Your guide to the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500
Event
By Scott Russell
When: 24 - 26 October 2025
Where: Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, Gold Coast
Surf, sand and… Supercars! Once a year, the beachfront streets of Surfers Paradise transform into a world-class racetrack for the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500—Queensland’s fastest street party.
See Australia’s top drivers battle it out at speeds of up to 265km/h, thundering over the kerbs and racing wheel-to-wheel just metres from the beach. With three days of elbows-out racing, aerial displays, live music, off-track entertainment and a Super Kids Zone, this festival of thrills and spills is not to be missed.
Race on below for our Boost Mobile 500 guide, with everything you need to know about the event, from lights out to the chequered flag.
Our top tip? Stay a few extra days and really experience the Gold Coast. Our guide also covers where to recharge, refuel, and race – or in non-petrolhead speak, where to stay, eat, and play.
Event essentials: what you need to know about the Coast 500
Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500
The Gold Coast 500 is one of the crown jewels of the Supercars Championship – Australia’s top motor racing category. This year marks 30 years since the event came to the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit, a gruelling track that takes no prisoners.
The Supercars action is headlined by two 250-kilometre races – one on Saturday and one on Sunday – each featuring 85 laps of pedal-to-the-metal action.
The Supercars are also on track on Friday for practice, with qualifying (which decides the starting order) and the top ten shootouts for pole position on Saturday and Sunday.
If you’re the type of person who has petrol pulsing through your veins, don’t miss the support races, on-track demo, off-track displays and merchandise alley, where you can stock up on team colours.
Off-track entertainment
The Gold Coast 500 is soundtracked by V8 thunder during the day and some of the hottest music acts by night, with an action-packed entertainment program headlined by dynamic DJ duo Peking Duk on Friday night and ARIA Hall of Famers Jet on Saturday night. Other acts include rock legends Spiderbait and 'Shooting Stars' hitmakers, the Bag Raiders. Best of all, it's all included with your ticket.
Where to watch
From grandstands to VIP hospitality to a birds-eye view high above the track (see ‘Where to Stay’), there’s somewhere to watch the action for everyone.
If you’re serious about your racing, grab yourself a ticket in one of the grandstands looking over the pitlane and the start finish line, or overlooking the esses on the back straight.
For a value option, grab a general admission ticket (free for kids under 12 with a paying adult) which allows you to choose from vantage points around the circuit. Set your alarm early and nab one of the prized spots near the esses or make your way to the ‘The Hill’ where it’s festival vibes all day.
Accessibility
There are dedicated accessibility viewing platforms for General Admission holders, but make sure to book early to reserve your spot. There are also accessible toilets throughout the precinct, disabled drop-off zones, and tickets for companion card holders.
Where to stay during the Gold Coast 500
The Langham Gold Coast
Eat, sleep, race, repeat and stay inside the track precinct at one of the many high-rise hotels—it’s racing’s equivalent of putting your head to pillow at the halfway line at Suncorp Stadium.
To see the action from your own suite, check into the Mantra Sun City or Rhapsody Resort, which have track-front rooms so you can watch the race from your balcony.
These sell out early, so you’ll need to book in advance. You’ll also need to grab an Accommodation Access Pass and track pass, but trust us—it’s an unforgettable experience.
Other nearby options include The Langham, QT Hotel Gold Coast (the breakfast buffet alone is worth it!) or the Hilton Surfers Paradise—both just steps away from the beach and the track.
Public transport to and from the event is free on the G: Link light rail. Stay on the Southern Gold Coast at Broadbeach or Burleigh Heads and make (tram) tracks to the race.
Rick Shores, Gold Coast
If tucking into some of Queensland’s best bites gets your motor running, get to know the best of the coast’s dining scene, from mouth-watering breakfasts to unmissable restaurants.
Located right on the beach near Burleigh is the award-winning Rick Shores. Here the super-chill coastal vibes are paired with award-winning pan-Asian food, from fried bug rolls to spiced lamb rump.
Upstairs you’ll find the always-pumping Burleigh Pavillion—or ‘the Pav’ as the locals call it. Choose from comfort foods like wood-fired pizzas, burgers and seafood, washed down with a spicy margarita or an espresso martini.
Can’t decide what you want? Hit up the Bazaar Restaurant at QT Hotel Gold Coast, where your plate is your passport to just about every cuisine in the world. From a cured meat station and oyster bar to a build-your-own-ice-cream experience, the only limitation is how loose your pants are.
If it’s a quick pitstop you’re after, head to House of Brews, where you’ll find 32 craft beers on tap, some seriously theatrical cocktails plus plenty of burgers and bar snacks to keep you going (pssst: hit up the best craft beer bars on the coast while you’re at it).
Explore the Gold Coast
Warner Bros. Movie World, Gold Coast
With three days of racing, you’re going to need a couple of extra days to see what the Gold Coast has to offer.
Want to get your heart racing like a Supercar driver? Scare yourself silly on the 115km/h DC Rivals Hypercoaster at Warner Bros. Movie World or experience a terrifying 115-metre free-fall on the Giant Drop at Dreamworld.
If that isn’t your idea of fun, why not learn to surf at one of the region’s many surf schools, take a dip at the perennially sparkling Tallebudgera Creek or try one of these hinterland hikes amongst World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforest to burn some calories.
Of course, with 57 kilometres of sandtrap (AKA endless beaches along the coast), there are beaches galore for you to feel the sand between your toes. See here for our guide to some of the best.
Got the kids in tow? Luckily, Sea World is within your line of sight and the Broadwater Parklands will keep you and the gang occupied for hours with rock pools and a bouncy pillow.
Want to see everything the Gold Coast has to offer? Try our ultimate 5-day itinerary, curated to help you tick off the best the region has to offer.
Explore more of the Gold Coast
