The City of Gold Coast is a local government area (LGA) in the Australian state of Queensland, that is divided into 81 suburbs and localities. According to a 2024 estimate by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the City of Gold Coast had a population of 681,389 people. It is the second-largest LGA in Australia by population, behind the City of Brisbane. The ABS-defined Gold Coast–Tweed Heads significant urban area (SUA) had a population of 750,997 people, and is the sixth-largest SUA in Australia. It is also the largest SUA in the country that is not a state or territory capital. The Gold Coast has a diverse economy, with construction being its largest industry by output, generating $19 billion for the local economy in 2024. In the same year, the city’s gross regional product was estimated at $49.46 billion, accounting for 9.5% of Queensland’s total economy.
The LGA was established in 1948 as the Town of South Coast, following the amalgamation of several local government areas: the Town of Southport, the Town of Coolangatta, and part of the Shire of Nerang. Immediately to the north, the remainder of the Shire of Nerang, along with the Shires of Coomera and Beenleigh and parts of the Shires of Tingalpa and Waterford, were combined to form the Shire of Albert. The LGA was renamed the Town of Gold Coast in 1958, and the following year, it became known as City of Gold Coast. Following a recommendation by the Electoral and Administrative Review Commission, the Shire of Albert was absorbed into the City of Gold Coast in 1995, partially to resolve water supply rights disputes between the two councils. In 2008, a section centered on the suburb of Beenleigh was transferred to Logan City to unify the area north of the Albert River.
The area is gazetted into 52 suburbs (urban areas) and 29 localities (rural areas); they stretch from the Queensland state border to the south to the Albert River to the north, and from the Coral Sea to the east to the Gold Coast hinterland and Scenic Rim to the west. The largest division is the Southern Moreton Bay Islands locality (83.9 km2); it is also the only unpopulated division. The smallest division is the suburb of Broadbeach (1.4 km2) and the largest division by population is Southport (36,786 people).
Suburbs and localities
+ List of suburbs and localities in the City of Gold CoastNameTypePostcodeCensus populationArea Area data obtained with QGIS20162021Changekm2sq miAdvancetown Locality 4211 align=right Alberton Locality 4207 align=right ArundelSuburb 4214 align=right AshmoreSuburb 4214 align=right Austinville Locality 4213 align=right BenowaSuburb 4217 align=right Biggera WatersSuburb 4216 align=right BilingaSuburb 4225 align=right Bonogin Locality 4213 align=right BroadbeachSuburb 4218 align=right Broadbeach WatersSuburb 4218 align=right BundallSuburb 4217 align=right Burleigh HeadsSuburb 4220 align=right Burleigh WatersSuburb 4220 align=right CarraraSuburb 4211 align=right Cedar CreekLocality 4207 align=right Clagiraba Locality 4211 align=right Clear Island WatersSuburb 4226 align=right CoolangattaSuburb 4225 align=right CoombabahSuburb 4216 align=right CoomeraSuburb 4209 align=right CurrumbinSuburb 4223 align=right Currumbin Valley Locality 4223 align=right Currumbin WatersSuburb 4223 align=right ElanoraSuburb 4221 align=right Gaven Locality 4211 align=right Gilberton Locality 4208 align=right Gilston Locality 4211 align=right Guanaba Locality 4210 align=right HelensvaleSuburb 4212 align=right Highland ParkSuburb 4211 align=right HollywellSuburb 4216 align=right Hope IslandSuburb 4212 align=right Jacobs WellSuburb 4208 align=right Kingsholme Locality 4208 align=right LabradorSuburb 4215 align=right Lower Beechmont Locality 4211 align=right Luscombe Locality 4207 align=right Main BeachSuburb 4217 align=right Maudsland Locality 4210 align=right Mermaid BeachSuburb 4218 align=right Mermaid WatersSuburb 4218 align=right MerrimacSuburb 4226 align=right MiamiSuburb 4220 align=right MolendinarSuburb 4214 align=right Mount Nathan Locality 4211 align=right MudgeerabaSuburb 4213 align=right Natural Bridge Locality 4211 align=right NerangSuburb 4211 align=right NeranwoodSuburb 4213 align=right Norwell Locality 4208 align=right Numinbah Valley Locality 4211 align=right OrmeauSuburb 4208 align=right Ormeau Hills Locality 4208 align=right OxenfordSuburb 4210 align=right Pacific PinesSuburb 4211 align=right Palm BeachSuburb 4221 align=right Paradise PointSuburb 4216 align=right ParkwoodSuburb 4214 align=right PimpamaSuburb 4209 align=right Reedy CreekSuburb 4227 align=right RobinaSuburb 4226 align=right Runaway BaySuburb 4216 align=right South Stradbroke Locality 4216 align=right Southern Moreton Bay Islands Locality 0 0 align=right SouthportSuburb 4215 align=right Springbrook Locality 4213 align=right Stapylton Locality 4207 align=right Steiglitz Locality 4207 align=right Surfers ParadiseSuburb 4217 align=right TallaiSuburb 4213 align=right TallebudgeraSuburb 4228 align=right Tallebudgera Valley Locality 4228 align=right TugunSuburb 4224 align=right Upper CoomeraSuburb 4209 align=right Varsity LakesSuburb 4227 align=right Willow Vale Locality 4209 align=right Wongawallan Locality 4210 align=right Woongoolba Locality 4207 align=right WorongarySuburb 4213 align=right YatalaSuburb 4207 align=right
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