane Airport has won many awards. Located in the suburb with the same name, the airport serves the city of Brisbane and the surrounding metropolitan area...
. Track duplications are currently underway, and future extensions of the line to Tallebudgera, Elanora and Coolangatta are also planned for completion by 2016.
Ferry
In 2008 the Gold Coast City Council called for expressions of interest for a public ferryFerry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service. The 2008 ferry service was to operate initially between Point
Paradise Point, Queensland
Paradise Point is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Paradise Point had a population of 19,139.The suburb lies on the Broadwater and has direct access to the Coomera River, and therefore the suburb is well serviced by boats ramps and marinas. Paradise Point is...
, Labrador
Labrador, Queensland
Labrador is a small suburb located on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Labrador had a population of 15,391.The suburb overlooks the Gold Coast Broadwater to the east and Southport on the southern border....
, Spit, Southport
Southport, Queensland
-Sport:The Southport Sharks Australian rules football club has a presence in the area, including a club and function centre.-Transport:The Broadwaterway is a foreshoreway that encourages pedestrians and cyclists to travel along the Broadwater foreshores of Southport.A ferry terminal is planned for...
, Surfers Paradise West
Surfers Paradise, Queensland
Surfers Paradise is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Surfers Paradise had a population of 18,501....
and Surfers Paradise Central. It was expected that the ferry service will be operated with solar power
Solar power
Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
ed catamaran
Catamaran
A catamaran is a type of multihulled boat or ship consisting of two hulls, or vakas, joined by some structure, the most basic being a frame, formed of akas...
s and be operating by June 2008. A smaller ferry service is also a possibility to connect Surfers Paradise South to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre located on the Gold Coast Highway in Broadbeach, Gold Coast was opened on 29 June 2004 at a cost of $167 million and is linked by a covered walkway to Conrad Jupiters...
, Conrad Jupiters
Conrad Jupiters
Jupiters Hotel and Casino was Queensland's first casino and hotel complex, which is located in the suburb of Broadbeach on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. The casino is situated next to the Nerang River and is operated by Echo Entertainment Group...
and Pacific Fair. Unlike Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
's popular CityCat ferry services, Gold Coast Ferries will not be part of TransLink (South East Queensland)
TransLink (South East Queensland)
The TransLink Transit Authority is the authority introduced by the Queensland Government in June 2003 as a section of Queensland Transport to coordinate and integrate rail, bus and ferry services. TransLink works with Airtrain, Brisbane Transport, Brisbane Ferries, QR Citytrain and 17 other...
. This means that fares will be in addition to Surfside Buslines journeys and probably also much more expensive for travelling the same distance. The project has since been put on hold.
In September 2011 Gold Coast City Council again called for expressions of interest for a public ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
service. The 2011 ferry service is to include
- a cross broadwaterGold Coast BroadwaterThe Gold Coast Broadwater, also known as Southport Broadwater and Gold Coast Harbour, is a large shallow estuary of water reaching from the locality of Southport to the southern section of the World Heritage Listed Moreton Bay along the eastern coast of Australia...
ferry service from SouthportSouthport, Queensland-Sport:The Southport Sharks Australian rules football club has a presence in the area, including a club and function centre.-Transport:The Broadwaterway is a foreshoreway that encourages pedestrians and cyclists to travel along the Broadwater foreshores of Southport.A ferry terminal is planned for...
to the Spit and - a cross riverNerang RiverThe Nerang River is a river that begins in the McPherson Range in the Gold Coast hinterland and runs through Gold Coast City in South East Queensland, Australia...
service from Surfers CentralSurfers Paradise, QueenslandSurfers Paradise is a suburb on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Surfers Paradise had a population of 18,501....
to The Arts Centre Gold Coast at Evandale.
Ferry trips will cost $2 for either a one way trip or a return same day trip. Unlike Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
's popular CityCats, Translink
TransLink (South East Queensland)
The TransLink Transit Authority is the authority introduced by the Queensland Government in June 2003 as a section of Queensland Transport to coordinate and integrate rail, bus and ferry services. TransLink works with Airtrain, Brisbane Transport, Brisbane Ferries, QR Citytrain and 17 other...
has not yet agreed to recognise Gold Coast Ferries as a public transport service and so the fares for the ferry will not be included on South East Queensland
South East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
's go cards. The ferrys will operate until 11pm on a high frequency timetable. The new ferry services are expected to commence on 12 December 2011 and operate for a 12 month trial period.
Rapid Transit System
The Gold Coast Rapid Transit System is a rapid transport system for the Gold CoastGold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
currently under construction. The Gold Coast is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia with travel demands exceeding population growth. In order to tackle congestion effectively, there is a need to squeeze much more capacity from existing corridors. The system is expected to encourage visitors
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and residents to use public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
to reduce major traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
and pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
problems. Stage 1, which is currently under construction, will run from Griffith University
Griffith University
Griffith University is a public, coeducational, research university located in the southeastern region of the Australian state of Queensland. The university has five satellite campuses located in the Gold Coast, Logan City and in the Brisbane suburbs of Mount Gravatt, Nathan and South Bank. Current...
to Broadbeach
Broadbeach, Queensland
Broadbeach is a suburb on the Gold Coast, in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 Census, Broadbeach had a population of 3,791.Development in the area today mostly incorporates low rise structures, consisting of single bedroom houses and apartment blocks...
.
Monorail
There are two monorailMonorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
systems on the Gold Coast one at Sea World
Sea World
Sea World is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and theme park located on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It includes rides, animal exhibits and other attractions, and promotes conservation through education and through the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. The...
and the other at Broadbeach.
At Sea World
Sea World
Sea World is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and theme park located on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. It includes rides, animal exhibits and other attractions, and promotes conservation through education and through the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured or orphaned wildlife. The...
a 2 kilometres (6,561.7 ft) monorail
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
circuit, known as the Sea World Monorail System
Sea World Monorail System
The Sea World Monorail System is a monorail circuit around the Sea World theme park on the Gold Coast, Australia.-History:The Sea World Monorail System opened on 15 August 1986 as Australia's first monorail system...
, facilitates transport within Sea World and links it to the Sea World Resort & Water Park. Opening in 1986, it was the first monorail in Australia and is a Von Roll MkII Installation. It gained an additional monorail set after the Expo '88
Expo '88
World Expo 88, also known as Expo '88, was a World's Fair held in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia, during a six-month period between Saturday, 30 April 1988 and Sunday, 30 October 1988...
monorail was dismantled.
At Broadbeach a 1.3 kilometres (4,265.1 ft) route operates between Oasis Shopping Centre
Oasis Shopping Centre
The Oasis Shopping Centre is located on the Broadbeach Mall in Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Queensland.The Oasis Monorail connects the beach, shopping, Sofitel Gold Coast resort and Conrad Jupiters Casino. It has two stations on level 2 of The Oasis and a station at Conrad Jupiters Casino...
and Jupiter Casino on a Von Roll Type III System with three stations. There are plans for this to be extended to service the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre and Pacific Fair.
External links
- TransLink - Public transport - bus train ferry
- Gold Coast City Council Transport Page
- http://www.connectingseq.qld.gov.auGovernment of QueenslandGovernment of QueenslandThe Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...
's transport vision for South East QueenslandSouth East QueenslandSouth East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
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