Spread the love
" />
Back to home
in In My Backyard, Travel Australia

In My Backyard: Southport Spit & Broadwater

  • September 29, 2015
  • By 50 Shades
  • 10 Comments
In My Backyard: Southport Spit & Broadwater

It is a sad fact of life that often you don’t see your own backyard until you have visitors come to stay and you show them around. This was the case with my latest backyard discovery, the Southport Spit area just north of Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast.

Sand Pumping Jetty at Southport Spit

Sand Pumping Jetty at Southport Spit

Southport Spit

Southport Spit is a narrow isthmus which splits the Southport Broadwater to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east. At the top of the spit is the Southport Seaway which gives safe passage to boats and yachts into the safe harbour of the Southport Broadwater from the ocean.

Southport Seaway

Southport Seaway

Once you diverge into Seaworld Drive from Main Beach the road in passes the Southport Yacht Club and Marina, Fishermans Cove and Marina Mirage Shopping Centre, the luxurious hotels of Palazzo Versace and Sheraton Mirage, Boat Jetty, Fishing Trawlers and the fun park Seaworld. Plus there is also a large 3-4km open area with several dog exercise, picnic spots and places to put in your boat.

Marina Mirage at Southport Spit

Marina Mirage at Southport Spit

You can stroll out along the breakwall to the end and watch the boats come into the seaway. Or you can watch surfers and body boarders also use this passage to get to the surf beach located on the other side of the breakwall on South Stradbroke Island.

Southport Spit Breakwater

Southport Spit Breakwall

Many fisherman also try their luck fishing off the rocks at the seaway where there is flathead, tailor, trevally and a few Australian salmon readily available

The beach on the ocean side and in particular near the Sand Pumping Jetty, is a favourite for surfers as there are good breaks regardless of swell direction, with the conditions more dependent on the strength and direction of the wind. There are plenty of access points for surfers to find beach breaks with very few other surfers in the water.

Southport Spit & Sand Pumping Jetty

Southport Spit & Sand Pumping Jetty

The northern end of the beach is a pleasant spot for picnics, or just to relax and watch the waves on the shore. It’s a perfect place to get away from the crowds and the beach is dog friendly.

Federation Walk meanders along the sand dunes on the ocean side, stretching from Main Beach to the Seaway. It is an easy walk on crushed sandstone path that also attracts mountain bike riders and joggers.

Federation Walk, Southport Spit

Federation Walk, Southport Spit

There is a kiosk which sells drinks, icecreams, burgers and many other delights or you can grab some fresh seafood from the co-op on the drive back in along Seaworld Drive.

Southport Broadwater

If you have a boat the Southport Spit is a great place to launch it and cruise around the calm waters of the Broadwater and maybe even over to Wavebreak Island or South Stradbroke Island. There is plenty of marine life to observe in the waters such as jellyfish, different species of fish and playful dolphins.

Boating in the calm waters of the Southport Broadwater

Boating in the calm waters of the Southport Broadwater

On the Broadwater side of Southport Spit there are many places with lovely white sandy beaches that are safe for swimming and ideal for relaxing.

Southport Broadwater Sandy Beach

Southport Broadwater Sandy Beach

The Broadwater also provides safe haven for boats and yachts which anchor in the sheltered calm waters for the night or a few days.

Yachts anchored on the Broadwater

Yachts anchored on the Broadwater

And lastly, but not least, is the Gold Coast top tourist attraction and well loved theme park, Seaworld which is located at Southport Spit.

Seaworld Theme Park on the Southport Spit

Seaworld Theme Park on the Southport Spit

This area would have to be one of Gold Coast’s best kept secrets! You can drive past the posh and upmarket Sheraton Mirage, Palazzo Versace and Marina Mirage Shopping Centre into a completely different world. A fabulous area that has been virtually untouched and has pristine beaches and waterways, is dog friendly and is never very crowded. I think I will be visiting the Southport Spit on a more regular basis!

My Brown Paper Packages

 

Spread the love
By 50 Shades, September 29, 2015 Kathy was a 50 something year old when she started up this blog 6 years ago, but has since turned over another decade and is now in her early 60s. She is married with two adult children and lives on the Tweed Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Kathy enjoys living life to the fullest and loves to keep fit and active by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Some of her interests include reading, photography, travelling, cooking and blogging! Kathy works part-time as a freelance writer but her real passion is travelling and photographing brilliant destinations both within Australia and overseas and writing about it.
  • 10

50 Shades

Kathy was a 50 something year old when she started up this blog 6 years ago, but has since turned over another decade and is now in her early 60s. She is married with two adult children and lives on the Tweed Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Kathy enjoys living life to the fullest and loves to keep fit and active by maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Some of her interests include reading, photography, travelling, cooking and blogging! Kathy works part-time as a freelance writer but her real passion is travelling and photographing brilliant destinations both within Australia and overseas and writing about it.

10 Comments
  • Michelle Weaver (@pinkypoinker)
    September 29, 2015

    We stayed at the Sea World resort one year and spent a lot of time in that area. My husband will be working there in October so he’ll have plenty to look at during his lunch times :)

    • Kathy
      September 29, 2015

      I went to a function at Sea World Resort and they put on a special dolphin show for us. It was incredible. What a lovely place to work. As I said this area is one of the Gold Coast’s best kept secrets!

  • Rae Hilhorst
    September 29, 2015

    What a glorious spot, you have everything at your fingertips x

    • Kathy
      September 30, 2015

      It is a glorious spot in the Gold Coast away from the madding crowds. We are very fortunate to live in an area that has so many of nature’s attractions. I love bringing it to everyone!

  • seizetheday20
    September 30, 2015

    Thanks for showing us around Southport Spit Kathy. I’ve never actually been right out there either. I’m also particularly impressed with your use of the word “isthmus”! ;-)

    • Kathy
      September 30, 2015

      You are very welcome Lyndall. I don’t venture up to the northern end of the Gold Coast much, but my husband took me out in his boat a few months ago and thought it was worthwhile photographing. Isn’t isthmus a great word? :)

  • Malinda (@MBPaperPackages)
    October 1, 2015

    There are many hidden treasures to be found when you explore your own backyard! Even though we have a dog and it is a dog freindly beach I am not really a fan of the spit but we do love Seaworld and the Marina.
    Thanks for linking up for #wednesdaywanderlust

    • Kathy
      October 2, 2015

      The Spit has had a bad reputation but I think it has been cleaned up a lot in the past few years. We normally stick to the southern end of the Gold Coast, but my husband puts his boat in at The Spit to go fishing sometimes. :)

  • Jess S
    November 5, 2015

    This looks amazing, there are certainly worse places to live!

    • Kathy
      November 6, 2015

      Thanks Jess. It is a lovely place to live. We are so lucky to have so much natural beauty around us. :)

Comments are closed.

Partica
Buy my articles on

Download, Edit & Post
Quality Written Articles
Motorhome Republic
Loading search form...
I Want That Flight

OUT NOW!! 50 Shades of Age eBook

Women Over 50 Blogs

Subscribe To Blog Via Email

Don't miss new posts! Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.
Instagram API currently not available.