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Gold Coast Australia

Gold Coast Australia

Gold Coast Australia

Gold Coast Australia was my home for 25 years from 1986 to 2011. Here are photos & comments on some of my wonderful memories.

This post focuses on 2008 which was another frenetic year of travel. Starting with 6 weeks in Brazil over Xmas & Carnival, with a fabulous week in New York on my way home. My Brazil trip included Rio de janeiro, Curitiba, Paraty, Belneario Camboriu & Florianopolis.

Three trips to Thailand in April, September & November, then throw in Bali, Singapore & Kuala Lumpur,  so as you can see I hardly had time to unpack my suitcase. I nearly forgot a hectic couple of weeks in Sydney as well.

This is not a travel blog just a personal photo collection from 2008.

Qantas 1st class NYC to L.A.

Gold Coast Australia

I just had to include this photo flying 1st class thanks to my cousin Deb who is a Qantas flight attendant.

The old & the new opposite each other.

Gold Coast Australia

During my 25 years living here the changes were extraordinary, not all for the best I might add. The first 15 years were wonderful, however after that in my eyes, the overall atmosphere of the Gold Coast started to lose its shine, it no longer had the friendly village feel to it. I guess in my final 10 years there it just got too big and modern.

My home at 106 Upton St Bundall, 4217

Gold Coast Australia

In 1990 I designed & built a beautiful home on the waterfront with my own sandy beach & jetty for my boat, life was good. I sold the house in 2011 for over a million dollars, but this was $250k less than I was offered twice in 2007, the big drop in price was due to the Global Financial crisis, c’est la vie.

Gold Coast Australia, drinks at Melbas

Gold Coast Australia

Melbas bar & nightclub in Surfers Paradise Australia was my main drinking spot for most of my 25 years on the coast. Here are some of the fellows I would sometimes drink with.


Melbas always had sexy waitresses

Gold Coast Australia

  One of the main reasons I made this my local watering hole.  

Ian Rich was a friend for 45 years.

Surfers Paradise Australia

In 2008 Ian was living in a fabulous sub penthouse in Surfers Paradise Australia, the next few photos taken from his apartment are wonderful examples of Australia’s Gold Coast.

Ian’s beautiful apartment

Gold Coast Australia

A great view but very windy on the balcony.

Looking south at Surfers Paradise Australia

Gold Coast Australia

Absolutely breathtaking. 

Looking north towards the seaway

Gold Coast Australia

Magnificent coastline in Surfers Paradise Australia Gold Coast.

Good Friday lunch at Chevron Island fish & chip shop.

Gold Coast Australia

One of my favourite eating spots in Surfers Paradise, great food at cheap prices & Frank the owner is an Australian football fanatic similar to myself. The couple on the left Les Scheffer & his wife Robyn & I used to be good friends, however in July 2013 they placed me firmly on their black list where I still reside today. 🙂

I’m sad to say Les passed away in March 2020 after a long battle with Cancer, RIP.

The boys in the fish & chip shop

Gold Coast Australia

A good bunch of guys.

Bjorn, Alisha, Brad, my nephew Michael & Matty.

Gold Coast Australia

Michael was in charge of cocktails as he was a barman at the Sheraton in Sydney as well as some other top venues.

Brad, Elisha & Matty.

Gold Coast Australia

I have a couple of internet hotspots in Surfers Paradise which earn me a few bucks, Brad owns the IT business which looks after them. Elisha is his lovely wife & Matty one of his technicians.

Here is Kayoko my friend from Tokyo.

Gold Coast Australia

Lots of cocktails were consumed at my home this night, there were a few sore heads in the morning.

 Margarita time.

Gold Coast Australia

I’ll let Jimmy describe this fabulous cocktail.

Gold Coast Australia Michael & Bjorn

Gold Coast Australia

  The happy couple are living in Berlin which is Bjorn’s home town.   2016 Update; sadly earlier this year Bjorn lost his long battle with cancer, he will always be remembered as a wonderful friend, RIP.

Surfers Paradise meter maids

Gold Coast Australia

These lovely girls in the gold bikinis put coins in the expired parking meters, plus they look terrific.

Surfers Paradise Meter Maids

Gold Coast Australia

Are these babes cute or what?

Other side please

Gold Coast Australia

They look great from any angle.

Men At Work - Down Under (Official HD Video)

At Trevor’s apartment Broadbeach

Gold Coast Australia

Trevor Loresch is very much a self made man, lives in a beautiful Pattaya waterfront apartment along with this luxury holiday getaway in Broadbeach on the Gold Coast.

Birthday drinks with Ross Kennedy & Phil Thomson

Gold Coast Australia

Two of my best friends on the Gold Coast. Last year Phil & his lovely Japanese wife showed me how to get around the great city of Tokyo which has become one of my favorite cities. In 1996 Rossco & I jumped in my Porsche & did one of my all time great road trips to the Hunter Valley, Sydney, Falls Creek & Melbourne.

Birthday lunch at Melbas

Gold Coast Australia

You know you are getting older when you look at some group photos and a couple of guys you have known for decades are not with us anymore. Ron Collier on the left in the black & Noel with the glasses on the right, RIP.

Good friends Wayne Jones & Bryan Dart.

Gold Coast Australia

I have known these guys for over 20 years.

Happy birthday DH.

Gold Coast Australia

A great day with a lot of good friends.

This would be a perfect birthday present. 🙂

Gold Coast AustraliaPromise I’ll give her back in the morning. 🙂

St Kilda play North Melbourne at Carrara.

Surfers Paradise Australia

  Rossco & I jump into the wine & food at the St Kilda’s dinner at Carrara stadium.  

Drinks at Melbas for our AFL tipping Competition.

Surfers Paradise Australia

I ran a AFL tipping competition for nearly 10 years, here are some of the happy crew enjoying our mid year drinks at Melbas.

My great mate Phil Thomson.

Gold Coast Australia

  We are at Southport Sharks for our end of year AFL tipping competition.  

Dennis Perry, a rose between 2 thorns

Gold Coast Australia

Running the tipping competition was a lot of fun, when I moved to Thailand in 2011 Dennis & his crew took it over.  

Gold Coast Australia New Years Eve 2008

Gold Coast Australia

After a frantic year I spent a very quiet NYE with friends reflecting on another super year of travel & living in Gold Coast Australia. Thanks for visiting my Surfers Paradise Australia photo blog. 

         Here are some more posts to check out

         Life 2015                     Family history                   Life 1982

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  Adelaide 1972                 Iron Bar Freddy               Sydney 2006

417091_10150704751043594_62315468_n          Susies home Newport 1 (1)        April24FreewayHotel-33 (1)

Thailand 2008                Gold Coast Babes               World trip 2003

Fun in Pattaya-116         92bfa275-a122-4078-9970-1e24188a5917        CopacabanabeachNov2003-124

             Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book
                  through these links below.  Book now & pay later.
Free Cancellation. 
                              Bangkok Hotels                    Pattaya Hotels
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 That’s all folks
Surfers Paradise Party Animals
 
A-One hotel on Beach Road

Seven deadly Songkran days

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.               

 

 Soi Cowboy                  Nana Plaza                    Patpong

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Perhaps you would like to see my terrific year in 2007?

 

Gold Coast in 2014

 

Australian Outback in 2003

 

Check out these great photo blogs.


Counter only started June 16 2020.

Author: David Herd

My history, particularly over the last 30 years is dominated by overseas travel. I sold my home in Australia October 20th 2011 and have have been living in Thailand since then. I don’t know where the time has gone? It seems like you go to sleep one night, wake up the next morning, and 20 years have flashed by. Not sure how many years I have left, however I have enjoyed a wonderful charmed life, and if it all ended today I would leave this world with no regrets. I was born in Sydney halfway through the last century, started my travels in the 60s with the usual U.K. Europe adventure at the age of 20, back to Australia and worked in Sydney, Melbourne & Adelaide in Sales & Marketing with multinational companies including Sanyo, Canon & Remington. Engaged to be married 3 times and never quite made it to the alter, finally realized by the mid 90s I was not cut out for "long term relationships" so I moved to the Gold Coast in Queensland in January 1987, worked for a couple of banks as a Financial Planner, I took a year off work in 1998 to travel and never went back to full time work again, after 25 fun filled years on the Coast I packed up and moved to Thailand. What is the purpose of this blog? Well I really want to use it to record my travel experiences & to display my photographs, give and receive travel tips, comment on places I visit, restaurants I eat in and use it to replace the autobiography I intended to write, apart from all that it helps me fill in my day. :) I moved to Thailand mainly because I wanted to keep travelling while my health allowed me to, there are huge advantages being closer to all the places I want to visit. Cost of living in Thailand is around 35% of the cost in Australia, plus flights are 50% cheaper because you are much closer to everywhere. ???? Consequently I am able to travel to many more places compared to living in Australia. Having said all that, it is & has always been my intention to return to Australia when my travelling is finished, I predict this will happen around 2021.

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