Timeline of Gold Coast, Queensland

The following is a timeline of history of the city of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

19th Century

 * Pre 1846
 * Yugambeh people inhabit the region now known as the Gold Coast.
 * 1846
 * The schooner Coolangatta is wrecked on the coast close to the later town.
 * 1865
 * The township of Nerang was surveyed by Martin Lavelle in June.
 * 1874
 * The town of Southport is founded.
 * 1875
 * Johan Meyer buys land near Nerang River and begins developing sugar and transportation.
 * 1883
 * The town of Coolangatta is founded.
 * 1889
 * The South Coast railway reaches Southport.
 * 1892
 * Catholic parish of Southport established.

20th Century

 * 1919
 * The 1918 flu pandemic closes the QLD-NSW border.
 * 1922
 * Southport War Memorial built.
 * 1925
 * Opening of the Jubilee Bridge, connecting Elston to Southport.
 * Jim Cavill opens Surfers Paradise Hotel.
 * 1933
 * The town of Elston is officially renamed Surfers Paradise.
 * 1934
 * Broadbeach is surveyed.
 * 1947
 * Currumbin Bird Sanctuary (later Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary)opens.
 * 1949
 * Town of South Coast created through the amalgamation of Coolangatta and Southport.
 * 10 March: 1949 Queensland Airlines Lockheed Lodestar crash in Bilinga.
 * 1954
 * An unnamed cyclone hits, leading to at least 26 deaths and extensive flooding.
 * 1958
 * Town of South Coast renamed to Town of Gold Coast.
 * 1959
 * Town of Gold Coast renamed City of Gold Coast.
 * 1960
 * Gold Coast Hospital opened.
 * Kinkabool (building) constructed in Surfers Paradise.
 * 1962
 * Lido Arcade in Surfers Paradise opens.
 * Magic Mountain, Nobby Beach opens.
 * 1963
 * Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper in publication.
 * 1964
 * Southport-Brisbane South Coast railway line closes.
 * 1965
 * Entrepreneur Bernie Elsey organises Surfers Paradise Meter Maids to save motorists from parking fines.
 * 1966
 * The Sands (building) and Paradise Towers constructed in Surfers Paradise.
 * Gold Coast Bridge rebuilt.
 * 1967
 * Garfield Towers built in Surfers Paradise.
 * Bruce Small elected mayor.
 * 1971
 * Sea World park opens in Southport.
 * Point Danger Light built.
 * Population: 75,862.
 * 1973
 * Robert Neumann elected mayor.
 * Billabong surfwear founded.
 * 1974
 * Currumbin Estuary Bridge opens.
 * Surfers Paradise floods.
 * 1976
 * Death of Gladys Moncrieff at Pindara Private Hospital
 * 1979
 * Gold Coast Marathon begins.
 * 1980
 * First Schoolies week celebrated, centred on Broadbeach Hotel
 * 1981
 * Dreamworld amusement park in business in Coomera.
 * Population: 177,264.
 * 1983
 * Ray Barrett stars in Goodbye Paradise as washed-up ex-policeman investigating crime.
 * 1984
 * The Coolangatta Gold ironman race begins.
 * Cade's County Waterpark in business in Oxenford.
 * Coolangatta Centenary commemorations
 * 1986
 * Gold Coast City Art Gallery opens.
 * 1987
 * Carrara Stadium opens.
 * Gold Coast College of Advanced Education established.
 * 1988
 * Bond University opens in Robina.
 * Gated community of Sanctuary Cove opened with performance by Frank Sinatra.
 * 1989
 * Gold Coast College of Advanced Education is merged with Griffith University under the Dawkins Revolution of tertiary education.
 * 1990
 * Gold Coast and Albert Genealogical Society active.
 * Australia Fair Shopping Centre in business in Southport.
 * 1991
 * Movie World amusement park opens in Oxenford.
 * Village Roadshow Studios begin operation.
 * Magic Mountain, Nobby Beach shuts its doors.
 * Population: 301,559.
 * 1992
 * Peter Goldsworthy's comedic novel Honk If You Are Jesus set in fictional Gold Coast bible college.
 * 1994
 * Muriel's Wedding's fictional Porpoise Spit shot in Coolangatta and other Gold Coast locations.
 * 1995
 * Shire of Albert becomes part of Gold Coast City.
 * Ray Stevens becomes mayor.
 * Yugambeh Museum, Language and Heritage Research Centre opens.
 * BusTech company formed to manufacture buses.
 * 1996
 * Moroccan (building) constructed in Surfers Paradise.
 * 1997
 * Gary Baildon becomes mayor.
 * 1999
 * Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame opens.

21st Century

 * 2000
 * Palazzo Versace Australia hotel in business.
 * Towers of Chevron Renaissance and Pacific Motorway built.
 * 2001
 * First series of reality TV show Big Brother shot at Dreamworld compound.
 * 2004
 * Ron Clarke becomes mayor.
 * Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre opens in Broadbeach.
 * 2005
 * Q1 (building) constructed.
 * 2006
 * The Wave (building) constructed.
 * First series of teen fantasy TV drama H2O: Just Add Water.
 * 2007
 * Gold Coast Titans rugby club formed.
 * Circle on Cavill and Southport Central built.
 * 2008
 * November: 2008 Queensland storms.
 * Robina Stadium opens.
 * 2009
 * Gold Coast Football Club formed.
 * 2010
 * The Oracle constructed.
 * 2011
 * Australian Sevens rugby contest relocates to Gold Coast.
 * Population: 557,822 (urban agglomeration).
 * 2012
 * Soul (building) constructed.
 * Tom Tate becomes mayor.
 * 2013
 * City Plan drafted.
 * Gold Coast University Hospital built by Griffith University.
 * 2014
 * The G:link light rail is built.
 * Factual TV series Gold Coast Cops follows police work.
 * 2016
 * Four killed in accident on Thunder River Rapids Ride at Dreamworld.
 * 2018
 * 4-15 April: 2018 Commonwealth Games hosted by the city.
 * 2023
 * Four killed in mid-air helicopter collision.