Expanding Cities

[Jimmyjamjars]

Hi gang,
Just returned home from a hasty weekend visit to my old stomping ground, the Gold Coast. When I was a kid growing up there, it was pretty well considered that the Gold Coast started at Labrador and finished at Coolangatta. Then the Helensvale estate was developed and considered part of the GC. Then Dreamworld/Coomera/Oxenford area was considered the edge of the GC. As I was driving down there yesterday, there was a huge sign on the South Beenleigh overpass saying "Welcome to the Gold Coast". Surely they can't be serious. Someone may be able to enlighten me but that area wouldn't be within 40kms of the Gold Coast City I would have thought.
Your thoughts ?
JIM

 

[Rickson]

Jim

Gold Coast City starts at Beenleigh, the Logan River, and continues to Coolangatta, the New South Wales Border.

In 1995, I think, there was an amalgamation of Gold Coast City and Albert Shire. Beenleigh has been part of Albert Shire for decades. Without Albert Shire, Gold Coast would be a very narrow coastal strip. Eg Robina was in Albert Shire and I think also Jupiters Casino at Broadbeach. Gold Coast City at that point was almost just the coastal dunes.

In the recently released SEQ Regional Plan, the inter urban break between Brisbane and Gold Coast occurs at Ormeau/Pimpama - placing Beenleigh as part of the Brisbane metropolitan area. Beenleigh could just as easily be part of Logan City, but I think the locals strongly favour being part of Gold Coast. Historically rates were a lot cheaper in Gold Coast, but this differential may be changing with more investment in infrastructure.

South Stradbroke Island is part of Gold Coast. Southern Moreton Bay is a wonderful environmental and tourist asset, as well as the beaches of the coastal strip.

Some local property research providers include Tweed as part of Gold Coast. This makes a city of about 550,000 people and growing fast. The economy is broadening signficantly lately, with strong jobs growth. Gold Coast is no longer reliant on tourism and construction to the extent it has been in the past.

The growth story is pretty amazing. Every time you go for a drive you see things that weren't there last time. Long term property should be a good investment. In the short term there will be dips.

 

[geoffw]

This reminds me about the North Shore, where it starts and where it ends.

There was once a cartoon in the SMH. The article was talking about where the North Shore started.

The casrtoon showed a very snooty lady, saying "the Noth Shore starts and ends with me".

I thought that said it all.

 

[Grego]

Same with the Eastern suburbs!
I figure living in Maroubra a beach side burb a couple of KMS south of Bondi would be considered East'n burbs, however taking a poll in Double Bay or Vaucluse I reckon I would be hard pressed to find anyone that agrees.

 

[alexlee]

Eventually it all blurs, right? I'm tipping the Gold Coast to just combine with Brisbane in the next couple of decades. I read a long report in some US magazine about how expanding cities like LA and San Francisco just swallow up the surrounding towns and cities and they expand. The Gold Coast and Brisbane will just swallow up the empty SE bits.
Alex