The following is a timeline of history of the city of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

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19th Century

• Pre 1846
  • Yugambeh people inhabit the region now known as the Gold Coast.
• 1846
  • The schooner Coolangatta is wrecked on the coast close to the later town.
• 1865
  • The township of Nerang was surveyed by Martin Lavelle in June.
• 1874
  • The town of Southport is founded.
• 1875
  • Johan Meyer buys land near Nerang River and begins developing sugar and transportation.
• 1883
  • The town of Coolangatta is founded.
• 1889
  • The South Coast railway reaches Southport.
• 1892
  • Catholic parish of Southport established.^[1]

20th Century

• 1919
  • The 1918 flu pandemic closes the QLD-NSW border.
• 1922
  • Southport War Memorial built.
• 1925
  • Opening of the Jubilee Bridge, connecting Elston to Southport.
  • Jim Cavill opens Surfers Paradise Hotel.
• 1933
  • The town of Elston is officially renamed Surfers Paradise.
• 1934
  • Broadbeach is surveyed.
• 1947
  • Currumbin Bird Sanctuary (later Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary)opens.
• 1949
  • Town of South Coast created through the amalgamation of Coolangatta and Southport.
  • 10 March: 1949 Queensland Airlines Lockheed Lodestar crash in Bilinga.
• 1954
  • An unnamed cyclone hits, leading to at least 26 deaths and extensive flooding.^[2]
• 1958
  • Town of South Coast renamed to Town of Gold Coast.
• 1959
  • Town of Gold Coast renamed City of Gold Coast.^[3]
• 1960
  • Kinkabool (building) constructed in Surfers Paradise.^[4]
• 1962
  • Lido Arcade in Surfers Paradise opens.^[3]
  • Magic Mountain, Nobby Beach opens.
• 1963
  • Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper in publication.^[5]
• 1964
  • Southport-Brisbane South Coast railway line closes.^[3]
• 1965
  • Entrepreneur Bernie Elsey organises Surfers Paradise Meter Maids to save motorists from parking fines.
• 1966
  • The Sands (building) and Paradise Towers constructed in Surfers Paradise.^[4]
  • Gold Coast Bridge rebuilt.^[3]
• 1967
  • Garfield Towers built in Surfers Paradise.^[4]
  • Bruce Small elected mayor.^[3]
• 1971
  • Sea World park opens in Southport.
  • Point Danger Light built.
  • Population: 75,862.^[6]
• 1973
  • Robert Neumann elected mayor.^[3]
• 1974
  • Currumbin Estuary Bridge opens.^[3]
  • Surfers Paradise floods.
• 1979
  • Gold Coast Marathon begins.
• 1980
  • First Schoolies week celebrated, centred on Broadbeach Hotel.^{[citation needed]}
• 1981
  • Dreamworld amusement park in business in Coomera.^[3]
  • Population: 177,264.^[6]
• 1983
  • Ray Barrett stars in Goodbye Paradise as washed-up ex-policeman investigating crime.
• 1984
  • The Coolangatta Gold ironman race begins.
  • Cade's County Waterpark in business in Oxenford.
  • Coolangatta Centenary commemorations
• 1986
  • Gold Coast City Art Gallery opens.
• 1987
  • Carrara Stadium opens.
  • Gold Coast College of Advanced Education established.
• 1988
  • Bond University opens in Robina.^[3]
  • Gated community of Sanctuary Cove opened with performance by Frank Sinatra.
• 1989
  • Gold Coast College of Advanced Education is merged with Griffith University under the Dawkins Revolution of tertiary education.
• 1990
  • Gold Coast and Albert Genealogical Society active.^[7]
  • Australia Fair Shopping Centre in business in Southport.
• 1991
  • Movie World amusement part in business in Oxenford.^[3]
  • Magic Mountain, Nobby Beach shuts its doors.
  • Population: 301,559.^[6]
• 1992
  • Peter Goldsworthy's comedic novel Honk If You Are Jesus set in fictional Gold Coast bible college.
• 1994
  • Muriel's Wedding's fictional Porpoise Spit shot in Coolangatta and other Gold Coast locations.
• 1995
  • Shire of Albert becomes part of Gold Coast City.^[3]
  • Ray Stevens becomes mayor.
  • Yugambeh Museum, Language and Heritage Research Centre opens. [1]
• 1996
  • Moroccan (building) constructed in Surfers Paradise.^[4]
• 1997
  • Gary Baildon becomes mayor.
• 1999
  • Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame opens.^[8]

21st Century

• 2000
  • Palazzo Versace Australia hotel in business.
  • Towers of Chevron Renaissance and Pacific Motorway^[3] built.
• 2001
  • First series of reality TV show Big Brother shot at Dreamworld compound.
• 2004
  • Ron Clarke becomes mayor.^[3]
  • Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre opens in Broadbeach.^[3]
• 2005
  • Q1 (building) constructed.^[3]
• 2006
  • The Wave (building) constructed.
  • First series of teen fantasy TV drama H2O: Just Add Water.
• 2007
  • Gold Coast Titans rugby club formed.
  • Circle on Cavill and Southport Central built.
• 2008
  • November: 2008 Queensland storms.
  • Robina Stadium opens.
• 2009
  • Gold Coast Football Club formed.
• 2010
  • The Oracle constructed.
• 2011
  • Australian Sevens rugby contest relocates to Gold Coast.
  • Population: 557,822 (urban agglomeration).^[9]
• 2012
  • Soul (building) constructed.
  • Tom Tate becomes mayor.^[10]
• 2013
  • City Plan drafted.^[11]
  • Gold Coast University Hospital built by Griffith University.
• 2014
  • The G:link light rail is built.
  • Factual TV series Gold Coast Cops follows police work.
• 2016
  • Four killed in accident on Thunder River Rapids Ride at Dreamworld.
• 2018
  • 4-15 April: 2018 Commonwealth Games hosted by the city.
• 2023
  • Four killed in mid-air helicopter collision.