Currumbin: Beach, Wildlife and Culture

In Currumbin, there’s a range of things to do, from spending a day at the beach to learning about animal care, culture and staying active. At Currumbin Beach, you can swim or surf; at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, animal encounters take centre stage. Elephant Rock adds a geological feature to the local landscape, while the annual Anzac Day Dawn Service gives the rock cultural significance too. This means you can shape your stay around different interests, rather than limiting Currumbin to just one kind of holiday.

Beach time and sculptures at Currumbin Beach

Currumbin Beach is suitable for swimming and surfing. For families who want to include the beach in their day, the available park facilities and the Oceanway are useful to know about: there are tables, beach showers and shaded shelters.

The Swell Sculpture Festival takes place at Currumbin Beach every September. If you visit Currumbin that month, you can also experience the beach as part of this arts festival. Swimming and surfing on the one hand, and the sculptures on the other, give the beach different roles during your holiday: it may appeal to you for water activities or as the setting for an annual cultural event.

Experience wildlife and go behind the scenes

At Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, visitors can feed wild lorikeets daily at 8 am and 4 pm. These two times make it easier to plan this experience into your day. The Wildlife Hospital Tour also offers 60 minutes of behind-the-scenes access to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital. It appeals to a different kind of curiosity: rather than an encounter with lorikeets, the tour focuses on the wildlife hospital.

Currumbin also has TreeTop Challenge courses for visitors travelling with children. They’re designed for children and adults and encourage family fun, fitness and team building. This is an active alternative to spending time at the beach or watching wildlife. Choosing between these activities can shape the character of your day: a visit to the water, an animal encounter or a shared challenge on the courses.

Culture and landscape at Elephant Rock

The Ngari-bah Aboriginal Culture Show offers insights into the local First Nations culture through traditional songs, stories and dances. The Yugambeh Aboriginal Dance Group presents the show. For travellers looking for cultural perspectives alongside nature and wildlife experiences, it’s a distinct activity.

Elephant Rock is a rock formation at Currumbin Beach and a remnant of ancient volcanic activity. Visitors can climb stairs to a platform on the rock, where they can see Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta. The lookout offers a closer view of the landscape as well as a wide view of both of these places. Elephant Rock is also an important site for the annual Anzac Day Dawn Service. Its geology, views and commemorative event each give the rock a different significance.

Which experiences do you want to shape your stay?

If you choose Currumbin as your holiday destination, you can focus your holiday rental search on this area.

More local area pages: Tugun, Ashmore, Labrador, Main Beach, Eagle Heights, Willow Vale, Beechmont, Springbrook.

For the broader travel overview: Gold Coast.