Strap yourselves in as this is going to be brutally honest.
CAVILL AVENUE STATION SHOULD BE RENAMED “SURFERS PARADISE”.
Tourists visit our beautiful Gold Coast and desire to visit Surfers Paradise. They are alighting at the (current) Surfers Paradise station, walking around thinking there’s not much here. (Q1 building and the immediate surrounding area). They then get back on the tram disappointed and having spent little money in the precinct, and return to their hotel.
How do you I know this? People who work at the Gold Coast Airport have relayed stories like this to me; and mention that they hear this from tourist frequently. The have money to spend at Surfers Paradise; they alight at Surfers Paradise station, and are confused by what they see (or lack thereof); think it’s not what it’s hyped to be and leave disappointed. Little do they know (until it is told to them), that the REAL Surfers Paradise precinct is located north at the next station; ‘Cavill Avenue’; (the station NO tourist or visitor has any clue of.)
This is where the naming of the stations hits a massive hurdle for tourists and visitors, shop owners in the heart of Surfers Paradise, and the local economy in general. All are seriously missing out on that much desired experience.
Cavill Avenue station needs to be renamed Surfers Paradise, to prevent such further confusion in the future. As it currently stands, further loss will occur to many who visit Surfers Paradise, and those who have livelihoods and businesses in the Surfers Paradise area due to this poorly conceived naming during the light rails conception.
The current Surfers Paradise station (at Q1) needs to be renamed Surfers Paradise South, to bring it in line with the current naming conventions.
My guess it will never happen because the people responsibly for the naming originally will not want to concede they have got it devastatingly wrong. Until then Surfers Paradise will miss out on many visitors and their economic boost. The stories that are regularly discussed to Gold Coast Airport staff about the Gold Coast Light Rail station naming confusion will continue.
