Our strategies

The Gold Coast has a long history of managing weather emergencies and natural hazards. Climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of major storms, heatwaves, flooding, bushfire and drought, placing our enviable lifestyle at risk. 

Following consultation with our local community and technical experts, we have developed the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Strategy 2022-2033. The strategy will help protect the Gold Coast's natural beauty, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve our city's ability to withstand extreme weather events. It guides our climate actions over the next decade and will help us deliver a range of sustainable and resilience initiatives including: 

• setting a net zero greenhouse gas emissions target (Scope 1, 2 and 3) by 2050 for the City through the use of renewable energy, smarter and better management of waste, and zero emission vehicles
• strengthening our community’s resilience and awareness of climate impacts
• protecting and enhancing our natural and built environments
• improving wider sustainability outcomes for our city.

Community input into the strategy included focus groups with environmental and subject matter experts, meetings with First Nations people and a survey of local residents. The survey received more than 4000 responses – one of our most successful public surveys. Of these, 89.4% of survey participants acknowledge human activities are influencing the world’s climate.

Council Plan alignment and outcomes

The strategy is an outcome of the Council Plan. Our strategies are fundamental in delivering transformational change and responding to current and emerging challenges and opportunities. Our Climate Resilience and Sustainability Strategy aims to deliver outcomes in the Council Plan 2022-2027 directly related to the 'One City' and 'Liveable Places' themes.

LIVEABLE PLACES

Our City is well-planned and designed, growing with future generations in mind.

ONE CITY

Our city has strong partnerships and advocates to maximise emerging opportunities.

Our Climate Resilience and Sustainability Strategy will be implemented alongside other strategies through good governance, collaborative decision-making and performance evaluation. The strategy works hand-in-hand with the following environmental actions that we have already undertaken such as:

• Our Natural City Strategy
• Towards Zero Waste Plan
• Coastal Adaptation Plan
• Ocean Beaches Strategy
• koala conservation.

The following table outlines the strategy focus areas of ‘Resilient Gold Coast', 'Lower carbon future' and 'Net zero City operations', that will guide the outcomes, measures and actions over the next decade and beyond. Our strategic intent is to address the challenge of climate change through practical and sensible solutions that deliver climate resilience. Acting now will ensure we can continue to enjoy our enviable lifestyle into the future.

* Council Plan 2022-2027 outcomes and measures of success

The Climate Resilience and Sustainability Strategy 2023-2033 Implementation Plan is currently under development and is due to be released in 2025.

Published: 13 November 2023

City of Gold Coast: built on creativity, transformed by imagination

Our Culture Strategy 2023 sets a vision for the Gold Coast where culture is central to our community wellbeing, our city's reputation and liveability, and our economic growth.

The strategy calls us to push boundaries and challenge perceptions, uncover and promote our unique heritage and culture, and explore new creative territory.

We seek to find new ways to support our artists and cultural practitioners to create excellent contemporary art that is distinctly Gold Coast. We want to engage our residents and visitors to explore, participate, make and experience arts and culture that surprises, delights, challenges and entertains.

We aim to make arts and culture part of our everyday lives.

The Culture Strategy 2023 was developed after extensive consultation with our community and local cultural practitioners.

Check out the three major catalysts for change outlined in the strategy: delivering unprecedented opportunities for cultural development and transformation, and exploring the four strategic outcomes that fuel our strategic vision.

Take a look at our Public Art Plan 2021, which informs investment and delivery of commissioned permanent and temporary public art.

We provide over 780 different services to our residents, businesses and visitors. The Customer Experience Strategy is about ensuring our customers have the best possible experience when using or looking for information about our services and dealing with us. Our vision is to make life easier for our customers.

Our customers have told us they want us to focus on:

• removing complexity
• offering more self service options
• being available to help
• keeping them informed
• proactively communicating with them
• asking them for feedback.

The strategy will ensure we continue to keep pace with evolving technology, services and customer expectations.

The expected outcomes over the coming years include implementing:

• improved website design and functionality
• webchat
• SMS, social media and messenger app notification systems to alert customers of service outages or other time sensitive information
• an online bookings system to allow customers to determine availability and book services such as parks, community centres, sporting facilities
• up to date data security measures to protect customers' personal data from cyber security threats
• regular customer feedback opportunities to ensure our services are designed around customer needs.

The Customer Experience Strategy was adopted by Council on 11 October 2019. A detailed implementation plan is currently being drafted.

Download the Customer Experience Strategy below for more information.

Our strategies are fundamental in delivering transformational change and responding to current and emerging challenges and opportunities. Our Economic Strategy 2022-2027 aims to deliver outcomes in the Council Plan 2022-2027 directly related to the 'Diverse thriving economy' theme. It will be implemented alongside other strategies through good governance, collaborative decision-making and performance evaluation.

DIVERSE THRIVING ECONOMY

Our city has a high-performance economy, powered by talent and innovation.

Find out more about the key themes of the strategy:

Download the Economic Strategy 2022-2027(PDF, 5MB)

This strategy is a key component of our Council Plan and will help us deliver our measures of success.

For more information email businessgc@goldcoast.qld.gov.au

Released in 2013, the Gold Coast City Transport Strategy is guiding the city's transport system to 2031, creating a smart, connected and liveable city under a one network approach.

The Transport Strategy is a city-changing initiative that will create a world-class transport system and put the City of Gold Coast on the map.

A balanced transport system is the key to a positive transport future. We aim to manage road space better, eliminate bottle necks, invest in cycling and walking, extend the light rail network, improve bus services and extend the capacity of the heavy railway.

The City of Gold Coast has recently undertaken a review of the Transport Strategy to ensure we are on track with delivering our 2031 transport commitments and best placed to adapt to emerging technologies and trends.

This mid-life review, with input from across our organisation as well as key industry and government stakeholders, has shown that we are on track with delivering our 2031 transport commitments and are adapting well to changes in the transport landscape by considering emerging technologies. We have achieved much in the last five years, and are well prepared to deliver even more in the next five years.

Read more about transport and the Gold Coast, achievements so far, how we are responding to the changing transport landscape and managing congestion in the city in the Mid-life review summary.

Find out more about our other City initiatives and plans that contribute to the Gold Coast Transport Strategy 2031:

• Gold Coast Road Safety Plan 2015-2020
• Active Transport Plan 2017-2027
• Travel Behaviour Change Plan 2017-2022
• City Parking Plan 2031
• Gold Coast Road Network Plan 2018-2028
• Gold Coast City Freight Plan 2018-2028
• Public Transport Plan 2018-2028

The Water Strategy vision is to ensure best-practice management of the Gold Coast's natural resources for a sustainable future.

Council has endorsed the latest addition to our strategic agenda, the Gold Coast Water Strategy, to guide the sustainable management of our water resources and environments.

The strategy outlines key actions for the first five years (Phase 1) of our 20 year aspiration to become a water sensitive city. In short, we want to be a city where people want to work and live long term - a liveable city, as well as a resilient, sustainable and productive city.

To achieve that aspiration we need to respond to the challenges facing cities of today including increased urbanisation, periodic floods and droughts and changing government policy.

The strategy's vision is to ensure best-practice management of our natural resources for a sustainable future and as such, it has been developed in partnership with Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities and will apply the Water Sensitive Cities Index of 34 indicators to track our progress towards a water sensitive city In all, the strategy outlines more than 30 actions across the following four strategic outcomes:

Our healthy waters

Our environment, prosperity and unique Gold Coast lifestyle are dependent upon our healthy and connected water environments.

From the hinterland to the ocean, healthy water environments support thriving habitats for native species, recreation and shading and carry out vital floodplain functions.

Innovative water solutions

Our water solutions and strategies value natural resources and deliver innovative, efficient water-related services and outcomes that benefit the community and the environment.

Water inspired design

The Gold Coast is a well-designed and prosperous city inspired by water.

We create beautiful, connected spaces while respecting the dynamic nature of water to ensure a safe, resilient and sustainable city.

Partnerships with water

Water extends across natural, societal and political boundaries, making it complex to manage.

By working together, we carefully manage and protect our water resources and environments for current and future generations.

Our Coastal Lifestyle Strategy 2050 aims to enhance the Gold Coast's coastal places, support sustainable city growth and safeguard our unique coastal lifestyle through continued management of coastal hazards.

Over the next 25 years, this strategy aims to enhance the elements that make the Gold Coast a popular place to live and visit, transforming the places we love to complement our coastal lifestyle and maintain it for future generations. It sets a holistic strategic intent for the management and planning of our beaches, canals, lakes and foreshore parks.

The intent of the Our Coastal Lifestyle Strategy is to:

• leverage our coastal places to offer enriched lifestyle experiences through nature-based tourism and recreation
• support healthy ecosystems and improve our resilience to coastal hazards
• foster a place-based approach that strengthens the connection between water and people.

With the population of the Gold Coast projected to grow significantly into the future, it is critical to effectively plan to protect and enhance our coastal environment and lifestyle.

• Our Coastal Lifestyle Strategy on a Page(PDF, 6MB)
• Our Coastal Lifestyle Strategy 2025–2050(PDF, 10MB)

To learn more, visit our Coastal management and Constructed lakes and canals pages

Council Plan alignment and outcomes

Our Coastal Lifestyle Strategy 2025–2050 is a direct deliverable of two of the Council Plan's themes: 'Connected Community' and 'Liveable Places'.

CONNECTED COMMUNITY

Our city is accessible, connected and convenient, supporting our lifestyle.

LIVEABLE PLACES

Our city is well-planned and designed, growing with future generations in mind.

The following table outlines the Our Coastal Lifestyle Strategy 2025–2050 focus areas: Coastal Connections, Coastal Experience and Coastal Future.

These will guide the outcomes, measures and actions over the next 25 years and beyond. Our strategic intent is to make sure our city continues to value its coastal places to preserve our unique coastal lifestyle.

Key focus areas of the strategy

This strategy is a key component of our Council Plan 2022–2027 and will help us deliver our measures of success.

Published: 8 April 2025

The Gold Coast is globally renowned for its stunning natural environment, connection to nature and an outdoor lifestyle envied the world over.

From the lush hinterland to endless waterways, golden beaches and stunning habitat, the Gold Coast truly is a place of natural beauty. And it's up to all of us, to play our part in protecting Our Natural City.

Learn how to get involved

Our Natural City Strategy 2032 has been co-created with partner sectors and the community to make sure we have the right actions in place to protect our incredible city.

Read the strategy to find out more:

• Our Natural City Strategy 2032(PDF, 2MB)
• Our Natural City Strategy 2032 Implementation Overview(PDF, 7MB)

Over the next decade, the City of Gold Coast is focused on delivering projects that restore our environment, and protect our precious wildlife and their habitat. We will be providing more experiences for people to enjoy nature, including:

• working towards our target of 51% native vegetation cover
• purchasing land to secure strategic habitat and connect critical nature corridors
• designing city growth to protect our natural environment, and
• understanding and responding to climate impacts for land and water environments.

As one of Australia's most biodiverse cities, we need to protect our spectacular ecosystems - home to over 3000 native animal species and around 2500 native plant species, ancient forests and our precious koala populations. This will require ongoing partnerships between government, businesses, research institutions, land owners and the community across the entire Gold Coast to protect and enhance our natural city.

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Council Plan alignment and outcomes

Our Natural City Strategy 2032 is a direct deliverable of two of the Council Plan's themes: 'Naturally Unique' and 'Connected Community.'

NATURALLY UNIQUE

Our city values its natural environment, that gives us a lifestyle like no other.

CONNECTED COMMUNITY

Our city is accessible, connected and convenient, supporting our lifestyle.

To emphasise how important this strategy is, a community survey^ revealed that out of the six Council Plan themes, protecting our 'Naturally unique' city was the number one priority.

The table below outlines the Our Natural City Strategy 2032 themes of 'Explore and discover', 'Protect and enhance' and 'Connect and partner', that will guide the outcomes, measures and actions over the next decade and beyond. Our strategic intent is to make sure our city continues to value its natural environment that gives us lifestyle like no other.

Find out more about the key themes of the strategy:

This strategy is a key component of our Council Plan and will help us deliver our measures of success.

Our Natural City story map

Check out our story map to see a visual overview of the Gold Coast's environmental values, challenges and how we're responding to protect and enhance it.

View our Natural City story map

Page last updated: 3 September 2024

Our strategies are fundamental in delivering transformational change and responding to current and emerging challenges and opportunities. Our Sport and Physical Activity Strategy 2022-2032 aims to deliver outcomes in the Council Plan 2022-2027 directly related to the 'Vibrant lifestyle' and 'One city' themes. It will be implemented alongside other strategies through good governance, collaborative decision-making and performance evaluation.

VIBRANT LIFESTYLE

Our city is welcoming, safe and simply the best place to live and visit.

ONE CITY

Our city has strong partnerships and advocates to maximise emerging opportunities.

Find out more about the key themes of the strategy:

This strategy is a key component of our Council Plan and will help us deliver our measures of success.

For more information email gogoldcoast@goldcoast.qld.gov.au

Related information

• Active & Healthy program
• Active Transport Plan
• Sport attraction