Burleigh Heads beach on Queensland’s Gold Coast is one of the most memorable places of my childhood. Mum and Dad took us there for the first time in May 1955. It was our second major holiday, the first being to Victoria in 1952. It was a holiday full of adventure. We went up via the New England Highway to Glen Innes and then took the Gwydir Highway down to the coast to Grafton. After Grafton, we had to cross three rivers on a punt. At Burleigh Heads, there was the beach and surf for swimming, the rocks to explore at big Burleigh, and the walk around the headland to Tallebudgera Creek. There was not enough time, it seemed to us, to fully enjoy what Burleigh Heads and the Gold Coast had to offer. We returned to Burleigh Heads. just about every year until I left school. Below are some before and after photos.

Burleigh Head in the 1950s

Burleigh Heads in 2015

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