# Timeline of Gold Coast, Queensland

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

## 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.
* 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.
* 1964
** Southport-Brisbane South Coast railway line closes.
** Kirra surfer Phyllis O'Donnell wins first Women's World Surfing Championship.
* 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.
** 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 Wedding's 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.
** 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 H2O: Just Add Water.
** 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).
* 2012
** Soul (building) constructed.
** Tom Tate becomes mayor.
* 2013
** City Plan drafted.
** Gold Coast University Hospital built by Griffith University.
* 2014
** The G:link 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.
* 2025
** Damage from Cyclone Alfred.