Monday 15th January 2007. Byron Bay to the Gold Coast.

This morning we spent exploring Byron Bay and enjoying a leisurely breakfast. After a lunchtime BBQ we hit the road heading out of New South Wales and crossing the border into Queensland.

We are destined for Natural Bridge National Park where we enjoy sights such as Bush Turkeys, the Strangler Fig and the Hoop Pine in this sub-tropical rainforest.

Our destination is to be the Paradise Resort in Surfer's Paradise.

Surfer's Paradise was the name given to the settlement of Elston when it was re-named in 1933. Indeed, following the post war real estate boom of the 1950's and 1960's, that resulted from the expanding tourist industry the area began being referred to as the Gold Coast by the people of nearby Brisbane. Formerly known as the South Coast, the Gold Coast was the first place in Australia to introduce canal estates and this may be one reason why I feel a real sense of Fort Lauderdale here?

The property boom was seen by many as a licence to print money and the resulting name of Gold Coast stuck such that in 1959 Surfer's Paradise and Coolangatta were re-named and in 1960 they formally became Gold Coast City.

Tonight we are dining at the Surfer's Paradise Surf Club before we all head out to dance the night away at Melbas.