All the places to spot a celebrity on the Gold Coast

Australia’s undeniable glamour capital, the Gold Coast sparkles from its beaches to its pumping nightlife. It’s a hedonistic playground for the rich and famous as much as it is for the locals, though scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find a lot more than a party scene.

The Magic Millions Carnival brings a royal touch, the Corona Open Gold Coast hosts surfing’s biggest names. But no event brings more tinsel than when the red carpet rolls out for the TV Week Logie Awards – the biggest night of the year for Australia’s television industry.

The Logies is set to return to The Star Gold Coast on Sunday, 19 June for its 62^nd year of celebrating talent and excellence in Aussie entertainment. So if you’re ready to scout out sightings of our movies stars, TV personalities and celebrities – this is your chance.

Want to go celeb spotting? You’re likely to bump into famous faces throughout the year, not just on awards night. Recent visitors included Hollywood heavyweight Colin Farrell (here filming Thirteen Lives), a flurry of actors including Tom Hanks and Austin Butler to create Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic, plus holidaying celebs like Justin Bieber, Drake, the Kardashians and Zac Efron. We could namedrop all day.

Skip the flight to LA: here’s where to spot celebrities on the Gold Coast – or live like one yourself.

Where to eat

Alfresco dining is de rigueur on the Gold Coast with chic restaurants and hip cafes the places to see and be seen. Don your best and head to one of the top restaurant and café precincts like Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach and Burleigh Heads. From waterside diners to chef-hatted restaurants, there are choices in cuisine and atmosphere for every taste and budget.

Your first stop should be The Tropic at Burleigh Pavilion, where Michelin-starred chef Guillaume Zika plates up sensational seafood alongside Burleigh's iconic surf break and exquisite cocktails. The Marina Mirage precinct pulls in well-known faces, particularly Glass Dining where you might sit down to a char grilled rib fillet next to the likes of Colin Firth, Penelope Cruz or Hugh Jackman.

Logies’ HQ, The Star Gold Coast, also shines in its food offering, including celebrity-chef run Kiyomi – a Japanese izakaya experience dishing up mouth-watering sashimi and authentic mains.

Starting your day with star power is just as easy. Elk Espresso became Orlando Bloom’s local when he was in town, while Margot Robbie is such a fan of the baked treats and brunches at Mermaid Beach’s Bam Bam Bakehouse she hosted her hens party here. 

Where to party

Come nightfall, the buzzy bars of Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads are your best bets for raising a glass with celebs.

Paris Hilton, Justin Bieber, the Madden Brothers and One Direction are just some of the rich and famous who have partied or performed at local hot spots like Sin City nightclub. But for an evening with star power, you can’t go past glitzy rooftop bar, Nineteen at The Star – complete with infinity pool and panoramic views over the city and sea.

Another celeb-studded spot is Aloha Bar and Dining – a tropical oasis tucked away in a Broadbeach back alley, only visible by a looming pineapple lantern. This palm frond-filled and Hawaii-inspired space hosted the cast and crew of Thor: Ragnarok most weekends when filming in Queensland, with Tom Hiddleston and Mark Ruffalo in tow.

Want to kick off a little earlier? Get a taste of a Vegas pool party at Cali Beach Club, Australia’s ultimate day club experience that hosts the biggest DJ residency line up in the country. Entry is free, but if you want the VIP treatment book your own cabana or booth, while kicking back with Champagne magnums and spritz cocktails. 

Where to play

A visit to the Gold Coast is your invitation to play like a celebrity too. Forget actively trying to track stars down: live large and you might just find yourself among them.

Fill your days with indulgent activities, from helicopter tours to luxurious bathhouses. Rent a private yacht for a day sailing between secluded beaches, or join fellow revelers for a decadent, boozy lunch on board Yot Club.

Of course, beach time should always be worked into the itinerary. There are no ‘velvet rope’ invitation-only beaches on the Gold Coast, so you could be placing your towel on the sand and building sandcastles next to Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, Pretty Little Liars’ Keegan Allen, Joel Madden, Nicole Richie and their families. If you’re a surfer like the Hemsworth brothers or legend Kelly Slater, test yourself on the famous rollers at Snapper Rocks or Kirra - you never know who you’ll be paddling out next to.

And if theme parks are your idea of fun, you may just run into Taylor Swift, Blake Lively or Russell Crowe and his kids at Warner Bros. Movie World or Dreamworld.

Where to stay

Host venue of The Logies, The Star Gold Coast is arguably the best place to star-spot. It’s in the name, after all. Within the complex lies boutique accommodation at The Darling, a ritzy landmark with luxurious suites that puts you on the doorstep of The Star’s fine-dining offering and hidden bars that feel like stepping into a Wes Anderson movie. Be sure to save time for lounging at Isoletto Pool Club, exclusively for hotel guests.  

Nearby, celebrities are often spotted checking into beachside digs like Palazzo Versace or Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort.

Change things up and recharge on the green outskirts of the Gold Coast at Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, which recently won Global Best Eco Spa – 2021 World Luxury Spa Awards. Part-owned by Hugh Jackman, check in and bliss out while your body, mind and soul is treated like five stars.

Be a location scout

Broadbeach is the place to be on June 19 as Australian TV stars walk The Logies red carpet at The Star Gold Coast. If you want to get in on the glamour, head along to line the red carpet as your favourite celebs arrive in style. Hang around after and you may spy some familiar faces as they head to exclusive post-event parties.

The reality is the Gold Coast is stunning to look at – and it looks pretty spectacular on camera too, with film locations from Broadbeach to Mt Tamborine and the Village Roadshow Studios all part of past and upcoming movie sets. Keep your eyes peeled – you never know what you’ll stumble upon. 

Hang with the locals

The Gold Coast also has its share of home-grown celebs including Margot Robbie, Cody Simpson, Jessica Watson, and DJs the Stafford Brothers. Many others have even set up shop here themselves – with Oscar winner Julia Roberts reportedly house-hunting.

Grab a coffee from Piccolo Espresso, located across the road from Miami Beach, owned by ex-Olympic road cyclist Robbie McEwen. Hang out in Tugun where Mick Fanning resides in a gorgeous beachside mansion, or catch up with his surfer mates Joel Parkinson and Bede Durbidge at their uber cool Currumbin brewery, Balter.

Keep an eye out and you may catch them visiting their favourite local haunts.