Gold Coast in December
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Use this website to get all the information you need to plan your perfect Gold Coast holiday, or simply click here to get planning cheat sheets, tips & tools to make it easier!
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December is the first Summer month.
There are two very different parts to this month. Before Christmas and after Christmas. Before Christmas it's quite quiet (except the shopping centres) but after Christmas it is full on Summer Vacation time and everything is busy!
On this page and through the links you will find everything you need to know about visiting the Gold Coast at this time of the year.
If you are ready to start planning your holiday to the Gold Coast Click Here to find out about my planning cheat sheets, tips & tools to step you through!
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Australian Gold Coast in December
December is first month of SUMMER!
One of the best things about December, is that everyone is busy with end of school year and preparing for Christmas, so theme parks and attractions are often quite quiet until our Summer holidays start after Christmas.
Summer has definitely arrived! Thoughts turn to Christmas parties and summer holidays!
The Gold Coast is a great place for a very different Christmas holiday. Spend Christmas on the beach or be pampered in one of the great resorts that cater for families.
An early December holiday can save you on accommodation and also give you better access to the theme parks and attractions. I recommend you pick accommodation outside of Surfers Paradise - Broadbeach is a good choice, because there are still some schoolies around.
Check when the local school holidays start, as it is generally pretty quiet until then! Once the school holidays start it's peak season till the end of January. So book accommodation early.
Many hotels and some restaurants offer Christmas lunches and dinners, these need to be booked early as they are limited. Here are some more ideas for Christmas in Gold Coast.
To finish off the month New Years Eve is the biggest party night on the Gold Coast! I've put together some ideas for NYE for families, fireworks, formal balls and general parties.
December is very hot and very humid, you can do just about everything the Gold Coast offers, except there is no whale watching. During this very hot month, make sure you drink plenty of water and pace yourself if you are not used to the heat.
Read on to find out more about visiting the Gold Coast during December. All the information below is updated each year to keep it current. I recommend, if you haven't already, that you get a copy of my planning cheat sheets. Use the information on this page to fill them in, to help plan your holiday.
December Q & A
There's lots of information on this webpage about visiting the Gold Coast at this time of the year. However, sometimes there are questions that you are just itching to ask...
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About Holidays In December
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Already Asked Questions & Answers
Christmas Decorations
In Australia Fair at Southport
Weather in Gold Coast in December
In the table below are averages for various weather indicators for Gold Coast in December. Click here for current weather information in Gold Coast.
| Season | Summer |
|---|---|
| Average Temperatures | 19°C to 27°C (66°F to 81°F) |
| Possible Extreme Temperatures | 6°C to 40°C (43°F to 104°F) |
| Average Sea Temperature | 23°C (73°F) |
| Average Humidity | 69% |
| Daylight Hours Beginning of Month to End of Month Approx.Times |
Daylight Trend: Longest daylight hours of the Year Sunrise 4:40am - 4:53am Sunset 6:30pm - 6:46pm |
| Daylight Saving & Time Zone Information |
Qld is GMT +10 hours (Australian Eastern Standard Time AEST) Queensland DOES NOT observe daylight saving. Please Note: NSW is on Australian Daylight Saving Time (ADST) at this time of the year and will be one hour ahead of Queensland. This means that you need to factor this in when visiting attractions and towns in Northern NSW such as Tweed Heads, Kingscliff, Byron Bay, Murwillumbah etc. ADST starts 1st Sunday in October and runs to 1st Sunday in April each year. |
| Typical Weather | Warm to hot humid days and balmy nights. Humidity is high. Rain falls mostly as tropical storms that build during the day and give spectacular lightning shows late afternoon and early evening. |
Public and School Holidays in December
| School
Holidays These dates are a rough guide to holidays in both NSW and Qld which have most influence on holidaying in the Gold Coast. |
School Summer Break until late January 2019 - 14 December 2019 to 27 January 2020 2020 - 12 December 2020 to 26 January 2021 |
|---|---|
| Public Holidays |
2019 Christmas Day - Wednesday 25 December 2019 2020 Christmas Day - Friday 25 December 2020 |
What's On In The Gold Coast In December?
- Christmas Celebrations at various locations throughout the month
- 31 December – New Years Eve Celebrations
More events and dates for December events on Gold Coast.
Tips for Travelers to Gold Coast in December
For Australian Visitors
Early December is often really quiet, particularly the theme parks. The locals are still at school or shopping for Christmas!
This changes as soon as the Qld State schools break up for summer holidays. Then everywhere gets busy, so book accommodation early especially for Christmas.
Air-conditioned accommodation is highly recommended.
For Visitors from Overseas
If you want a totally different experience then Christmas in the height of Australian summer is definitely something quite unique - I would venture to say the best christmas vacation ever!
The funniest thing is, that even though it is extremely hot and humid, you still see Australians wanting the full roast turkey lunch. We cannot help being traditional to our northern hemisphere roots!
But there are also many more that opt to throw another ’shrimp on the barbie’! Christmas day on the beach, now that is something to brag about to your northen hemisphere friends!
You must book ahead at this time of year. Air-conditioning for both rental cars and accommodation is essential.
If you want to be pampered during this period the top hotels are the best pick to make this the best Christmas vacation.
Things to do in Gold Coast in December
- Get wet and go wild at Wet n Wild a great way to cool down in this hot month - check out the latest theme park passes and deals.
- Have a seafood lunch on Christmas day and catch up with Santa at a family friendly lunch or dinner.
- Take a tour of the Christmas Lights - drive yourself or take the bus options available.
- Cuddle a koala at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- Take your swimmers to Sea World and check out the water park (extra fee unless staying at Sea World Resort
- Keep cool swimming between the flags
- Mango Mania at Tropical Fruit World
- Get up early and walk along the beach or just build sandcastles
- Enjoy a day at Tangalooma
- Jet ski, kayak and other water sports in the Broadwater or around the Gold Coast.
Evening Entertainment
- Experience Australian Outback Spectacular Show and Dinner
Dinner & Show Options For Gold Coast
Australian Outback Spectacular and Dinner & Show Options. - Keep cool in the evening with a show at Jupiters Casino (now known as The Star Gold Coast) or a flutter in the casino -
- Draculas Dinner & Show fabulous night if you enjoy some humour, B grade horror movies and scary stuff with dinner! Current Show: Dracula’s Cabaret on the Gold Coast Tickets: Dracula's Caberet Dinner and Show buy online now.
- Enjoy dinner at a great Broadbeach restaurant
- Check out all the attractions of Gold Coast for more ideas....
Your Questions About Gold Coast in December?
Do You Have A Question About December In The Gold Coast.?
Ask a specific question about December in the Gold Coast, Queensland or Australia is and I will try my best to point you in the right direction.
What Other Visitors Have Asked
Click below to see questions from other visitors to this page...
Things to do on Christmas Day 
My family and I will be in Gold Coast from 25th to 30th Dec.
As most shops and parks will be closed on Christmas Day, what activities could we do on …
The weather in Gold Coast and Tangalooma in Early December
What is the weather in Gold Coast and Tangalooma in early December likely to be?
I have planned to take my kids to Gold Coast and Tangalooma in November …
Accommodation and Christmas Lunch on the Gold Coast
I'm trying to arrange accommodation and Christmas lunch on the Gold Coast for my family.
We want to stay for 5 days from just before Christmas and …
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Can you swim there in mid December (thinking of stingers)?
Annie, I note your clear advices below so that's useful. What about up near the Whitsundays. …
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Are there Still Schoolies in Gold Coast in December?
Is it still busy at the start of December with schoolies?
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Does it rain every day late December to January in Gold Coast?
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Theme parks in Gold Coast in December. Not rated yet
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Latest Deals
Here's a selection of the hot deals at the moment. For a full selection including accommodation, activities, transport, tours, packages and more check out my main selection of deals or specific theme park deals check out Theme Park Passes ...
3 days of Entry to Dreamworld, WhiteWater World and SkyPoint Observation Deck within 7 consecutive days.
Plenty of time to visit these theme parks & Surfers Paradise attraction SkyPoint Observation Deck for up to 3 full days at your leisure over the 7 days.
Use within 12 months of purchase date.
Entry to Dreamworld, WhiteWater World and SkyPoint over 3 days within 7 consecutive days from first gate entry.
Check for special bonuses.
Visit Sea World, Movie World and Wet n Wild once each over 5 consecutive days.
Big savings over single entry tickets and online prices are cheaper than at the gate.
Cheapest option for Village Theme Park Passes.
Pass valid for single entry to each of the theme parks Sea World, Movie World & Wet n Wild over 5 consecutive days.
Cheapest way for entry to 2 or more theme parks.
Pass is valid for first use within 12 months from purchase.
Spend a few hours or a whole day at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
Watch the shows. Hand feed the kangaroos. Get your photo taken with a koala. There's so much to see and do. Check out all the information about Currumbin and other activities.
TOP PICK for visitors who want to see, touch and get photos with some iconic Aussie animals.
Single Day Entry Ticket To Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Includes shows, excludes food for animals, photos with animals and other extra activities.
Follow links for all pricing including special limited time deals and family options.
Great evening of entertainment. Enjoy a story of Australian outback life showcasing horsemanship & Aussie mateship.
Watch the show whilst enjoying your 3 course dinner. Fun night with lots of great memories and a souvenir bushman's hat.
Book now for all shows.
Child, Vegetarian & Halal meal options available.
MUST SEE Dinner & Show.
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