{"id":2969,"date":"2025-09-09T13:58:25","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T13:58:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/followtheimprints.com\/?p=2969"},"modified":"2025-09-09T14:02:38","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T14:02:38","slug":"elementor-2969","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/followtheimprints.com\/?p=2969","title":{"rendered":"Australia Gold Coast"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2969\" class=\"elementor elementor-2969\" wpc-filter-elementor-widget=\"1\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-85c59f9 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"85c59f9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ba49254 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"ba49254\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"travel-post\">\n\n  <div class=\"post-featured\">\n  <style>\n    .post-featured img {\n      object-fit: cover;\n      object-position: center 30%; \/* push image down *\/\n      width: 100%;\n      height: auto;\n      display: block;\n    }\n  <\/style>\n  <img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/followtheimprints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/gold-coast-surfers-paradise-scaled.jpg\" \n       alt=\"Surfers Paradise beach at Gold Coast, Australia\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1920px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1920\/2560;\" \/>\n<\/div>\n\n\n  <!-- Title -->\n  <h1 class=\"post-title\">Gold Coast Adventures: Beaches, Wildlife & Highrise Living<\/h1>\n\n  <!-- Date + Category -->\n  <div class=\"post-meta\">\n    <span class=\"post-date\">September 2025<\/span> | \n    <span class=\"post-category\">Australia<\/span>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <!-- Intro -->\n  <p class=\"post-intro\">\n    Welcome back to <strong>FollowTheImprints<\/strong>! This time Sudeshna and I explored the stunning <strong>Gold Coast<\/strong> in Queensland, Australia. From staying in a highrise apartment with sweeping views, to spotting <strong>kangaroos and koalas in the wild<\/strong>, to walking along the buzzing streets of Surfers Paradise\u2014this trip had it all. \n  <\/p>\n\n  <!-- Sections -->\n  <h2>\ud83c\udfe8 Our Stay at Main Beach<\/h2>\n  <p>We spent 5 nights at an apartment hotel called <strong>Maldives<\/strong>, located right at Main Beach. The apartment was airy and spacious with a full kitchen, living room, bedroom, washer\/dryer, and a balcony that opened up to the iconic Gold Coast skyline and beach views. At <strong>$108 per night<\/strong>, it felt worth it for the space and independence\u2014though the service wasn\u2019t the most attentive. Compared to Sydney, accommodation here was pricier but having our own kitchen helped save on meals.<\/p>\n  <img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/followtheimprints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/gold-coast-apartment-balcony.jpeg\" alt=\"Balcony view from Main Beach apartment in Gold Coast\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1440px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1440\/1920;\">\n\n  <h2>\ud83c\udf3f Day Trip to Coombabah Lake Conservation Park<\/h2>\n  <p>Just an hour away by tram and bus lies the <strong>Coombabah Lake Conservation Park<\/strong>, a 1200-acre wetland teeming with wildlife. Entry is free, and while there are no facilities (bring your own food and water), the reward is priceless\u2014spotting <strong>koalas<\/strong> in eucalyptus trees and <strong>kangaroos<\/strong> hopping freely across open fields. For us, it was the first time seeing kangaroos in the wild, and even a mother kangaroo carrying her joey in its pouch!<\/p>\n  <img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/followtheimprints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/kangaroo-gold-coast-conservation-park.jpeg\" alt=\"Kangaroo in the wild at Coombabah Lake Conservation Park\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1440px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1440\/1920;\">\n\n  <h2>\ud83e\udd98 Wildlife Encounters<\/h2>\n  <p>Australia is home to unique species, with over 80% found nowhere else in the world. In the park we spotted multiple koalas (including a baby!) and dozens of kangaroos\u2014some lounging, some bouncing across the fields. We also saw turkeys and the famous white ibis, jokingly called the <em>\u201cbin chicken\u201d<\/em> in Australia. Watching these animals in their natural habitat, free and untamed, was easily the highlight of our Gold Coast trip.<\/p>\n  <img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/followtheimprints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/koala-in-eucalyptus-tree-gold-coast.jpeg\" alt=\"Koala resting in eucalyptus tree\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1440px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1440\/1920;\">\n\n  <h2>\ud83c\udf7d Picnic Lunch with Kangaroo Views<\/h2>\n  <p>Thanks to our apartment kitchen, we packed our own lunches. One afternoon, we had a simple meal of <strong>chicken and rice<\/strong> right in the park, overlooking kangaroos in the distance. With groceries from Woolworths, we enjoyed affordable home-cooked meals\u2014avocados for breakfast, chicken for lunch, and coffee breaks in between. Simple joys that made the trip extra memorable!<\/p>\n\n  <h2>\ud83c\udfd6 Surfers Paradise: The Heart of Gold Coast<\/h2>\n  <p>No Gold Coast trip is complete without <strong>Surfers Paradise<\/strong>. With its 3 km stretch of golden sand, towering skyline, shopping streets, caf\u00e9s, flea markets, and vibrant nightlife, it\u2019s the entertainment hub of the city. The waves are powerful, and only designated swimming areas are safe under the lifeguards\u2019 watch\u2014everywhere else is for surfers, from beginners to pros. We strolled Cavill Avenue, explored souvenir shops (cheap finds starting at $5), and soaked in the buzzing beach-town vibes.<\/p>\n  <img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/followtheimprints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/surfers-paradise-gold-coast.jpeg\" alt=\"Surfers Paradise beach and skyline in Gold Coast\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1440px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1440\/1920;\">\n\n  <h2>\u2615 A Coffee to End the Day<\/h2>\n  <p>We wrapped up the day with coffee from a local spot called <strong>Stairwell Coffee<\/strong>. Normally, we\u2019re not coffee drinkers, but with perfect beach weather and the energy of Surfers Paradise all around, it was the perfect ending to our Gold Coast adventure.<\/p>\n\n  <!-- Travel Tips -->\n  <h2>\u2728 Travel Tips for Gold Coast<\/h2>\n  <ul>\n    <li>Public transport is cheap: trams cost only <strong>50 cents per ride<\/strong> with a credit\/debit card tap-on system.<\/li>\n    <li>For buses, you\u2019ll need a <strong>Go Card<\/strong> or paper ticket\u2014cards are easy to buy from machines.<\/li>\n    <li>Coombabah Lake Conservation Park is free but has no amenities\u2014carry water and snacks.<\/li>\n    <li>Stay near Surfers Paradise or Main Beach for easy access to beaches and nightlife.<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n  <!-- Video Embed -->\n  <h2>\ud83c\udfa5 Watch Our Gold Coast Journey<\/h2>\n  <div class=\"post-video\">\n    <iframe data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_NhT7y9aShE\" title=\"FollowTheImprints Gold Coast Adventure\" allowfullscreen src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"0\"><\/iframe>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <!-- Outro -->\n  <p class=\"post-outro\">\n    From <strong>wild kangaroos and koalas<\/strong> to <strong>skyline beaches<\/strong> and buzzing nightlife, Gold Coast proved why it\u2019s one of Australia\u2019s most loved destinations. For us, it was a blend of nature and city life that made this stop truly special. Subscribe to <strong>FollowTheImprints<\/strong> for more adventures as we continue exploring South America and beyond!\n  <\/p>\n\n<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gold Coast Adventures: Beaches, Wildlife &#038; Highrise Living September 2025 | Australia Welcome back to FollowTheImprints! This time Sudeshna and I explored the stunning Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. From staying in a highrise apartment with sweeping views, to spotting kangaroos and koalas in the wild, to walking along the buzzing streets of Surfers Paradise\u2014this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2968,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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