Maybe I'm just not into such things, but honestly this structure is a massive eyesore that…read morebasically sits on the headland and right on the border of Queensland and New South Wales. Once again, it is another one of those monuments to a person who not only wasn't the first person to discover Australia, but also wasn't the first European to discover the continent either. Yeah, this is basically just another example of a waste of government money. Actually, come to think of it, when I wrote the above I didn't realise that it was also a lighthouse. Hey, I guess that works since this is a pretty rocky park of the coast. Then again, I really don't see all that many ships coming too close to the coast here, considering that it is the Gold Coast, except for yachts and the like, so I guess it has its purposes. Looks good mind you.

The thing with Australia is that pretty much 90% of our museums are all run by volunteers, and…read moregenerally supported by donations, and this one is no exception. The thing is that unlike a lot of other regional museums, this one is quite large, and pretty focused as well. Then again Ballina is a harbour, so having a nautical museum probably makes sense. Yeah, it is a little chaotic, but they do have a decent range of items on display, and a number of model battleships that have clearly been put together by a labour of love.

we went here for the day in a social day bus trip tour and it was very nice . so much to see all…read morethe crystal locations and you can buy crystals of rose quartz or amethyst and it was very nice bus trip with the group. I miss the donald simpsons bus trip group.

I have been to the crystal castle many a time. It is a lovely place and has so many fun activities…read moreand also serves food at the cutest little cafe in the centre of there land the food is overpriced but it tastes pretty good. They have many nature walks some with crystals beside you, don't forget about the labyrinth were they do meditation sessions sometimes there are also huge crystals which you can take pictures with such as the beautiful Dragon Egg. I personally love to go there when it's lightly raining they have big rainbow umbrellas that you can borrow at the front desk we're you sign in also at the front desk are pamphlets I definitely recommend picking one up they have a map and tell you about all there statues. There are four shops at the crystal the first being the cafe which I have already covered they also have two shops with just crystals they have a little crystal station were you can as many crystals as you like with each having a little card saying the name and spiritual properties of the crystal. Accompanied with a little book store that also sells tarrot card sets. Overall it is an amazing experience and my only complaint would be the prices at the shops.

In a pocket just past Burleigh Heads is a stretch of beach that appeals to dog lovers (and owners)…read moreand families alike. Palm Beach is a dog-friendly beach and a prime spot for off-leash beach frivolity for your canine. Similarly, there's an inlet with relatively calm water for kids to swim in. Pack a picnic, shade-giving umbrella, a good book and while the day away at the water's edge. Oh, and if you're a keen plane spotter, this beach is prime position for seeing many of the jets landing and taking off from Cooloongatta Airport.

With a name like 'Palm Beach' one would probably expect to find it a lot rowdier than it actually…read moreis. In fact, this particular beach, for its location, turn out to be rather quiet and unassuming, which is probably a good thing if you are actually looking for such a beach. Then again, I did happen to turn up here in winter so there is that. Still, compared with the other beaches along this stretch of coast, this would be one to preference if you don't particularly appreciate the crowds.

Okay, this isn't exactly a beachside park, but it is close enough to the beach to be considered…read moreone. Then again being on the Gold Coast you generally aren't all that far from the beach anyway. This is another one of those parks that you find throughout Australia that has a memorial for those who died in foreign wars. The park is quite nice, though I probably wouldn't call it peaceful considering that it does happen to be located in the heart of Burleigh Heads.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not Odditorium is incredibly fun for people of all ages. Ticket prices are:…read more Adults: $21.90 Seniors/student/backpackers: $18.50 Children 5-12: $12.50 Children 4 and below: free The Odditorium/museum is a maze of rooms containing all sorts of groovy and interesting things to look at. There is a mirror testing you tongue-twisting abilities, a room filled with disco lights and screens that represent you in pixel form, a room with rotating walls that you must walk on a plank to pass through as well as more standard rooms that don't move and have normal lighting. In the more normal rooms are fun puzzles like a gate that you must solve how to open and a statue of the tallest man alive. There are so many cool things to see but I won't list them here because the surprise is part of what makes this place so interesting. Kids absolutely adore it and there are plenty of historical items and stories that adults will get absorbed in. It is a great place for the whole family to visit.

Something more educational to do in Surfer's. Room after room about interesting…read morethings/facts/people/art. Some totally mind-boggling stuff. Reasonably priced, considering you can take your time and easily spend over an hour there if you're actually reading about things. Although it is a place for children, I'm not sure how many kids would want to walk around and pretty much just read about stuff nowadays. There are some interactive things, but not heaps.

The InterContinental is a delight to the eyes and the taste buds with fantastic staff…read more From the moment we arrived, driving through the beautiful gardens to an entrance fit for a king, we were greeted by genuinely happy, helpful, friendly faces, and with none of the 'forced' niceties we often seem to receive an upscale resort where you know they're just paid to smile and be attentive. Absolutely every staff member we encountered, from reception to concierge, valet and the restaurant at breakfast were in all honesty, as lovely as you could imagine. The InterContinental has truly world class service. The resort itself is huge, covers an expanse that could be considered its own suburb, and picturesque to say the least, but for those of us who have trouble walking any distance, you're only a phone call away from a friendly, happy staff member and his limo sized golf cart to take you wherever you need to go. And that includes a small local shopping precinct packed with shops and restaurants at the marina. The rooms are clean, well-appointed and reasonably fresh, with everything you need on hand for a nice relaxing stay, or just a phone call to concierge away. Sadly, we were only staying for one night while attending a party in nearby Paradise Point and did not get a chance to try the restaurant for dinner, which we've heard is quite superb. We were however, lucky enough to enjoy an incredible buffet breakfast with all the trimmings, including real barista made coffee (if you're a lover of coffee, this will mean the world to you) and a lovely omelette made to my personal choice by the skilled chef attending. I have to say, this one night getaway has left us with a very favourable memory and now, we just need an excuse to come back. Very highly recommended.

I really loved this resort. I went there for a work event last week. It had a lovely peaceful …read more feel to it. The rooms were nice and large and I was fortunate enough to have one with a nice view of the water. The business facility was fairly nice. The food at the event was good. Service was excellent. The most fun was riding around the resort in the golf carts. The bell staff was absolutely outstanding. The resort is accompanied with a golf course and with what we would call in the US condos. The property also includes a shoppping village which looked quite nice. I would love to visit again on vacation to really get the full enjoyment out of such a lovely resort.

Excellent eco-conscious resort, amazing room layout only surpassed by the pool and grill area!read more

I'm surprised to read the other reviews on this place as our stay was amazing. To start with I had…read morebooked us the wrong room- I had misread the floor plan and thought we would have a full one bedroom. We were travelling with our toddler and needed the separate sleeping area. I called to the front desk and had us changed within 30 mins. We upgraded to a two bedroom villa which was stunning and more than enough space for the three of us. The property itself is gorgeous. Very lush. Every morning our walk to breakfast was relaxing and gorgeous. The breakfast was fantastic and one of my favourite parts of the stay. They also have two pools- one is a quiet pool and the other more of a family pool. I appreciate this as then I don't need to worry about my kid making too much noise. All in all a fantastic two night stay.