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Why study on the Gold Coast?

Australia’s Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is Australia’s sixth largest city and is located in the southern corridor of Queensland.

It stretches from the New South Wales-Queensland border, north to Beenleigh and South Stradbroke Island.

Located an hour’s drive from Brisbane, the Gold Coast features 70 kilometres of magnificent beaches, stunning scenery and a booming tourist industry.

Major centres of business are Southport, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads, Coolangatta-Tweed Heads and Nerang.

The Southport School is located opposite Southport Centro Park shopping centre, on the banks of the Nerang River, close to shops, medical facilities, sporting facilities and banks.

Climate

The region enjoys a subtropical climate and an average of 300 days of sunshine a year.

Summer: December - February

February 20-28C

(68-82F)

Autumn: March - May

May 15-25C

(59-77F)

Winter: June - August

August 11-21C

(52-70F)

Spring: September - November

November 15-25C

(59-77F)

Gold Coast Universities

There are four universities located on the Gold Coast, all within close proximity to the TSS campus at Southport.  These include Bond University (Robina), Griffith University (Southport), Central University of Queensland (Southport) and Southern Cross University (Tweed).   Furthermore, the Gold Coast Institute of TAFE has four campuses throughout the Gold Coast (Ashmore, Southport, Coolangatta and Ridgeway).

TSS has an association with Bond and Griffith University and many of our graduates are accepted into tertiary courses at one of these universities. Please refer to the 2006 Year 12 Destination and Results for more details.

Accommodation

When visiting the Gold Coast, there are various types of accommodation to choose from within close proximity to the TSS campus.  Catering for all different budgets these include apartments, hotels, motels, holiday resorts, holiday rentals, backpackers, bed and breakfast, caravan parks and camping facilities.

Living Costs

As the Gold Coast is Australia’s sixth largest city, studying, accommodation and general living costs are generally at a much lower cost then the largest Australian cities, making the Gold Coast one of the most affordable places to live in Australia.

Transport

Airline Services:

Queensland’s major international airport is located in Brisbane, which is only an hour’s drive north of the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast Airport is located at the southern end of the coast and is only 5 minutes from Coolangatta. Direct flight routes operate daily throughout Australia. Flights also operate to four major cities in New Zealand. There is also a direct flight route from the Gold Coast to Kuala Lumpur, with connecting services to other destinations in Asia (China, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia).

Train Services:

The Citytrain operates directly from the Brisbane international and domestic terminals to the Gold Coast daily.  The journey approximately takes 1 hour and 45 minutes.   There are bus connections from the Robina and Nerang stations to Surfers Paradise, Sea World and Coolangatta.  For further information, please call Surfside (tel +61 7 5571 6555) or visit (www.surfside.com.au).

Coach & Bus Services:

Coachtrans bus service also operates between Brisbane and the Gold Coast on a regular daily basis.  For further information please call +61 1300 664 700.
Surfside is the local bus network which services the Gold Coast, from Dreamworld, Coomera to the NSW boarder.  The service operates 24 hours a day and generally at five minute internals in peak periods each day.   For further information, please call Surfside (tel +61 7 5571 6555) or visit (www.surfside.com.au).
The Surfers Paradise Transit Centre is located only 10 minutes from the TSS campus and buses operate from the centre to long distance destinations through NSW and Qld.

Medical Facilities

The Gold Coast has high medical standards.  Major public hospitals include the Gold Coast Hospital at Southport and the Tweed Heads Hospital.  Private hospitals and 24-hour clinics are available.

The Southport School has an onsite Health Care facility, with a registered Nursing Sister on site twenty four hours a day.  In addition to this, a Medical Practitioner visits each school day and remains on call for after hours emergencies.

Beaches and Water Safety

The Gold Coast is famous for its pristine beaches. The Gold Coast City Council lifeguards patrol some 20 beaches for 12 months of the year and about 40 beaches during school holiday periods. It is important to swim only between the red and yellow flags of patrolled beaches.

Gold Coast Hinterland

The Gold Coast Hinterland is an area of lush rainforests, mountain peaks and rural villages. The Southport School is located within a 40-minute drive of the hinterland. Comfortable walking shoes, a jacket and water are essential for hiking in the area’s National Parks and nature reserves.

Theme Parks and Family Attractions

As Australia’s premier tourist destination, the Gold Coast is home to a large number of theme parks, family attractions and wildlife sanctuaries. The Southport School visits some of the leading theme parks as part of organised excursions.

Shopping

In general, major shopping centres are open Monday to Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 5.30pm, Thursday 9am to 9pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10.30am to 4pm. Some retailers are open for longer hours. Major credit cards are accepted in most stores.

Disabled Access

Many public areas, shopping centres and attractions have facilities suitable for people with disabilities.

 

Page last modified 06-Dec-2007