Car Hire on the Gold Coast

Part of our guide to car hire in Australia.

Driving and Parking on the Gold Coast: What You Need to Know

• Side of the road: Australia drives on the left. If you normally drive on the right, collect the car at a quiet time and take the first few minutes slowly. The most common mistakes are at roundabouts and when turning out of a car park onto a main road, so keep to the left and give way to traffic already on the roundabout.
• Licence for visitors: A valid overseas licence is accepted in Queensland, provided you follow its conditions. If it is not in English, carry an International Driving Permit or an official English translation, and some guidance recommends a permit in every case.
• Speed limits: Limits are in kilometres per hour. Unless signed otherwise, the default is 50 km/h in built-up residential areas and 100 km/h on rural roads and highways, and highways range from 80 to 110 km/h. Speed cameras operate around the clock.
• Alcohol and phones: The blood alcohol limit is 0.05% for a full licence holder, so the safest course is not to drink before driving. Hand-held phone use is illegal, including calls, texts and navigation, and mobile phone detection cameras operate 24 hours a day.
• Seat belts and children: Everyone must wear a seat belt, and children aged seven and under need a restraint suited to their size and weight. Only child seats approved to Australian standards may be used, so request one from the supplier in advance.
• Main roads and light rail: The M1 Pacific Motorway is the main highway, and the Gold Coast Highway links Surfers Paradise, Southport and Broadbeach. The G:link light rail runs along the Gold Coast Highway from Broadbeach South to Helensvale, so watch for trams, cyclists and pedestrians in Surfers Paradise and other busy areas.
• Toll roads: The Gold Coast has no toll roads. Driving north to Brisbane by the Gateway Motorway includes a toll, and all Australian toll roads are electronic with no cash booths, so ask your supplier at collection how tolls on your hire car are charged and billed.
• Parking in the centres: Many central streets have timed parking, and metered parking applies on certain streets in Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Southport. Parking can be difficult at peak times in Surfers Paradise, where secure multi-level garages offer all-day parking, and rules are more restrictive on weekdays in the busiest centres.
• Beachside parking: Visitors can park on the Burleigh Heads Esplanade for up to three hours. Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads use demand-based pricing for city-owned parking, so charges can vary by time of day, and the meter and the sign at each space show the current rate.
• Busy periods: Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise and Burleigh Heads are heavily trafficked in spring and summer, so allow extra time for travel and parking. Weekday morning periods are the slowest on the M1 and the Gold Coast Highway.
• Hinterland roads: Heavy rain and winding roads in the hinterland call for extra care, particularly on the way to Springbrook and Lamington. Check conditions before you leave, and fill the tank beforehand.
• Fuel: Refill the tank before returning the car to avoid premium refuelling charges. Central Southport has Ampol, bp and Metro Petroleum stations, and there is a United Petroleum in Labrador. Confirm the fuel type on your booking confirmation before you refuel.

Top Places to Visit from the Gold Coast by Car

• Mount Tamborine — about 33 km inland, in roughly 35 minutes. Tamborine National Park is Queensland's oldest national park, with walking tracks and Cedar Creek Falls, and the mountain roads are winding.
• Springbrook National Park — about 40 km inland, in roughly 45 minutes. The park includes the Natural Bridge section and the Springbrook plateau, which has lookouts and rainforest walks. The road is winding and tree-covered, and the plateau upgrades running from 2025 to 2028 can close facilities, so check the park alerts.
• Lamington National Park — about 107 km, in roughly 1 hour 45 minutes. Its Green Mountains and Binna Burra sections lie about 110 km south of Brisbane, and a severe weather damage alert is listed until 31 December 2026, so check the park's alerts before you travel.
• Byron Bay — about 90 to 100 km south in New South Wales, in roughly 1 hour 10 minutes, usually by the M1. Cape Byron Lighthouse and Wategos Beach are the main sights.
• Brisbane — about 70 to 80 km north, in roughly 1 hour by the M1, allowing 90 minutes at weekday peak times. The route uses the Gateway Motorway toll section, and Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary at 708 Jesmond Road, Fig Tree Pocket has free on-site parking.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car on the Gold Coast?

Peak season: Demand follows the Queensland school holidays: mid-December to late January, Easter, late June to early July, and late September to early October. Spring and summer weekends are the busiest in the beachside centres, and prices rise in these weeks.

Shoulder season: Spring and autumn are the recommended seasons for the Gold Coast, with milder weather and fewer crowds outside school holidays. March, April and October are good months for day trips to the hinterland.

Low season: November to February is hot and humid across south-east Queensland, with sudden storms and February the wettest month. Winter, from June to August, is drier and milder, and heavy rain is the main risk on the hinterland roads.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for school holidays and event dates, and as soon as your dates are fixed for any hire that has to match a flight arrival. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty if plans change, and the balance is paid at the desk on collection, so nothing is charged in full at the time of booking.

Before you drive away: Photograph the vehicle thoroughly at collection and again at return, including all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior. Dated photographs give you a clear record of the condition you received, and they are the quickest way to settle any question about marks that were already there.

Fuel: Confirm the fuel type shown on your booking confirmation before you refuel, and ask at collection which fuel policy applies to your hire, so that you return the car as the supplier expects.

How Payment Works for Car Hire on the Gold Coast

Payment is made in two steps. A rental prepayment confirms your booking online, with Instant Confirmation from the supplier. You then pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival, when you collect the car.

The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk. Because the full rental amount is not charged at the time of booking, you keep flexibility if your plans change, and cancellation is free.

The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card at collection, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit. The amount is shown in your booking confirmation.

Car Hire Suppliers on the Gold Coast

Car hire on the Gold Coast is available through the following supplier.

• Green Motion

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations on the Gold Coast

Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.

• Gold Coast Airport (OOL)