The Gold Coast has been one of Australia’s top tourism hot spots for over half a century and while some businesses come and go with the seasons, others stand the test of time.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary opened its doors over 70 years ago. Its miniature railway which is still carrying passengers around today was built back in 1964.
“It’s one of those places where everyone remembers coming as a kid,” said General Manager Michael Kelly. “We have 27 acres here, 100 metres from Gold Coast’s most iconic beach so it’s an amazing place.”
“It’s all about conserving of our animals for the future.”
Located on the grounds is a special beehive built by the sanctuary’s founder, Alex Griffith, an avid flower grower and beekeeper.
“So he had the bees, the flowers and then the lorikeets,” Michael said. “Then in 1956 Alex got featured, and so did all his lorikeets, got features in National Geographics so is started to bring a lot of international tourists to the Gold Coast.”
“At that time the Gold Coast wasn’t known as the tourist city that it is today, so that really started the development of the sanctuary, so then in 1976, he gifted the entire sanctuary to the National Trust, which is a not-for-profit charity entity, to basically hold it in trust for the people of Queensland, and it’s been owned and operated by the National Trust ever since.”
“Everything we do here goes back into making sure we
conserve and protect our wildlife for future generations.”
Pink Hotel Coolangatta
Bright and colourful, this hotel certainly stands out when you’re driving along Griffith Street.
It’s one of the only original 50s buildings on the coastline with 17 rooms and no less than 3 bars to choose from!
Eddie’s Grub House is a rock and roll themed bar with burgers and beer while the rooftop bar, Santoria, is a little more relaxed, perfect for beautiful Sunday sessions overlooking the beach with a cocktail. Finally, there’s a hidden bar called the Janitor’s Closet with an in-house piano player who tinkers away 7 nights a week.
