Gold Coast Open House 2025 is just around the corner – and this year, we’re inviting you to experience the city like never before. With a full weekend of guided walking tours, you’ll have the chance to explore the stories, spaces, and structures shaping the Gold Coast.
Whether you’re passionate about heritage, city-making, sustainability or innovative design, there’s something for everyone on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 September. There’s no better way to experience the Gold Coast than on foot, guided by experts in architecture, planning, and public spaces.
Saturday 27 September: Walks Across the Coast
From iconic coastlines to new models of urban living, Saturday’s walks highlight both the natural and built evolution of the Gold Coast.
🕗 8:00 am | Arcades & Apartments of Central Surfers Paradise
Start your day before sunrise with architect‐urban scholar Dr Rosemary Kennedy and explore the evolution of Surfers Paradise through its built form. From mid‑century ambition to contemporary high‑rise living, this tour weaves through green avenues, gritty arcades, heritage gems like Kinkabool (the Gold Coast’s first high‑rise apartment building), iconic towers, and lesser‑known laneways. Get insights into how architectural, cultural, and economic waves have shaped this vibrant precinct.
🕙 10:00am – Greenheart Robina Parklands Walking Tour
Explore the first stage of a 257-hectare parkland project that’s reimagining underutilised space into a green, inclusive civic heart. Hear directly from the designers and City of Gold Coast representatives about the vision behind this transformative project.
🕙 10:00am – Coolangatta Heritage Lighthouse & Coastal Walk
Trace the stunning southern coastline and uncover layers of geology, Indigenous and European history, and urban development. Guided by Amanda Pontifex and Anya Tran, this walk offers a unique insight into one of the city’s most scenic and historic areas.
🕥 10:00am – Varsity Lakes Urban Village Walking Tour
Led by Amy Degenhart, this walk explores the design thinking behind one of the Gold Coast’s most successful master-planned communities. Learn about placemaking, walkability, and the balance between density and livability.
🕥 10:30am / 12:00pm / 1:30pm – Nerang Tidal Gates Guided Tour
Go behind the scenes with Brian Peters (Senior Flood Mitigation Officer) to learn how the Nerang River tidal gates manage floodwaters, support water quality, and maintain sporting facilities. Includes rare access to the control room.
🕑 2:00pm – Designing the Future: Envi Micro Village Tour
Take a walk through the award-winning Envi Micro Urban Village with architect-developer Amy Degenhart. Learn how innovative infill housing models are reshaping density, sustainability, and affordability in low-rise neighbourhoods.
Sunday 28 September: Nature, Innovation, and Place
Sunday’s tours focus on the relationship between health, biodiversity, innovation, and public space – offering a deeper look at how the Gold Coast is evolving into a more resilient, inclusive city.
9:30am – Health & Knowledge Precinct Walking Tour
Explore one of Australia’s leading health and innovation precincts with expert guides. Discover how research, healthcare and education institutions are shaping the future of work and wellbeing on the Gold Coast.
🕤 9:30am / 12:30pm – Guided Tour of the Griffith University Gardens
Join Professor Catherine Pickering for a guided walk through the University’s native gardens. Learn how ecological restoration and urban biodiversity initiatives can thrive within a university campus.
🕒 3:00pm – The Spit Redevelopment Walking Tour
Led by Place Design Group, this tour takes you through the revitalised public spaces at The Spit. See how thoughtful design has enhanced accessibility, ecology, and recreation along this much-loved part of the coastline.
🎟️ Booking Details: All walking tours are free, but bookings are essential. Many tours have limited numbers and are filling fast, so secure your spot now over on our 2025 Program Page.
