In 1770, Captain Cook landed on the Gold Coast but European settlement only began when the timber merchants and traders arrived in the mid 1800s. Soon after this, the Gold Coast began to develop commercially and cotton and sugar cane plantations were cultivated. Nerang was the first small town to be founded in the region with a school, hotel and postal services. It was not long before the Gold Coast was making a name for itself as a favoured place for holiday makers. After World War II, the development continued and the 1950s saw investors rushing to buy beachfront land to develop hotels and holiday apartments to take advantage of tourism. Since then, there has been no looking back for the Gold Coast and it has continued to attract millions of visitors who are drawn to the area not only because of its wonderful beaches but also because of its pleasing climate, vast range of activities and countless places of interest to visit. | 
