A Kiwi recommends ... the Gold Coast

Each week, expat Kiwis tell us what they most love about living by Queensland's beaches. Today we hear from Gold Coast service station owner Paula Nash.

TASTE

Best coffee spot: Bellakai, Marine Parade, Coolangatta (with beautiful coastal views). This is a local's favourite and also has great food from breakfast through to dinner.

Where should we eat? One of my favourites is Cafe Dbah at the Southern end of Gold Coast in Rainbow Bay overlooking surfing location Duranbah or, as the locals call it, "D'bah". There is also a contemporary art gallery with unique works and wares.

Best walk: Along Kirra Beach to Pt Danger, which is the headland at Coolangatta and has the Captain Cook memorial and lighthouse, with beautiful views from Surfers Paradise to Byron Bay.

Best spot to get an icecream: My Gelato, Douglas St, Kirra (walk across the road to the beach).

Something special for dinner? The Fish House Seafood Restaurant, Goodwin Tce, Burleigh: a little more expensive but well worth it. The view over Burleigh Beach to Surfers Paradise is lovely and if you are there for dinner, the sunset view is magic (The Fish House is listed in Australia's Top 100 Restaurants in the Gourmet Traveller Good Food Guide 2014.)

The best local produce: Brookfarm products such as muesli, macadamias, premium nuts, and a gluten-free range (often the nuts are in hotel rooms throughout Australia and muesli on breakfast menus). Brookfarm is in the Byron hinterland and they farm in environmentally sustainable ways.

SEE

Be one of the first to: Try the new fun experience on the Gold Coast, the Air Factory Trampoline Park in Burleigh, with Free Jump, Slam Dunk, Dodgeball, Monster Air Bag, Bubble Soccer and Pro Zone.

Best-kept secret: Currumbin Rock Pools, which are 20 minutes from Currumbin Beach (my sons wanted me to mention this).

RELAX

Best spa: Q1 Spa, which uses Dreamtime Ancient Therapies and unique rituals; one of my favourites anywhere in the world.

Best place to rest your head: QT Surfers Paradise, which has spacious rooms with comfy beds and is a designer hotel experience. Worth paying for is the buffet at the Bazaar @ QT which recreates a traditional marketplace