In less than 100 years, the Gold Coast has evolved from a handful of seaside villages to a world famous holiday destination. Much of that growth has been built on the city’s reputation as the perfect destination for surfers. The Gold Coast’s prime surf conditions were recognised as early as 1917, when Queensland’s southern coastal strip was described as a ‘surfer’s paradise’. In 1933, the region then known as Elston was officially renamed Surfers Paradise. The 1970s saw the rise of a strong surfing industry on the Gold Coast and by 1977, the city was in the spotlight when it hosted the Stubbies Surf Classic at Burleigh Heads. This was the first event of the modern world surfing tour which was appropriately won by a local surfing legend. Nowadays, surfing is a huge part of the city’s culture and economy. The world famous surf breaks continue to attract international surfers, as well as producing talented home-grown surfing world champions.