House sitting Gold Coast – a surfers state of mind

House sitting Gold Coast – a surfers state of mind

House sitting on the Gold Coast is for many a total Aussie beach-side dream! The Gold Coast is a place Cooper and I consider home – let us show you how to experience it too.

The city is beautiful with many different waterfront suburbs you can explore. If you’re coming to Australia, don’t skip Queensland, how regrettable.

Here’s a quick guide to house sitting Gold Coast and why you might want to apply to come here now!

 

House sitting Gold Coast – where to start

We’ve been booking our house sits around the world with TrustedHousesitters and we’ve had a wonderful experience so far. It’s taken us to different parts of the UK and Europe.

And you can come to Australia too!

Find out how we got started with house sitting.

 

 

How to get house and pet sitting jobs

Scoring house and pet sitting jobs can be competitive. But with a little bit of strategy you’ll be on the right track and headed for your dream destination in no time.

Here’s our top tips to get you started:

 

We’ve also produced a guide to dog care if you’re keen to take care of fur babies, like we are. Have a read here

 

House sitting Gold Coast

 

About the Gold Coast

The Gold Coast offers you the best of beach side paradise and also Hinterland rainforest. There’s plenty to see and do on the Gold Coast. Learn to surf, go shopping, people-watch while enjoying a coffee. Gold Coasters enjoy an active lifestyle, so if you enjoy the outdoors, this might be the place for you. To find out more about what’s going on in Australia’s sixth largest (and one of its fastest growing) cities, have a read of local magazine, Get it. 

Capital city Brisbane is just up the road. Here’s a snap shot on how to house sit in Brissy too.

 

Where to stay on the Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is an aspirational destination and there’s no doubt you’ll love it. Sandy white beaches, cool restaurants and plenty to see and do – you’re spoilt for choice. Transport links have improved vastly over the past five years too, but some areas are still not that well connected.

If you do not have a car I’d suggest basing yourself somewhere along the new tram line that runs from Helensvale into Surfers Paradise. Or, along the train line that runs between Brisbane, Helensvale and Coolangatta.

Our favourite suburbs on the Gold Coast include Coolangatta, Burleigh, Varsity Lakes, Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise and Nobbys Beach.

Find out more about what to do on the Gold Coast.

 

Before committing to a sit, ask a few questions like:

a) Is the house sit in the city, or outside of the Gold Coast? What suburb are they in?

b) What are your nearest transport links, how long does it take to get to your nearest shopping centre, beach or central area with things to do; and how much does that cost?

c) If you don’t have a car, how easy is it to get groceries?

d) Where would you take your dogs to play (if you’re caring for dogs)?

e) What is there to do in the area if you want to go exploring?

f) If you need to work while you’re house sitting like we do, what’s the internet connection like?

If the answers to these questions satisfy your needs, you’re likely to be good to go. That said, any reservations (in particular if you’re without transport), be mindful about where you are signing up for. Don’t get stuck somewhere that’s difficult to get around.

You may like to walk places, but also remember Australia gets HOT, so an hour’s walk somewhere might not be viable.

 

Always check reviews on a house sit if there are any. And do please feel free to drop us a line in the comments if you would like any advice.

 

 

 

Brisbane to Gold Coast, Australia – travel like a local

Brisbane to Gold Coast, Australia – travel like a local

Cooper and I are both proud Queenslanders and appreciate the value of exploring the south-east, Brisbane to Gold Coast. They are not the same, by the way, but two separate cities. Brisbane is the trendy capital city of Queensland. The Gold Coast is one of the largest and fastest growing cities in Australia. But they are near to each other – Brisbane to Gold Coast by car or train is only about an hour.

While I consider England is a bit like my spiritual home, being back in Aus recently made me remember what’s so special about it, and why you should definitely do the Brisbane to Gold Coast trip.

Brisbane to Gold Coast – a sunny adventure you want to have

I’m most disappointed when people around the world tell me one of two things about why they might not travel to Queensland, Brisbane to Gold Coast or other areas of my stunning home state:

  1. “I don’t think I’ll get to Australia, it’s a bit far and isn’t it just the same as other places, like America, Spain, England…?”
  2. “I went to Queensland a few years ago and found it to be run down, and too touristy.”

Pretty offensive!

But I get the myths, stereotypes and misconceptions.

Please, don’t ever write Australia and especially travel to Queensland off.

Brisbane to Gold Coast – the stunning Brisbane river

I was reminded of how contemporary and cool we are; super friendly people and a sunny vibe.

It’s worth your while. I’m inspired when I meet travellers like Geri Vladeva who dream about visiting Aus,for good reason (and she did so this year, read about her adventures)!

Let’s start again.

Brisbane to Gold Coast – Southbank

Brisbane to Gold Coast: city updates

After being away for four years I noticed some big changes, especially in Brisbane.

Anyone who has visited Queensland over the past 20 or 30 years tends to think Brisbane, Gold Coast and Cairns (some of the best places to go!) are a little dilapidated.

Now however, you’ll find sleek cities, lovely river walks, restaurants, bars, cool spaces to hang out and be active.

I was really impressed.

Head straight for the riverfront walk in Brisbane, or a stroll through Southbank.

And if you’ve not been to Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in a while, well, it’s totally cleaned-up, and a chic spot to visit.

Pacific Fair down the road at Broadbeach has enjoyed a significant expansion and is a premier shopping destination.

Burleigh on the Gold Coast is still beautiful too, with its glorious beaches and sophisticated restaurants and cafes.

A cultural melting pot of charm

Australia has its own charm, and nowhere is this more obvious than in Queensland.

Multicultural influence is everywhere too, particularly Asian culture.

There’s no shortage of Asian grocery stores and fusion restaurants, including Harajuku Gyoza – a smart Japanese-inspired chain developed by an Aussie foodie fan.

Brisbane city centre boasts a number of food halls dedicated to serving delicious Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian and Korean food. So good!

I was also surprised to find an extraordinary ‘spiritual spa’, meditation, yoga, therapies and crystals space – Chameleon New Age Salon, set across two dazzling floors in the heart of Surfers Paradise.

It was just one of the many unique offerings I found in south-east Queensland and that had me feeling truly proud and impressed.

Brisbane to Gold Coast – Paradise Point on the Gold Coast

Getting around, Brisbane to Gold Coast

Brisbane and the Gold Coast are served by international airports that are now easier to access than ever before.

The Gold Coast has developed the ‘G’ (G: link) tram which means a city that was previously quite inconvenient to navigate if you did not have a car, is now simple to access.

You can take the train from the centre of Brisbane all the way to Helensvale then catch the tram to Surfers Paradise or Broadbeach. Alternatively you can easily transfer to Coolangatta airport (Gold Coast) on this line too.

Brisbane and the Gold Coast (also Cairns) receive countless flights from Asian destinations now, and Queensland is well and truly open for business.

If you buy a Go Card, you can use it on all public transport in Brisbane and across the Gold Coast. It operates like an Oyster card (London) or any other major city transport card. You can add top-up value to it, and by using a Go Card you will enjoy big discounts on your travels, so it’s worth picking one up from one of the many vendors in these cities.

Brisbane to Gold Coast – Brisbane city

Areas to visit, Brisbane to Gold Coast

I was very impressed by Brisbane – it’s a city that’s done a LOT of growing since I last lived here.

The river walk is absolutely beautiful. I’d start down in front of the Stamford Hotel and walk along past the gardens, or go left towards Hamilton. Early morning is the best time to explore and capture great pictures like the one above.

You can use a Go Card on the CityCat (ferry) too, and see the city via the Brisbane river – head one way towards the cruise terminals and Hamilton, or the other way towards my old stomping ground, the University of Queensland.

The Gold Coast – in my mind at least – consists of three major sections.

Coming in from Brisbane you hit the northern end, with its theme parks and serene suburbs like Sanctuary Cove (great for golf or boating enthusiasts) and Paradise Point.

Harbour Town outlet shopping is also in the area, and in recent years features cool additions like Coach, Kate Spade and Michael Kors stores.

Driving further into the city you might like to explore up-market Main Beach (not far from Sea World), the waterfront at Labrador and a stop in Surfers Paradise is a must.

Past Surfers you’ll come to Broadbeach which is a beautiful spot brimming with cool boutiques and eateries, the home to Draculas cabaret restaurant and theatre and an intense shopping experience, Pacific Fair.

Burleigh and beyond is for those who love serious beachfront landscapes – probably my favourite part of the coast, presenting the epitome of our Aussie beach lifestyle.

Brisbane to Gold Coast – along the waterfront coming into Surfers Paradise Gold Coast

 

Australia – it is as sunny and beautiful as they say; full of characters, experience and charm. My home state is far from back-water now.

You’ll find the best of contemporary experiences here, along with an enviable way of life from the rainforest to the surf.

Heading our way for a travel adventure? Let us know in the comments if you have any questions. And of course, if you’ve discovered your own slice of fun in Queensland, we’d love it if you left your recommendations in the comments to help other travellers.

 

 

 

Featuring on the GC

Featuring on the GC

While we wait in nervous anticipation of this awful cyclone that is going to slam into my home of North Queensland, at least some good news in the papers…

A cute little goss snippet from The Gold Coast Bulletin, February 2, 2011 (thanks Regina and Peter) x

Sarah Blinco Gold Coast Bulletin(alternatively view here)