The Gold Coast — a place almost everyone who visits Brisbane ends up adding to their itinerary. Located in southern Queensland, this coastal city is one of Australia’s most iconic seaside holiday destinations. Bright sunshine, endless stretches of white sand, crystal-clear blue water… it’s about 72 kilometers from Brisbane’s CBD, and you can get there entirely by public transportation for just 50 cents AUD. That’s the simple joy of Queensland’s public transit system — and honestly, it feels like freedom.
We’ve all seen those dramatic travel slogans like “You’ll regret it if you don’t come here at least once in your life.” People are probably immune to them by now. But I still have to say it — the Gold Coast is absolutely worth visiting. It’s the most beautiful ocean I’ve ever seen.
Some beaches hit you with the smell of seafood before you even get close. The Gold Coast? Nothing. No strong ocean scent, just clean air and powerful waves. The water is clear, the surf is big, and it’s no wonder this place is known as a surfer’s paradise. Sitting by the shore, feeling the breeze, listening to nothing but the waves — it truly feels like nature is having a quiet conversation with you.
The coastline here stretches for miles, lined with excellent restaurants and cafés. Among them is a café rumored to have been visited by Jay Chou — and ever since, it has become a must-stop destination for many Chinese tourists. That café is ELK Espresso, located at Shop G044, Oasis Shopping Centre, 12 Victoria Ave, Broadbeach QLD 4218.
As a tourism-driven city, many cafés here are clustered near the beach — just across a small road from the sand — which means they naturally feel less community-oriented. Still, ELK Espresso consistently receives high praise from both locals and visitors. So I chose it as the final stop of my Australian café exploration journey.
Situated on a corner, ELK Espresso is instantly recognizable thanks to its large curved façade and prominent elk logo. The location couldn’t be better. The space is semi-open, offering both indoor and outdoor seating that flows together seamlessly, making the café feel spacious. I especially loved the lush greenery inside — plants everywhere, paired with soft green patterned walls and small mosaic tiles. The atmosphere feels youthful, energetic, and genuinely uplifting.
They open bright and early at 5:45 AM and close at 3 PM — quite dedicated by Australian standards. The menu changes seasonally, and creativity is clearly a core value here. The food is absolutely worth trying.
Their coffee bean selection rotates depending on partnerships with different roasters. If you’re particular about coffee details, check the small sign near the bar — it lists the beans used for black coffee, milk-based drinks, and filter coffee that day, along with the roaster information.
Their house blend, however, tends to remain consistent. It’s roasted by Parallel Roasters from Brisbane, who have sourced from the same producers for years, ensuring stable and sustainable quality. Their espresso blend is something of a powerhouse — reliable, versatile, and consistently excellent.
Curious, I also ordered a Dirty Chai. To be honest, I didn’t fully understand what it was at first — until I saw it. Essentially, it’s a chai latte with one or two shots of espresso added. The “dirty” name comes from the way the espresso creates a marbled, muddy appearance when poured in. The drink is said to have originated from a barista’s mistake in the UK during the 1990s.
Since chai latte already carries warm cinnamon spice and milk sweetness, you can think of this as a cinnamon latte with coffee. One sip and you immediately recognize Ceylon cinnamon — sweet, aromatic, comforting. Each mouthful tastes like a cinnamon roll dipped in melted butter. The boldness of coffee contrasts with the sweet spice, adding another dimension of flavor.
By the time I arrived, it was already afternoon, so instead of a full main, I ordered a potato hash. Two large golden potato croquettes — crispy on the outside, soft and flavorful inside, mixed with vegetable mash. Think homemade hash browns shaped into oversized balls.
They were paired with two perfectly runny poached eggs — the proper way to eat them is to break them open in one bite and let the yolk flow. The plate also came with arugula and avocado — and I’ve realized Australian avocados are truly exceptional, perfectly ripened. Combined with hollandaise sauce and smoked salmon, the richness balanced the slight bitterness of the greens beautifully.
You can also choose sides like garlic thyme mushrooms or smoked bacon. Without heavy bread or carb bases, the dish remains light yet flavorful — perfect for summer dining.
From 2020 to 2026, over six years, I’ve traveled across Australia — Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide — almost everywhere except Perth, that famously isolated city in Western Australia. I’d say I’ve experienced Australia quite deeply. This trip, in particular, allowed me to share an extensive café collection, adding even more valuable spots to my growing archive.
No matter where you are in Australia, the lifestyle feels similar. The larger cities move faster; Brisbane and Adelaide feel more relaxed. But everywhere shares a layered, textured way of living. Culture and art aren’t elevated labels here — they’re simply part of everyday life.
What struck me most were the people sitting casually on city lawns during weekday lunch breaks. Perhaps it’s because the land is vast and the population small — large green spaces are everywhere. You can sit, lie down, even roll around. The grass is thick and soft, almost like walking on padded cushions. It’s incredibly comfortable.
Australia is unique in that it occupies an entire continent. Geologically ancient and relatively stable, much of its landmass is desert — vast areas unsuitable for human habitation. From the airplane window, you see endless stretches of uninhabited terrain. At one point, I jokingly wondered whether they could learn desert control techniques from Karamay in China — then laughed at myself. With only about 28 million people, who would even move there if the desert were reclaimed?
There’s a certain fragmented beauty to Australia — paradise-like beaches on the Gold Coast alongside barren desert landscapes. Some say Australia is like Britain’s “remote exile land.” It doesn’t have the long, layered history of Europe. Even museums rely heavily on Indigenous culture to fill historical space.
And yet — it’s precisely this understated simplicity, this mild, quiet happiness woven into daily life, that makes it impossible not to love.
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