📍10 Best Places To Watch The Sunrise On The Gold Coast (City.) From A Long Time Local Photographer.
LOOKING FOR THE TOP LOCATIONS TO SEE THE SUNRISE ON THE GOLD COAST AFTER A DAY OF ADVENTURE?
World famous as Australia’s premier coastal destination thanks to its gorgeous long beaches, towering skyscrapers, and incredible day- and nighttime atmosphere, the glittering Gold Coast offers absolutely no shortage of outstanding things to see and do. And there’s no better way to kick off a day exploring this iconic seaside destination than by waking up before the crack of dawn to witness a sunrise over its breathtaking coastal and hinterland landscape.
Better yet, thanks to it having over 95% of its oceanside beachfront facing east, you can watch it from just about anywhere along the coast.
However, some are naturally more picturesque than others, so, from one longtime local photographer to other keen shutterbugs seeking out a top photogenic location, couples looking for a romantic picnic spot to enjoy each other’s company or solo visitors or families searching for the most beautiful locations to watch the magic unfold, here are my top recommendations for the ways and best scenic places to watch the sunrise on the Gold Coast.
Better yet, parking at this time of day is also a breeze, and free too, as anywhere that has paid parking usually doesn’t start until hours later, allowing you to have several hours of free exploration.
Psst: If you’re looking for the best Golden Coast sunset spots, click here.
👉 My top 3 picks for the sunrise locations on the Gold Coast:
- Tumgun Lookout.
- Currumbin Rock.
- Point Danger.
Best Coastal City Sunrise Locations.
Burleigh Heads.
Burleigh Heads is one of the Gold Coast’s most popular seaside destinations because it perfectly embodies the idyllic coastal experience Australia is world famous for, while offering a far less touristy experience than Surfers Paradise. It is also easily one of the most pretty and visually dynamic places along the coast, plus it’s home to the city’s only coastal national park, Burleigh Head National Park, which packs a punch with an epic trifecta of seaside lookouts, making it easy one of the best places to go to watch the sunrise on the Gold Coast.
1. Tumgun Lookout.
Burleigh Heads National Park.
Certainly, the most captivating lookout within this tiny remnant of coastal rainforest is Tumgun Lookout. It’s only a short walk from either end of this incredible national park to get to this spectacular scenic spot, which sits atop the summit of the headland where magnificent views along the southern beaches await. Combine that with the iconic azure blue waters of Tallebudgera Creek emptying into the ocean and it’s an outstanding spot to watch golden sunlight hitting the landscape.
There are also direct open sea views, allowing you to simultaneously watch the fireball rise over the vast Pacific Ocean at the same time. Winter adds the extra delight of potentially seeing majestic jump balls and whales frolicking around the surface with some of their iconic behaviours. Puffs of mist are the surest signs that they are out there, so binoculars are recommended.
2. Oceanview Track.
The views within this national park don’t just stop at looking south. And they’re also not all within the rainforest either. Oceanview Trail runs lower along the edge of the headland and features coastal heath vegetation, which provides a much more familiar open-sea breeze experience, and thanks to its scenery, it’s one you don’t want to miss.
The best way to do it is, unequivocally, from south to north (doing it as a circuit through the forest to Tumgun Lookout first is even better.) because rounding the corner towards the end unveils spectacular views of the Gold Coast skyline, framed by the slope and vegetation of this gorgeous headland with the sun rising on your right, it is just the perfect way to cap off a walk in this small, but incredibly picturesque national park.
👉 Quick Guide To The Gold Coast:
- 🚗 Getting Around: G:Link trams are great for Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Southport, with Lime bikes great for hiring to get between places. Renting a car is the best for more widespread travel.
- 🌄 Must-Do Activities: Skypoint Climb, Water activities on the Gold Coast Broadwater, Yak-52 aerobatic flight.
- 🏠 Best Hotel: Rhapsody Resort.
3. Jebbribillum Lookout.
Burleigh Head National Park.
Not to be overlooked, Jebbribillum Lookout also has lovely, peaceful views of the distant Gold Coast skyline north, and thanks to the seat there, it makes a great stop before heading to the aforementioned showstopper, Tumgun Lookout, which can easily be done as a one-two-hit-combo.
4. Burleigh Hill.
Continuing with the high praise for Burleigh Heads being the most picturesque place on the Gold Coast is Burleigh Hill. Located between the gorgeous tree-lined (and patrolled) beach and the friendly neighbourhood National Park mentioned above (which also serves as its epic backdrop and home to some of the best lookouts in the region), this beautiful oceanside park is revered for its gorgeous expansive views of the northern coastline, which unforgettably includes the distant CBD skyscrapers of Surfers Paradise, which looks especially unforgettable in the golden morning glow of sunrise hour.
As for direct sunrise visuals, this place also has that down pat, especially the northern end, giving you plenty of beautiful scenery to kick off the day. This is also the optimal time to visit this spot as it is an epic favourite, not just because sunrise on an east-facing coastline is the best for all of the above, but also because this time of day is the quietest this always packed place gets all-day and there’s free parking in the early morning, so you can even stay for an early morning Gold Coast picnic or BBQ. So it’s wins all ’round.
5. Tallebudgera Creek.
As if Burleigh Heads wasn’t getting enough attention on this list to make it your go-to sunrise spot and vacation destination, there’s even more to it, because on the southern side of Burleigh Head National Park is Tallebudgera Creek, one of the Gold Coast’s most beloved places.
Revered for its stunning azure blue/turquoise waters with the national park as its pristine mountainous backdrop, this creek feels like it belongs to a gorgeous South Pacific Island rather than something on the mainland, making it an unquestionable favourite for calm water swimming, snorkelling and crystal clear creek kayaking.
And that’s to it being of east-west facing orientation, it’s ideal for both sunrises and sunsets, making it a mecca for photographers. But add in easy access to the water, beaches on either side, the adjacent bridge and the nearby seawall and there is no shortage of ways and places to appreciate this gorgeous scenic spot along the coastline during these magical times of day, whether that’s a sunrise photoshoot, enjoying an early morning picnic or a crack-of-dawn aquatic activity.
6. Sundale Bridge.
Surfers Paradise.
Somewhere else that also offers the unique opportunity to watch daybreak and day’s end on the Gold Coast is Sundale Bridge. While its name may only be familiar to a few, and it’s not a striking architectural landmark, its location and the views it offers certainly make it something to write home about. Part of the Gold Coast Highway that crosses the Nerang River, the approach from the north into Surfers Paradise is seriously epic, with the skyscrapers standing tall and proud in the distance.
It’s one of those places that always makes me feel like I’ve 100% bona fide made it to the illustrious coastal city, which always feels so cinematic, no matter how many times I’ve visited, like a welcome mat to the city, beckoning you to come closer.
For the same reasons, it is also one of the best places on the Gold Coast to witness the sunrise and sunset. That’s because the seven-lane vehicular river crossing has a pedestrian walk on each side, both offering sweeping panoramic views of their respective east and west-facing sides. For daybreak, there’s a clear view depending on where you stand and what time of year it is, while day’s end has it even better with nothing to stop you from seeing it sink into the horizon once you clear the skyscrapers on the northern bank.
It is also an exceptional place to photograph both morning and afternoon golden hours, hitting the skyscrapers because there are so many creative ways to composite your shots into dynamically engaging imagery. I love to use different aspects of the bridge as leading lines, drawing the viewer’s eyes towards the skyscrapers, which has resulted in some of my favourite pictures of the city.
7. The Spit Breakwater.
Main Beach.
Looking for a short early morning stroll to finish off the day? The further end of Main Beach has just the thing: the Spit Breakwater. This beautiful, under-the-radar rock wall is a fantastic place to watch the sunrise, with fantastic, clear views where you can watch the distant celestial fireball rising from the ocean. It’s also a great location to see boats heading out early and spot the dorsal fins of dolphins entering and exiting the Seaway between here and South Stradbroke Island.
But where this place shines the most is with the scenery to the south, where the world’s first Sand Bypass Pumping Jetty sits nearby and the stunning views of the epic Gold Coast skyline in the distance, making it the perfect sea-breezy way to start the day.
Psst: This place does double duty and is also one of the city’s best sunset spots too.
8. Currumbin Rock.
Currumbin.
Along the southern coastline lies one of the Gold Coast’s most striking natural landmarks: Currumbin Rock. This gorgeous formation that just out of the rocks at the mouth of the creek of the same name is a geological anomaly in that it is volcanic in origin and one of the remnants of the Tweed Valley Shield Volcano that erupted just south of the border and monumentally changed the landscapes forever, making it a unique geographic features amongst the Gold Coast’s iconic long sandy beaches and occasional headlands.
Thanks to its fascinating shape, easy accessibility from the car park and open space for circumnavigating around its entirety, it is a phenomenal subject for incorporating into sunrise and sunset shots. Plus, with the creek just behind, there’s more opportunity to enjoy either one from the beach or by splashing around in the water.
9. Elephant Rock.
Currumbin.
Just a few hundred metres south lies another striking rock formation and remnant of the Tweed Volcano explosion that juts out of the foreshore: Elephant Rock. Only this place is even more unique because they’ve put a lookout on top of it, which gives even better views of the sunrise coming up over the oceanic horizon. It’s also a fantastic spot to see if whales are frolicking around in the ocean during their annual migration in the cooler months.
Additionally, you can look back up north along the coastline, where not only will you get views of its volcanic shard sibling, Currumbin Rock, but this iconic landmark will also have the Gold Coast skyline as its epic backdrop, all bathed in gorgeous golden hour sunlight, so it’s a pretty sweet spot. I’m not sure if they start flying that early in the morning, but the big Gold Coast International Airport is just a stone’s throw away, so if they do, it’s a great plane-spotting location too. And let’s not forget that this place is also a fantastic landmark to photograph itself from the beach, with those same skyscrapers helping create a super dynamic background!
10. Point Danger.
Coolangatta.
Point Danger is a unique combination of three things. Visually, it’s home to one of the most unique and strikingly shaped lighthouses you’ll see. Geographically, it’s the easternmost point where the Queensland and New South Wales border meets, which ends at the ocean. And most importantly for this list, it’s a fantastic lookout and one of the most gorgeous places on the Gold Coast to watch the sunset.
And because it lies where it does on a high, elevated headland and is what it is a border marker, it’s delightfully the only place on this list with breathtaking views overlooking both states. The Queensland side has scenery of the popular surfing spot, Snapper Rocks at the base of the cliff and a sweeping panoramic view of the coast northward. Meanwhile, looking toward New South Wales, you will see the picturesque Duranbah Beach and the sea wall jutting out into the briny deep.
And in between all that, dead ahead is the vast Pacific Ocean, where you have incredible, clear views of the sun rising over the ocean. It’s spectacular, and better yet, there are lots of benches and grassy areas allowing you to enjoy the scenery while relaxing or even having an outdoor picnic on either side of the border. Parking is fantastic too as you can position your car nose-in and enjoy views from the comfort of your vehicle for those days when it’s cold and windy and you don’t want to go outside.
Plus, if you visit the Gold Coast in the cooler months between May and October, it is also a fantastic place to do on-shore whale watching thanks to the vast panoramic view of the ocean between them and being the easternmost point of mainland QLD. During these months, there is another quirk to this location due to NSW having daylight-savings, meaning you can not only jump between states but also back and forth between the “past” and the “future”, making this easily the most unique place to watch the sunrise on the Gold Coast.
Places To Watch The Sunrise On The Gold Coast Map.
Conclusion: Best Places To Watch The Sunrise On The Gold Coast.
From kicking off the day with a gorgeous hot air balloon ride, to seeing the stunning golden hues cast over the beaches from Tumgun Lookout, there is absolutely no shortage of unforgettable ways and places to watch the sunrise on the Gold Coast.
