Where To Stay In Burleigh Heads
Burleigh Beach Tourist Park is a small, modern and well-maintained park, perfectly located directly across the road from Burleigh Beach and a short walk to the main shops. Accommodation wise there’s both Powered Sites (all on concrete slabs) and Cabins. Whilst this has the feel of a more boutique park, there’s still a strong family friendly atmosphere here so don’t feel concerned if you’re travelling with family. Sadly you’ll have to leave your four-legged friends at home as no pets are allowed at the park at any time during the year. If this park is booked out or you’re looking for something slightly different, on the other side of the bridge but right on the banks of the Tallebudgera Creek you’ll find Tallebudgera Creek Tourist Park. The waterfront sites here are some of the best positioned you’ll find anywhere.
Where To Eat & Drink In Burleigh Heads
Whilst its popularity grew as a surf town, Burleigh is fast becoming the go to destination on the Gold Coast for all things drinking and dining. That doesn’t mean that there aren't casual options, with both the Surf Club and Bowls Club serving up consistent counter meals with a great atmosphere and at the Surf Club, a particularly good view. Paddock Bakery is a go-to spot for breakfast or lunch, serving up food that looks as good as it tastes in an old Queenslander with plenty of outdoor space. The “Dippy Eggs” are favourite amongst many for good reason. Across the road from the park you’ll find Rick Shores, The Burleigh Pavilion and The Tropic Restaurant all located in one building. Our pick of these is Rick Shores with its Asian inspired menu, the Fried Moreton Bay Bug Roll is one of our favourite dishes in Australia. Make sure to book ahead. Jimmy Wah’s is another great Asian inspired restaurant, this time with a modern Vietnamese menu. Everything we had was delicious but the Sticky Vietnamese pork ribs served with soy, chilli and mushrooms were a huge hit. If you’re after a cocktail (or just a great beer or wine), Malibu Racquet Club is the go to spot.
What To Do In Burleigh Heads
Burleigh Beach is particularly picturesque and a great place for a swim or surf. The waters close to shore are calm but just a short paddle out to the headlands and you’ll find a popular and consistent surf break. We recently did some group lessons at the Godfathers Of The Ocean surf school which were great and we highly recommend. The Burleigh National Park is well worth a visit and we love to do the Oceanview and Rainforest Circuit walk. It’s a relatively easy 3.1-km loop but there are parts of incline and stairs at times. You’ll enjoy incredible views over the water and spot lots of local wildlife. This is an area rich in indigenous history and you can learn all about it at the Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre, based at the foot of Burleigh Head National Park. Here you’ll find incredible paintings and a range of Aboriginal artefacts.
The Essentials
Burleigh Heads is a well built up town with multiple supermarkets and pharmacies - you won’t be far from any essentials you need. If you’re after camping or outdoors gear, there is an Anaconda located in West Burleigh.
The Drive
As always, we give you the rundown on the drive you’ll take from the three closest capital cities.
From Brisbane - 86 km straight down the M1 means no stops needed, you’ll arrive in almost exactly one hour.
From Sydney - At 833 km along a mostly coastal route, this drive is doable in one day but of course stops will be needed. If you have time to stop overnight, we would highly recommend it with a range of great towns in between. If you want a shorter drive to your first stop, go for Seal Rocks, if you want a longer drive to your first stop, we recommend South West Rocks.
From Melbourne - A longer journey and you’ll definitely be stopping with 1,692 km to travel and roughly 17.5 hours drive time. You’ll drive around the eastern edge of the Victorian Alpine Region, along the Snowy Valley and then hit the coast north of Sydney and drive straight up. In order from closest to Melbourne to closest to Burleigh Heads, Beechworth, Yass, Seal Rocks, Forster, South West Rocks & Yamba are all worth investigating as potential stops for one or many nights along the way.
