Surfers Paradise

      If the Gold Coast with it's mix of sun, beaches, theme parks and colourful local fauna is Australia's Florida, then Surfers Paradise is its wannabe Miami. From the gold lame bikini-clad Meter Maids to the replica of David in the Raptis Plaza shopping mall, Surfers is razzle-dazzle and glitz, and all in the most dubius of taste.
      The place has come a long way since 1936 when there was just the brand-new Surfers Paradise Hotel, a little beachfront hideaway 9km from Southport. The popularity of Surfers these days rests not so much on the sand and surf (which is better down the coast) but on the shopping, nightlife and its proximity to attractions like the Gold Coast theme parks.
      For backpackers it's probably the most partying place in Queensland and hostel staff here work hard to whip quests up into a good time groove every night of the week. Yet, despite all this, at most times of the year you may not have to go far north or south to find a relatively open, blissful stretch of white sand.

- Lonely Planet Queensland 2nd Edition 1999