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Itineraries/Oceania/Gold Coast

7 Days on the Gold Coast

Five theme parks, 57 kilometres of beach, and the hinterland rainforest — the Gold Coast is the cheapest flagship family holiday an Australian family can book. A week split between Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads covers the classic Aussie family trip: Movie World, Sea World, Dreamworld, Currumbin Wildlife, and a proper surf-town wind-down.

7 nights
Family of 4
~A$7,500
2 stops
Broadbeach4n
Burleigh Heads3n
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Your stop-by-stop itinerary

2 stops across 7 nights. Each one chosen so you experience a different side of Gold Coast.

1

Broadbeach

4 nights
Fly direct to Gold Coast (OOL) from Sydney (1h 15m) or Melbourne (2h). Brisbane families typically drive (75 km / 1 hr on the M1). Pick up a hire car at OOL — essential for theme park transfers and the Burleigh leg.

Highlights

  • Warner Bros. Movie World — superhero rides and the Hollywood Stunt Driver show
  • Sea World — dolphin and penguin shows, Storm Coaster, family resort vibe
  • Wet'n'Wild — Australia's biggest water park, peak summer only
  • Dreamworld + WhiteWater World — the Big 9 thrill rides plus the koala sanctuary
  • Pacific Fair Shopping Centre — rainy-day backup plan
  • Broadbeach foreshore, grass parkland, and patrolled family beach

Local tips

  • 💡Village Roadshow 7-day Super Pass covers Movie World + Sea World + Wet'n'Wild + Paradise Country for unlimited entry — buy online, it's cheaper than single-day tickets after 2 park visits.
  • 💡Dreamworld's All Worlds Annual Pass is $169 per person — cheaper than a 2-day single-ticket visit and valid for 12 months. Families who think they'll do two Dreamworld days should always buy the annual pass.
  • 💡The G:link tram from Broadbeach runs to Helensvale (40 min), which connects by shuttle bus to Movie World and Wet'n'Wild — saves the airport-parking fees and the stress of driving after a long theme park day.
Suggested stay: Family apartment near Pacific Fair and the tram line
2

Burleigh Heads

3 nights
Drive from Broadbeach (15 min south on the Gold Coast Highway). Return hire car at OOL (15 min further south) on departure day.

Highlights

  • Burleigh Heads National Park headland walk — koala spotting, ocean views, 45 min loop
  • Burleigh Heads beach — one of the best surf breaks on the Coast, patrolled family end
  • James Street dining strip — Burleigh's genuine food scene, not tourist pricing
  • Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary day visit — lorikeet feeding, koala cuddles, best zoo on the Coast
  • Springbrook or Lamington hinterland day trip — Purling Brook Falls, O'Reilly's treetop walk, glow-worm caves at night
  • Tallebudgera Creek family paddle — calm tidal creek, safer swimming than surf beach

Local tips

  • 💡Do the Burleigh Heads National Park walk at sunrise or late afternoon to catch koalas in the gum trees — middle of the day they're asleep and invisible.
  • 💡Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is 20 min south of Burleigh and is genuinely better than Australia Zoo for a Gold Coast-based family — Australia Zoo is a 3.5-hour round trip and skippable.
  • 💡Springbrook National Park (45 min inland) is the best hinterland day trip — Purling Brook Falls in the morning, Natural Bridge at dusk for the glow-worms. Pack torches and a picnic.
Suggested stay: 2-bedroom apartment near Burleigh Heads beach and national park

Good to know

Estimated cost

The ~A$7,500 estimate covers accommodation across all 2 stops. Flights, daily spending, activities, and transport are additional — use SaveToRoam’s savings planner to track it all.

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