BRISBANE, golf on the sunny coasts

Brisbane February 2002
Someone wrote that Brisbane, and its Golden Coast, was the real capital of Australia "as anarchic, mercantile, popular and populous" as Canberra, the real administrative capital, was "planned, official, distinguished and deserted".

A few years ago, " The Australian", the national paper, published on first page a letter from a young English girl who had emigrated to Brisbane. Although she had found a good job, she wanted to return home "because Brisbane was unbearable city". As a matter of fact, the city wears the name of the former Governor who created there, in 1824, "a hard labour camp for the hardest criminals". Did the young lady worry about that "convict" history of Brisbane? No, she wanted to go back to England because of the local weather: "here temperature never goes down below 18°C, it never rains and you need always to protect yourself against the sun… So I can't stand for anymore" she told in her letter. "Is that what you call British spleen?" asked the editorialist, "if so you are really right, Miss. Go back to Liverpool to find your preferred foggy, rainy weather".

Nowadays tourist are coming by millions each year to enjoy the Queensland coasts which names are sufficiently evocative : Golden Coast and Sunshine Coast. But, as usual, facts are somewhat different from the words. On one hand, the city of Surfers Paradise with its "tropezienne" success is effectively antipodal to Canberra. On the other hand, new developments and resorts, respectful to the environment, have changed the wild lagoons and beaches in high ranking residential areas where tourists find comfort, peace and quietness.

So, at 1000 kms north of Sydney and 500 kms from the Tropic of Capricorn, Brisbane, capital of the State of Queensland, has become to Australia what Miami in Florida is to the United States (minus crime and vice). In the summer time, weather is a bit hot and wet, but very mild in all other season.

And Australian southerner and foreign tourist who like sun have invaded the Gold and the Sunshine coasts. They are surfers' (beaches are kilometres long) and golfers' paradise (with already more than sixty courses in a circle of 100 kms around Brisbane and some more under construction).

So the greatest international hotel groups like Hyatt have invested in large golf resorts near Brisbane, one in the south at Sanctuary Cove, one in the north at Coolum. The two resorts have been conceived following the same principles: making the tourist's life easier by managing whatever they could need without leaving the resort: multiple sports activities (tennis, golf, archery, bowling, pools, surf, bike, squash, reshaping centre…) are gathered all around the hotel and the central village. And the village is a real community centre with shops, restaurants, movies, theatre, aso…

Where to play ?
Where to stay ?
What to see ?
Information

Sanctuary Cove

Coolum, seen from the sea

www.hyatt.com

The Palms course

Hyatt's flagship streams at the entry of the golf course

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