Hi, planning a trip to Oz Feb/March and will go to Brisbane and Perth. Would like to spend time in Gold Coast but would appreciate guidance on which beach side community is preferable as there seems to be so many on the map !
We are a retired couple who don,t care much about nightlife but like an area with a nice safe beach, some restaurants and shopping services within walking distance.

As for Perth how many days are good and is a sidetrip south more interesting than the area north ?

Ok, starting from the northern end - Sanctuary Cove is not a "beach" but is a lovely golf community on the river and has a nice restaurants including George's which has 1/2 priced lunches - great place.
Next is Main Beach - this is an up-market area for yuppies who like to be "seen" at the right restaurants at night - anyone who is anyone usually dines there.
Surfer's Paradise - tourist area and one that no self-respecting local would ever go into but is on the beach with all facilities - if you cannot speak English then you will find the road signs in other languages as well -nuff said.
Broadbeach - this is a great place to be because you have Pacific Fair close ( great shopping ) the Casino is 2 blocks away and there is great eating areas both outside and inside. Good beach and BBQ on the beach and ALL the buses on the Gold Coast go from Pacific Fair so you have access to everything. Bus pick-up for the Carrara Markets on the weekend which is a "must" as long as you go early otherwise there are too many people and it gets too hot.
Mermaid Beach - nice area and good beach but you do not have as many facilities at hand and the same goes for most of the beach areas then right down until Coolangatta where you have a good restaurant, club ( meaning RSL clubs with entertainment and eating within) nice beaches but a bugger to get from there to anywhere else on the coast - same goes for Tweed Heads.

No beach communities! They have all been replaced by people and their mess. Well there are still a few individuals left but the plant and animal communities of that area have gone for ever.

Thanks Lizzy, much appreciated.
Sounds like Broadbeach is the place to spend most time. I will get busy researching accommodation - prefer an efficiency type apartment with kitchen.

Will probably rent a car to drive up north. Been to Cairns & Port Douglas before and would like to see again. Any comments on worthwhile places in between. Heard that Fraser Island is a must see.

One thing though - what does RSL mean?
I'm Canuck and this is not in my lexicon !

RSL = Returned and Services League of Australia - a Military Veteran's Association now primarily concerned with welfare issues, advocacy and support of returned and still serving members; also for education,provision of scholarships and promotion of commemorative functions etc.

"The RSL evolved as a direct result of the camaraderie, concern and mateship shown by the "Diggers" for the welfare of their mates during and after the 1914 - 1918 War. That ethos of compassion and service remains today the motivating influence of the League." ( from the RSL website).

At sub branch level the RSL "clubs" often developed very strong ties to the local community and in Australia even very, very small towns have purpose built RSL "halls" or clubrooms.

In earlier years these buildings often had the only gambling licences in each State - now much more common - so were able to offer good dining areas, gaming rooms etc.

Even now they will have good value for money , cheaper eating options (of varying quality), although some may be "old fashioned".

My husband, a Vietnam Veteran, is both a member of the Vietnam Veterans' Association and a Committee man in the RSL.

An interesting turn of events for us, as in the 60's and 70's the RSL was renowned for its very conservative right wing views and was often denegrated for its anti Vietnam Veterans attitudes(not a real war etc).

Thankfully, these extremist views are gradually beginning to change and now the Organisation is becoming more consistant in its advocacy for (long overdue) support to all Veterans.

christo - RSL stand for Returned Services League and there's clubs with restaurants and often entertainment all over the country. Meals are good value partly because they're funded by poker machines but there is no obligation to play and the machines are usually well away from dining areas. You don't need to be a club member for admittance but will be asked to sign a register and to give your address.
There's a particularly large RSL at Tweed Heads, New South Wales, the New South Wales/Queensland border runs through the adjacent towns of Tweed Heads, and Coolangatta, Queensland. In Feb/March New South Wales will be on daylight saving time, Queensland stays on regular time so you lose or gain an hour every time you cross the very short distance between the two towns. For the RSL nearest to you, see www.rsl.org.au

Sorry, for the part duplication, libretto and I must have been posting at the same time.

Neat. Thank you.

We call them Legions or Legion Halls.
I go to the one in my community all the time so it is great to know the equivalent thrives in OZ as well. I will definitely look them up when there, that's a great idea.

christo - check out The Phoenician in Broadbeach. When I lived near the GC that was a new Apartment Hotel and very nice too with great food places just below on the street. You can take a monorail over to the Casino from Broadbeach - the Chinese restaurant was particularly good. There is also a Woolworths Supermarket in the Broadbeach Shopping mall which is very handy and a particularly nice butcher's shop next door to W'ths.
The street dining at night is great and you can check out what other people are eating before you make a decision. Also a quick "food hall" is available with Japanese, Chinese, Thai and other sorts of meals.