Shirley and Richard’s apartment in Main Beach, Queensland exceeded our expectations in every way. From the very beginning, communication with Shirley was seamless and we are so grateful for the opportunity to have exchanged with her.
Shirley and Richard’s apartment is immaculate, and every detail is so well thought out. We had all that we needed and more for a truly comfortable stay and it was the perfect base for exploring the Gold Coast. We were so happy to learn that our stay coincided with the Gold Coast Seafire fireworks, and we had a fantastic view from the beach access right at the end of the street which was very cool.
One of the things we loved most about the location was the abundance of beautiful outdoor spaces. There are lovely walking paths nearby, with easy access to The Spit and the Broadwater Parklands. We also discovered the Peninsula Playground, a $5 million playground just a five-minute drive away, which has to be one of the coolest playgrounds we’ve ever visited!
During our stay, we also visited the nearby HOTA precinct which is so fab. The kids enjoyed the Little ArtLab program, where they created their own "passport to China" while exploring the fascinating White Rabbit Chinese Contemporary Art exhibition that’s on at the moment. The resident artists were engaging and made the experience so much fun everyone. The Sunday farmers market at HOTA was another highlight, with delicious breakfast options, live music, and a great community atmosphere.
Their home is also in a great position to explore the Gold Coast hinterland which is only about 30-40 minutes by car. We visited the Historic Rivermill at Mount Nathan, which happened to be hosting its Monthly Cowboys & Country Day which was great fun and the kids got the full Australian experience riding the mechanical bull, learning to crack whips, wading the creek full of turtles and line dancing haha.
This was truly the perfect weekend escape. If you ever have the opportunity to exchange with Shirley and Richard you must say yes!