Southport, Queensland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Southport Gold Coast, Queensland
The Gold Coast Broadwater commercial district c. 2008
Southport Location in Queensland
Population	36,786 (2021 census)
• Density	2,358/km2 (6,110/sq mi)
Established	1874
Postcode(s)	4215
Elevation	9 m (30 ft)
Area	15.6 km2 (6.0 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	4.2 km (3 mi) N of Surfers Paradise 73.2 km (45 mi) SSE of Brisbane 36 km (22 mi) N of Tweed Heads
LGA(s)	City of Gold Coast
State electorate(s)	Southport Bonney
Federal Division(s)	Moncrieff
Suburbs around Southport: Arundel Parkwood Labrador Main Beach Molendinar Southport Main Beach Ashmore Bundall Surfers Paradise

Southport is a busy coastal town and the largest suburb in the City of Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. It's known as the main business area of the Gold Coast. In 2021, about 36,786 people lived in Southport.

Exploring Southport's Geography

Southport is located where the Nerang River meets The Broadwater. The Broadwater is the southern part of Moreton Bay. This means Southport has a beautiful waterfront on its eastern side.

Rivers and Channels

King Reach is a part of the Nerang River. It was named after Jeremy King, who spent over 50 years helping with rowing in Southport. This name became official in 2014.

Ray Newlyn Channel is a waterway in The Broadwater. This channel helps boats cross The Broadwater to Main Beach. It avoids two big sandbanks. Raymond Paul (Ray) Newlyn was a local resident and a commander in the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard. The channel was named after him in 2002.

Musgrave Hill Neighbourhood

Musgrave Hill is a neighbourhood in the western part of Southport. It became an official neighbourhood in 1982.

Southport's Past: A Brief History

Southport was first called 'Nerang Creek Heads'. It got the name Southport because it was the most southern port in the Queensland colony.

Early Days and Development

The area was first mapped out in 1874. The name Southport was chosen the next year. Southport used to have timber mills. A port was built to send logs to Brisbane. Cutting timber helped the area grow. Early jobs included growing sugar and raising animals.

Southport Provisional School opened in 1880. It became Southport State School in 1882.

Congregational Church, 1910

Southport Pier and Tourism

In 1883, the first Southport Pier was built. This allowed steamships to bring goods and people to Southport. In the 1880s, Southport became a popular holiday spot. The Queensland Governor, Sir Anthony Musgrave, had his holiday home here. This made Southport a top seaside resort.

Kiosk and jetty at Southport in the early 1900s

Churches and Schools

St Peter's Anglican Church opened in 1887 on Nerang Street. A new brick church was built in 1959. The old church was moved and became a house.

St Peters Church of England, 1900-1909

The South Coast railway opened in 1889. It connected Beenleigh to Southport. This line closed in 1964. Before bridges were built, a ferry took people to Main Beach, Queensland and Surfers Paradise.

The Star of the Sea College opened in 1901. It was a day school run by the Sisters of Mercy. It started offering high school education in 1934. The school closed in 1990.

Star of the Sea Convent, circa 1922

The Southport School opened in 1901. It started its military cadet program in 1906. It was once the biggest boarding school in Queensland. Guardian Angels' School also opened in 1901.

Bathing in 1930

By 1901, Southport was a well-known tourist spot. It had many places to stay and a population of 1,230 people. Tourism kept growing in the early 1900s.

St Hilda's School opened in 1912. A new concrete jetty was built in 1914. The Pier Theatre was built on the jetty in 1927. It had a cafe and indoor golf. A fire destroyed it in 1932, but it was rebuilt.

The Jubilee Bridge was built in 1925. It connected Southport and Main Beach. This bridge replaced the ferry service and helped Southport grow even more.

Modern Southport

ANZAC memorial, 2011

The Southport War Memorial was dedicated in 1922 on ANZAC Day. It was moved and re-dedicated in 2010 during park renovations.

The Southport Surf Life Saving Club started in 1924. It helped keep swimmers safe at what is now Main Beach.

By the 1950s, Southport was the main entertainment and business centre of the Gold Coast.

The 1954 Australian Grand Prix was held in Southport in 1954. It used public roads as a race track.

Southport State High School opened in 1955. Before this, a high school section was part of Southport State School.

Gold Coast Opportunity School opened in 1962. It was later replaced by Southport Special School in 1970. Musgrave Hill State School opened in 1963. Aquinas Catholic College opened in 1964.

The Sundale Shopping Centre opened in 1969. It was the first big shopping centre on the Gold Coast. It closed in 1989 after the larger Australia Fair Shopping Centre opened. The site is now home to new buildings and shops.

Keebra Park State High School opened in 1973. Keebra Park Special School opened in 1983 but closed in 1991. Bellevue Park State School opened in 1983 and is now in Ashmore.

Queensland Academy for Health Sciences opened in 2008.

In 2013, Southport's business area became an official priority development area. This made it the official Gold Coast central business district. In 2014, the Gold Coast City Council opened its own Chinatown in Southport.

Who Lives in Southport?

Southport is a large and diverse suburb. In 2021, it had a population of 36,786 people.

In 2016, 52.6% of people were born in Australia. Other common birthplaces included New Zealand, China, England, South Korea, and Japan. Most people (65.9%) spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken included Mandarin, Korean, and Japanese.

Southport's Economy

Southport is the main business area of the City of Gold Coast. It has the most office space in the city. Southport has many tall buildings, with 18 high-rise towers either finished, being built, or planned.

Places to See and Visit in Southport

Southport Courthouse

Gold Coast Broadwater marina with apartments in Southport

The Broadwater and Parklands

The Gold Coast Broadwater is the water on Southport's eastern side. It's great for fishing, boating, and water sports. The Southport Yacht Club and marinas are located here. The theme park Sea World is across the Broadwater on The Spit. The Broadwater is also safe for swimming.

The Southport Broadwater Parklands opened in 2009 and has grown since then. In the parklands, you'll find the Southport Pier, the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, and the Southport War Memorial.

Shopping and City Life

Australia Fair Shopping Centre is a large indoor shopping centre in Southport. It has 233 stores and a cinema. It was built on the site of the old Pacific Hotel.

The western end of Nerang Street is known as the Southport Mall. It was closed to cars for eight years but reopened in 2000.

The Art Deco-style Hotel Cecil is a landmark building. Near it, you'll find a G:link station and a major bus station.

The City of Gold Coast Southport Branch Library is on the corner of Garden and Lawson Streets. It also has the Local Studies Library, which keeps historical items from the city.

The Sata Nita building on Nind Street was built in 1936. It's one of Southport's oldest and most unique buildings.

The three-tower Southport Central development opened in 2009.

Important Heritage Sites

Southport has several places listed for their historical importance:

• Dixon Drive: Former Pacific Cable Station buildings (now part of The Southport School)
• Off Macarthur Parade: Main Beach Pavilion and Southport Surf Lifesaving Club
• Marine Parade: Southport Bathing Pavilion
• Marine Parade: Southport Sea Wall
• Marine Parade (Broadwater Parklands): ANZAC Park Memorial Gates
• Marine Parade (Carey Park): Carey Park Fig and Paperbark Trees
• Marine Parade (Southport Broadwater Parklands): Southport War Memorial and Honour Rolls
• Nerang Street: Former Southport Town Hall
• 210 Queen Street (Owen Park): Southport Drill Hall
• 75 Smith Street: Southport State High School Buildings

Education in Southport

Southport has many schools for different age groups.

Primary Schools

The Southport School clock tower

• Southport State School is a government primary school (Prep to Year 6) at 215 Queen Street. In 2018, it had 580 students. It also has a special education program.
• Musgrave Hill State School is a government primary school (Early Childhood to Year 6) at Nakina Street. In 2018, it had 510 students. It also offers special education.
• Guardian Angels' Catholic Primary School is a Catholic primary school (Prep to Year 6) at Edmund Rice Drive. In 2018, it had 789 students.

Primary and Secondary Schools

• Southport Special School is a special primary and secondary school (Prep to Year 12) at Cnr Kumbari Avenue & Smith Street. In 2018, it had 243 students.
• The Southport School is an Anglican school for boys (Prep to Year 12) at Winchester Street. In 2018, it had 1,551 students. It has a famous clock tower and chapel. Cadet service is required for students.
• St Hilda's School is an Anglican school for girls (Prep to Year 12) at 52 High Street. In 2018, it had 1,106 students. It is the only all-girls school on the Gold Coast.

Secondary Schools

• Southport State High School is a government secondary school (Years 7–12) at 75 Smith Street. In 2018, it had 1,798 students. It includes a special education program.
• Keebra Park State High School is a government secondary school (Years 7–12) at Anne Street. In 2018, it had 803 students. It offers special education and an intensive English program.
• Aquinas College is a Catholic secondary school (Years 7–12) at Edmund Rice Drive. In 2018, it had 1045 students.
• Southport Flexible Learning Centre is a Catholic secondary school (Years 7–12) at 2 Nakina Street. In 2018, it had 59 students.
• Queensland Academy for Health Sciences is a government selective-entry secondary school (Years 10–12) at 102 Edmund Rice Drive. In 2018, it had 331 students.

Special Areas in Southport

Chinatown Gold Coast

The Chinatown, Gold Coast area is being developed to celebrate Chinese culture. It's a project supported by the community, businesses, and government.

Gold Coast Aquatic Centre

The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre is on Marine Parade, next to the Southport Broadwater. It has a 50-metre Olympic pool with diving towers, other pools, and an indoor teaching pool. There's also a fun water playground for kids.

Southport Broadwater Parklands

This large park is along the shore of the Southport Broadwater. The government has invested a lot of money to improve it. It will include a pier and is known as Broadwater Park.

Southport General Cemetery

The Southport General Cemetery is a 4.2-hectare cemetery that opened in 1880. It is managed by the Gold Coast City Council. You can even take historical night tours through the cemetery!

Community and Nature

Places of Worship

Southport has many churches, including:

• St Peter's Anglican Church, 93 Nerang Street
• Guardian Angels' Catholic Church, 99 Scarborough Street
• Southport Uniting Church, 23 Short Street
• Crosslife Baptist Church, 170 Nerang Street
• Southport Church of Christ, 1 Griffith Way
• Christadelphian Ecclesia Southport, 84 Falconer Street
• South Korean Presbyterian Church of Gold Coast, 7 Deakin Avenue

The Southport branch of the Queensland Country Women's Association meets at 20 Young Street. The Southport Community Centre offers many activities and services.

Local Wildlife

Southport has natural areas that are home to native animals. These include large trees, fallen logs, and plants that provide food and shelter. The Broadwater Parklands are great for picnics, walks, and watching birds.

Southport's Weather

Southport has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm, wet summers and mild to warm winters. Sometimes, winter nights can be cool.

Culture and Sports

Local Events

The Gold Coast Art Festival is one of the cultural events held in the area.

Sports Teams

Southport is home to several sports teams, including:

• Southport Leagues Club
• Southport Gymnastic Club
• Southport Tigers
• Southport Soccer Club
• Southport Surf Life Saving Club (now located in Main Beach)
• Southport Sharks

Getting Around Southport

Southport has good transport links to other suburbs. The Gold Coast Highway runs along the coast, connecting Southport to all coastal areas. The Smith Street Motorway connects Southport to the Pacific Motorway, which goes to Brisbane.

Public Transport

Southport has a light rail system called G:link. It opened in 2014 and connects Southport to Broadbeach and Gold Coast University Hospital. In 2017, it was extended to Helensvale. There are seven light rail stations in Southport.

There are also two main bus stations: Southport and GCUH. The Southport bus station is in the heart of the suburb. All public transport services are part of the Translink system.

The Helensvale railway station is about 11 km from Southport's main business area. It connects to Brisbane city and Brisbane Airport. The Light Rail extension to Helensvale now links directly with the train line.

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  Southport G:link Station in the heart of the CBD

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  The Southport bus station, next to the G:link station, forming a main transport hub

Famous People from Southport

Many well-known people have lived in Southport, including:

• David Dodd (born 1985), a footballer
• Ben Edmondson (born 1978), a cricketer
• Georgia Godwin (born 1997), an artistic gymnast
• Grant Hackett (born 1980), a swimmer
• Laurence Naismith (1908–1992), an English actor
• Mitch Nichols (born 1989), a footballer
• Tommy Oar (born 1991), a footballer
• James O'Connor (born 1990), a rugby union player for the Wallabies
• Nick Riewoldt (born 1982), an Australian rules footballer
• Ruth Sanger (1918–2001), an expert on blood groups
• John Sattler (1942–2023), a rugby league player
• Jai Taurima (born 1972), a long jump athlete
• Jim Wilson (born 1967), a journalist and radio host

Images for kids

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  Congregational Church, 1910

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  Kiosk and jetty at Southport in the early 1900s, the gates of the Star of the Star Convent are in the foreground.

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  St Peters Church of England, 1900-1909

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  Star of the Sea Convent, circa 1922

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  Bathing in 1930

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  ANZAC memorial, 2011

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  Southport Courthouse

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  Gold Coast Broadwater marina with apartments in Southport

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  The Southport School clock tower

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  Southport G:link Station located in the heart of the CBD

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  The Southport bus station, located next to the Southport G:link station, together acting as the main transportation hub for the CBD