Gold Coast, city in south-eastern Queensland, Australia, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Gold Coast, named after its long, golden beaches, is one of Australia's largest and fastest-growing cities. It is the second largest urban area in Queensland after Brisbane, the capital. Gold Coast developed from the merging of a number of coastal towns and is now the country's most commercialized resort. It stretches for more than 50 km (30 mi) from Southport, the oldest town, in the north to Tweeds Head in the south, just across the border in the state of New South Wales. Tourism is the chief economic activity, and over 2 million visitors arrive every year to swim, surf, and fish. There are many hotels, restaurants, and nightclubs. Theme parks such as Sea World in Southport are popular for viewing sharks and dolphins; other theme parks include Dreamworld and Movie World. Surfer's Paradise, the most popular of the beaches, has a large casino and an international car-racing circuit.
Gold Coast began its rapid development in the 1950s, to accommodate the growing tourist industry. Many people have also migrated to the area from other parts of Australia—between 1970 and 1990 the population of Gold Coast nearly tripled—and the rapid development of the area has made beach erosion a major problem. Population 391,200 (1999 estimate).
