Palm Beach
About the Beach
The Gold Coast's southernmost patrolled beach sits ten minutes north of the NSW border, flanked by Tallebudgera Creek to the north and Currumbin Creek to the south. It's quieter than the northern strip, and has been named Queensland's cleanest beach three times. Check the tide before you go: a seawall runs behind the beach and at high tide the dry sand can disappear entirely.
The surf here sits inside a World Surfing Reserve, one of only a handful globally. Named breaks include Laceys near the south entry and a jetty break at Twenty First Avenue. June brings the cleanest conditions, but the line-up gets crowded enough to be hazardous when swell fires. Stay clear of the groynes at each end where rips run strong, and always swim between the flags.
For calm water, head to Tallebudgera Creek at the northern end. The pirate ship playground at Palm Beach Parklands is a local favourite for families. Rock pools at the northern end are worth a look, and a farmers market sets up along the esplanade on Saturday mornings.
Conditions at 5:20 am
Clean easterly winds around 5km/h with a large 1.5m swell from the east. A cool 18°C in the air with comfortable 22°C in the water, and a falling tide. Cloudy skies with a minimal UV index of 0.
Includes weather data from Google
Getting There
Palm Beach, 4221, QLD
Drive in off any side street from the Gold Coast Highway, which runs about 200 m from the sand. There's limited parking next to the surf club (3-hour free) and the Joe Davidson Car Park one block away on Seventh Avenue is free all day. Translink buses run along The Esplanade if you're coming without a car, but there's no G:link light rail stop.
Parking available nearby