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Broadbeach is a
suburb A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separat ...
in the
City of Gold Coast The City of Gold Coast is the local government area spanning the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia and surrounding areas. With a population of 606,774 it is the second most populous local government area in Australia (City of Brisbane being th ...
,
Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...
, Australia. In the , Broadbeach had a population of 5,514 people.


Geography

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 Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface fl ...
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.


History

In circa 1924, 70 allotments were advertised as "Mermaid Beach Estate" located at Mermaid Beach and Broadbeach to be auctioned by R. G. Oates Estates. The estate map has 3 estates for sale at Mermaid Beach and Broadbeach. The estates were divided in two by the "New Coastal Road" running through the Gold Coast. While residential housing lots were selling successfully in the state government developed Broadbeach township from 1934, and the area had good bitumen roads that were described as 'speedways' in newspaper reports, 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. Broadbeach State School opened on 16 May 1960. In the , Broadbeach had a population of 5,514 people. The median age of the Broadbeach population was 41 years, higher than the national median of 38. 51.0% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were New Zealand 7.0% and England 4.7%. 66.8% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 31.0% and Catholic 20.3%.


Heritage

There are a number of heritage sites in Broadbeach, including: * 2684 Gold Coast Highway (
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) is located on the Gold Coast Highway in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia. The venue was opened on 29 June 2004 at a cost of A$167 million and is linked by a covered walkway to The ...
): Seal Sculpture by Len Shillam (relocated from the former Lennon's Hotel, Broadbeach)Gold Coast Local Heritage Register - N to Z, pp. 113-114


Seal sculpture

In 1954 Len Shillam was commissioned to create a water fountain feature for the pool of Lennon's Hotel at Broadbeach (the first large hotel on the Gold Coast). He created a lifesize sculpture of a seal with its pup in polished
terrazzo Terrazzo is a composite material, poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of chips of marble, quartz, granite, glass, or other suitable material, poured with a cementitious binder (for chemical bind ...
which became a much-photographed icon. After the demolition of the hotel in 1987, the sculpture was relocated to a jetty at the Sakura Japanese gardens restaurant. It later disappeared but was found at that bottom of a canal. After it was retrieved by Conrad Jupiters Casino and
Bond University Bond University is Australia's first private not-for-profit university and is located in Robina, a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland. Since its founding on 15 May 1989, Bond University has primarily been a teaching-focused higher e ...
, it was restored and donated to the
National Trust of Australia The National Trust of Australia, officially the Australian Council of National Trusts (ACNT), is the Australian national peak body for community-based, non-government non-profit organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's I ...
. It is now at the entrance of the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, a short distance from the former Lennon's Hotel.


Aboriginal burial ground

In 1965, building works unearthed what was found to be an Aboriginal burial ground. An
archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
dig commenced under Laila Haglund, who was under the supervision of the
University of Queensland , mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work , established = , endowment = A$224.3 million , budget = A$2.1 billion , type = Public research university , chancellor = Peter Varghese , vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry , city = B ...
, and the remains of more than 150 Aboriginal people of the Kombumerri clan of the
Yugambeh people The Yugambeh ( ''(see alternative spellings)'', also known as the Minyangbal ( , are an Aboriginal Australian people of south-east Queensland and the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, their territory lies between the Logan and Tweed ri ...
were moved. It was established that the people had been buried from up to 1000 years ago until the late 1800s. The excavation report was published in 1976, and described as "pioneer archaeological research". Haglund earned an MA from the
University of Queensland , mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work , established = , endowment = A$224.3 million , budget = A$2.1 billion , type = Public research university , chancellor = Peter Varghese , vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry , city = B ...
and a PhD from
Stockholm University Stockholm University ( sv, Stockholms universitet) is a public university, public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded as a college in 1878, with university status since 1960. With over 33,000 students at four different faculties: la ...
for her work on the site. In 1988, the remains were
repatriated Repatriation is the process of returning a thing or a person to its country of origin or citizenship. The term may refer to non-human entities, such as converting a foreign currency into the currency of one's own country, as well as to the pro ...
to the Gold Coast Aboriginal community, and reburied not far from the original burial ground. This event played an important role in the development of the state's first cultural heritage legislation, the '' Aboriginal Relics Preservation Act 1967'' (later superseded by another Act, followed by the current '' Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003''), which recognises the status of
Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...
as the "primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Australia’s ancient cultures". The event was commemorated on its 50th anniversary in 2015, hosted by the
Queensland Government The Queensland Government is the democratic administrative authority of the Australian state of Queensland. The Government of Queensland, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy was formed in 1859 as prescribed in its Constitution, as amended ...
and the Gold Coast Historical Society, with Haglund a key speaker.


Education

Broadbeach State School is a government primary (Prep-6) school for boys and girls on Alexandra Avenue (). In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 895 students with 52 teachers (48 full-time equivalent) and 34 non-teaching staff (23 full-time equivalent). In 2018, the school had an enrolment of 947 students with 58 teachers (53 full-time equivalent) and 36 non-teaching staff (23 full-time equivalent). It includes a
special education Special education (known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, or SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates th ...
program. There is no secondary school in Broadbeach. The nearest government secondary school is Merrimac State High School in neighbouring
Mermaid Waters Mermaid Waters is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the , Mermaid Waters had a population of 12,045 people. Geography Mermaid Waters is primarily a residential suburb, featuring many homes built along artificial ...
.


Amenities

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 Broadbeach Surf Life Saving Club patrols the beach in the centre of the suburb. 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 Bowls Club and the Broadbeach Surfschool which provides
surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitabl ...
lessons. Despite being called the Broadbeach Library, the Gold Coast City Council operates this public library at 61 Sunshine Boulevard in neighbouring
Mermaid Waters Mermaid Waters is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the , Mermaid Waters had a population of 12,045 people. Geography Mermaid Waters is primarily a residential suburb, featuring many homes built along artificial ...
. It opened in 2008. There are a number of parks in the suburb, including: * Broadbeach Park () * Cascade Gardens () * Federation Park () * Gold Coast Bulletin Centenary Park () * Herb Fennell & Noel Watson Memorial Picnic Area () * Kurrawa Park () * Mermaid Esplanade () * Moya Egerton Park () * Pratten Park () * Royal Queensland Art Society () * Victoria Park ()


Events

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 Groundwater Country Music Festival (July), Gold Coast Superhero Weekend (April) and the Broadbeach Christmas Carols with all events remaining free.


Attractions

The area is also home to The Star Gold Coast (formerly Jupiters Hotel and Casino Gold Coast, ), the Gold Coast Convention & 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, Groundwater Country Music Festival, Gold Coast Superhero Weekend and the Broadbeach Christmas Carols. Well known apartment blocks include Sofitel Gold Coast, The Wave, The Oracle, Beach Haven, Niecon Plaza, Hi-Ho Apartments, Belle Maison, Bel Air and Air on Broadbeach. The suburb of Broadbeach has numerous shops and restaurants.


Transport

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 Carrara ( , ; , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, in central Italy, of the province of Massa and Carrara, and notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence. Its mo ...
connects the suburb with Pacific Motorway which passes through Nerang as well as Nerang railway station. Broadbeach is serviced by Surfside Buslines services, G:link operates two light rail stations in the suburb which connects Broadbeach with the hubs of Surfers Paradise and Southport. These are Broadbeach South and Broadbeach. 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 Tweed Heads is a town in New South Wales. It is located on the Tweed River in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia, in Tweed Shire, next to the border with Queensland and adjacent to its "twin town" of Coolangatta, which is a suburb of the ...
and Robina. The Gold Coast Oceanway provides pedestrians and cyclists access along the beaches of Broadbeach.


See also

* List of Gold Coast suburbs


References


External links

* {{Localities in Gold Coast Suburbs of the Gold Coast, Queensland Entertainment districts in Australia Coastline of Queensland