The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre (also known as the Optus Aquatic Centre for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games) is a public swimming pool complex located in the Southport Broadwater Parklands on the Gold Coast, Queensland.[1] It was the swimming and diving facility for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.[2]
| Gold Coast Aquatic Centre | |
|---|---|
| 27.963665°S 153.415854°E / -27.963665; 153.415854 | |
| Address | Marine Parade, Southport, Queensland |
| Postcode | 4215 |
| Opened | 1960s |
| Owned by | City of Gold Coast |
| Type | Public swimming pool |
| Former name(s) | Southport Pool Southport Olympic Pool |
| Status | Operating |
| Website | www |
| Features | |
| The swimming and diving facility for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games™. | |
| Facilities | |
| Competition Pool Diving Pool Training Pool | |

The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre opened in the 1960s as the Southport Pool.[3] The complex was renamed to the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre in the late 2000s.[1] In 2018, the Gold Coast hosted the Commonwealth Games.[4] The Gold Coast Aquatic Centre was the swimming and diving facility for the event. Approximately $40 million was spent on redeveloping the complex. The redevelopment included the construction of an additional 10-lane competition pool, additional change rooms and new meeting rooms.[2] Although the expansion was expected to be completed by 2017,[5] the construction was brought forward to allow the venue to host the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in 2014.[6] Work began on the redevelopment in March 2013.[7]
The 2014 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships were held at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre and were headlined by all-time record holder for Olympic gold medals Michael Phelps who won three gold medals.[8]
Prior to the 2014 major refurbishment of the Centre, the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre had a number of facilities. These including:
During the 2014 refurbishment, additional water facilities were added as follows:
The refurbishment building design by Cox Rayner Architects has received the 2015 Queensland State Architecture Award for Public Architecture from the Australian Institute of Architects.[9]
The refurbishment Aquatic design was Completed by Stevenson & Associates Pty Ltd. [10]
A number of programs and classes are based at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre.[11][12] These include:
Additionally, Competitive, Masters, and Triathlon Squads are based at the complex.[13]
Landmarks on the Gold Coast | |
|---|---|
| City precincts |
|
| Cultural institutions |
|
| Entertainment |
|
| Islands and beaches |
|
| Nature |
|
| Parks and spaces |
|
| Shopping |
|
| Sports venues |
|
| Structures/Buildings |
|
| Transport |
|
Venues of the 2018 Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast |
| |||||||
| Outside Gold Coast |
| |||||||