Broadbeach, Queensland

Broadbeach
Gold Coast, Queensland

Hedges Avenue, 2007
Broadbeach
Coordinates 28°1′51″S 153°25′55″E / 28.03083°S 153.43194°E / -28.03083; 153.43194Coordinates: 28°1′51″S 153°25′55″E / 28.03083°S 153.43194°E / -28.03083; 153.43194
Population 4,614 (2011 census)[1]
Postcode(s) 4218
LGA(s) City of Gold Coast
State electorate(s) Surfers Paradise, Mermaid Beach
Federal Division(s) Moncrieff
Suburbs around Broadbeach:
Broadbeach Waters Surfers Paradise Pacific Ocean
Broadbeach Waters Broadbeach Pacific Ocean
Mermaid Waters Mermaid Beach Pacific Ocean

Broadbeach is a suburb on the Gold Coast, in Queensland, Australia. At the 2011 Census, Broadbeach had a population of 4,614.

Development in the area today mostly incorporates low rise structures, consisting of single bedroom houses and apartment blocks. Much of the suburb consists of canal waterways, including Lake Intrepid that are linked to the Nerang River.

The suburb contains a major road intersection between Nerang - Broadbeach Road and the Gold Coast Highway. The Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival, held in May each year is one of Australia's largest Free Blues Festivals which began in 2002 and continues to draw significant crowds each year, while remaining a free outdoor event for people of all ages to attend. Broadbeach also hosts other significant including the Broadbeach Country Music Festival (July), Broadbeach Jazz Weekend (August), Opera in the Park, Broadbeach Christmas Carols with all events remaining free.

The Broadbeach Surf Life Saving Club patrols the beach in the centre of the suburb.[2] Representing the suburb in the AFL Queensland State League and having its home ground at Merrimac Oval is the Broadbeach Australian Football Club. Other facilities include the Broadbeach Lawn Bowls Club, the Broadbeach Surfschool which provides surfing lessons, and the Gold Coast City Council Library Service.

Buildings

The area is also home to the Jupiters Hotel and Casino, the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Oasis Shopping Centre. Broadbeach Alliance manage the precinct and present annual events and festivals such as Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival and the Broadbeach Jazz Festival. In the adjacent suburb of Broadbeach Waters is the Pacific Fair Shopping Centre.

Well known apartment blocks include Sofitel Gold Coast, The Wave, The Oracle, Beach Haven, Niecon Plaza, the Hi-Ho Motel, Belle Maison, Bel Air and Air on Broadbeach. While residential housing lots were selling successfully in the state government developed Broadbeach township from 1934, [3] and the area had good bitumen roads that were described as 'speedways' in newspaper reports, [4] it wasn't until the construction of Lennon's Broadbeach Hotel (now the site of the Oasis Hotel and Shopping Centre) in 1955 - 1956 that development of the area as a holiday destination began to increase. [5] [6]

Retail

The suburb of Broadbeach has two shopping centres in close proximity and numerous shops and restaurants.

Pacific Fair, the second largest shopping centre on the Gold Coast is located on Hooker Boulevard in Broadbeach Waters, not far from the intersection on the Gold Coast Highway. Pacific Fair has over 300 specialty stores and four anchor stores. In January 2014 work began on re-developing and re-branding the shopping centre. $670 million is being spent on expanding the centre to cater for a 120 new specialty stores, making the centre the largest in Queensland and fourth largest in the nation.

Oasis shopping centre is the second shopping centre in the suburb has over 100 specialty stores and a Woolworths supermarket. Oasis shopping centre has a number of restaurants located on the pedestrian section of Victoria Avenue. The centre is located across the road from the beach and is one block from the Gold Coast Highway. The Oasis Monorail connects the centre with Jupiters Hotel and Casino.

Transport

Broadbeach South G:link Station, located on the corner of Gold Coast Highway and Hooker Boulevard provides bus and tram connections.

Broadbeach has two main arterial roads connecting the suburb with other parts of the Gold Coast. Gold Coast Highway runs the full length of the coast and connects all coastal suburbs with Broadbeach. Hooker Boulevard, which turns into Nerang-Broadbeach Road after a roundabout in Carrara connects the suburb with Pacific Motorway which passes through Nerang as well as Nerang railway station.

Broadbeach is serviced by Translink services, a subsidiary of the Department of Transport and Main Roads who operate an integrated ticking system throughout South East Queensland. The recently opened G:link operates two stations in the suburb which connects Broadbeach with the hubs of Surfers Paradise and Southport. These are Broadbeach South Station and Broadbeach North Station. Broadbeach South bus station is the main bus station in Broadbeach, which have regular and high-frequency buses that travel to Gold Coast Airport,Nerang railway station, Tweed Heads and Robina.

A 1.3 km monorail connects the Oasis Shopping Centre with Conrad Jupiters Casino. The monorail operates from 10:00am till 6:00pm sevens days a week. The system recently re-opened in December 2014 after almost two years out of service due to maintenance issues.

The Gold Coast Oceanway provides pedestrians and cyclists access along the beaches of Broadbeach.

Demographics

In the 2011 census, Broadbeach recorded a population of 4,614 people, 48.7% female and 51.3% male.[1] The median age of the Broadbeach population was 37 years, the same as the national median. 52.8% of people living in Broadbeach were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were New Zealand 9.6%, England 4.5%, India 2.4%, Italy 1.2%, Japan 1.2%. 71.1% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 1.5% Japanese, 1.3% Punjabi, 1.3% Italian, 1.1% Spanish, 0.7% Hindi.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Broadbeach (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 January 2013.
  2. "Surf Life Saving Queensland: Broadbeach SLSC". Surf Life Saving Queensland. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
  3. "BROADBEACH TOWNSHIP". The Courier-mail (977). Queensland, Australia. 16 October 1936. p. 20. Retrieved 11 May 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  4. "IS BROADBEACH TO HAVE HOTEL LICENCE SHORTLY?". The Telegraph. Queensland, Australia. 27 June 1936. p. 10 (SPORTS FINAL). Retrieved 11 May 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  5. "LENNONS' PROGRESS". The Argus (Melbourne). Victoria, Australia. 13 October 1956. p. 20. Retrieved 11 May 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  6. "LENNONS £3000 TENDER ACCEPTED". The Courier-mail. Queensland, Australia. 28 December 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 11 May 2016 via National Library of Australia.
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