Your guide to the Coolangatta Gold

When: 12 – 13 October 2024

From starring in a classic Australian movie to featuring on the Queensland sporting calendar, the Coolangatta Gold is surf lifesaving's toughest endurance Ironman and Ironwoman competition.

40 years since it was first held, this year’s Coolangatta Gold will once again feature Australia’s top surf lifesavers as they swim, board paddle, surf ski and run around Coolangatta, a sun-bathed playground of surf breaks, sandy beaches and beachside culture on the Gold Coast.

Want to know more? Keep paddling for our Coolangatta Gold guide, covering all the ‘Cooly Gold’ (as it's known) must-knows, as well as how to make the most of everything Coolangatta has to offer.

Coolangatta Gold event essentials

The first Cooly Gold was held in 1984 when two Aussie filmmakers making a surf lifesaving movie decided that instead of staging scenes, they would create a real Ironman event instead. And so, from the silver screen to Coolangatta’s golden beaches, the Coolangatta Gold — both the movie and the event—was born.

Over the years, the Cooly Gold has been won by some of the biggest in the sport, from inaugural winner, the legendary Guy Leech, through to stars like Dean Mercer, Caine Eckstein and Courtney Hancock, the most successful Ironwoman of all time.

The 2024 Cooly features four events over two days: 

• 21-kilometre short-course Iron Man
• Youth Challenge for kids aged 10-17
• Downwind Paddle (part of the Australian Ocean Racing Series)
• The main event — a punishing 41.8-kilometre course.

The action starts with a surf-ski from Coolangatta Beach to Tallebudgera Creek — one of the most picturesque spots on the Gold Coast. Not that competitors will have any time to enjoy it as they’ll turn back around and ski back to Coolangatta to complete the opening 23-kilometre stint.

From there there’s a 1-kilometre run and 3.5-kilometre ocean swim to North Kirra and back, before a 6.1-kilometre return board paddle to Bilinga, and a final, leg-burning 8.2-kilometre run before crossing the finishing line and collapsing on the Coolangatta Beach sand.

Think you’ve got what it takes? The Coolangatta Gold is open to members of surf lifesaving clubs and the public, with team and individual events, and elite and amateur divisions. See the Coolangatta Gold website for event circulars, course maps, and everything else that you need to know.

Or join us in the stands at Coolangatta Beach and watch these incredible endurance athletes perform at their limit. You’ll see all the action from here, and it’s also where the presentations take place.

Dust the sand off your feet and step straight into a Surf Club for a chicken parmy served with ocean views and an ice-cold schooner of beer. As well as patrolling our beaches and keeping us safe between the flags, Surf Life Saving Clubs are the perfect place to refuel and recharge. You can’t go wrong at any of them, but the Rainbow Bay Surf Life Saving club is one of our favourites, with incredible views and good vibes. The sign above the giant deck says it better than we could: ‘From Where You’d Rather Be’.

Love seafood? With flotillas of fishing trawlers bringing in fresh seafood daily, the Gold Coast is the place to be for ocean-to-plate seafood, from hatted-restaurants to the humble fish and chip shop.

Head to award-winning Rick Shores (perched right on the water at Burleigh) for Moreton Bay bug rolls (lightly fried lobster on brioche bun with a squirt of sriracha hot sauce), or Kiyomi at The Star for some of the best sashimi this side of Tokyo.

Looking for something closer to Coolangatta? You’re in luck, with a whole menu of options to choose from. Stick your fork into pan-seared market fish at Siblings, or savour pan-Asian flavours with a Gold Coast twist at Billy Chow, where you’ll find spanner crab rice paper rolls and miso charcoal toothfish. For more great options, check out our 3-day southern Gold Coast food itinerary.

Whether you’re looking to hang ten, frolic in the surf, or bask in the sun like a lizard (don’t forget that sunscreen though!), the Gold Coast’s 57-kilometres of beaches have you spoilt for choice.

Our favourite? We couldn’t possibly choose one, but Rainbow Bay and Kirra Beach have to be close to the top of our list. If you’re a surfer, don’t miss the ‘Superbank’ between Snapper Rocks and Kirra, where a production line of hollow barrels produces some of the world’s longest wave rides.

If you haven’t surfed before but want to give it a try, hit up one of the Gold Coast’s many surf schools. Try Get Wet Surf School who’ve helped 45,000 learn to surf—they’ll even refund you if you they can’t get you standing up.

If you’d rather stay dry, hire a cruiser bike with Kool Bikes and roll along the shared pathways along the beaches. They even have e-bikes if you really want to just cruise and enjoy the view.

Chasing adrenalin? If jumping out of a plane sounds like a good idea, make a date with Gold Coast Skydive and catch a bird’s eye view of the Gold Coast as you fall to earth at 300km/h. For more high-speed thrills, ride the fastest hyper-coaster in the southern hemisphere at Dreamworld.

Or maybe you need something a little slower? Have a close encounter with nature at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (don’t miss the wild lorikeet feeding!), try a spot of kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding at Currumbin Waters.

From luxury high-rises to boutique hotels and affordable backpackers, Coolangatta has a place to call home for all travellers—and budgets.

Stay so close the beach that you can almost feel the surf at Reflections Coolangatta, where Pacific Ocean views come with luxuriously appointed rooms and facilities including pool, spa, gym, sauna and even a theatrette.

Another luxurious option is Kirra Beach Apartments, where you’ll find private plunge pools, landscaped gardens, and postcard-worthy views out over the famous Kirra surf. If you’re bringing the family along, choose from high-rises like Mantra Coolangatta Beach or Sebel Twin Towns, each with their own swimming pools for the youngsters to splash about in.

For something quirky, check into the beachside Pink Hotel, a refurbished 1950s motel that blends mid-century modern stylings with a touch of rock and roll—think record players in the rooms and street art-style graffiti on the walls. Travelling on a budget? Try La Costa Motel at nearby Bilinga, where 1960s features like pink flamingos on the lawn come together in a lovingly restored retro motel with cheap and cheerful rate that match the vibe.

Or check into YHA Coolangatta, where you’ll find everything you need, from an outdoor swimming pool to communal kitchen area and shared and individual rooms just two minutes from the beach.