The wildlife heart of the southern Gold Coast — the 27-hectare Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, the world-class Alley point break, the iconic ANZAC dawn service at Elephant Rock, and the freshwater Currumbin Rock Pools in the hinterland.
Currumbin QLD, postcode 4223, sits on the southern Gold Coast approximately 22 km south of Surfers Paradise and just 7 km north of Gold Coast Airport. The suburb wraps around the mouth of Currumbin Creek, with the iconic Elephant Rock standing at the northern end of the beach and the world-class Currumbin Alley point break at the southern end.
If you had to pick one suburb that defines the southern Gold Coast’s personality, it might be Currumbin. The 27-hectare Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast Highway is one of the great family attractions of South East Queensland — koalas, kangaroos, the famous twice-daily wild lorikeet feeding, plus the on-site Wildlife Hospital that treats over 14,000 injured native animals each year (the viewing area is free entry). The sanctuary has operated since 1947 and is run by the National Trust of Queensland.
And then there’s the dawn service. Every ANZAC Day, 25 April, tens of thousands gather at Elephant Rock for “Anzacs at Elephant Rock” — one of Australia’s most emotionally powerful dawn services, hosted by Currumbin Beach Vikings SLSC as the sun rises over the Pacific. It’s the kind of memory you don’t forget. The rest of the year, Currumbin is the quiet, laid-back surf-and-wildlife haven that the southern Gold Coast does so well.
From the lorikeet feeding at the Sanctuary to the long lines at the Alley, freshwater swimming at the Rock Pools to the sunrise gathering at Elephant Rock — here’s what Currumbin does best.
The iconic 27-hectare wildlife sanctuary on the Gold Coast Highway. Koalas, kangaroos, crocodiles, dingoes and the famous wild lorikeet feeding (8am and 4pm daily) that has been a Gold Coast tradition for decades. Operated by the National Trust of Queensland; runs an on-site Wildlife Hospital treating 14,000+ injured natives a year. Read our full sanctuary guide for the deeper dive.
One of Australia’s most consistent and beloved right-hand point breaks. The wave wraps around the Currumbin Creek rock wall, creating long peeling rides that draw long-time local surfers year-round. Best at low to mid tide on small-to-medium SSE swell. Accessible via the Currumbin Creek footbridge from Palm Beach, or directly from the southern Currumbin Beach car park.
The patrolled main beach, anchored by the Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Life Saving Club at the northern end near Elephant Rock. Year-round patrolled flags, BBQ and picnic facilities, grass picnic areas backed by Norfolk Island pines. The Vikings SLSC is the host of the ANZAC dawn service and one of the great community institutions of the southern Gold Coast.
A series of freshwater swimming holes along Currumbin Creek in the Gold Coast hinterland — approximately 25 minutes drive inland from Currumbin Beach via Currumbin Creek Road. Free, beautiful, popular but unsupervised — swim at your own risk. Can become dangerous after heavy rain (flash flooding). Best mid-week to avoid crowds; pack everything as no facilities on site.
The unmistakable rocky outcrop at the northern end of Currumbin Beach — an iconic Gold Coast surf landmark and the dramatic backdrop to the annual ANZAC Day dawn service. The headland and surrounding rocky platforms are excellent sunrise vantage points year-round, with The Pillars ANZAC memorial standing as a permanent tribute. Frequented by local photographers and walkers.
The calm estuary that defines the southern half of the suburb. Currumbin Creek is calm, clear, family-safe and a favourite for SUP, kayak, swimming and fishing. The creek mouth at high tide is one of the most beautiful spots on the southern Gold Coast. Hire boards from the Currumbin Creek bank or paddle north under the Currumbin Creek bridge towards the open Pacific.
The ANZAC dawn service at Elephant Rock is the emotional anchor of the Currumbin calendar — plus year-round surf, wildlife and the quieter rhythms of the southern Gold Coast.
One of Australia’s most emotionally powerful dawn services. Held annually on 25 April at Elephant Rock, hosted by Currumbin Beach Vikings SLSC. Crowds typically gather from 4:00am for the formal service as the sun rises over the Pacific. Free to attend, but arrive very early — traffic and parking are heavily restricted from before midnight. Tens of thousands attend.
Arrive 4am · FreeCurrumbin Alley operates as a year-round destination for serious surfers. The wave handles small-to-medium SSE swell beautifully, with the cleanest conditions typically in autumn and winter. The lineup is famously local but respectful visiting surfers are welcome — know the etiquette, paddle with awareness, and don’t drop in. Watching from the rock wall is a Currumbin pastime in itself.
Best Mar-Aug clean conditionsExcellent land-based whale watching from Elephant Rock and the Currumbin headland. Peak northern migration is June-July; southern return with mothers and calves comes through September-October. The rocky platforms around Elephant Rock are some of the most accessible whale-watching vantages on the entire Gold Coast.
Elephant Rock viewing
The 27-hectare Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has been a Gold Coast institution since 1947 and is operated as a not-for-profit by the National Trust of Queensland. Beyond the koalas, kangaroos and famous twice-daily wild lorikeet feeding, the sanctuary runs an on-site Wildlife Hospital that treats over 14,000 injured native animals each year — sea turtles, koalas, raptors, possums and more. The hospital viewing area is free entry regardless of whether you have a sanctuary ticket.
Sanctuary, the Alley, Elephant Rock and the Rock Pools — the southern Gold Coast’s wildlife soul in five frames.
Currumbin shares the warm subtropical climate of the southern Gold Coast. The most evocative time of year is ANZAC dawn in late April; surfers favour autumn and winter for the cleanest swell at the Alley.
Peak family season — warm, sunny, the Sanctuary at its busiest, Currumbin Creek swimming at its most popular. Book Wildlife Sanctuary tickets ahead during school holidays. Rock Pools access can be cut by summer storms — check Currumbin Creek Road conditions.
The most iconic time to visit. Warm dry days, clean swell at the Alley, and ANZAC Day dawn service at Elephant Rock on 25 April — book accommodation months in advance for the ANZAC weekend. Whale watching season begins in May from Elephant Rock.
Mild, dry, sunny days — the Alley at its cleanest, the Sanctuary much quieter, and peak whale watching season from Elephant Rock. Cool water but enthusiasts still surf. Best value accommodation rates of the year.
Warming ocean, southern whale return migration past Elephant Rock with calves, lengthening daylight. Currumbin is largely insulated from the Schoolies Week chaos in late November in Surfers Paradise — the perfect quiet southern alternative.
Currumbin is a beachside suburb on the southern Gold Coast, postcode 4223, located approximately 22 km south of Surfers Paradise and 2 km south of Palm Beach. The suburb wraps around Currumbin Creek mouth, with Currumbin Alley point break at the southern end and Elephant Rock as the northern landmark. Gold Coast Airport (OOL) is just 7 km further south.
A 27-hectare not-for-profit wildlife sanctuary on the Gold Coast Highway, operated by the National Trust of Queensland since 1947. Home to koalas, kangaroos, crocodiles, dingoes and the famous twice-daily wild lorikeet feeding at 8am and 4pm. The on-site Wildlife Hospital treats over 14,000 injured native animals each year, and its viewing area is free entry. See our dedicated Sanctuary guide for the full details.
Currumbin Alley is one of the most consistent and beloved right-hand point breaks on the Gold Coast. The Alley wave wraps around the Currumbin Creek rock wall at the southern end of Currumbin Beach. Best at low to mid tide on small-to-medium SSE swell. Accessible via the Currumbin Creek footbridge from Palm Beach or directly from the southern Currumbin Beach car park. Local lineup but visitors welcome with proper etiquette.
25 April annually — the ANZAC Day dawn service at Elephant Rock (hosted by Currumbin Beach Vikings SLSC) is held at first light, typically gathering from around 4:00am for the formal service. Known as “Anzacs at Elephant Rock”, it is one of Australia’s most iconic and emotionally powerful dawn services, drawing tens of thousands. Free to attend, but arrive very early — traffic and parking restricted from before midnight.
The Currumbin Rock Pools are a series of freshwater swimming holes along Currumbin Creek in the hinterland, approximately 25 minutes drive inland from Currumbin Beach. They are popular but unsupervised — swim at your own risk. Generally safe in normal conditions but can become dangerous after heavy rain due to flash flooding. Check Currumbin Valley road conditions before driving. Best visited mid-week; free entry; no facilities.
Yes — Currumbin is excellent for families. The Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the great family-friendly Gold Coast attractions; Currumbin Beach is patrolled year-round; the Creek estuary offers calm, safe swimming; and the suburb has a much quieter, less commercialised feel than Surfers Paradise. Currumbin is far less affected by Schoolies Week (late November) — an excellent family alternative for that period.
Not yet — G:Link Stage 3 (opening mid-2026) terminates at Burleigh Heads, approximately 7 km north of Currumbin. No confirmed timeline for extending the light rail further south. Bus services connect Currumbin to Burleigh Heads (and from there to the G:Link network), and the Gold Coast Highway runs through the suburb. For most travellers, a car remains the easiest way to reach Currumbin from the central or northern Gold Coast. Gold Coast Airport is just 7 km south — making Currumbin one of the most accessible southern Gold Coast suburbs for fly-in travellers.
Currumbin sits in the heart of the southern Gold Coast — minutes from Palm Beach to the north, Burleigh just 7km up the highway, and Coolangatta and the Tweed Coast just south of the airport.
Currumbin is one of the most fly-in-friendly Gold Coast suburbs — Gold Coast Airport is just 7 km south, putting the Wildlife Sanctuary minutes from the runway.
Fly into Gold Coast Airport (OOL) at Coolangatta — just 7 km south of Currumbin, a 10 minute drive via the Gold Coast Highway. The closest major Gold Coast wildlife attraction to OOL. Taxis, rideshares and shuttle services connect directly to the Wildlife Sanctuary and all Currumbin accommodation.
From Brisbane CBD: approximately 80 minutes south via the Pacific Motorway (M1). From Surfers Paradise: 25 minutes south along the Gold Coast Highway. The Wildlife Sanctuary has its own large free car park; ample street and beachfront parking around Elephant Rock and the Vikings SLSC.
G:Link Stage 3 (mid-2026) terminates at Burleigh Heads — 7 km north of Currumbin. From Burleigh, public buses or a 10-minute drive south reach Currumbin. No confirmed plans to extend the light rail further south. For most travellers, a car remains the easiest option.
