Southport, Queensland

Southport is a suburb and a business district near the mid-point of the Gold Coast, Australia and has one of the city's largest communities. At the 2006 Census, Southport had a population of 24,097.

It was named Southport because it was the southernmost port of the colony of Queensland. Southport is recognised as the central business district of the Gold Coast City. It has the city's largest area of office space at 103,818 m². In the past, Southport was the central entertainment location of the Gold Coast. In current times it is set apart from the normal tourist hub of the Gold Coast. However, it has still experienced tourist-driven development and extraordinary growth. Southport has 18 high-rise towers either completed, under construction or awaiting commencement.

History

Southport was once the site of timber mills. A port was established to ship logs to Brisbane. Cutting timber opened up the area for settlement. Early rural industries included sugar growing and livestock grazing.

By Federation Southport had become a tourist seaside spot and had a permanent population of 1230. In 1898 a railway track was built from Brisbane to Southport to accommodate tourism (closed 1964).Southport Station in the Later Years Milne, Rod Australian Railway History, April, 2004 pp 142–148 A ferry service - the Myer's Ferry connection – ferried passengers to Main Beach, Queensland and a horse and buggy service linked the area to Surfers Paradise. Tourism continued...
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