The following is a timeline of history of the city of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
19th Century
- Pre 1846
- Yugambeh people inhabit the region now known as the Gold Coast.
- 1846
- The schooner Coolangatta is wrecked on the coast close to the later town.
- 1865
- The township of Nerang was surveyed by Martin Lavelle in June.
- 1874
- The town of Southport is founded.
- 1875
- Johan Meyer buys land near Nerang River and begins developing sugar and transportation.
- 1883
- The town of Coolangatta is founded.
- 1889
- The South Coast railway reaches Southport.
- 1892
- Catholic parish of Southport established.
20th Century
- 1901
- The Southport School established.
- 1902
- Pacific Cable Station opened, connecting Australia to North America by telegraph.
- 1912
- St Hilda's School established.
- 1914
- Yatala Pie Shop opens.
- 1919
- The 1918 flu pandemic closes the QLD-NSW border.
- 1922
- Southport War Memorial built.
- 1925
- Opening of the Jubilee Bridge, connecting Elston to Southport.
- Jim Cavill opens Surfers Paradise Hotel.
- 1928
- Jazzland Dance Hall opened at Coolangatta.
- 1933
- The town of Elston is officially renamed Surfers Paradise.
- 1934
- Broadbeach is surveyed.
- 1938
- Hotel Cecil in Art Deco style opened at Southport.
- 1939
- First passenger flights from Coolangatta Airport (later Gold Coast Airport).
- 1947
- Currumbin Bird Sanctuary (later Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary) opens.
- 1949
- Town of South Coast created through the amalgamation of Coolangatta and Southport.
- 10 March: 1949 Queensland Airlines Lockheed Lodestar crash in Bilinga.
- 1954
- An unnamed cyclone hits, leading to at least 26 deaths and extensive flooding.
- 1958
- Town of South Coast renamed to Town of Gold Coast.
- 1959
- Town of Gold Coast renamed City of Gold Coast.
- Isle of Capri canal development under way.
- 1960
- Gold Coast Hospital opened.
- Kinkabool (building) constructed in Surfers Paradise.
- 1962
- Lido Arcade in Surfers Paradise opens.
- Magic Mountain, Nobby Beach opens.
- 1963
- Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper in publication.
- 1964
- Southport-Brisbane South Coast railway line closes.
- Kirra surfer Phyllis O'Donnell wins first Women's World Surfing Championship.
- 1965
- Entrepreneur Bernie Elsey organises Surfers Paradise Meter Maids to save motorists from parking fines.
- 1966
- The Sands (building) and Paradise Towers constructed in Surfers Paradise.
- Gold Coast Bridge rebuilt.
- 1967
- Garfield Towers built in Surfers Paradise.
- Bruce Small elected mayor.
- 1971
- Sea World park opens in Southport.
- Point Danger Light built.
- Population: 75,862.
- 1973
- Robert Neumann elected mayor.
- Billabong surfwear founded.
- 1974
- Currumbin Estuary Bridge opens.
- Surfers Paradise floods.
- 1976
- Death of Gladys Moncrieff at Pindara Private Hospital
- 1979
- Gold Coast Marathon begins.
- 1980
- First Schoolies week celebrated, centred on Broadbeach Hotel
- 1981
- Dreamworld amusement park in business in Coomera.
- Population: 177,264.
- 1983
- Ray Barrett stars in Goodbye Paradise as washed-up ex-policeman investigating crime.
- 1984
- The Coolangatta Gold ironman race begins.
- Cade's County Waterpark in business in Oxenford.
- Coolangatta Centenary commemorations.
- 1985
- Conrad Jupiters Casino (later The Star Gold Coast) opens.
- 1986
- Gold Coast City Art Gallery opens.
- 1987
- Carrara Stadium opens.
- Gold Coast College of Advanced Education established.
- 1988
- Bond University opens in Robina.
- Gated community of Sanctuary Cove opened with performance by Frank Sinatra.
- 1989
- Gold Coast College of Advanced Education is merged with Griffith University under the Dawkins Revolution of tertiary education.
- 1990
- Gold Coast and Albert Genealogical Society active.
- Australia Fair shopping centre opens in Southport.
- 1991
- Movie World amusement park opens in Oxenford.
- Village Roadshow Studios begin operation.
- Magic Mountain, Nobby Beach shuts its doors.
- Population: 301,559.
- 1992
- Peter Goldsworthy's comedic novel Honk If You Are Jesus set in fictional Gold Coast bible college.
- 1994
- Muriel's Weddings fictional Porpoise Spit shot in Coolangatta and other Gold Coast locations.
- Teen model Kristy Hinze appears in Vogue Australia.
- 1995
- Shire of Albert becomes part of Gold Coast City.
- Ray Stevens becomes mayor.
- Yugambeh Museum, Language and Heritage Research Centre opens. https://www.qld.gov.au/about/events-awards-honours/awards/qld-greats-awards/2019-recipients#_patricia
- BusTech company formed to manufacture buses.
- 1996
- Moroccan (building) constructed in Surfers Paradise.
- 1997
- Gary Baildon becomes mayor.
- 1999
- Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame opens.
21st Century
See also
References
Bibliography
External links