Gold Coast Best Kept Beach Secrets
The kids are back at school but it's still summer and the beach beckons for a weekend away or a lazy few days. Just an hour away from Brisbane and a few minutes from the hustle and bustle of Surfers Paradise strip are the Gold Coast's best kept beach secrets – Palm Beach, Currumbin, Tallebudgera and Burleigh Heads.
Beach culture
Visitors to Palm Beach will quickly understand why this beach has collected so many Clean Beach awards – perfect for swimming or lazing on the white sand. Young families will enjoy Currumbin's gentle surf and rock pools. Head to Currumbin Creek for some fishing and admire the spectacular views from Currumbin Rock, or take a stroll with Elephant Rock and Flat Rock as a backdrop. Launch a kayak on the still waters of Tallebudgera Creek – another place for introducing the kids to water safety. For body surfing, check out the waves at Burleigh Heads. Board riders will find the best breaks here – the Burleigh Barrel waves are folklore amongst the surfing community.
Go walkabout
Burleigh Head National Park, at the mouth of Tallebudgera Creek, protects a small but diverse area of coastal vegetation and has gentle walking trails. The volcanic rock formations hold strong spiritual significance for the local Aboriginal people and evidence of their ancestors' feasts remain in the shell middens still visible on the southern side of the headland. There are magnificent beach and ocean panoramas from the 1.2km coastal track or the 2.8 ocean view circuit.
Get back to nature
There's no shortage of ways to have that wildlife experience. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has been thrilling visitors for nearly 60 years with over 1400 native Australian animals in beautiful rainforest surrounds. Dedicated to wildlife conservation and education, this not-for-profit organization operated by the National Trust is famous for its lorikeet feeding sessions, wildlife shows and nightly Wildlife Adventure tours when visitors can view and touch nocturnal animals and watch a performance by the Nyulejam Dance Troupe, the only Aboriginal dance show on the Gold Coast. The David Fleahy Wildlife Park at Burleigh Heads is managed by the Environmental Protection Agency and is another great way to learn about Queensland's unique native animals, birds and reptiles. Explore the park on your own or take a tour with a ranger guide. Visit the nocturnal house or book a spotlighting tour.
Food and shelter
There's a huge range of accommodation at this end of the Gold Coast, from luxury beachfront hotels and apartments to family friendly resorts offering childcare, daily entertainment and special children's holiday programs. For that low-key, good value option there's a choice of tourist parks with self-contained cabins just a stone's throw from the beach or river. Don't feel like cooking? Burleigh Heads, Palm Beach and Currumbin offer alfresco dining and chic restaurants – some with stunning ocean views. Pack a picnic and watch the sun set or buy fish and chips. The Surf Life Saving clubs in this area are great places for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or just a cold beer on a hot day.