The making of
a modern city
From coastal villages to a fast-changing city,
the Gold Coast is catching up with itself
The making of a modern city
From coastal villages to a fast-changing city,
the Gold Coast is catching up with itself
The Gold Coast was never supposed to become one of Australia’s largest cities. What began as a loose chain of coastal villages has evolved into a booming urban economy of more than 700,000 people, a city growing so rapidly it’s still trying to catch up with itself. By 2040, the population is expected to surpass one million, placing increasing pressure on housing, transport, healthcare, and the infrastructure needed to support modern city life.
Unlike Brisbane or Sydney, the Gold Coast didn’t grow according to a long-term blueprint. It expanded organically, driven by lifestyle, climate and migration, transforming from a holiday destination into one of the country’s fastest-changing urban landscapes.
Today, cranes rise across the skyline as hospitals expand, light rail pushes further south, and new communities emerge across the region. Construction has become the city’s largest industry, contributing $4.5 billion annually to an economy now valued at more than $45 billion.
For Bond University Assistant Professor Dr Vanessa Menadue, the Gold Coast’s transformation represents both extraordinary opportunity and mounting complexity.
“We moved here from Adelaide 12 years ago, and we came for the weather,” she says.
“When you realise it’s not just a holiday destination, that you can actually have a life in this type of climate, it’s amazing.”
Vanessa’s background is in architectural practice, later transitioning into construction management and academia — two disciplines that shape the way she understands a city that, in many ways, is still building itself.
A city without a masterplan
The Gold Coast's growth story is unlike any other Australian city. "There was no master plan,” says Vanessa.
"It's been created out of the organic growth of people wanting to live in a beautiful location. But a lot of tension and stress comes with that."
In 1975, the Gold Coast had a population of around 110,000, scattered across a series of isolated coastal villages. Today that number has grown roughly six-fold, and it continues to climb.
The city's population is expected to grow across all age groups, with a youth population forecast to expand by 38.3%, bucking Queensland-wide trends, and one of the fastest-growing ageing populations in the state.
“When there is a master plan, you build the infrastructure with the expectation of population growth,” Vanessa says.
"The Gold Coast is sometimes on the back foot. There are so many people moving here, and the infrastructure is built in reaction to that.”
A city without a masterplan
The Gold Coast's growth story is unlike any other Australian city. "There was no master plan,” says Vanessa.
"It's been created out of the organic growth of people wanting to live in a beautiful location. But a lot of tension and stress comes with that."
In 1975, the Gold Coast had a population of around 110,000, scattered across a series of isolated coastal villages. Today that number has grown roughly six-fold, and it continues to climb.
The city's population is expected to grow across all age groups, with a youth population forecast to expand by 38.3%, bucking Queensland-wide trends, and one of the fastest-growing ageing populations in the state.
“When there is a master plan, you build the infrastructure with the expectation of population growth,” Vanessa says.
"The Gold Coast is sometimes on the back foot. There are so many people moving here, and the infrastructure is built in reaction to that.”
The skills the city needs
With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games on the horizon, the region faces another chapter of accelerated development, with infrastructure upgrades, accommodation, transport and venue projects that demand construction expertise at every level.
"Because of the demands we have at the moment, and the number of active projects, there are shortages at all levels and all skill areas," Vanessa says.
While skilled tradespeople are in short supply, the less visible shortage is in construction management.
"We're putting buildings into existing areas, and we need people with the skills to deliver those — how to manage the logistics of bringing materials onto site, bringing people onto site," Vanessa says.
"Scheduling and staging are integral. Without that type of skill, the whole project slows down."
It's this gap that Bond University’s Bachelor of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying and Master of Construction Practice is designed to address. The program prepares graduates to be leaders, managing the sequencing, problem-solving, and adaptive thinking that complex urban construction demands.
"People with the ability to solve problems, think quickly on their feet, that's what we aim to instil in our graduates, to give them those skills to go into the workforce and make a meaningful contribution," Vanessa says.
The skills the city needs
With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games on the horizon, the region faces another chapter of accelerated development, with infrastructure upgrades, accommodation, transport and venue projects that demand construction expertise at every level.
"Because of the demands we have at the moment, and the number of active projects, there are shortages at all levels and all skill areas," Vanessa says.
While skilled tradespeople are in short supply, the less visible shortage is in construction management.
"We're putting buildings into existing areas, and we need people with the skills to deliver those — how to manage the logistics of bringing materials onto site, bringing people onto site," Vanessa says.
"Scheduling and staging are integral. Without that type of skill, the whole project slows down."
It's this gap that Bond University’s Bachelor of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying and Master of Construction Practice is designed to address. The program prepares graduates to be leaders, managing the sequencing, problem-solving, and adaptive thinking that complex urban construction demands.
"People with the ability to solve problems, think quickly on their feet, that's what we aim to instil in our graduates, to give them those skills to go into the workforce and make a meaningful contribution," Vanessa says.
Industry at the door
For students entering construction, there are few better places to be than a city mid-transformation.
"There's a really wide range of mentoring opportunities through the different industry organisations, and I find that most people in the industry are really open to giving back, to help encourage and build up confidence and skills of students who will be entering into the industry," Vanessa says.
Bond has formalised that relationship through the ADCO x Bond Mentor Excellence Program, a partnership with construction company ADCO that connects students with senior industry mentors.
"Finding a first job after university can be a challenge, so being able to build industry connections while you're at university helps you then get that foot in the door," Vanessa says.
Interested in shaping the cities of tomorrow? Explore Bond University's Master of Construction Practice.
Industry at the door
For students entering construction, there are few better places to be than a city mid-transformation.
"There's a really wide range of mentoring opportunities through the different industry organisations, and I find that most people in the industry are really open to giving back, to help encourage and build up confidence and skills of students who will be entering into the industry," Vanessa says.
Bond has formalised that relationship through the ADCO x Bond Mentor Excellence Program, a partnership with construction company ADCO that connects students with senior industry mentors.
"Finding a first job after university can be a challenge, so being able to build industry connections while you're at university helps you then get that foot in the door," Vanessa says.
From Lego to large-scale projects
When Neve Cobham was a child, she had a simple question for her dad: how could she spend the rest of her life playing with Lego?
“His answer was being in construction,” she says. “I’m glad I asked that question because it definitely started my interest in looking at buildings and trying to figure out how they were put together.”
Originally from New Zealand, Neve moved to Australia to study Bond University’s Bachelor of Construction Management and Quantity Surveying, graduating in 2024.
“I was very intrigued to see the process of starting at one point and ending up at a building,” she says.
“Construction management really stood out to me because it’s working with people, problem solving, but also having that maths aspect with the finance side.”
During her studies, Neve was selected for the ADCO x Bond Mentor Excellence Program, where she was paired with ADCO Project Manager Tom Warren. The mentorship gave her firsthand exposure to different construction careers, from project engineering to contracts administration.
“I wanted some guidance on my future steps because I was in my last year of studying,” she says.
“I tried all of those roles and came to the conclusion that contracts administration was where I wanted to start.”
Now working as a Graduate Contracts Administrator with ADCO, Neve says the transition from university into industry has been exciting and rewarding.
“It meant a lot to know I have a company that’s very supportive and to be able to put everything I learnt theoretically into action,” she says.
She believes the future of construction is full of opportunity, particularly for women entering the industry.
“Being at Bond inspired me to follow a career in construction. There are a lot of female lecturers, who are so encouraging, so it is lovely to be able to look up to them and work in the industry alongside them.”
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