Cavill Avenue facts for kids
Cavill Avenue is a famous street and a special walking-only area in Surfers Paradise, Australia. It's right in the middle of all the shops and fun things to do in Surfers Paradise. The street is named after Jim Cavill, who is known as the person who helped start Surfers Paradise.
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Contents
How Cavill Avenue Began
Early Days with Johann Meyer
Back in 1887, a German immigrant named Johann Meyer ran a ferry service. This ferry helped people cross the Nerang River. Travelers from Southport would follow Meyer's Ferry Road to a narrow point in the river. From there, Meyer's ferry would take them across to a place called Elston. Elston is what Surfers Paradise was called back then.
Businesses started to open along Meyer's Ferry Road in Elston. This road became the main street of Surfers Paradise, which we now call Cavill Avenue. Even though the beaches were popular, it was hard to get there by road. This limited how much the area could grow.
The Jubilee Bridge and New Beginnings
Things changed a lot in 1925 when the Jubilee Bridge was built. This bridge connected Southport to Main Beach across the Nerang River. With the bridge, more tourists could easily visit Surfers Paradise. This led to a lot more buildings and businesses being built.
Around the same time, Jim Cavill built the Surfers Paradise Hotel. It was located right where Ferry Road and the South Coast Road met.
Naming the Street
In 1945, people wanted to name streets after important local pioneers. So, the Southport Town Council decided to rename part of Ferry Road. The section of Ferry Road east of the Nerang River, right in front of Jim Cavill's hotel, was named Cavill Avenue to honor him. The part of Ferry Road west of the river was named after Johann Meyer.
What You'll Find on Cavill Avenue
A Pedestrian Paradise
Between Surfers Paradise Beach and Orchid Avenue, Cavill Avenue is a special pedestrian mall. This means only people can walk there, no cars! It's a busy and fun place to explore.
You'll find two main shopping centers on Cavill Avenue. The Centro Surfers Paradise is a big shopping center right in the pedestrian area. The Circle on Cavill is another shopping center located at the western end of the street.
Getting Around
Near the intersection of Surfers Paradise Boulevard and Cavill Avenue, you'll find the G:link Cavill Avenue Station. The G:link is the Gold Coast's modern light rail system. It connects many places like Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach, and Southport. It even goes to the Gold Coast University Hospital and Helensvale.
Tall Buildings Nearby
Close to Cavill Avenue, you can see some very tall buildings. The Soul is a huge skyscraper, 243 meters tall! It's the second tallest building on the Gold Coast, right after Q1. The Soul building is located very close to Cavill Avenue, right on the Esplanade. At the river end of Cavill Avenue, you'll also see the two tall towers of Circle on Cavill.
Images for kids
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Pedestrian mall in 2017
