I lived on the Gold Coast immediately prior to moving to Western Australia some 32 years ago. I didn’t enjoy living on the Gold Coast then and I certainly wouldn’t like to do so again. Not liking it probably had something to do with the fact that I was working there and the Gold Coast is built for playing, not working. Not that I didn’t have fun at times. It was the ’80’s. It was ALL about working hard and playing hard! The “good ole days” when you worked all day and partied all night and then got up again the next morning to do it all over again.
In the intervening years I have been back a couple of times, family in tow, doing the theme parks and all the fun stuff. It is for the young now and the glitz no longer appeals to me. I was of course interested to have a look and see what changes have been made. Most of the buildings were familiar. A few knocked down. A few new, taller ones in their place. They have a tram now running from Helensvale through to Broadbeach South, which eventually will go all the way to Gold Coast Airport. A great service and very popular. It is a fairly slow trip as you would imagine. The train itself from Brisbane goes down as far as Varsity Lakes (Robina). I spent a few days around the coast in total. Checked out where I used to live in Biggera Waters on Marine Parade. The building is still the same. My old workplace in Southport is still there though the tenants have changed and there appears to be more shops around the area than I remember. Surfers Paradise itself hasn’t changed. Still looks the same.
I went out to Jimboomba to meet up with a friend and also spent time with friends at Tamborine. I was groomsman at their wedding in the ’80s and hadn’t seen them since 2001. I also caught up with an old workmate and his wife at Banora Point. I was also groomsman at their wedding in the ’80’s and hadn’t seen them since 1984. All good chance to catch up and share those “remember when” moments.
rayaroundoz 