Coolangatta to Host Beach Volleyball

Coolangatta will play its part in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games as the host of the beach volleyball tournaments – the first time this iconic sport will feature in the Games.

Coolangatta's pristine beaches and spectacular views of the Gold Coast skyline make it the perfect backdrop for the events, which will showcase the region's beauty to thousands of visitors and an estimated global audience of 1.5 billion when they take place between 4 and 15 April 2018.

A perfect fit
Minister for the Commonwealth Games Stirling Hinchliffe announced that Coolangatta was decided to be the ideal site for the iconic sport after long consideration by the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC).

"Coolangatta was chosen for its capacity to host the infrastructure needed to match international federation guidelines," he explained.

"The Gold Coast's beautiful beaches will be a huge drawcard during the Games, but the beach volleyball at Coolangatta will take things to a whole new level."

GOLDOC CEO Mark Peters revealed that Coolangatta was selected for a number of reasons, from space requirements right down to the consistency of sand in the area.

Temporary stadium
The events will be hosted in a temporary stadium to be built in Queen Elizabeth Park, where attendees and TV audiences will enjoy optimal views of the skyline and the Gold Coast's southernmost beaches.

"The final preparations and precise location and associated logistics of a temporary stadium can now proceed in full consultation with the sport’s governing body, the southern Gold Coast community and key Games Delivery Partners," Minister Hinchliffe said.

Boosting local business
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate was delighted by the announcement, which will show off the city's most magnificent beaches to an international audience.

"Hosting the Beach Volleyball at Coolangatta will not only show off the beauty of the southern end of the city to the world, it will also provide a great boost for local businesses there," he explained.

"Beach Volleyball at Coolangatta will be one of the jewels of our Games."

Business is set to boom in Coolangatta and throughout the Gold Coast during the Games as thousands of sport fans travel from all parts of Australia and all over the world to see the action in person.

Beach volley debut
Beach volleyball will make its first ever appearance in the Commonwealth Games in 2018, following lengthy discussion between the Commonwealth Games Federation, the Queensland Government and GOLDOC.

That means audiences can look forward to 18 sports rather than the usual 17, making GC2018 and the fully-integrated GC2018 Para-Sport programs the largest in the Games' history.

Gold Coast venues will host 14 of these events, with other tournaments taking place in Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville.

Don't miss the action in Coolangatta
You don't have to wait for 2018 to catch world-class sporting action in the Gold Coast. Coolangatta hosts a number of exciting events throughout the year, from surfing tournaments to the Cooly Classic Ocean Swim.

Check out what's on in Coolangatta so you don't miss out.

Need to find your way around Coolangatta's hub? Check out this article for a hand.

Need to find some quick eats? Check out this article for our top 10 fast food venues in Coolangatta.