Timeline of Gold Coast, Queensland explained

The following is a timeline of history of the city of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

19th Century

• Pre 1846
  • Yugambeh people inhabit the region now known as the Gold Coast.
• 1846
  • The schooner Coolangatta is wrecked on the coast close to the later town.
• 1865
  • The township of Nerang was surveyed by Martin Lavelle in June.
• 1874
  • The town of Southport is founded.
• 1875
  • Johan Meyer buys land near Nerang River and begins developing sugar and transportation.
• 1883
  • The town of Coolangatta is founded.
• 1889
  • The South Coast railway reaches Southport.
• 1892
  • Catholic parish of Southport established.^[1]

20th Century

• 1901
  • The Southport School established.
• 1902
  • Pacific Cable Station opened, connecting Australia to North America by telegraph.
• 1912
  • St Hilda's School established.
• 1914
  • Yatala Pie Shop opens.
• 1919
  • The 1918 flu pandemic closes the QLD-NSW border.
• 1922
  • Southport War Memorial built.
• 1925
  • Opening of the Jubilee Bridge, connecting Elston to Southport.
  • Jim Cavill opens Surfers Paradise Hotel.
• 1928
  • Jazzland Dance Hall opened at Coolangatta.
• 1933
  • The town of Elston is officially renamed Surfers Paradise.
• 1934
  • Broadbeach is surveyed.
• 1938
  • Hotel Cecil in Art Deco style opened at Southport.
• 1939
  • First passenger flights from Coolangatta Airport (later Gold Coast Airport).
• 1947
  • Currumbin Bird Sanctuary (later Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary) opens.
• 1949
  • Town of South Coast created through the amalgamation of Coolangatta and Southport.
  • 10 March: 1949 Queensland Airlines Lockheed Lodestar crash in Bilinga.
• 1954
  • An unnamed cyclone hits, leading to at least 26 deaths and extensive flooding.^[2]
• 1958
  • Town of South Coast renamed to Town of Gold Coast.
• 1959
  • Town of Gold Coast renamed City of Gold Coast.
  • Isle of Capri canal development under way.
• 1960
  • Gold Coast Hospital opened.
  • Kinkabool (building) constructed in Surfers Paradise.
• 1962
  • Lido Arcade in Surfers Paradise opens.
  • Magic Mountain, Nobby Beach opens.
• 1963
  • Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper in publication.^[3]
• 1964
  • Southport-Brisbane South Coast railway line closes.
• 1965
  • Entrepreneur Bernie Elsey organises Surfers Paradise Meter Maids to save motorists from parking fines.
• 1966
  • The Sands (building) and Paradise Towers constructed in Surfers Paradise.
  • Gold Coast Bridge rebuilt.
• 1967
  • Garfield Towers built in Surfers Paradise.
  • Bruce Small elected mayor.
• 1971
  • Sea World park opens in Southport.
  • Point Danger Light built.
  • Population: 75,862.
• 1973
  • Robert Neumann elected mayor.
  • Billabong surfwear founded.
• 1974
  • Currumbin Estuary Bridge opens.
  • Surfers Paradise floods.
• 1976
  • Death of Gladys Moncrieff at Pindara Private Hospital
• 1979
  • Gold Coast Marathon begins.
• 1980
  • First Schoolies week celebrated, centred on Broadbeach Hotel
• 1981
  • Dreamworld amusement park in business in Coomera.
  • Population: 177,264.
• 1983
  • Ray Barrett stars in Goodbye Paradise as washed-up ex-policeman investigating crime.
• 1984
  • The Coolangatta Gold ironman race begins.
  • Cade's County Waterpark in business in Oxenford.
  • Coolangatta Centenary commemorations.
• 1985
  • Conrad Jupiters Casino (later The Star Gold Coast) opens.
• 1986
  • Gold Coast City Art Gallery opens.
• 1987
  • Carrara Stadium opens.
  • Gold Coast College of Advanced Education established.
• 1988
  • Bond University opens in Robina.
  • Gated community of Sanctuary Cove opened with performance by Frank Sinatra.
• 1989
  • Gold Coast College of Advanced Education is merged with Griffith University under the Dawkins Revolution of tertiary education.
• 1990
  • Gold Coast and Albert Genealogical Society active.^[4]
  • Australia Fair Shopping Centre in business in Southport.
• 1991
  • Movie World amusement park opens in Oxenford.
  • Village Roadshow Studios begin operation.
  • Magic Mountain, Nobby Beach shuts its doors.
  • Population: 301,559.
• 1992
  • Peter Goldsworthy's comedic novel Honk If You Are Jesus set in fictional Gold Coast bible college.
• 1994
  • Muriel's Weddings fictional Porpoise Spit shot in Coolangatta and other Gold Coast locations.
  • Teen model Kristy Hinze appears in Vogue Australia.
• 1995
  • Shire of Albert becomes part of Gold Coast City.
  • Ray Stevens becomes mayor.
  • Yugambeh Museum, Language and Heritage Research Centre opens. https://www.qld.gov.au/about/events-awards-honours/awards/qld-greats-awards/2019-recipients#_patricia
  • BusTech company formed to manufacture buses.
• 1996
  • Moroccan (building) constructed in Surfers Paradise.
• 1997
  • Gary Baildon becomes mayor.
• 1999
  • Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame opens.

21st Century

• 2000
  • Palazzo Versace Australia hotel in business.
  • Towers of Chevron Renaissance and Pacific Motorway built.
• 2001
  • First series of reality TV show Big Brother shot at Dreamworld compound.
• 2004
  • Ron Clarke becomes mayor.
  • Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre opens in Broadbeach.
• 2005
  • Q1 (building) constructed.
• 2006
  • The Wave (building) constructed.
  • First series of teen fantasy TV drama .
  • WhiteWater World water park opened.
• 2007
  • Gold Coast Titans rugby club formed.
  • Circle on Cavill and Southport Central built.
• 2008
  • November: 2008 Queensland storms.
  • Robina Stadium opens.
• 2009
  • Gold Coast Football Club formed.
• 2010
  • The Oracle constructed.
• 2011
  • Australian Sevens rugby contest relocates to Gold Coast.
  • Population: 557,822 (urban agglomeration).^[5]
• 2012
  • Soul (building) constructed.
  • Tom Tate becomes mayor.^[6]
• 2013
  • City Plan drafted.^[7]
  • Gold Coast University Hospital built by Griffith University.
• 2014
  • The light rail is built.
  • Factual TV series Gold Coast Cops follows police work.
• 2016
  • Four killed in accident on Thunder River Rapids Ride at Dreamworld.
• 2018
  • 4-15 April: 2018 Commonwealth Games hosted by the city.
• 2023
  • Four killed in mid-air helicopter collision.

See also

• History of Gold Coast, Queensland
• List of mayors of Gold Coast
• List of films shot on the Gold Coast
• List of tallest buildings on the Gold Coast
• List of schools in Gold Coast, Queensland

Bibliography

• • • The Gold Coast, Australia: Spatial Model of Its Development and the Impact of the Cycle of Foreign Investment in Property during the Late 1980s . Joseph Hajdu . . 47 . 1993 . 25646442 . .
  • Web site: Tall Buildings Brochure . 1997 . Gold Coast Heritage: Publications . Gold Coast City Council . .

External links

• Web site: Local Studies Library, Southport Branch Library . Libraries . Gold Coast City Council .
• Web site: Community museums and local history . Gold Coast Heritage . Gold Coast City Council .

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Notes and References

1. Web site: Parish History . Slingsby . Jim . Catholic Parish of Southport . 27 Jan 2024.
2. Web site: The Great Gold Coast Cyclone - February 1954. 18 February 2014. Damien Larkins. www.abc.net.au. 14 Sep 2019 .
3. Web site: Gold Coast (Qld.) - Newspapers . Catalogue . . 30 May 2014 .
4. Web site: About Us . Gold Coast Family History Society . 30 May 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090609113532/http://www.goldcoastfhs.org.au/index_files/Page455.htm . 9 June 2009 . dmy-all .
5. Web site: Population of Capital Cities and Cities of 100,000 or More Inhabitants . Demographic Yearbook 2012 . 2013 . .
6. Web site: Tom Tate new Gold Coast mayor . 28 April 2012 . .
7. Web site: City Plan 2015 . Council of the City of Gold Coast . 30 May 2014 .