Events Guide · Broadbeach Gold Coast 2026
Gold Coast 500 Supercars 2026 – The Complete Guide
The Supercars Finals open on the Surfers Paradise street circuit, 8 minutes from Broadbeach by tram. Tickets, the tram, road closures and where to stay.
The Gold Coast 500 is one of the most exciting events on the Australian motorsport calendar – and it happens right on our doorstep. The Repco Supercars Championship street circuit weaves through the streets of Surfers Paradise, with the distinctive sound of V8 Supercars echoing across the coastline for an entire long weekend. If you’ve never experienced a Supercars street race, this is the one to see.
From Broadbeach, the action is 8 minutes away by G:link tram – Broadbeach South to Surfers Paradise North or Cavill Avenue. This makes Broadbeach the ideal base for event attendance: you stay in a calmer suburb, eat well at Oracle Boulevard, and hop the tram up to the circuit for racing action.
The 2026 Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 runs Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October on the streets of Main Beach and Surfers Paradise – and this year the stakes are higher than ever. It’s Round 12 of the championship and the opening round of the new Repco Supercars Finals: 10 drivers arrive still in title contention, and only 7 survive the weekend. Groundwater Country Music Festival runs the weekend before (16 to 18 October), making the second half of October an extraordinarily busy time in Broadbeach – book accommodation months in advance.
Key Facts
- 2026 dates: 23-25 October (Friday to Sunday) – Queensland’s largest annual sporting event
- Opening round of the Repco Supercars Finals: 10 title contenders are cut to 7 this weekend
- Location: Main Beach and Surfers Paradise street circuit, 8 minutes from Broadbeach by G:link tram
- Tickets on sale now at supercars.com – kids 12 and under free with a paying adult (general admission)
- Circuit precinct locked down from 12:01am Friday to 11:59pm Sunday – take the tram
- Groundwater Country Music Festival runs the weekend before (16-18 October); accommodation books out months ahead
| Option | What you get | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| General Admission | Open spectator zones around the circuit | Kids 12 and under free with a paying adult (one child per adult, GA only) |
| Grandstand | Reserved seat with elevated views of the circuit | Popular stands sell out first – book early |
| Paddock Pass | Behind-the-scenes access and a chance to meet the drivers | Add-on to your event ticket |
| Corporate hospitality | Premium viewing, catering and function access | Via Supercars Corporate Experiences |
| Travel packages | Premium tickets, accommodation and exclusive functions bundled | Via Supercars Travel |
Getting from Broadbeach to the Gold Coast 500
The G:link light rail tram is by far the best way to get from Broadbeach to the Gold Coast 500. From Broadbeach South station, the tram runs directly to Surfers Paradise North and Cavill Avenue stations – both within walking distance of the circuit entry points. The journey takes 8 minutes.
During the event weekend, the G:link runs extended hours and increased frequency. Expect trams to be very busy after racing sessions – build in 20-30 minutes for boarding if leaving at the same time as the crowd. Arriving by tram avoids the significant parking hassle around the circuit.
If you’re driving: don’t plan to park near the circuit. The precinct is locked down from 12:01am Friday to 11:59pm Sunday, and the surrounding streets are closed or gridlocked. Park at your accommodation and ride the tram in – and don’t leave a car in a Broadbeach shopping centre car park all day, as they carry time limits.
Broadbeach as Your Gold Coast 500 Base
Staying in Broadbeach for the Gold Coast 500 is genuinely the best strategy – and one that many experienced event visitors have figured out. Here’s why it works:
Surfers Paradise hotels within walking distance of the circuit charge 2-3x normal rates during the event weekend. Broadbeach accommodation is elevated but less extreme. The tram ride is 8 minutes. You have access to Broadbeach’s superior restaurant scene (Oracle Boulevard, The Star) for pre- and post-race dining. And when the race ends and everyone is fighting for parking and Ubers in Surfers, you’re boarding a tram home.
Oracle Boulevard in the evenings during Gold Coast 500 weekend is electric – racers, teams, and fans spill into the dining precinct for dinner. It has its own atmosphere that’s worth experiencing even if you’re not attending the race.
Tips for Attending the Gold Coast 500
2026 tickets are on sale at supercars.com (Ticketek is the official seller). Grandstand seats for the popular stands sell out well before race weekend; general admission usually lasts closer to the date. Families take note: kids 12 and under go free on general admission with a paying adult, one child per adult. Buy direct and skip third-party resellers.
The streets around the Surfers Paradise circuit are either closed for racing or gridlocked on race days. The G:link tram from Broadbeach is reliable, cheap, and drops you at the circuit entry. This is not the occasion to drive and park near the venue.
Gold Coast 500 weekend (23-25 October) follows straight after Groundwater Country Music Festival (16-18 October). Back-to-back event weekends create the highest accommodation demand of the year across the Gold Coast. By August, good Broadbeach properties are sold out for October race weekend. If you’re planning to attend, book now.
Supercars V8 engines are much louder than you expect, especially close to the main straight or exit of a slow corner. Foam earplugs are provided at the gate but wear out over a full day. Bring proper ear protection if you’re sensitive to noise, and definitely provide some for children.
General admission areas at the Gold Coast 500 have limited permanent shade. In late October temperatures hit 26-28°C with high UV. A broad-brim hat, SPF 50+, and sunglasses are essential kit. The hospitality areas and grandstands have shade cover – factor this into your ticket decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
The 2026 Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 runs Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026 on the streets of Main Beach and Surfers Paradise. It’s Round 12 of the Repco Supercars Championship and the opening round of the Finals, with the circuit precinct secured from 12:01am Friday through 11:59pm Sunday.
The Gold Coast 500 runs on a temporary street circuit through the streets of Surfers Paradise – the same circuit layout that has hosted international motorsport events since 1991. The circuit is centred around the Surfers Paradise CBD and the Broadwater. From Broadbeach, it’s 8 minutes by G:link tram (Broadbeach South station to Surfers Paradise North or Cavill Avenue).
Supercars sells general admission and grandstand tickets through supercars.com, with Ticketek as the official seller. As a guide from recent years, general admission has started under $100 a day, with grandstands costing more depending on the stand – confirm current pricing when you book. Kids 12 and under go free on general admission with a paying adult (one child per adult). A Paddock Pass add-on gets you behind the scenes, and corporate hospitality and travel packages are also available. Buy direct – avoid third-party resellers who charge significant premiums.
Excellent – many experienced event attendees deliberately stay in Broadbeach rather than Surfers Paradise. You’re 8 minutes from the circuit by tram, you have access to Broadbeach’s far superior dining scene for pre- and post-race meals, accommodation prices are elevated but less extreme than circuit-adjacent Surfers hotels, and the tram journey home avoids the traffic chaos around the circuit. Oracle Boulevard on Gold Coast 500 evenings has its own electric atmosphere.
2026 introduces the Repco Supercars Finals format – nine sprint rounds and two enduros feed into three finals rounds, and the Gold Coast 500 is the first of them. Ten drivers arrive still in championship contention, and only seven remain in the title fight after Sunday. It turns the whole weekend into an elimination round, which is a very good reason to be trackside this year.
The circuit precinct in Main Beach and Surfers Paradise is secured from 12:01am Friday 23 October until 11:59pm Sunday 25 October 2026, with resident access managed through a permit program (applications open 1 September 2026 at supercars.com). Broadbeach itself sits outside the closure zone – another reason it makes the ideal base – and the G:link tram keeps running right through the weekend.
Planning Your Gold Coast 500 Trip?
Book your Broadbeach accommodation early – race weekend sells out months ahead.
Written and maintained by a Broadbeach local. I update this guide regularly to keep it accurate.