The Cooly Hotel

The Coolangatta Hotel, known as The Cooly, has been bringing friends and families together on the corner of Warner Street and Marine Parade since 1910. It sits on Marine Parade in the centre of Coolangatta and is one of the coast's established live music venues, booking acts from Australia and overseas as well as local bands.

Music is the main reason many people come. The upstairs Bandroom hosts gigs by both local and international acts, and the public bar has live entertainment from Tuesday to Sunday at various times, so there is often something on even if you have not bought a ticket for a headline show. A balcony area also features in the venue's programme, with its own listings in the gig guide. The venue publishes a gig guide on its website, which is the place to check who is playing during your visit and to buy tickets for Bandroom shows.

Away from the stage, The Cooly works as a classic Australian pub. There is a restaurant and beer garden for relaxed meals, daily lunch specials on weekdays and weekly specials through the week, along with pool tables, live sport on big screens and a TAB, Keno and gaming lounge. Trivia, bingo and karaoke nights add to the mix, and function spaces are available for private events.

The pub suits music fans, groups of friends, families wanting an informal meal and anyone looking for a no-frills local night out. It opens every day from 9am, so it covers everything from a late breakfast or lunch after a morning on the beach through to a gig in the evening. If you are coming for a particular band, buy tickets in advance through the website, as popular shows can sell out.

Coolangatta sits at the southern end of the Gold Coast, close to the border with New South Wales, and The Cooly is well placed for a full day in the area: a morning walk around Greenmount Hill to Rainbow Bay and up to the Point Danger lookout, lunch or coffee nearby, then music at the pub. Contact details and a contact form are on the official website.