It borders New South Wales.[2] Some locals refer to the suburb as Tugz (pronounced CHOOGZ).[4][5]
Geography
The M1 at Tugun, 2013
Tugun is situated at the junction of the Pacific and Gold Coast highways 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) north-west of Coolangatta and 97 kilometres (60 mi) south of Brisbane, the state capital.
Tugun Heights is a neighbourhood in the western and more elevated parts of the suburb (28°09′06″S 153°29′06″E / 28.1516°S 153.485°E / -28.1516; 153.485 (Tugun Heights)).[6]
Flat Rock is a flat rocky area along the beach that marks the boundary between Tugun and neighbouring Currumbin to the north (28°08′15″S 153°29′35″E / 28.1375°S 153.4930°E / -28.1375; 153.4930 (Flat Rock)).[7]
Tugun Beach (28°08′33″S 153°29′47″E / 28.1424°S 153.4964°E / -28.1424; 153.4964 (Tugun Beach)) extends from Flat Rock south to the boundary with neighbouring Bilinga to the south-east, although the beach itself continues along the Bilinga coast but is known there as Bilinga Beach.[8][2]
Tugun is a popular vacation spot, featuring several holiday units and motels along Tugun Beach. The area also boasts a variety of shops situated along its Golden-Four Drive stretch. The Jolly Swagman motel owner proposed naming the section of the former Brisbane to Sydney Highway nearest the beaches "Golden Four Drive." A new highway was constructed further to the west and the local Council consulted with the community for suggestions about naming the bypassed section of the older highway. "Golden Four" was a local name that referred to the four southern golden beaches of Tugun Beach, Bilinga Beach, North Kirra Beach (in Bilinga), and Kirra Beach (in Kirra).[citation needed]
The name Tugun is believed to have derived from an Indigenous word of unknown dialect meaning "breaking waves".[9]
Tugun Baptist Church opened in February 1925 on two parcels of land donated by Mrs J. H. Morgan.[10][11][12]
In 1959, St Monica's Catholic Church was opened, able to accommodate 150 people. In 1970, it was extended by half. In 1990, it was re-oriented and extended by half again. In 1996, St Monica's Samaritan Centre was established beside the church; it is used by Centacare to provided services for disabled people. [13]
Tugun Bowls Club was established in 1967.[14]
All Saints' Anglican Church was dedicated on 1 November 1980 by Bishop Administror Ralph Wicks. It was conscrecrated on 11 November 1984 by ArchbishopJohn Grindrod. Its closure on 22 September 1999 was approved by Assistant Bishop Ron Williams.[15]
The junction of the Pacific and Gold Coast highways was notoriously traffic-clogged but has improved markedly upon completion of the Tugun Bypass in June 2008.[citation needed]
Demographics
In the 2011 census, Tugun recorded a population of 5,976 people, 51.1% female and 48.9% male. The median age of the Tugun population was 39 years, 2 years above the national median of 37. 76.1% of people living in Tugun were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were New Zealand 5.3%, England 4%, Scotland 0.6%, Japan 0.6%, Canada 0.5%. 89.5% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 0.7% Japanese, 0.5% Portuguese, 0.4% Italian, 0.4% Mandarin, 0.3% Spanish.[16]
In the 2016 census, Tugun had a population of 6,588 people.[17]
In the 2021 census, Tugun had a population of 7,175 people.[1]
Heritage listings
There are a number of heritage sites in Tugun, including:
16 San Michele Street: Ar Dee (beach house) [18]
Toolona Street (corner Golden Four Drive): Tugun Hotel Moreton Bay Fig Tree [19]
Facilities
John Flynn Private Hospital is at 42 Inland Drive (28°09′14″S 153°29′18″E / 28.1539°S 153.4882°E / -28.1539; 153.4882 (John Flynn Private Hospital)). It provides acute cardiac care in addition to general medical and surgical services.[20][21]
St Monica's Catholic Church is at 485 Golden Four Drive (28°08′29″S 153°29′34″E / 28.1415°S 153.4929°E / -28.1415; 153.4929 (St Monica's Catholic Church)).[13]
The Living Template Church (formerly Tugun Baptist Church) is at 24 Toolona Street (28°08′41″S 153°29′35″E / 28.1448°S 153.4930°E / -28.1448; 153.4930 (Living Temple Church (former Tugun Baptist Church))).[23][24]
Tugun Bowls Club is in Kaleena Street (28°08′51″S 153°29′36″E / 28.1474°S 153.4932°E / -28.1474; 153.4932 (Tugun Bowls Club)). It has three lawn bowling greens with restaurant and bar facilities available to members and visitors.[14]
Tugun Surf Lifesaving Club is on the beachfront at 29 O'Connor Street (28°08′31″S 153°29′42″E / 28.1419°S 153.4951°E / -28.1419; 153.4951 (Tugun Surf Lifesaving Club)). In addition to patrolling the beach in the warmer months, the club also participates in lifesaving sports events and has bistro and bar facilities.[25]
A number of well-known sporting teams represent the local area, including the Tugun Seahawks, the local rugby league club who play home games at Betty Diamond Complex.[citation needed]
Other amenities in the suburb include the Tugun Tavern.[citation needed]
^"Tugun – suburb in City of Gold Coast (entry 46092)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
^"Tugun". Tourism and Events Queensland. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^"Tugun Beach Gold Coast". Must Do Brisbane. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^"Tugun Heights – neighbourhood in City of Gold Coast (entry 35274)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
^"Flat Rock – rock in City of Gold Coast (entry 12730)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
^"Mountain ranges beaches and sea passages - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
^"Tugun (entry 46092)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
^"Queensland Baptist churches by date of erection/opening". Baptist Church Archives Queensland. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^"1925 Tugun". Baptist Church Archives Queensland. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
^"BAPTIST UNION". The Daily Mail. No. 7665. Queensland, Australia. 23 September 1926. p. 8. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^ a b"Coolangatta-Tugun Catholic Parish". www.coolangatta-tugunparish.org.au. Archived from the original on 4 May 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
^ a b"Tugun Bowls Club". Tugun Bowls Club. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
^"Closed Anglican Churches". Anglican Church South Queensland. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
^Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Tugun (State Suburb)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
^"Ar Dee, Tugun" (PDF). Gold Coast Local Heritage Register. 5 June 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
^Gold Coast Local Heritage Register - N to Z, pp. 139-140
^"Building areas - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 17 November 2020. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
^"Welcome to John Flynn Private Hospital". John Flynn Private Hospital. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2022.
^"Mobile Library 2018 timetable" (PDF). Gold Coast City Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
^"WELCOME". Living Temple Christian Church. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
^"CoolyRocksOn Church Service". christiantoday.com.au. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
^"Home". Tugun Surf Lifesaving Club. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t"Land for public recreation - Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
^Bowden, Tracy (28 April 2005). "Father bewildered over Corby's plight". The 7.30 Report. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
Sources
"Gold Coast Local Heritage Register - N to Z" (PDF). Gold Coast City Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tugun, Queensland.
University of Queensland: Queensland Places: Tugun