An hour's drive south of Brisbane, a seaside destination whose very name is enough to suggest the dream: the Gold Coast, or Côte d'Or. Known for its endless white sandy beaches flanked by tall skyscrapers gleaming in the sun, the Gold Coast is like an Australian Miami: an urban area with an irresistible and flashy aura, where the natural beauty of the Pacific Ocean and the rainforests of the hinterland rub shoulders with the lightning bling of clubs and amusement parks. Spanning nearly 60 km along Australia's east coast, the Gold Coast is the sixth largest city on the continent with more than half a million permanent residents living in its many communities, from Beenleigh to Coolangatta. What attracts them? A mild and sunny subtropical climate, a thriving tourism industry, a modern atmosphere and perhaps even the proximity of the capital, Brisbane: thanks to the motorway and the train, some travel every day to and from work. During the weekend and holidays, even more of them invade the Gold Coast en masse, especially one of its most popular activity centers: Surfers Paradise. Beginners as well as wave addicts can come here to throw their board in the water, alone or under the experienced eye of professional instructors. Numerous surf spots dot the rest of the coast, and there's a Malibu Alert air to watch as Australian Masters Swimmers watch their perimeter carefully marked by yellow and red flags matching their jerseys. Shopping streets and huge shopping malls bring together prestigious and disparate brands, from Gucci to Quiksilver. The streets are animated by chic restaurants, crowded bars and crazy clubs where DJs and live music take turns until the end of the night to the delight of young people and party people from all sides. Spending indomitable energy in a fun atmosphere is also possible in one of the many theme parks in the region: by their number as by their excessiveness, the Gold Coast amusement parks are unrivalled kings in Australia. Wet'n'Wild and WhiteWater World rely on thrills and gigantism with water slides full of curves and loops, huge buoys launched at full speed into tunnels and huge wave pools.SeaWorld takes a slightly different approach, half amusement park, half zoo, where after a roller coaster ride it is possible to swim in the dolphin, shark and sea lion pools, or contemplate the penguins and polar bears that also inhabit the park enclosures. And if you are tired of seeing your skin wither after too many hours spent in the water, there are still the "dry" parks: Dreamworld takes up the park/zoo trick where visitors go from contemplating the island of tigers to the vertiginous fall of the tower of terror. Warner Bros Movie World chooses to make adrenaline lovers fall, turn, turn and panic in merry-go-rounds taking over the worlds of movies.