Surfers Paradise 
ACTIVATE city rivalry. While Australia as a whole rocks there’s just some places that are the best at this time of year — and the Gold Coast takes the cake. Here’s 10 reasons we all love living on the Gold Coast right now.
Lexie Cartwright, Gold Coast Bulletin
SUNRISES AND SUNSETS
The sky is pink at dusk and golden in the mornings.
You see brighter skies with more colours as the winter season sets because the air along the path of the ray of sunlight is drier and cleaner.
Yes, while we know this is also the case in other states in Australia, the temperature in the air on the Gold Coast is warm enough to actually emerge from your toasty homes to enjoy the scarlet skies.
It also bumps up the Insta-likes. Winning.
Gold Coast Sunrises & Sunsets
SPORT TEAMS
“Yeah mate did you get a load of the Bombers on the weekend? Tell ya what oil’ Johnny Worsfold’s got some cleanin’ up ta do.”
While the Gold Coast Suns and Gold Coast Titans have had a streak of disappointing losses you can easily sit at a surf club on a Friday night and not have to deal with tragics yappering on about sports — unlike the AFL mad towns of Melbourne and Adelaide.
And if you ARE a mad fan of our GC footy clubs – free transport to the games most weekends and cheap tickets. Go crazy.
Incredible vision as whale comes up under boat
WHALES
Reckon a worker in their Sydney CBD office looks out the window and sees Migaloo?
The white whale and his normal humpback whale friends are practically residents here on the GC.
As migration season washes in, locals on the Goldy are pretty much on a first-name basis with the majestic creatures. Flipper even came over for dinner last night.
Whale watching on the Gold Coast
TOURISTS ARE GONE
We love you guys but sometimes it’s good to be surrounded by resident Coasters again.
This means there’s no lines at the theme parks, you can grab your takeaway coffee from Paradox in two minutes and your favourite table at Brooklyn Depot is always available.
PACIFIC FAIR
It was about the only thing the Gold Coast didn’t have, well now everyone can choke on their Louis Vuitton they bought in Chadstone Melbourne.
Pacific Fair in Broadbeach has cut the ribbon on a $670 million dollar redevelopment which hosts luxury brands like Tiffany & Co., Chanel, Gucci, Christian Louboutin, Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Hermes.
We also have an epic outdoor area with swingy chairs, rainbow illuminated fountains and a world-class multi-level David Jones to shop til we drop in.
The changing face of Pacific Fair
THE BEACHES
The water temperatures dropping a wee bit but it’s still enjoyable to swim in the surf on the Gold Coast at this time of year.
And winter in our city is renowned for bringing perfect, crystal clear rolling waves, no winds and the beaches aren’t packed to the rafters.
Keep swimming, just keep swimming.
TIGERS AT DREAMWORLD
What a fitting way to spend the beginning of the chilly season than with snow-white tiger cubs.
Kiko and Kali are Dreamworld’s newest animal attraction and with their icy blue eyes and cool fur coat it’ll be an encounter you can’t get anywhere else than right here on the GC.
WARDROBE
Forget wasting money on winter woollies, just reuse and recycle your summer threads.
With the climate still averaging a decent 25C and the sun not hiding behind clouds, locals are still comfortable enough getting around in thongs, singlets and shorts.
We would say ‘straya’ but no-one in Adelaide or Melbourne can relate.
COMMONWEALTH GAMES
As the host city of the 2018 Commonwealth Games there’s a big buzz across the region.
Borobi the koala flags are flapping throughout Surfers Paradise with multi-million dollar construction works well under way.
A number of sports centres are getting a revamp and high-profile talent will soon start piling in as the two year countdown clocks rapidly.
BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES
Head down to The Spit to see where Johnny Depp dropped anchor as Jack Sparrow in Pirates, or sail over to Stradbroke Island where Blake Lively’s footprints are still fresh on the sand.
Hugh Jackman has left the seat warm at Paddock Bakery while Orlando Bloom continues to eat the breakfast salad recipe Elk served up last year.
Suddenly there’s a lot of star sightseeing to do on the Gold Coast and if you’re around now you might even spot Harry Potter flying his broomstick in the hinterland during the filming of Jungle.
