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AusProp
Investment Brief
Generated 12 September 2026

Surfers Paradise

Central Gold Coast · QLD 4217

The Gold Coast's tourism heart — light rail, the HOTA arts precinct and major hotel towers.

Market snapshot

House
Unit
Median price
$2,100,000
$920,000
Rent / week
$1225/wk
$864/wk
Gross yield
3.34% (GC avg 3.2%)
4.97% (GC avg 4.85%)
Growth (1yr)
+8.1%
+5.8%
Auction clearance52%
Days on market38 days
Vacancy rate4.2%
Active listings158

* Sample market figures for layout testing — live Domain data is wired in before launch.

Supply risk

High supply risk48 major DAs approved

48 major approvals in the pipeline — significant new supply could soften rents short-term before population absorbs it.

~5,840
est. new dwellings

Active infrastructure (2)

Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3Transport

The $1.2 billion light rail Stage 3 extends the G:link network 6.7km from Broadbeach South to Burleigh Heads with eight new stations, with services expected from mid-2026.

Under Construction · Est. 2026Queensland Government ↗
Surfers Paradise RevitalisationCommercial

The City of Gold Coast has committed $100 million to revitalise Cavill Mall, Cavill Avenue and the central Esplanade in the heart of Surfers Paradise.

Announced · Est. 2029City of Gold Coast ↗

Planning & commercial signals (50)

Large-Scale Multi-Dwelling and Short-Term Accommodation Development★ Major

A major development proposal for 130 residential dwellings and 130 short-term accommodation units located in the high-density Surfers Paradise precinct.

High-Density Residential Tower - 102 Dwellings Proposed★ Major

A Material Change of Use application for a development comprising 102 multiple dwellings located on the Gold Coast Highway.

High-Density Residential Tower — 102 Dwellings Proposed★ Major

A proposal for a significant residential development comprising 102 dwellings and a commercial food and drink outlet at Surf Parade.

High-Density Residential & Short-Term Accommodation Tower★ Major

A major development application for a mixed-use project comprising 96 residential units and 37 short-term accommodation units in Surfers Paradise.

280-Unit Residential Development in Surfers Paradise★ Major

A major development application for a Material Change of Use to construct a 280-unit multiple dwelling complex at 2957 Surfers Paradise Boulevard.

High-Density Residential Development — 102 Dwellings Proposed★ Major

A material change of use application for a 102-dwelling multiple dwelling development located at 12 Weemala Street, Surfers Paradise.

Dual-Tower Mixed-Use Development — 186 Residences Proposed★ Major

A major development application for 93 residential apartments and 93 short-term accommodation units at 211 Surf Parade, Surfers Paradise.

High-Density Residential & Short-Term Accommodation Tower★ Major

The development proposes a major mixed-use project comprising 60 multiple dwellings and 60 short-term accommodation units at 27 Garfield Terrace in Surfers Paradise.

High-Density Residential Tower — 143 Units★ Major

A major development application for a 143-unit multiple dwelling complex combined with existing food and drink retail at 9-21 Beach Parade, Surfers Paradise.

Mixed-Use Development — 169 Units/Short-Term Accom★ Major

A high-density mixed-use development comprising 72 multiple dwellings and 97 short-term accommodation units, plus food and drink premises at 2921 Gold Coast Highway.

High-Density Mixed-Use Development — 164 Units★ Major

A major development application for 84 residential dwellings and 80 short-term accommodation units, alongside home-based businesses, at 2921 Gold Coast Highway.

Short-Term Accommodation Complex — 270 Capsule Pods★ Major

A Material Change of Use application for a high-density short-term accommodation facility featuring 270 capsule-style pods in Surfers Paradise.

High-Density Short-Term Accommodation Tower — 277 Units Proposed★ Major

A major development application for a Material Change of Use to facilitate 277 short-term accommodation units at 17 Illawong Street, Surfers Paradise.

Major Mixed-Use Development - 727 Dwellings at Surfers Paradise★ Major

A massive mixed-use development at 152-162 The Esplanade proposing 381 multiple dwellings, 346 short-term accommodation units, childcare, and retail space.

Major Mixed-Use Development: 1321 Units in Surfers Paradise★ Major

A massive mixed-use application comprising 994 multiple dwellings, 327 short-term accommodation units, childcare, retail, and food/drink outlets at 3346 Surfers Paradise Boulevarde.

Major Residential Development — 394 Dwellings in Surfers Paradise★ Major

A significant proposal for a 394-unit multiple dwelling development including a food and drink outlet at 34-36 Markwell Avenue, Surfers Paradise.

Short-Term Accommodation Development — 120 Units★ Major

A Material Change of Use application for a 120-unit short-term accommodation development located at 3197 Surfers Paradise Boulevard.

Major Mixed-Use Development — 519 New Dwellings in Surfers Paradise★ Major

A significant application for a multi-storey development featuring 519 residential dwellings combined with food, drink, and retail components on The Esplanade.

116-Unit Multiple Dwelling Development in Surfers Paradise★ Major

A major development application for a 116-unit residential complex located at 24 Monte Carlo Avenue, Surfers Paradise.

275-Unit Mixed-Use Tower — Surfers Paradise★ Major

Material Change of Use for a 275-dwelling multiple dwelling development with ground-floor food and drink outlets and retail at 69 Garfield Terrace, Surfers Paradise. This represents significant densification in the heart of the Gold Coast's premier high-rise precinct.

130-Unit Multiple Dwelling Development — Under Appeal★ Major

Material Change of Use application for 130 multiple dwellings at 21 Anembo Street, Surfers Paradise. The development is currently under appeal, indicating the original assessment or decision is contested.

Under Appeal · MCU/2026/63City of Gold Coast — DA Register ↗
178-Unit Multiple Dwelling Development — Surfers Paradise★ Major

Material Change of Use application for a 178-dwelling multiple dwelling development at 25 Oak Avenue, Surfers Paradise. This is a significant infill residential project in a prime Gold Coast location.

Celestino Developments Garfield Terrace Twin Towers Approved★ Major

John Camilleri's Celestino Developments secured approval from Gold Coast City Council for a major beachfront precinct featuring two towers rising 48 and 55 storeys with 275 luxury apartments linked by a 45-storey skybridge at 63–79 Garfield Terrace.

Boulevard Twin Towers — Approved

Andrews Projects secured approval for two 37-storey towers delivering roughly 400 apartments in Surfers Paradise.

Cypress Palms (Meriton) — Height Increase Sought

Meriton's Cypress Palms at 3346 Surfers Paradise Blvd was originally approved in October 2023 for three towers. A change application lodged in 2024 seeks to reduce this to two towers while raising the tallest tower from 84 to 90 storeys and adding roughly 300 apartments.

Mixed-Use Development - 20 Dwellings & Commercial

A material change of use for a mixed-use development at 3098 Surfers Paradise Boulevarde, including 10 residential dwellings, 10 short-term accommodation units, a shop, and a bar.

84-Unit Residential Development in Surfers Paradise

A Material Change of Use application for a multiple dwelling development comprising 84 units located at 1-7 Cannes Avenue, Surfers Paradise.

49-Unit Multiple Dwelling Development in Surfers Paradise

A Material Change of Use application for the construction of 49 multiple dwellings located at 43 Garfield Terrace, Surfers Paradise.

83-Unit Residential Development — Surfers Paradise

A Material Change of Use application for the development of 83 multiple dwellings at 39 Darrambal Street, Surfers Paradise.

37-Unit Residential Development at Garfield Terrace

A material change of use for a multiple dwelling development comprising 37 units at 9 Garfield Terrace, Surfers Paradise.

High-Density Residential Development - 66 Units

A material change of use for a 66-unit multiple dwelling development located at 75-79 Garfield Terrace in Surfers Paradise.

Multiple Dwelling Development — 52 units in Surfers Paradise

A Material Change of Use application for a 52-unit residential multiple dwelling complex at 73 Garfield Terrace, Surfers Paradise.

35-Unit Residential Development at First Avenue, Surfers Paradise

A Material Change of Use application for a multiple dwelling development comprising 35 residential units located in the high-density Surfers Paradise precinct.

Retirement Facility Development — 94 Units in Surfers Paradise

A Material Change of Use application for the construction of a 94-unit retirement facility located at 8 Acacia Avenue, Surfers Paradise.

71-Unit Multiple Dwelling and Short-Term Accommodation Development

A mixed-use development proposal at 203-211 Surf Parade comprising 71 units for residential and short-term accommodation purposes, involving a 4-into-2 lot subdivision.

Multiple Dwelling Development — 54 Units in Surfers Paradise

A Material Change of Use application for a 54-unit multiple dwelling development located at 3 Vista Street, Surfers Paradise.

50-Unit Mixed-Use Development — Surfers Paradise

Development application for 50 multiple dwellings and short-term accommodation units located at 18 Mawarra Street.

48-Unit Multi-Dwelling Development in Surfers Paradise

A material change of use application for the development of 48 residential units at 34 Elliott Street, Surfers Paradise, including partial three-storey configurations.

82-Unit Multiple Dwelling and Short Term Accommodation Proposed

A proposal for a material change of use for 82 units encompassing both residential multiple dwelling and short-term accommodation in Surfers Paradise.

Multiple Dwelling Development — 35 Units in Surfers Paradise

A Material Change of Use application for 35 multiple dwellings and a food and drink outlet at 2919 Gold Coast Highway.

Mixed-Use Development - 62 Units in Surfers Paradise

A Material Change of Use application for a development comprising 31 multiple dwellings and 31 short-term accommodation units at 2830 Gold Coast Highway.

43-Unit Multiple Dwelling Development in Surfers Paradise

A development application for a Material Change of Use to construct a multiple dwelling complex comprising 43 units at 50 Sunset Boulevarde, Surfers Paradise.

55-Unit Mixed-Use Development at 62 Garfield Terrace

A Material Change of Use application for a 55-unit multiple dwelling and shop development located in the high-density Surfers Paradise beachfront precinct.

74-Unit Residential Apartment Development — 56 Sunset Boulevarde

A Material Change of Use application for the development of 74 multiple dwellings located in Surfers Paradise.

Multiple Dwelling Development — 62 New Apartments

A Material Change of Use application for a 62-unit residential apartment development at 52 Sunset Boulevarde, Surfers Paradise.

Proposed · MCU/2025/143apartments.com.au ↗
Multiple Dwelling Development — 76 Units in Surfers Paradise

A Material Change of Use application for a 76-unit residential development located at 8 Kalyan Street, Surfers Paradise.

Bastion Group 30-Level 'Surfer' Tower DA Lodged

Bastion Group has lodged a $180M development application for a 30-storey luxury tower ('Surfer') at 25 & 27 Vista Street and 2959 Surfers Paradise Boulevard, comprising 25 apartments and 75 short-term accommodation units, all two-bedrooms.

Surfers Paradise Esplanade pedestrianisation endorsed by council

Gold Coast City Council endorsed pedestrianisation of 250-metre stretch of The Esplanade following community consultation, with implementation scheduled for 2028-2029 as part of broader revitalisation plan.

73-Unit Mixed-Use Development — Surfers Paradise

Material Change of Use application for 73 residential units combined with short-term accommodation (likely serviced apartments or holiday rentals) at prime Surfers Paradise beachfront location on First Avenue.

Short-Term Accommodation Extension — 37 Units

Material Change of Use application to extend Short Term Accommodation provision by 37 additional units at 2828 Gold Coast Highway, Surfers Paradise. This represents a significant expansion of visitor accommodation capacity in a prime beachfront location.

Summary

Surfers Paradise has 2 active infrastructure projects, headlined by Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 (under construction). Investment spans transport, commercial. The median house price is around $1.63m, with auction clearance strengthening and days on market falling; gross rental yield is about 3.71%.

What happened last time: the Gold Coast Light Rail

Surfers Paradise sits on this corridor. Two independent university studies tracked property values near light rail stations from 1996 to 2016. Here's what actually happened — not a projection, a record.

The biggest jump (+26%) landed during the feasibility study — years before construction even started, let alone the first tram running. Land 100–400m from a station rose 30% more than land 800m+ away, over the full 1996–2016 window.
+7%extra value within 400m of a station, in just the first year the line operated (vs land 400m–2km away)
$300mtotal land-value uplift across 1,324 properties near Stage 1 stations — about 25% of what Stage 1 cost to build

This is historical research on the Gold Coast's existing light rail (Stages 1–2) — not a guarantee any future project repeats it. We show it because it's the most rigorously documented Gold Coast precedent for how transit signals have actually played out here, and it's why AusProp surfaces planning and funding signals rather than waiting for ribbon-cuttings.