How dependant on eachother are Brisbane and the Gold Coast?

Brisbane would undoubtably be much smaller if it did not have the hundreds/thousands of people pouring into it from the M1 each day for work.

GC would likely be like any other beach front town along QLD or NSW if not for its proximity to Brisbane.


Thats my 2 points at first.. add more :)

Actually, we are increasingly dependant on each other in some areas, but less in others.
(Increasing)We're going to be taking abit more of Wivenhoe's water soon.

(Decreasing)Gold Coasters used to always go to Brisbane Airport, now we use our own.

I wonder how many Former Brisbaners live on the GC anf Vice Versa.
Being that were so close, and both cities are easily accessible to eachother, If someone wanted a change in lifestyle, but still to work or be able to enjoy the other place it wouldnt be to hard to move

Actually, we are increasingly dependant on each other in some areas, but less in others.
(Increasing)We're going to be taking abit more of Wivenhoe's water soon.

(Decreasing)Gold Coasters used to always go to Brisbane Airport, now we use our own.

True - I know many people who now commute to GC and who live in Brisbane, even people who live in Brisbane CBD sometimes commute to GC for work.

It is the only city in Australia where you will find 8 lanes of peak hour traffic and very crowded trains on the outskirts of the urban area up to 30km from the CBD. Check out the morning traffic reports and they all involve masses of traffic comming in from North and South.

This is something you don't get in Adelaide, Perth or Melbourne. Never have I heard or seen traffic banked up in places like Melton, Paknaham or Craigieburn.

jt

But the traffic isn't just 30Km out. The worst parts are between about Exits 71-73 and at the Tugun merge, 95Km out. And then there's more problems at Sexton's Hill. Over 100Km out.

Blend: I know a few people who have switched between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. I myself will be doing it when I go to uni.

I think people sometimes forget that the Gold Coast started out as a tourist location for Brisbanites - without Brisbane the gold coast would not exist. It was Brisbane's playground.

Now it is a city in it's own right, but the foundations are still there, and as people have said people live on the coast who used to live in Brisbane, and may still work in Brisbane. The point is although they are two seperate cities, they share a single history and they must co-exist.

Unfortunately with all the development Gold Coast is now nothing more than Californian style tourist town, with hotels on every corner and not much industry of it's own or even suffiecient infrastructure. I don't believe it was ever planned to be a self-sustaining city. If it weren't for Brisbane providing GC residents with a significant number of jobs, especially high paid jobs, GC would have a high unemployment rate. It simply does not have the industry to support the number of people who live there.

It has become so commercial it has lost, or at least diminished, the very reason why people went there in the first place. Surfers Paradise doesn't live up to its name anymore, especially since they took away Grundy's.

The Sunshine Coast on the other hand is less known to international tourists, and not as popular with interstate tourists, however is almost equally popular with Brisbane residents. Many people prefer to go there to avoid the crowds, traffic but I believe most of all the fact it has maintained much of it's natural beauty without the spoils of commercialism. Mooloolaba has changed a lot in the past 20 years, but with development restrictions it at least maintains some level of it's former glory.

If it weren't for Brisbane providing GC residents with a significant number of jobs, especially high paid jobs, GC would have a high unemployment rate.

The gold coast does have a high unlemployment rate... one of the highest in the country i beleive

The ghost of the Goss Governments toll road is back on the Gold Coast to Brisbane. In the SEQ Plan there is a similar plan for a transport route (south of the Logan River). This was what the government said that the time (after they lost the 4 seats). I recall at the time Main Roads saying it (another road) would not be needed for 10 years - that was 1996/7.

I think people sometimes forget that the Gold Coast started out as a tourist location for Brisbanites - without Brisbane the gold coast would not exist. It was Brisbane's playground.

Actually, no, we didn't. We started as a cedar logging towns, cotton and sugar cane farms. The Gold Coast would still be here without Brisbane, but not as we know it.

Unfortunately with all the development Gold Coast is now nothing more than Californian style tourist town, with hotels on every corner and not much industry of it's own or even suffiecient infrastructure. I don't believe it was ever planned to be a self-sustaining city. If it weren't for Brisbane providing GC residents with a significant number of jobs, especially high paid jobs, GC would have a high unemployment rate. It simply does not have the industry to support the number of people who live there.

We do have alot of industry, and we are constantly getting more. We have the world's largest ship building facility, Gold Coast City Marina. There are massive industrial areas at Pimpama, Ormeau, Nerang, Ashmore and Reedy Creek. No, we don't have enought to be self-suffiecient, but that's beside my point.

The Sunshine Coast on the other hand is less known to international tourists, and not as popular with interstate tourists, however is almost equally popular with Brisbane residents. Many people prefer to go there to avoid the crowds, traffic but I believe most of all the fact it has maintained much of it's natural beauty without the spoils of commercialism. Mooloolaba has changed a lot in the past 20 years, but with development restrictions it at least maintains some level of it's former glory.

I wouldn't agree with some of that. The sunshine coast is very well known to international tourists, except not too many Asians. Remember, when the Amazing Race came to Australia, they went to Brisbane and then to Mooloolaba. Stupid Americans, pronouncing it Moo-Loo-Laba.

And people go there to "AVOID" traffic? Everytime I go up the Bruce Highway, it's always clogged.

We do have alot of industry, and we are constantly getting more. We have the world's largest ship building facility, Gold Coast City Marina. There are massive industrial areas at Pimpama, Ormeau, Nerang, Ashmore and Reedy Creek. No, we don't have enought to be self-suffiecient, but that's beside my point.


The Gold Coast City marina is not the largest ship building facility in the world (lol), it is however the largest (or at least one of the largest) and fastest growing recreational boat building facility in Australia, building a prestigous international reputation and worth hundreds of millions to the gold coast economy (in the precinct alone). There are over 450 companies and 3500 employees (precinct alone), and there is enormous growth potential. The Super Yacht industry alone, has the potential to inject between $60 - $120 million into the Gold Coast economy over the next five years. This is largely expenditure on refit and maintenance by oversees super yacht owners.

SOURCE: http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/t_std.asp?pid=220

http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/image_content/business_marina.jpg http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/image_content/business_marine_boat_holder.jpg



Also, the Gold coast boasts large Video, Filming and photography industry, as well as Design and print (ie. large clothing companies like Billabong and Burning spears are based here), Music and Audio, and web publishing.

Gold Coast also has a dynamic and vibrant Education and Training industry, with expenditure estimated to be in excess of $550 million annually and employment more than 8000 people. Also, There are 4 universities in Gold Coast City one of which is the first and largest non-for-profit private univesity, Bond.

There is also many jobs in the environmental industry. The Gold Coast lies within a very fragile and important local geographical region.

Food and Beverage - The GC is home to one of Australia's largest and most technologically advanced brewery, carlton brewery. Much of the resources of the victorian company is now based in Queensland.

The health and medical industry is a significant and rapidly growing sector of the Gold Coast economy.

The list goes on...



NEO: In the GC especially, not only is tourism an industry that generates shitloads of money and shitloads of wealth and jobs! but it also fuels other major industries such as education and medicine.