In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Gold Coast/Tweed Heads
Gold Coast–Tweed Heads
Give it 3 nights if you want beach plus hinterland; 1 night works as a border stop between Brisbane and Byron Bay.
Tweed Heads and Coolangatta are twin towns split by the NSW–Queensland border, at the southern end of the Gold Coast urban area. Coolangatta faces north, so the surf and the swimming are good, and the airport is 5 km away. Most travellers use it as a beach base for 2–4 nights, or as a one-night stop on the Brisbane–Byron drive.
- Country
- Australia
- Local name
- Gold Coast–Tweed Heads
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Dec–Jan (school holidays, crowds and heat)
- Stay
- 2–4 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$160–260 excl. bed · High A$300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4.50–6 |
| Café breakfast | A$15–25 |
| Pub or club main meal | A$20–35 |
| Beer: schooner at a pub / six-pack at a bottle shop | A$8–12 / A$18–25 |
| Bus fare, one zone | A$3–6 (check) |
| Tropical Fruit World entry | A$45 adult, A$25 child (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- OOL · Gold Coast Airport (Coolangatta)
- 5 km from Tweed Heads; not a 24-hour airport, so do not plan to sleep there before an early flight.3.1 mi from Tweed Heads; not a 24-hour airport, so do not plan to sleep there before an early flight.
- BNE · Brisbane Airport
- About 65 min by car on the Pacific Motorway.
Typical fares
- OOL airport → Coolangatta
- about 10 min by taxi or shuttle (check)
- Bus Tweed Heads → Surfers Paradise
- about 40–60 min, one zone fare (check)
- Car Brisbane → Tweed Heads
- about 65 min on the Pacific Motorway
Get around
Surfside buses run frequently along the Gold Coast Highway between Tweed Heads, Coolangatta and Surfers Paradise. Route 605 goes to Murwillumbah (hourly weekdays, about every 2 h weekends); route 603 runs to Bogangar and Pottsville. A car is better for the hinterland and Fingal Head.
See and do
Known for
- Point Danger and the state border
- Coolangatta and Rainbow Bay beaches
- Snapper Rocks surf break
- Tweed River and hinterland
- Gold Coast Airport (OOL)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Murwillumbah | Surfside route 605 from Tweed Heads, or 30 min by car | About 1 h by bus |
| Fingal Head | Car south over the Tweed River, then follow signs | About 20 min |
| Mount Warning (Wollumbin) | Car via Murwillumbah, then a graded walking track | About 1 h drive plus 2 h walk up |
| Byron Bay | Car north on the Pacific Motorway, or bus | About 1 h |
| Surfers Paradise | Surfside bus along the Gold Coast Highway, or car | About 40–60 min |
Sleep
- Coolangatta
- Beachfront blocks, cafés and the airport; best for a short beach stay.
- Tweed Heads
- NSW side, cheaper motels and clubs; 5–10 min walk to the border.
- Kirra and Bilinga
- Quieter beach strip between Coolangatta and the airport; hostels here.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the beach patrol? | Where is the beach patrol?flags are red and yellow |
| Is this NSW or Queensland? | Is this NSW or Queensland?border runs through town |
| One adult ticket, please | One adult ticket, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the nearest bus stop? | Where is the nearest bus stop? |
| Is it patrolled today? | Is it patrolled today? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- NSW and Queensland are on different clocks in summer: NSW has daylight saving, Queensland does not.
- Swim between the red and yellow flags; the surf here is real and unpatrolled stretches are common.
- The border runs through streets and buildings, so check which state you are in for opening hours and transport fares.
- Camping and overnight stays are not permitted in Tweed Shire outside licensed sites.
Beach and street safety are the real issues: swim between the flags, watch for strong currents, and keep valuables out of sight at the beach and in car parks.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gold Coast/Tweed Heads yet. Suggested stay: 2–4 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Point Danger and the state border
- Coolangatta and Rainbow Bay beaches
- Snapper Rocks surf break
- Tweed River and hinterland
- Gold Coast Airport (OOL)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tweed Tourism — Tweed Heads Visitor Information Centre: www.tweedtourism.com.au
- Gold Coast Airport: www.goldcoastairport.com.au
- Wikivoyage: Gold Coast/Tweed Heads, revision 5322061 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5322061
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Gold Coast/Tweed HeadsGold Coast–Tweed Heads
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies here; consulates-general are in Sydney, and the US consulate-general is in Sydney (check).
Border towns: check which state you are in for opening hours, transport fares and daylight saving.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/gold-coast-tweed-heads). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.