Southport Suburb Overview
Southport is a suburb and a business district near the midpoint of the Gold Coast, Australia and has one of the city’s largest communities. At the 2006 Census, Southport had a population of 24,097.
It was named Southport because it was the southernmost port of the colony of Queensland. Southport is recognised as the central business district of the Gold Coast City. It has the city’s largest area of office space at 103,818 m
Southport was once the site of timber mills. A port was established to ship logs to Brisbane. Cutting timber opened up the area for settlement. Early rural industries included sugar growing and livestock grazing.
By Federation Southport had become a tourist seaside spot and had a permanent population of 1230. The South Coast railway from Beenleigh to Southport opened in 1889 and closed in 1964. A ferry service – the Myer’s Ferry connection
The area of coast facing Southport is known as the Broadwater. The Broadwater houses the Southport Yacht Club and a number of marinas. The area is used for fishing, boating, and watersports. It is fronted by park lands which are a popular area with locals. Located opposite Southport on the Broadwater is the theme park Sea World. Although the Broadwater water is suitable for swimming, it is only 6 minutes from Surfers Paradise which features high quality beaches and infrastructure including a permanent life guard station. Southport is also bordered by the Nerang River.
Australia Fair Shopping Centre, located in the old Southport CBD, is a large indoor shopping centre containing 233 stores and a Senstadium Cinema. It was established in 1983 on the site of the former milk factory and is home to the major northern bus interchange for the Gold Coast. The opening of the Southport strip mall to low-speed through traffic has been a controversial local decision.
The Gold Coast Hospital, the only public-only hospital on the Gold Coast, is located in Southport. The surrounding area has been substantially redeveloped, and now includes a number of private medical practices. In 2005, Griffith University commenced teaching dentistry and medicine at a new building on land adjacent to Gold Coast Hospital. The state government has announced that a new Gold Coast Hospital will be constructed opposite the main Griffith University campus at Parklands. Plans for the existing hospital site are not yet clear, but general speculation is that it will become a private hospital.
Near the Gold Coast Hospital is the large new branch of the Southport Gold Coast Library, which was previously located on the top floor of the Australia Fair Shopping Centre. The Southport Branch Library was completed in 2002 and is one of 14 branches of the City’s library. Upstairs in the same building is the Local Studies branch library which includes the City’s historical collection of materials including documents, photographs, films, advertising and iconic objects and memorabilia
St Hilda’s School, which was founded in 1911, is located opposite the Hospital and is the only all-girls school on the Gold Coast.
Southport is home to The Southport School, which was once the largest boarding school in Queensland. The School was founded in 1901 and has a well-known clock tower and chapel. It is also one of the few schools in Australia where cadet service is mandatory.
The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre is located on Marine Parade adjacent to Southport Broadwater. It has a 50 metre Olympic pool with diving towers, 33 and 25 metre pools and a 15 metre indoor teaching pool. These pools are heated. There is a children’s aquatic playground which includes a wading pool.
Nearby Suburbs
