Gold Coast surfing

View our booklet to find out more about how the City
supports the Gold Coast's surf industry.

City of Gold Coast has long recognised the vital importance of surfing to both our city's culture and its tourism industry. As a direct result of our continued investment in our coastal and surfing assets for more than 50 years, the city now has a world-leading reputation in coastal management and is the preferred destination for the world's surfers.

To keep the industry thriving, we work closely with all facets of the surf industry – surfboard shapers, surf schools, clothing retailers, tourism operators and surf events, and provide a range of assistance to surf-related businesses.

Valuing the surf industry

The Gold Coast surf industry contributes $3.3 billion to the city's economy annually and employs an estimated 21,000 people. We will continue to attract and develop surf-related businesses through mentoring programs, grants, incentives and support towards trade missions.

Supporting surfing culture

We have a long history of supporting high profile surf events and work with stakeholders to develop our surfing events calendar and portfolio to attract further interest in the sport of surfing.

Protecting our surfing assets

To protect our beaches and coastal lifestyle, our long term coastal management strategy directs how we fund, manage and care for our major infrastructure projects and ongoing coastal management activities.

Where it all began

The Gold Coast's prime surf conditions were recognised early and, by 1917, Queensland's southern coastal strip was being described as a 'surfer's paradise'. The growth in popularity of surfing during the 1950s and 1960s went hand in hand with development of the Gold Coast.

We are proud of our status as a global surfing capital, and our ongoing support of the city's surfing industry, culture and assets is reflected in the many different projects and activities we fund and undertake all year, every year, to protect that status.