Sunrise to Sunset: Where to be on the Gold Coast

There is nothing more life affirming than watching the sun rise over the Pacific Ocean from the golden shores of the Gold Coast… Unless you catch the exact opposite; the sun going down over the Australian continent; again, from the idyllic location of the Gold Coast.

Both require a sprinkling of effort, though, if you’re handy with your phone’s camera, that effort can yield some pretty incredible shots to bleed your social media feeds.

As the Gold Coast is covered with so many incredible spots to catch all the ups and downs of the sun, we’ve crafted you an easy list to of where to snap a piece of magic.

SUNRISE

Surfers Paradise
With that archway sign, there is no mistaking where you are. Catching the sunrise here gives you a real sense of why the locals love it. The beach is alive with fit bodies as the smell of coffee begins to fill the day. If you’re new to Goldie, this spit cannot be missed.

Broadbeach
A little walk south of Surfers, you’ll get to Broady. The vibe is still very much the same, so you and your active wear will be right at home.

QT Gold Coast – Balcony
If you sleep with the curtains open you don’t even have to leave bed for this one. Just roll over in your Ocean Room View and drink it all in. Or move to the balcony and really get involved. Either way, this is probably the best spot on the Goldie to catch the golden moment.

The Spit
A little north, though totally worth it to get a banging shot of the pier with local anglers searching for the morning’s catch. It’s quite the spot.

SUNSET

Burleigh Heads
Anywhere on the coast, you get this incredible sunset over the hinterland. Grab a picnic spread and solid bottle of plonk. Take it all in. This golden hour only happens once a day. Get into it.

Snapper Rocks
The good thing about those Snapper sunsets is that it’s best caught from being out behind the rock (in the water). So grab a board, fight the crowd and sit out of the break. From there you’ll catch a view looking back over the coast and be able to wave goodbye to the red hot ball of heat as the earth rolls you out of sight.

Yamagen Bar
You won’t catch too much of the actual sunset from the Yamagen Bar, though in its place you’ll have some of the best Japanese on the coast with the biggest range of Japanese Whiskey you’ve ever seen in Australia. Always a good choice.

Lamington National Park
This one will require an hour long road trip, though it will be worth it. You’ll be in the mountains, a world away from the hustle and bustle that is the Coast. Up here, be sure to take a deep breath and slow down. It’s a little slice of magic.

words by ben stephens