Taxi drivers expressed scepticism about the public transport system's popularity and the hotel concierge said some businesses went bust during its long construction.
But they all acknowledged its convenience, now it is part of the landscape and many GCers complained it didn't run far enough. They immediately wanted extensions - surely a mark of instant success?
For me, it was perfect: easy to use, cheap and quite fun and the fact that locals used it regularly confirmed its success.
"Getting from A to B is easy on the G," appears in bold lettering on the outside of brightly coloured carriages, doing a 13km journey along the coast, following the Gold Coast Highway then winding into the highly populated high-rise areas, passing shops, hotels and apartments.
TransLink's integrated network with a generous 16 tram stations seemed to be proving a hit because many people were waiting at those stations in early August and all carriages were occupied.
The trams run every 15 minutes or better, until 11.50pm from Monday to Thursday, although I found the trams seven minutes apart at longest, three minutes at shortest, so hardly a trial to wait at a station. They run 24 hours Fridays and Saturdays and finish at a respectable 11.50pm on Sunday nights.
Tip: Surfers Paradise has four stations so don't be like me and get off at the first (Surfers Paradise) if you're at Hilton Surfers Paradise, where the best stop is Cavill Ave. Other stops are Cypress Avenue and Surfers Paradise North.
Still, it's a pleasant stroll of just a few blocks, so no great hardship.
From the north heading south, the stations are Gold Coast University Hospital, Griffith University, Queen St, Nerang St, Southport, Southport South, Broadwater Parklands, Main Beach, Surfers Paradise North, Cypress Ave, Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise, Northcliffe, Florida Gardens, Broadbeach North and Broadbeach South.
A staffer at Broadbeach South had a line of three travellers with questions. Tourists looked confused about how to buy a ticket.
"As of January 6, 2014 an adult go card fare for the entire trip along the G:link (2 zones) is A$4.14 or A$3.32 during off-peak," Translink advises.
You can buy a Go Card at 7-Eleven stores and fare machines at stations.
The trams did seem to travel at a somewhat ponderous speed but the stations were impressive with nice seating, some architectural flair, ticket machines, maps and ample bike stands.
On the trams, clear electronic screens show location and stops. Audio broadcasts at every stop and start announce locations, direction and stations. Maps inside carriages help too.
So if you're hopping the Tassie, be like a GCer.
Try the G.
CHECKLIST
Getting there: Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to Gold Coast Airport.
Accommodation: Hilton Worldwide has launched its "Be A Weekender" campaign in Australasia, urging consumers to make the most of their 48 hours. Rates start at AU$140 ($157.80) a night at Hilton Parmelia Perth and NZ$118 a night at Kawarau Hotel, Managed by Hilton in Queenstown.
The writer was a guest of Hilton Surfers Paradise and Gold Coast Tourism Corporation.
