Village Centre North To Transform The Spit: New Waterfront Stays, Marina Access And Coastal Experiences To Redefine Gold Coast Travel

On the northern edge of the Gold Coast, a fresh chapter for visitors is being opened as Village Centre North on The Spit is brought to market as the final vacant parcel of land identified under The Spit Master Plan. In a tourism context, this release is being viewed as a strong signal that Queensland is ready to welcome more travellers with a broader mix of coastal experiences and higher quality infrastructure in one of its most recognisable seaside locations. The focus is firmly being placed on how this site can enhance the visitor journey rather than simply add more buildings to the skyline.

The location is being framed as a rare opportunity to reshape how locals and tourists experience The Spit, with an emphasis on lifestyle, recreation and easy access to the waterfront. By turning long‑term planning work for The Spit into a tangible, visitor‑friendly precinct, the area is being positioned to draw more domestic and international travellers who want to stay closer to the water, enjoy car‑free movement and combine nature, leisure and entertainment in a single, connected destination.

Village Centre North as a coastal gateway for visitors

Village Centre North is being highlighted as the largest undeveloped parcel on The Spit, sitting just south of Sea World and facing the Broadwater. This setting places future guests within easy reach of both marine attractions and the broader Gold Coast tourism corridor. The site covers around 3.5 hectares of waterfront land and includes the potential for a substantial seabed lease over the Broadwater that can support a marina, giving travellers a direct interface with life on the water.

In tourism terms, the land is expected to evolve into a world‑class, mixed‑use waterfront precinct that showcases the lifestyle qualities that the Gold Coast is known for. Short stay accommodation is being anticipated as a central feature, giving visitors more options to wake up next to the Broadwater rather than staying further inland. Waterfront dining, retail outlets, commercial marina operations and generous public spaces are being envisaged as supporting elements that together create a place where people can stay, shop, dine and step onto the boardwalk or into a boat without needing to travel long distances between experiences.

Rather than being treated solely as real estate, the precinct is being presented as a signature tourism experience for the Gold Coast. The emphasis is being placed on framing views across the Broadwater, maintaining visual connections to the ocean and integrating the new facilities with existing drawcards such as Sea World and the Main Beach area. For visitors, this is expected to create a feeling of continuity, where hotel rooms, attractions, waterfront paths and marina activities function as parts of a single coastal story.

Tourism‑driven growth and local benefits

The development narrative around Village Centre North is being strongly anchored in tourism and jobs. The wider vision for The Spit includes unlocking all development sites identified in The Spit Master Plan and channelling more than one billion dollars of investment into projects that generate employment and attract visitors. Within this context, Village Centre North is being framed as the next significant step, expected to boost tourism volumes, support local hospitality and retail operators and open new career paths in accommodation, food service, marina management and tour operations.

The broader master plan for The Spit has long placed tourism and recreation at its heart. Additional short‑term accommodation, mixed‑use precincts, promenades and upgraded public spaces have been promoted as key tools to draw travellers while still respecting environmental and community values. The release of Village Centre North is being interpreted as a practical application of that strategy, allowing private partners to create new tourism product within a clear and predictable planning framework that recognises both economic and lifestyle objectives.

Industry perspectives have underscored the potential for a premier waterfront precinct that delivers benefits over the long term. The project is being regarded as an opportunity to shape how the Gold Coast is experienced by future generations of visitors, not just by those arriving in the next few years. In that sense, the tourism value is being measured not only in visitor nights and spending, but also in the creation of a place that feels memorable, walkable and distinctly tied to its coastal setting.

Experiences and infrastructure designed around visitors

From the vantage point of travellers, the concept for Village Centre North is being built around walkability, waterfront access and layered leisure experiences. A scenic pathway along the Broadwater is being proposed to give pedestrians and cyclists a continuous route by the water’s edge. This route is expected to function as a promenade where families, couples and solo visitors can walk, jog or ride while taking in views of boats, the skyline and the natural environment.

A landscaped arbour is being planned to link The Broadwater with Seaworld Drive, improving the flow between the waterfront and the main access spine of The Spit. This feature is being designed to help visitors move comfortably between new accommodation, Sea World, beaches and other attractions without needing to rely solely on cars. For tourists, this type of shaded, landscaped connection is likely to make the journey between hotel, attraction and waterfront feel like part of the experience rather than a gap between activities.

A modern marina with facilities for commercial operations is being envisaged as another core element. With the potential for a ferry stop, visitors could gain an alternative way of reaching Village Centre North by water rather than by road alone. Marine tourism activities such as sightseeing cruises, charter boats and day trips across the Broadwater can be more easily integrated into itineraries when the marina and accommodation sit side by side.

Short‑term accommodation options that cater to different visitor segments are expected to support the region’s tourism growth. New formats and price points can complement existing hotels and resorts on The Spit, giving travellers more freedom to choose between luxury stays, family‑friendly options or more compact, design‑led rooms near the water. Along the boardwalk, within the landscaped arbour and along precinct streets, vibrant retail and food and beverage spaces are being anticipated to keep the area active from morning through night, encouraging both locals and visitors to dwell, socialise and return.

Public spaces and facilities, including landscaped parks, enhanced pedestrian and cycling networks and well‑designed open spaces, are being planned to ensure the precinct feels inclusive. By treating these elements as central, the precinct is intended to function as a shared place that tourists and residents can co‑enjoy, rather than as a closed, resort‑style enclave.

Strengthening The Spit’s tourism identity

Local voices have described Village Centre North as an opportunity to revitalise the Gold Coast and to restore the character of The Spit as a place where tourism, leisure and coastal lifestyle sit side by side. The addition of new marine infrastructure, waterfront stays and upgraded public realm spaces is being framed as a way to make the area feel more energetic and opportunity‑rich for visitors and locals alike.

The vision embedded in The Spit Master Plan sees the peninsula as a destination that balances tourism, recreation, leisure and environmental care. Efforts to create a village‑like centre, invest in quality public spaces and unlock tourism‑driven economic development are being reflected directly in the design ambitions for Village Centre North. The precinct is being used as a practical example of how that vision can be translated into built form, with a clear focus on placemaking and visitor experience over purely transactional development outcomes.

For the broader Gold Coast and Queensland tourism brand, this project is being interpreted as evidence that high‑quality coastal destinations are being curated to compete internationally while still offering public access and a relaxed atmosphere. Visitors are expected to see these values reflected in the ease of movement, the openness of waterfront spaces and the variety of experiences available within walking distance.

What future travellers can expect

Looking ahead, the evolution of Village Centre North is likely to broaden the range of experiences available on The Spit. Over time, visitors can expect to see more waterfront accommodation options, new dining and retail offerings along the Broadwater, improved walking and cycling routes, and additional ways to arrive via ferries and marine tourism operators. The precinct is being designed to sit alongside, rather than replace, existing attractions.

Sea World, beaches, promenades, marinas and public plazas are all expected to complement each other, creating an itinerary in which families, couples and business travellers can find reasons to extend their time on The Spit and in the wider Gold Coast region. As proposals from investors are developed and refined, attention within the tourism sector will be directed toward how design quality, sustainability and public access are woven into the final plans.

The direction being indicated suggests that Village Centre North will become a central reference point in how visitors experience the northern waterfront of the Gold Coast. As that transformation unfolds, travellers are likely to encounter a destination that combines coastal landscapes, urban comforts and marine activities in a way that reflects Queensland’s wider tourism ambitions.

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