City of Gold Coast explained

Type:lga
City of Gold Coast
State:qld
Local Map:yes
Zoom:8
Pop:606774
Pop Year:2018
Pop Footnotes:[1]
Poprank:2nd
Area:1334
Mayor:Tom Tate
Seat:Surfers Paradise
Region:South East Queensland
Stategov:Bonney, Broadwater, Burleigh, Coomera, Currumbin, Gaven, Mermaid Beach, Mudgeeraba, Southport, Surfers Paradise, Theodore
Fedgov:Fadden, Forde, McPherson, Moncrieff, Wright
Logo Upright:1.2
Url:http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au
Near-N:Redland
Near-Ne:Redland
Near-E:Coral Sea (Pacific Ocean)
Near-Se:Coral Sea (Pacific Ocean)
Near-S:Tweed (NSW)
Near-Sw:Tweed (NSW)
Near-W:Scenic Rim
Near-Nw:Logan
Est:1948

The City of Gold Coast is the local government area spanning the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia and surrounding areas. With a population of 606,774,[1] it is the second most populous local government area in the State of Queensland (City of Brisbane being the largest).[1] Its council maintains a staff of over 2,500. It was established in 1948, but has existed in its present form since 2008. It is on the border with New South Wales with the Tweed Shire to the south in New South Wales.

History

Early history

By the late 1870s, the Government of Queensland had become preoccupied with the idea of getting local residents to pay through rates for local services, which had become a massive cost to the colony and were undermaintained in many areas. The McIlwraith government initiated the Divisional Boards Act 1879 which created a system of elected divisional boards covering most of Queensland. It was assented by the Governor on 2 October 1879, and on 11 November 1879, the Governor gazetted a list of 74 divisions which would come into existence. Four of these — Nerang, Coomera, Beenleigh and Waterford — were in the Gold Coast region. Southport was developed as both an administrative centre as well as a holiday destination with hotels and guesthouses to cater for visitors. Town dwellers had different needs to the rural landholders so Southport ratepayers lobbied the colonial government to create a separate Divisional Board so that rates monies raised by Southport landholders could be spent on town improvements. This resulted in the establishment of the Southport Division on 14 July 1883 by an amalgamation of part of Nerang Division and part of Coomera Division.On 31 March 1903, following the enactment of the Local Authorities Act 1902, the divisions became shires. On 12 June 1914, the Town of Coolangatta was created from part of the Shire of Nerang, and on 12 April 1918, Southport became a town.[2]

Development and growth

On 9 December 1948, as part of a major reorganisation of local government in South East Queensland, an Order in Council created the Town of South Coast by amalgamating Town of Southport, Town of Coolangatta and coastal sections (around Burleigh Heads) of the Shire of Nerang, creating a narrow coastal strip. The same Order abolished all of the earlier Shires and amalgamated most of their area into the new Shire of Albert, with the rest becoming part of the Shire of Beaudesert. The Order came into effect on 10 June 1949, when the first elections were held for the new councils.

On 23 October 1958, the Town of the South Coast adopted the name of Town of Gold Coast, and on 16 May 1959, the Town was proclaimed as the City of Gold Coast by the Governor of Queensland, having met the requirements for city status. Most of what is now regarded as the Gold Coast urban area was at that time located within the Shire of Albert, which had its administrative offices in Nerang-Southport Road, Nerang.

A regional authority

On 19 March 1992, the Electoral and Administrative Review Commission, created two years earlier, produced its report External Boundaries of Local Authorities, and recommended a number of changes to local government boundaries and the amalgamation of some local governments.[3] Although their recommendations only included boundary adjustments between the Gold Coast City and Albert Shire, the outcome following much public debate was a decision by the Queensland Government to absorb Albert Shire into Gold Coast City. The Local Government (Albert, Beaudesert and Gold Coast) Regulation 1994 was gazetted on 16 December 1994, resulting in the amalgamation of the Shire of Albert into Gold Coast City at the 1995 local government elections.

In 2007, as part of a report recommending massive amalgamation of local government in Queensland, the Local Government Reform Commission recommended that the Beenleigh-Eagleby region on the Gold Coast's northern border be transferred to Logan City, on the basis that a common community of interest existed and that planning of the South East Queensland urban footprint would be made more efficient by the change. The area to be excised was estimated by the Commission to have an area of 491NaN1 and a population of 40,148. The change took effect at the local government elections on 15 March 2008.

Heritage listings

The Gold Coast has many heritage-listed sites, including those at:

Suburbs and localities

See main article: List of Gold Coast suburbs.

Council

Gold Coast City Council
Leader1 Type:Mayor
Leader1:Tom Tate
Party1:Independent LNP
Leader2 Type:Deputy Mayor
Leader2:Donna Gates
Party2:Independent
Structure1:GCCC2024.png
Structure1 Res:200px
Seats:15 elected representatives, including a mayor and 14 councillors
Political Groups1:
    Last Election1:16 March 2024

    Gold Coast City Council is divided into 14 wards (known as divisions), each electing one councillor at elections held every four years. The present mayor is Tom Tate who was first elected on 28 April 2012 and re-elected in 2016, 2020 and 2024.[4] [5] [6]

    Current composition

    The current council, elected in 2024, is:

    WardCouncillorParty
    Mayor Tom TateIndependent LNP
    Division 1 Mark HammelIndependent
    Division 2 Naomi FowlerIndependent LNP
    Division 3 Donna GatesIndependent
    Division 4 Shelley CurtisIndependent LNP
    Division 5 Peter YoungIndependent
    Division 6 Brooke PattersonIndependent LNP
    Division 7 Joe WilkinsonIndependent LNP
    Division 8 Bob La CastraIndependent LNP
    Division 9 Glenn TozerIndependent
    Division 10 Darren TaylorIndependent LNP
    Division 11 Dan DoranIndependent LNP
    Division 12 Nick MarshallIndependent
    Division 13 Josh MartinIndependent
    Division 14 Gail O’NeillIndependent

    Past councillors

    2016−present

    YearDiv 1Div 2Div 3Div 4Div 5Div 6Div 7Div 8Div 9Div 10Div 11Div 12Div 13Div 14
    CouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillorCouncillor
    2016 Donna Gates (Ind.) William Owen Jones (Ind. LNP) Cameron Caldwell (Ind. LNP) Kristyn Boulton (Ind.) Peter Young (Ind.) Dawn Crichlow (Ind.) Gary Baildon (Ind.) Bob La Castra (Ind. LNP) Glenn Tozer (Ind. LNP/Ind.) Paul Taylor (Ind. LNP) Hermann Vorster (Ind. LNP) Pauline Young (Ind.) Daphne McDonald (Ind.) Gail O'Neill (Ind.)
    2020 Mark Hammel (Ind.) Donna Gates (Ind.) Cameron Caldwell (Ind. LNP) Brooke Patterson (Ind. LNP) Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden (Ind. LNP) Darren Taylor (Ind. LNP)
    2020 
    2024 Naomi Fowler (Ind. LNP) Shelley Curtis (Ind. LNP) Joe Wilkinson (Ind. LNP) Dan Doran (Ind. LNP) Nick Marshall (Ind.) Josh Martin (Ind.)

    Election results

    2020

    Population

    Populations are provided below for the Gold Coast (Southport/Coolangatta, South Coast, Gold Coast) and Albert entities. As Albert included the entire Logan City area prior to 1978, figures are only provided from the 1976 census.

    YearPopulation
    (Gold Coast)
    Annual
    growth (%)
    Population
    (Albert)
    Annual
    growth (%)
    1933 6,046 N/A
    1947 13,888 6.12
    1954 19,807 5.20
    1961 33,716 7.90
    1966 49,481 7.97 6,437 N/A
    1971 66,697 6.15 10,165 9.57
    1976 87,510 5.58 24,268 19.01
    1981 117,824 6.13 54,870 17.72
    1986 130,304 2.03 92,766 11.07
    1991 157,857 3.91 143,697 9.15
    YearPopulationAnnual
    growth (%)
    1991 301,554 6.21
    1996 375,175 4.47
    2001 441,736 3.32
    2006 507,876 2.83
    2011 494,501 Beenleigh left in deamalgamation
    2016 551,721 2.49

    Demographics

    Selected historical census data for City of Gold Coast local government area
    Census year 2001200620112016
    Population
    LGA rank in terms of size within Queensland 2  2  2
    % of Queensland population 11.9%  12.1%  11.41%  11.82%
    % of Australian population 2.27%  2.38%  2.3%  2.38%
    Dwelling structure
    Dwelling type 58.5%  58.9%  60.4%  58.3%
    Semi-detached, terrace or townhouse16.0%  16.6%  18.8%  20.6%
    Flat or apartment22.1%  22.6%  19.6%  19.9%

    Libraries

    The first municipal library on the Gold Coast opened in the Southport Town Hall on 30 April 1958. Prior to this, a series of School of arts and private circulating libraries had supported the communities' and visitors' recreational and educational reading needs.[7]

    The City of Gold Coast has 12 libraries at Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads, Burleigh Waters, Coolangatta, Elanora, Helensvale, Mermaid Waters, Nerang, Palm Beach, Robina, Runaway Bay, Southport and Upper Coomera. There is a special needs library within Nerang Library[8] and a Local Studies Library (on the first floor of Southport Library).[9] The council also operate a mobile library service.[10]

    In 2018, the mobile library provides a fortnight service to Alberton, Ashmore, Benowa, Bonogin, Cedar Creek, Coomera, Currumbin Valley, Gilston, Jacobs Well, Mudgeeraba, Ormeau (4 visits), Paradise Point, Pimpama (3 visits), Tugun, Steiglitz, Tallebudgera Valley, and Woongoolba.[11] The Gold Coast City Library is a member of the Queensland Public Libraries Association.[12]

    Key projects

    Notable personnel

    Notable people who work for or who have worked for the City of Gold Coast include:

    International relations

    The City of Gold Coast has relationships with the following cities:[17]

    Sister City Agreements

    Other Partnerships

    See also

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: 3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017–18: Population Estimates by Local Government Area (ASGS 2018), 2017 to 2018. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. 25 October 2019. 27 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190327110730/http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/3218.02017-18. live. Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018.
    2. News: SOUTHPORT A TOWN.. 13 April 1918. Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld. : 1912 – 1936). 17 January 2020. 7. 22 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201222065528/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/178835885. live.
    3. Web site: External Boundaries of Local Authorities. Electoral and Administrative Review Commission. 3 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140220180341/http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/committees/PCEAR/1990/earc/pcear-report13.pdf. 20 February 2014. live.
    4. Web site: 2020 Gold Coast City Council - Mayoral Election. July 2019 . 28 July 2021. 28 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210728080929/https://prodresults.elections.qld.gov.au/lga2020/029/mayor. live.
    5. Web site: 2012 Gold Coast City – Mayoral Election – Election Summary. results.ecq.qld.gov.au. 4 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20180401004226/http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2012/GoldCoastCityCouncil/results/mayoral/summary.html. 1 April 2018. live.
    6. Web site: 2016 Gold Coast City Council – Mayoral Election – Election Summary. results.ecq.qld.gov.au. 4 December 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20180321164046/http://results.ecq.qld.gov.au/elections/local/LG2016/GoldCoastCityCouncil/results/Mayoral/summary.html. 21 March 2018. live.
    7. Web site: Public Libraries on the Gold Coast . Gold Coast Stories . 28 May 2018 . 31 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190308095718/http://www.goldcoaststories.com.au/libraries-on-the-gold-coast/ . 8 March 2019 . live .
    8. Web site: Libraries. Special Needs Library. City of Gold Coast. 22 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170323054133/http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/library/special-needs-library-10117.html. 23 March 2017. live.
    9. Web site: Libraries. Local Studies Library. City of Gold Coast. 22 March 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170421174651/http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/library/local-studies-library-10111.html. 21 April 2017.
    10. Web site: Libraries . City of Gold Coast . 22 March 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170326031854/http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/library/locations-opening-hours.html . 26 March 2017 .
    11. Web site: Mobile Library 2018 timetable. Gold Coast City Council. https://web.archive.org/web/20180130062320/http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/library/documents/Mobile-library-timetable-2018.pdf. 30 January 2018. dead. 30 January 2018.
    12. http://www.qpla.asn.au/membership Queensland Public Libraries Association: Membership
    13. Web site: 2021-05-28 . The evolution of the Gold Coast's bold new Home Of The Arts cultural precinct . 2022-08-07 . NewsLeads . en . 15 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220315055028/https://newsleads.com.au/arts-culture/2021/05/28/the-evolution-of-the-gold-coasts-bold-new-home-of-the-arts-cultural-precinct/ . live .
    14. Web site: Australia Day 2013 Honours List. 25 January 2013. The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180614095103/https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-day-2013-honours-list-20130125-2dcrg.html. 14 June 2018. live.
    15. Web site: Filipino awarded with Australian public service medal. The Philippine Star. 9 April 2018. 22 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201222065438/https://www.philstar.com/nation/2013/02/05/905183/filipino-awarded-australian-public-service-medal. live.
    16. Web site: 2013. Australia Day 2013 Honour List, p.396. Governor-General of Australia website. 18 August 2020. 12 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200312192307/http://old.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2013/Media%20Notes%20-%20PSM%20(final).pdf. live.
    17. Web site: Sister cities and international partnerships . dead . City of Gold Coast . https://web.archive.org/web/20150213031956/http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/business/sister-cities-international-partnerships-15053.html . 13 February 2015 .
    18. Web site: Alliance Cities City of Tainan, Taiwan . www.tainan.gov.tw. 9 May 2011 .
    19. Web site: International Sister Cities City of Taipei, Taiwan . www.tcc.gov.
    20. Web site: Sister Cities City of Fort Lauderdale, FL . 2023-01-27 . www.fortlauderdale.gov . en.
    21. Web site: Les villes jumelles . 2023-01-27 . Ville de Nouméa . fr.
    22. Web site: ערים תאומות . netanya.muni.il . Netanya . he . 2020-02-24 . December 17, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191217204401/https://www.netanya.muni.il/?CategoryID=2103 . live.