Documentary backdrop image for 1965: Australia's GOLD Coast - Heaven Down Under? (2025)

202546 minPGdocumentary

1965: Australia's GOLD Coast - Heaven Down Under?

202546 minPGdocumentary

Gold Coast, Queensland, transformed into a sought-after holiday paradise in the 1960s, attracting land speculators and millionaires amid a booming tourism industry.

Genres

Channel: BBC Archive

1965: Australia's GOLD Coast - Heaven Down Under?

2025• 46 minPG

Synopsis

Gold Coast, Queensland, transformed into a sought-after holiday paradise in the 1960s, attracting land speculators and millionaires amid a booming tourism industry.

Synopsis

Gold Coast, Queensland, emerged as a sought-after holiday destination in the 1960s, attracting Australians eager for their own paradise. Amid a frenzy of land speculation and property investment, fortunes were made and lost as millionaires rapidly appeared. Trevor Philpott reports on the allure of this 20-mile stretch of coastline, exploring what makes it irresistible to countless Australians. This segment, originally aired on BBC One in 1965, captures the essence of a transformative era in Australian leisure and real estate.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

The Story of Australia, Ep.2 - Break Out (2023)

The Story of Australia, Ep.2 - Break Out

Gold rushes and wool booms propel Australia towards independence, transforming it into a land of opportunity nearly 50 years after the First Fleet's arrival.

The Story of Australia, Ep.2 - Break Out

Ancient Land, New Beginnings: From Convicts to Gold (2024)

Ancient Land, New Beginnings: From Convicts to Gold

This Extra Long Documentary details Australia's history from Aboriginal Australians to gold rushes.

Ancient Land, New Beginnings: From Convicts to Gold

The Baby Boomer Wave and Australia's Rebellion Years (2025)

The Baby Boomer Wave and Australia's Rebellion Years

The Baby Boomer generation in Australia experiences prosperity, sparking a wave of rebellion that prompts reflection on societal progress and future challenges.

The Baby Boomer Wave and Australia's Rebellion Years

1969: Retiring to the Sunshine (2026)

1969: Retiring to the Sunshine

British retirees increasingly seek sunny, affordable lifestyles abroad, prompting a booming industry that promises warmth and happiness in foreign lands.

1969: Retiring to the Sunshine

The Great Ocean Road - Australia's Dream Road (2020)

The Great Ocean Road - Australia's Dream Road

Australia's Great Ocean Road, a 250-kilometer coastal route, was constructed in 1919 to provide jobs for returning World War I veterans and showcases stunning landscapes.

The Great Ocean Road - Australia's Dream Road

From Trenches to Triumph: Building Modern Australia (2025)

From Trenches to Triumph: Building Modern Australia

Australia's evolution from World War II battlefields to a booming economy and the iconic Sydney Opera House showcases its resilience and innovative spirit.

From Trenches to Triumph: Building Modern Australia

Australia's 12,000 Hidden Islands – A Journey to the East Coast (2025)

Australia's 12,000 Hidden Islands – A Journey to the East Coast

Australia's East Coast boasts 12,000 hidden islands and islets, showcasing stunning landscapes and rich marine life along its expansive coastline.

Australia's 12,000 Hidden Islands – A Journey to the East Coast

1957: THE BIG Gamble - A Trip to the UK Seaside (2025)

1957: THE BIG Gamble - A Trip to the UK Seaside

British holidaymakers risk their savings each summer on seaside vacations, facing the uncertainty of weather that could spoil their plans.

1957: THE BIG Gamble - A Trip to the UK Seaside

1980: On holiday in Weston-Super-Mare (2026)

1980: On holiday in Weston-Super-Mare

Weston-Super-Mare, once a small fishing village, transformed into a vibrant seaside resort, offering scenic walks and attractions beyond its amusement arcades.

1980: On holiday in Weston-Super-Mare

Golden Weeks: How Do 400 million Chinese Spend Their Only Vacations? (2023)

Golden Weeks: How Do 400 million Chinese Spend Their Only Vacations?

400 million Chinese enjoy their golden weeks, embracing luxury and unique vacation trends.

Golden Weeks: How Do 400 million Chinese Spend Their Only Vacations?

Explore 1965: Australia's GOLD Coast - Heaven Down Under?

Browse more like this

The Story of Australia, Ep.2 - Break Out (2023)

The Story of Australia, Ep.2 - Break Out

Gold rushes and wool booms propel Australia towards independence, transforming it into a land of opportunity nearly 50 years after the First Fleet's arrival.

The Story of Australia, Ep.2 - Break Out

No digital watch option in your country

Ancient Land, New Beginnings: From Convicts to Gold (2024)

Ancient Land, New Beginnings: From Convicts to Gold

This Extra Long Documentary details Australia's history from Aboriginal Australians to gold rushes.

Ancient Land, New Beginnings: From Convicts to Gold

No digital watch option in your country

The Baby Boomer Wave and Australia's Rebellion Years (2025)

The Baby Boomer Wave and Australia's Rebellion Years

The Baby Boomer generation in Australia experiences prosperity, sparking a wave of rebellion that prompts reflection on societal progress and future challenges.

The Baby Boomer Wave and Australia's Rebellion Years

No digital watch option in your country

The Great Ocean Road - Australia's Dream Road (2020)

The Great Ocean Road - Australia's Dream Road

Australia's Great Ocean Road, a 250-kilometer coastal route, was constructed in 1919 to provide jobs for returning World War I veterans and showcases stunning landscapes.

The Great Ocean Road - Australia's Dream Road

No digital watch option in your country

From Trenches to Triumph: Building Modern Australia (2025)

From Trenches to Triumph: Building Modern Australia

Australia's evolution from World War II battlefields to a booming economy and the iconic Sydney Opera House showcases its resilience and innovative spirit.

From Trenches to Triumph: Building Modern Australia

No digital watch option in your country

Getaway (1992)

Getaway

1992•1h•★6.8

Australia's longest-running travel television program debuted on 14 May 1992, initially focusing on local resorts before expanding to international destinations.

Not Quite Hollywood (2008)

Not Quite Hollywood

2008•1h43m•★6.7

Over 80 interviews with actors, directors, and producers reveal the overlooked world of Australian exploitation cinema from the 1970s and 1980s.

Not Quite Hollywood

Sold! Who Broke the Australian Dream? (2025)

Sold! Who Broke the Australian Dream?

2025•48m•★9.0

Australia's housing crisis affects millions, as renters share their struggles and experts discuss the factors contributing to the decline of home ownership.

Sold! Who Broke the Australian Dream?

Bucket List: Australia (2020)

Bucket List: Australia

2020•50m•★9.0

Giant deserts, ancient rainforests, and tropical coasts reveal some of the most unique wildlife on the planet in this 50-minute nature documentary.

Bucket List: Australia

Gold Rush in Australia (2013)

Gold Rush in Australia

2013•45m•★3.4

Andrew and Mat, seasoned prospectors in the Australian wilderness, pursue their passion for gold mining, utilizing techniques honed over years of experience.

Gold Rush in Australia

Life on the Reef (2015)

Life on the Reef

2015•1h•★7.5

Filmed over a year, the three-part series follows the lives of people living in Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Life on the Reef

Aussie Gold Hunters (2016)

Aussie Gold Hunters

2016•130h30m•★4.5

Gold prospectors face fierce challenges in Australia's harsh outback.

Aussie Gold Hunters

Under The Sun (2010)

Under The Sun

Byron Bay and the Gold Coast face challenges from commercialism, population growth, and resource depletion, as highlighted by surfers Dave Rastovich, Beau Young, and Nat Young.

Gold Underground (2011)

Gold Underground

2011•2h5m•★10.0

Thousands of people flock to Yulin, Northwest China, seeking wealth in coal mines, as the region transforms into a booming mining hub.

Gold Underground

Ten Pound Poms (1997)

Ten Pound Poms

1997•48m•★7.0

Over one million British settlers migrated to Australia under the Assisted Passage Scheme, paying just 10 pounds each from 1947 to 1972.

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →