Palm Beach, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Palm Beach Gold Coast, Queensland
View of Palm Beach, with Gold Coast in the background
Palm Beach Location in Queensland
Population	16,349 (2021 census)
• Density	2,595/km2 (6,720/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4221
Elevation	6 m (20 ft)
Area	6.3 km2 (2.4 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	19.2 km (12 mi) S of Surfers Paradise 92.2 km (57 mi) SSE of Brisbane 12 km (7 mi) NW of Tweed Heads
LGA(s)	City of Gold Coast
State electorate(s)	Burleigh
Federal Division(s)	McPherson
Suburbs around Palm Beach: Burleigh Heads Coral Sea Coral Sea Elanora Palm Beach Coral Sea Elanora Currumbin Waters Currumbin

The shoreline at Palm Beach looking north to Burleigh National Park and Surfers Paradise

Palm Beach is a sunny coastal town in Queensland, Australia. It's part of the Gold Coast area. In 2021, about 16,349 people lived there.

Exploring Palm Beach's Location

Palm Beach is surrounded by natural beauty. To the north, you'll find Tallebudgera Creek. The Coral Sea is to the east, offering beautiful beaches. Currumbin Creek is to the south. The Pacific Motorway runs along its western side.

It's famous for its clean beaches. Palm Beach has been voted Queensland's cleanest beach three times!

How Palm Beach is Set Up

The town was divided into sections by the mid-1950s. It's interesting because it sits on both sides of the main highway. Streets along the highway are named from "First" to "Twenty-eighth," starting from the south. Every second street ends at the highway.

Near the beach, in the southern part, there's a narrow road called Jefferson Lane. Here, you can still see some of the oldest and simplest beach "shacks." Even though these homes are small, the land they sit on is worth millions of dollars!

Palm Beach has grown towards the west. This area has new neighborhoods, including a small section with canals.

Waterways and Reefs

The mouths of Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks have strong walls built to keep them stable. These creek entrances are also regularly cleaned by dredging.

If you like fishing, Palm Beach has a lot to offer. There are bait reefs close to the shore. Further out, you'll find fishing reefs that are some of the best on the Gold Coast.

Laguna Lake is in the southwest part of Palm Beach. Around its edges, you can enjoy Elizabeth Sloper Gardens park. The Tallebudgera Creek Tourist Park is at the northern end of Palm Beach. It's a great place for families to stay for holidays. Next to it is the Tallebudgera Recreational Camp. This is a national fitness camp where children from all over Queensland come to visit.

A Look at Palm Beach's Past

Palm Beach has a rich history, with many important places opening over the years.

• First Church: The Palm Beach Baptist Church opened on December 8, 1928. It was the very first church in Palm Beach, located on Ninth Avenue. The original building was replaced in 1969.
• Surf Club: The Palm Beach Surf Club started in 1930.
• Schools Open: Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School opened its doors on January 24, 1972. Palm Beach State School followed on February 4, 1974.
• Library Services: The Palm Beach Library opened in 1998. It was updated in 2011. In early 2021, the library closed and was replaced by a smaller library kiosk.
• Clean Beach Awards: Palm Beach was recognized as Queensland's Cleanest Beach in 1999, 2000, and again in 2011.

Learning in Palm Beach

Palm Beach has several schools and educational centers for students of all ages.

• Palm Beach State School: This is a government primary school for students from Preparatory to Year 6. It's located at 13-19 Nineteenth Avenue. In 2017, it had 511 students. The school also has a special education program.
• Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School: This is a government high school for students from Year 7 to Year 12. You can find it on Thrower Drive. In 2017, it had a large enrollment of 2,457 students. It also offers a special education program.
• Other Schools Nearby: Students in southern Palm Beach can attend Currumbin State School. Those in western Palm Beach might go to Elanora State High School in Elanora.
• Outdoor Education: The Tallebudgera Outdoor and Environmental Education Centre is at 1525 Gold Coast Highway. This center provides outdoor and environmental learning experiences.

Community and Services

Palm Beach offers several important services and places for the community.

• Library Kiosk: The Gold Coast City Council runs a small library kiosk on Eleventh Avenue. This building also houses the office for the local Councillor.
• Palm Beach Surf Club: Located at 117 Jefferson Lane, this club provides important surf lifesaving services. It also has dining facilities. Since it was established in 1930, there has never been a drowning in its patrolled beach areas.
• Our Lady of the Way Church: This Catholic Church is at 14 Eleventh Avenue. It's part of the Burleigh Heads Catholic Parish.

Getting Around Palm Beach

It's easy to travel in and around Palm Beach with its road network and public transport.

Roads for Travel

The Gold Coast Highway runs through the eastern part of Palm Beach. It passes by the main shopping center and restaurants. The Pacific Motorway is on the western side of the town.

Palm Beach Avenue connects the Gold Coast Highway to the Motorway and the nearby town of Elanora. Nineteenth Avenue also extends into Elanora, passing Palm Beach State School and a shopping center.

Public Transport Options

Palm Beach has many bus services run by Translink. This is part of the Queensland Department of Transport. They use the Go card system for tickets across South East Queensland.

The closest bus station is at The Pines, Elanora. Three busy bus routes go through Palm Beach along the Gold Coast Highway:

• Route 765: Connects Robina Town Centre to The Pines, Elanora.
• Route 700: Runs from Broadbeach South to Tweed Heads, New South Wales.
• Route 777: Goes from Gold Coast Airport to Broadbeach South.

Future Light Rail Plans

There are plans to extend the Gold Coast light rail from Burleigh Heads to Tugun. This new section would follow the Gold Coast Highway.

As of November 2023, the plans for Stage 4 of the light rail are being reviewed. Stage 3, which goes from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads, is currently being built. It is expected to be ready by 2025. Stage 4 (Burleigh Heads to Tugun) is expected to start construction soon after Stage 3 is finished.

Sports and Fun Activities

Palm Beach is a great place for sports and recreation, especially water activities.

• Neptune Royal Life Saving Club: This was the first club in Australia made only for females. It still helps keep people safe when swimming in the Tallebudgera Creek estuary. It's the only club on the Gold Coast not linked to Surf Life Saving.
• Surf Life Saving Clubs: Palm Beach is also patrolled by the Palm Beach Surf Life Saving Club at 7th Avenue. The Pacific Surf Life Saving Club is near 19th Avenue.
• Local Sports Teams: The area has many local sports clubs. These include the Palm Beach Sharks soccer club, Palm Beach Currumbin Cricket Club, Palm Beach Currumbin Alleygators RUC (rugby union), and Palm Beach Currumbin Australian Football Club.

Heritage Site

Palm Beach has one important heritage site:

• Currumbin Creek Railway Bridge: This is the former railway bridge over Currumbin Creek, part of the old South Coast railway line.