Coach tours and a bus service also visit this area. Some hire car companies insist on four wheel drive vehicles. Cape tribulation is one area where the rainforest runs right down to the water. It is a pristine beautiful area with magnificent beaches. Hotels and resorts are plentiful on the Gold Coast which is located about one hour's drive south of Brisbane.
People come here from all over Australia and the world to vacation in the sun and surf.
Not unlike Florida, the Gold Coast attracts thousands of retirees. The warm winter climate makes this suitable for older folks who do not like the southern winters. However, don't be fooled by this, as there is plenty to do for the younger crowd. Clubs, restaurants and pubs are plentiful and outdoor activities such as surfing are ideal on the Gold Coast. In the heart of the Gold Coast, there is the town called Surfer's Paradise which is a strip of high rise buildings that were built during the boom years in the 1970's and 1980's much to the protest and disappointment of many.