Gold Coast 500 Guide & Trackside Accommodation 2026

Two hundred thousand spectators line the Surfers Paradise street circuit on 23-25 October 2026 for back-to-back 250-kilometre races, with V8 SuperUtes, S5000 open-wheelers, and Porsche Carrera Cup support races filling the programme. The Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 is Round 12 of the Repco Supercars Championship — late-season racing where championship positions are genuinely at stake — and the 3-kilometre circuit through the streets of Surfers Paradise creates the kind of spectacle that static circuit racing simply can’t replicate. Barriers, noise, proximity. After-race concerts on MacIntosh Island inside the precinct keep the energy going well after the chequered flag.

Book your accommodation early. This isn’t a warning — it’s a fact. The properties within earshot of the circuit fill up months in advance, and anything with a track view is gone the day tickets go on sale.

Event Details

Dates: 23-25 October 2026
Official name: Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 — Round 12 of the Repco Supercars Championship
Location: Surfers Paradise Street Circuit — Surfers Paradise Esplanade, Main Beach Parade, Breaker Street, Gold Coast Highway, Surfers Paradise Blvd
Entry: Day tickets and multi-day passes available
Official website: supercars.com/events/2026-gold-coast

Dates and details are subject to change — always confirm at the official website before you visit.

What’s Nearby

Surfers Paradise Beach is right there for a swim or walk between sessions. Cavill Avenue is packed with restaurants, bars and shops for the full three days. The Esplanade has oceanfront dining, and The Star Gold Coast in Broadbeach (10 minutes away) offers gaming and entertainment. After the racing wraps each evening, the MacIntosh Island concert precinct keeps things moving inside the circuit.

GC 500 Accommodation 2026

Accommodation near the track and any with track views book out a long way in advance! Be quick 🙂 Check the GC 500 track map below for our top picks, the track is outlined in orange with entry gates marked in red and accommodation picks in green. Also, see our guide to Surfers Paradise for more accommodation picks. Most accommodation in Surfers is within walking distance or at worst, a short tram ride on the G:Link. Broadbeach and Southport are also convenient places to stay with easy links via the G:Link tram.

GC 500 track map

Accommodation Picks – with track views (request room with track view)

Surfers Paradise JW Marriott Resort & Spa – the five-star hotel features a private saltwater lagoon, sandy beaches and an artificial reef with tropical fish, 5 on-site dining options, the Ruby Spa and a fitness centre. The air-conditioned rooms feature a private balcony offering views of the Gold Coast Hinterland, Surfers Paradise skyline or Pacific Ocean.

Narrowneck Court Holiday Apartments – Located opposite Main Beach, Narrowneck Court offers self-contained accommodation with private balconies and magnificent ocean views. Guests have access to free Wi-Fi internet, an outdoor swimming pool and barbecue facilities.

Seacrest Apartments – Guest facilities include 2 heated pools, a tennis court, a sauna and a games room. The air-conditioned apartments offer 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with free satellite TV and a DVD player plus fully equipped kitchen and laundry facilities.

Accommodation within walking distance to track

Sovereign – a 6 min walk from Gate 6, the four-star hotel features a hot tub, restaurant, a day spa with a sauna and a lagoon-style swimming pool featuring a waterfall.

Ruby Gold Coast – A seven-minute walk from Gate 6, the four-star Arise Ruby Collection provides accommodation with free WiFi, a garden with an outdoor swimming pool, pool views, and access to a fitness room and a sauna.

QT Gold Coast – A four-minute walk from Gate 6, the five-star QT Gold Coast is a designer hotel featuring an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, a restaurant and a bar. All rooms boast a spacious balcony offering stunning ocean views.

Quarterdeck Apartments – A nine-minute walk from Gate 6. Three-star. All Olympus Apartments have full kitchen, laundry and ironing facilities. The bright and large living rooms have a flat-screen TV with free cable channels and private balcony.

GC 500 Event Schedule 2026

The full 2026 event schedule will be published at the official Supercars website closer to the event. Check there for practice, qualifying and race times.

Visiting Tips

here are my top tips to make the most of your experience at the GC 500

Book your accommodation early! The Gold Coast is busy during this event in late October so secure your hotel well in advance. I’d recommend staying somewhere central like Surfers Paradise if it’s affordable, otherwise choose somewhere close to the public transport network along the Gold Coast Highway.
If you are flying into the Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta, check out this guide for transfer options
If you are flying into Brisbane Airport (BNE), check out this guide on how to get to Surfers Paradise from Brisbane
Choose your day tickets based on your interests. Weekend passes give you access to more action while the weekday ticket is a little cheaper if you just want a taste of the action. The three-day pass offers the best value. General admission is perfect if you’re on a budget while you can spend a little more for Grandstand and Fanstand tickets.
If you are not staying centrally in the Surfers area or within walking distance, take public transport, as traffic is hell usually and finding a park is just as painful.
See here for info on using public transport. Last year it was free for GC 500 ticket holders.
Don’t forget your hat, sunscreen, and shades too. The weather is usually quite comfortable, around 25°c during the day and cool at night. Rain is a possibility but not so common in October.
Stay hydrated, you can easily buy water but you may want to also take your own bottle and add in some electrolytes like Hydralite occasionally.
Don’t forget you can take your own chair and or picnic blanket.
Pick comfortable walking shoes as there is a lot of ground to cover getting in and around the track.
Lines at the food stalls get very long and prices are hideous. Last year people could take their own food in, hopefully, it’s the same this year.
Check the schedule so you don’t miss your favourite drivers in qualifying or the main races. Download the Supercars app for updates.
Don’t forget all the other amazing things to do on the Gold Coast, here’s a list of over 100.