Childcare in Gold Coast
There are 376 approved childcare services in the Gold Coast urban area, including Tweed Heads in New South Wales: 264 offer long day care, 100 run a kindergarten or preschool program and 128 offer before and after school care. 14% of rated services are Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent, against 18% nationally.
Highest-rated suburbs
Suburbs with at least 5 rated services, ranked by the share rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent.
| Suburb | Rated services | Exceeding or Excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Tweed Heads South | 5 | 3 (60%) |
| Burleigh Waters | 5 | 2 (40%) |
| Currumbin Waters | 6 | 2 (33%) |
| Mermaid Waters | 6 | 2 (33%) |
| Varsity Lakes | 6 | 2 (33%) |
| Tweed Heads | 7 | 2 (29%) |
| Southport | 18 | 4 (22%) |
| Elanora | 5 | 1 (20%) |
| Pottsville | 5 | 1 (20%) |
| Merrimac | 6 | 1 (17%) |
How the ratings work: National Quality Standard ratings explained.
Types of care in Gold Coast
| Type of care | Services in Gold Coast |
|---|---|
| Long day care | 264 |
| Kindergarten or preschool program | 100 |
| Family day care schemes | 3 |
| Before and after school care | 128 |
| Vacation care | 127 |
Services that offer more than one type of care are counted once for each. Family day care is counted by scheme, not by educator.
What childcare costs in Gold Coast
The Department of Education publishes fees by state, not by city. Long day care in Queensland averaged $14.15 an hour in the June quarter 2026, about $142 for a 10-hour day before the Child Care Subsidy. What a family pays after the subsidy depends on income:
| Family income | Subsidy rate | Daily gap fee |
|---|---|---|
| $80,000 | 90% | $14 |
| $120,000 | 84% | $23 |
| $180,000 | 72% | $40 |
For a 10-hour day at the Queensland average fee, one child under school age, before the 5% of the subsidy that is withheld until the year is balanced. Work out your own with the CCS calculator, or see childcare fees by state.
All suburbs in Gold Coast
- Arundel 7
- Ashmore 12
- Banora Point 7
- Beechmont 1
- Benowa 9
- Biggera Waters 3
- Bilambil 1
- Bilambil Heights 1
- Bilinga 1
- Bogangar 3
- Bonogin 1
- Broadbeach 3
- Broadbeach Waters 3
- Bundall 3
- Burleigh Heads 7
- Burleigh Waters 5
- Burleigh West 1
- Carrara 6
- Casuarina 2
- Chinderah 3
- Clear Island Waters 2
- Coolangatta 2
- Coombabah 3
- Coomera 21
- Coomera East 1
- Currumbin 2
- Currumbin Valley 2
- Currumbin Waters 6
- Elanora 5
- Gaven 4
- Gilston 2
- Helensvale 9
- Highland Park 2
- Hope Island 4
- Isle of Capri 2
- Kingscliff 4
- Kirra 1
- Labrador 8
- Lower Beechmont 1
- Maudsland 3
- Mermaid Beach 1
- Mermaid Waters 7
- Merrimac 6
- Miami 2
- Molendinar 1
- Mt Nathan 1
- Mudgeeraba 17
- Musgrave Hill 1
- Nerang 15
- Ormeau 12
- Ormeau Hills 1
- Oxenford 7
- Pacific Pines 8
- Palm Beach 4
- Paradise Point 1
- Parkwood 2
- Pimpama 19
- Pottsville 5
- Pottsville Beach 1
- Reedy Creek 8
- Robina 13
- Runaway Bay 4
- South Tweed Heads 1
- Southport 19
- Surfers Paradise 3
- Tallai 1
- Tallebudgera 6
- Terranora 2
- Tugun 3
- Tweed Heads 7
- Tweed Heads South 5
- Tweed Heads West 1
- Upper Coomera 16
- Varsity Lakes 6
- West Burleigh 1
- Willow Vale 1
- Worongary 5
Frequently asked questions
How many childcare centres are there in Gold Coast?
There are 376 approved childcare services in the Gold Coast urban area, including Tweed Heads in New South Wales, including 264 that offer long day care and 128 that offer before and after school care. Many services offer more than one type of care.
How much does childcare cost in Gold Coast?
Long day care in Queensland averaged $14.15 an hour in the June quarter 2026, about $142 for a 10-hour day before the Child Care Subsidy. A family earning $120,000 pays about $23 a day after the subsidy. Fees vary by centre, so check each service directly.
How many Gold Coast childcare services are rated Exceeding?
51 of the 369 rated services in Gold Coast (14%) are rated Exceeding the National Quality Standard or Excellent, compared with 18% across Australia.
Which Gold Coast suburbs have the most childcare?
Coomera (21), Pimpama (19) and Southport (19) have the most approved services in Gold Coast.
Services and ratings: ACECQA National Registers, export of 29 October 2026. City boundary: ABS Significant Urban Area (Gold Coast), ASGS Edition 3 (2021), matched to services by postcode. Fees: Department of Education, Child Care Subsidy data report, June quarter 2026.