Looking for a holiday? Paradise? Look no more. Australia it is. The beautiful Gold Coast in Australia’s sunshine state of Queensland is a modern day Garden of Eden.

How do I know? Australia’s Gold Coast is my home, a home I love with pride and passion, akin to my love for my Maltese wife and family.

Why 153,805 Maltese? Australia is their home, and a holiday destination surpassing all others ‘down under’ is the beautiful Gold Coast - it happens to be our undisputed national favourite.

Biased? Not me. Our govern­ment chose the Gold Coast over the capital for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

Australia’s Gold Coast truly deserves a Gold medal. Boasting a magic nightlife, the world renowned Jupiters casino, a Versace resort overlooking Marina Mirage and direct ocean access, Monte Carlo locals will surely envy us.

With more to offer than Majorca, the Gold Coast bathes in glorious sunshine all year round and lives up to the claim ‘Beautiful one day, perfect the next’. Blessed with over 70 kilometres of golden shores evenly spread in both directions, the Gold Coast’s famous Surfers Paradise beach is Malibu’s match.

In Australia, we know Malta as a Commonwealth ‘sister’ with a population of about 400,000 within a land area of 316 square kilometres. Indeed, Malta is the smallest and most densely populated member of the EU – but size is not everything.

In contrast to Malta, Australia is the world’s largest island continent with 7.7 million square kilometres and perhaps the least densely populated with 21 million inhabitants, most of whom declare their ancestry to be from all over the world.

Australia’s last census (2006) revealed that 115,280 claimed Maltese ancestry while 153,805 claimed Maltese ancestry. So come on down, you’ll be at home with us. The really good news is that many carriers fly directly into the Gold Coast, so you arrive in the heart of your destination with no rail and little road travel.

Flying into Gold Coast is an experience you’ll never forget. I’m a pilot and love to fly, nowhere more so than the Gold Coast environs. The aircraft will bank a little on arrival, the glistening shores of beautiful beaches will stretch out before you as far as the eye can see, the horizon will seem to be so distant yet is so close. Queensland’s southern sky is crystal clear.

Hugging the blue Pacific oceanside, the high-rise apart­ments will look a little like chess pieces at first, all lined up along the water’s edge for over 50 kilometres.

The world’s tallest residential building (we call it ‘Q1’) appears like a king or queen, towering over pawns, castles and bishops, the low-rise units below.

You may well find yourself mesmerised by a labyrinth of inland waterways running parallel with beaches, up and down the coastline, where many Gold Coast residents live. Magnificent canal and riverfront homes abound upon tidal waters so fresh that some of us pump it up for our spas and pools.

Before landing, cast your eyes a little more inland for a picturesque view of our hinterland mountains; Australia’s famous Great Dividing Range (also running parallel to coastal resorts) is but 25 kilometres away, a 30-minute drive.

These mountains (the world’s oldest) span over 3,500 kilo­metres from Australia’s northern tip in Queensland to the southern ranges of Victoria. Here, on the Gold Coast, so many of these mountain ranges are World Heritage tropical rainforests with top class resorts, all within easy reach of locals and tourists.

In less than an hour in any direction from Gold Coast airport you will arrive at a hotel/resort complex/apartment of your choice – two-star or five-and-a-half-star, or a self-catering unit, beachside caravan park or hinterland camping under real stars.

The friendliness of Gold Coasters will amaze you and safety is something you will experience from the minute you step off the jet and are enveloped in a mild subtropical bath-like climate.

The first sensation upon disembarking your aircraft might be of brightness. So many travellers ‘down under’ marvel at the brightness of our southern world, especially here on the Gold Coast, where pollution is at a minimum all year round.

Shopping: Our Gold Coast is feted as Australia’s best shopping destination, with major retail precincts close to farmers’ markets, or within a racecourse. Late night shopping is not a problem and international labels abound. How about Gucci, Cartier, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Versace and more? Want a real Rolex? OK.

Restaurants: There are hundreds of restaurants, cafes, bars and fast food outlets along the Gold Coast strip, a 70-kilometre smorgasbord famous worldwide for seafood, tropical fruits and locally grown vegetables.

Our multicultural society guarantees diversity and satisfaction for all palates. Clubs for social and dining pleasure? We have RSL’s and many sports clubs, including German, Greek and Italian clubs. Tipping? Only if you want to.

Do you prefer to stay in and cook? Great! Plenty of inex­pensive produce available seven days a week at supermarkets you’ll want to photograph. Fishing? Have a go along our magic main river, sandy beaches or any of a multitude of public jetties. If not, drop in on the trawlers at the wharf where you are surely to be given a warm welcome. Your reward will be fresh fish, crabs and prawns.

Swim and surf: Or just sunbake. Our beaches have fairdinkum lifesavers all year round, and like Qantas up in the sky, our Surfers Paradise lifesavers have never lost a life between their flags.

Snorkel in the clear, calm waters if you prefer, surrounded by little Nemos. Or take a half-day canal, river or island cruise.

Theme parks: Our Dream­world, Movieworld and Seaworld are miniature versions of Disneyland and others in the US – but less crowded and safer.

Wildlife sanctuaries: The Gold Coast is famous for hands-on experiences with native animals. You can put a kangaroo, or hold a baby crocodile and someone will take a photo.

Wander sugarcane fields, pick your own strawberries, swim with dolphins or see shearers shear sheep (say it fast), you’ll love it all. Just make sure you come.