{{Use Australian English|date=August 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox Australian place | type = suburb | name = Golden Beach | city = Caloundra | state = qld | image = Caloundra, Queensland - Golden Beach & Bribie Island.jpg | caption = Golden Beach, looking across Pumicestone Passage towards Bribie Island | coordinates = {{coord|-26.8227|153.1219|type:city_region:AU-QLD|display=inline,title|name=Golden Beach (centre of suburb)}} | local_map = yes | zoom = 12 | pop = 5646 | pop_year = {{CensusAU|2021}} | pop_footnotes = <ref name=Census2021/> | established = | postcode = 4551 | area = 4.2 | timezone = AEST | utc = +10:00 | dist1 = 2.1 <!-- road distances as per template instructions --> | dir1 = S | location1 = Caloundra CBD | dist2 = 22.3 | dir2 = S | location2 = Maroochydore | dist3 = 96.7 | dir3 = N | location3 = Brisbane | dist4 = | dir4 = | location4 = | lga = Sunshine Coast Region | county = Canning | parish = Bribie | stategov = Caloundra | fedgov = Fisher | near-n = Caloundra | near-ne = Bribie Island North | near-e = Bribie Island North | near-se = Bribie Island North | near-s = Coochin Creek | near-sw = Pelican Waters | near-w = Pelican Waters | near-nw = Caloundra West }} '''Golden Beach''' is a coastal suburb of Caloundra in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia.<ref name=qpnl>{{cite QPN|50236|Golden Beach|suburb in Sunshine Coast Region|access-date=27 January 2020}}</ref> It is located within the Caloundra urban centre directly southwest of the Caloundra CBD. In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Golden Beach had a population of 5,646 people.<ref name=Census2021/>

The suburb is under threat of beach erosion as the tip of Bribie Island is washed away.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ross |first=Jessica |date=28 July 2022 |title=Sunshine Coast beach under threat as Bribie Island tip continues to crumble |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-28/bribie-island-breakthrough-causes-golden-beach-erosion/101274942 |work=ABC News |access-date=}}</ref>

== Geography == Golden Beach is a coastal suburb with the Pumicestone Passage forming its eastern boundary. It is mostly fully developed with low density residential housing. A canal from the passage passes through the suburb from east to west leading into the canal developments of the neighbouring suburb of Pelican Waters.

The long sandspit at the northern tip of Bribie Island protects Golden Beach from the Coral Sea.<ref name="globe">{{Queensland Globe|access-date=29 July 2015}}</ref> However, this section of the Pumicestone Passage is very narrow and very shallow (less than {{convert|2|m}}) with shifting sand and mud banks, which makes the northern sandspit highly dynamic in shape through natural processes of sand/mud buildup and erosion. During storms, waves may cross over the sandspit from the Coral Sea into the Pumicestone Passage, with the potential to break through the sandspit to create new entrances to Pumicestone Passage. The creation of new entrances would impact on Golden Beach and Pelican Waters, which would then be exposed more directly to the stronger wave action of the Coral Sea as opposed to the calmer waters of the Pumicestone Passage.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/environment/Bribie_Island_tidalbreakthrough.pdf|title = Northern Bribie Island: What are the potential risks from a tidal breakthrough?|date = August 2009|access-date = 29 July 2015|publisher = Sunshine Coast Regional Council|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121020002240/http://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/addfiles/documents/environment/Bribie_Island_tidalbreakthrough.pdf|archive-date = 20 October 2012}}</ref> In December 2020, wild weather began creating channels from the ocean through the northern sandspit into Pumicestone Passage.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stevenson|first=Ashleigh|date=2020-12-14|title=Bribie Island erosion worries authorities as wild weather continues to whip the region|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-15/bribie-island-beach-erosion-worries-authorities/12981202|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216062359/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bribie_Island_North?veaction=edit&section=1|archive-date=2020-12-16|access-date=2020-12-16|publisher=ABC News|location=Australia|language=en-AU}}</ref>

== History == Settlement of Golden Beach dates from the late 19th century, with land used mainly for farming and grazing. Development of the suburb started from the 1950s, with rapid growth from the 1960s into the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://profile.id.com.au/Default.aspx?id=352&pg=101&gid=240&type=enum|title=Introduction - Golden Beach|year=2010|access-date=19 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727132652/http://profile.id.com.au/Default.aspx?id=352&pg=101&gid=240&type=enum|archive-date=27 July 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> The suburb was named by the Caloundra Golden Beach Ltd, the developers of the area.<ref name=qpnl/>

Golden Beach State School opened on 24 January 1983.<ref name=qfhs>{{Citation | author1=Queensland Family History Society | title=Queensland schools past and present | publication-date=2010 | publisher=Queensland Family History Society | edition=Version 1.01 | isbn=978-1-921171-26-0 }}</ref>

== Demographics == In the {{CensusAU|2016}}, Golden Beach had a population of 5,575 people.<ref name=Census2016>{{Census 2016 AUS|id=SSC31190|name=Golden Beach (SSC)|access-date=20 October 2018|quick=on}}</ref>

In the {{CensusAU|2021}}, Golden Beach had a population of 5,646 people.<ref name=Census2021>{{Census 2021 AUS|id=SAL31179|name=Golden Beach (SAL)|access-date=28 February 2023|quick=on}}</ref>

== Education == Golden Beach State School is a government primary (Prep–6) school for boys and girls at Gregory Street ({{coord|-26.8144|153.1168|type:edu_region:AU-QLD|name=Golden Beach State School}}).<ref name="SchoolList2018">{{cite web|url=https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997|title=State and non-state school details|date=9 July 2018|publisher=Queensland Government|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121065959/https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/state-and-non-state-school-details/resource/5b39065c-df32-415c-994c-5ff12f8de997|archive-date=21 November 2018|access-date=21 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldbeacss.eq.edu.au|title=Golden Beach State School|access-date=21 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421064745/http://goldbeacss.eq.edu.au/|archive-date=21 April 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2017, the school had an enrolment of 657 students with 51 teachers (44 full-time equivalent) and 33 non-teaching staff (23 full-time equivalent).<ref name="ACARA2017">{{cite web|url=http://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-20172c7b12404c94637ead88ff00003e0139.xlsx?sfvrsn=0|title=ACARA School Profile 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122010027/http://www.acara.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/school-profile-20172c7b12404c94637ead88ff00003e0139.xlsx?sfvrsn=0|archive-date=22 November 2018|access-date=22 November 2018}}</ref> It includes a special education program.<ref name="SchoolList2018" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goldbeacss.eq.edu.au|title=Golden Beach SS - Special Education Program|access-date=21 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421064745/http://goldbeacss.eq.edu.au/|archive-date=21 April 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

There are no secondary schools in Golden Beach; the nearest government secondary school is Caloundra State High School in neighbouring Caloundra to the north.<ref name="globe2">{{Queensland Globe|access-date=9 August 2023}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons category|Golden Beach, Queensland}}

* {{cite web|url=http://queenslandplaces.com.au/golden-beach|title=Golden Beach|website=Queensland Places|publisher=Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland}} {{Sunshine Coast Region}}

Category:Suburbs of the Sunshine Coast Region Category:Caloundra Category:Beaches of Queensland