Mermaid Beach
Best for. Confident swimmers and surfers who want a wide open beach without the high rise crowds of Surfers Paradise.
Best spot. The patrolled stretch near the surf club, where flagged swimming keeps you in the safest water.
Know this. This is an open beach with surf and currents, so the patrolled flags matter and the unpatrolled ends are best avoided.
Mermaid Beach is the central Gold Coast without the wall of towers. It runs as a wide, open stretch of sand south of Broadbeach, and the frontage behind it stays low rise, with the exclusive Hedges Avenue, long known as the coast's millionaires row, just behind the dunes.
That low rise setting changes the feel. The sand gets more sun and less shadow than the tower lined central beaches, the crowds thin out, and the whole stretch feels more like a neighbourhood beach than a tourist strip, even though Broadbeach is a short stroll north.
The water is honest open ocean, with proper surf and currents. It suits a real swim and a surf rather than calm paddling, and the patrolled section near the surf club is where you want to be with children or on a bigger day.
Just south, Nobby Beach has grown into one of the coast's nicer little cafe and dining pockets, so you can pair an open beach morning with a relaxed lunch without driving into the central crush. It is an easy, grown up way to do the Gold Coast.
Who might want more. If you came for nightlife and a big scene, Broadbeach and Surfers are livelier, and if you want flat calm water, the southern creeks are gentler. For a wide, open, uncrowded beach day, Mermaid is a smart choice.
Clubs on this beach
Mermaid Beach is a public patrolled surf beach with a low rise frontage but no daybed club on the sand, so we route you to the Gold Coast beaches and venues where a club style day exists.
No beach club on this beach
This is public sand with no daybed club on the beach itself. For a club style day with loungers and table service near Mermaid Beach, we gather the options in the Gold Coast beach clubs directory.
Mermaid Beach, central Gold Coast
Mermaid Beach sits on the central Gold Coast just south of Broadbeach, a short drive from Surfers Paradise and around half an hour from Gold Coast Airport.
Parking runs along the foreshore and the side streets behind the dunes, with an easy walk north to Broadbeach and south to Nobby Beach.
Facilities are good, with a surf club, showers and cafes nearby. Swim in the patrolled section between the flags, as this is open surf.
Photo: Dan McHugh via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange a daybed or table at a club within reach of Mermaid Beach. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Mermaid Beach
Is Mermaid Beach good for swimming?
Yes, in the patrolled section between the flags. This is an open ocean beach with real surf and currents, so swim near the flags and treat the unpatrolled ends with caution.
Why is Mermaid Beach less crowded than Surfers Paradise?
The frontage at Mermaid Beach is low rise rather than high rise, with a residential neighbourhood behind it, so it draws fewer tourists and feels more like a local beach while still being minutes from the central strip.
What is Hedges Avenue at Mermaid Beach?
Hedges Avenue is the beachfront street behind Mermaid Beach, long known as the Gold Coast millionaires row for its high value homes. It gives the beach its exclusive, low rise character.
Is Mermaid Beach patrolled?
It is patrolled with flagged swimming in season by the Mermaid Beach surf club. Patrol times vary through the year, so check the current flags and swim between them.
Is there good food near Mermaid Beach?
Yes. Nobby Beach just to the south has grown into one of the coast's nicer cafe and dining pockets, and Broadbeach to the north has a wide choice. Specific venues and hours are best confirmed before you go.
