Main Beach

Main Beach is the primary surf beach accessible from Southport. Before the construction of the Jubilee Bridge in 1925 visitors were ferried to Main Beach across the Nerang River. Once the bridge was opened, visits to Surfers Paradise increased and ultimately spilled over into Main Beach, leading to the opening of the Main Beach bathing pavilions, located near the current day Southport Surf Life Saving Club. The pavilions were designed by architects Hall and Phillips in the Spanish Mission style and opened together with similar style pavilions at Southport on 22 December 1934.Tedder Avenue is the commercial heart of Main Beach and stands where there was once a swamp. This was reclaimed by William Fox, also known as “Lucky Bill Rankin, the Casket King”, by pumping silt from the Nerang River onto the land. Today the area is home to a mixture of high rise buildings, including private residences, restaurants and shops.