Highland Park

Lifestyle & dining

Day-to-day life in Highland Park tends to revolve around the surrounding centres rather than a single main street within the suburb itself. Nerang, just next door, does the heavy lifting for cafes, pubs and casual dining, while Carrara and Merrimac add further options, including the well-known Carrara Markets on weekends. It's a lifestyle built around convenience and green space rather than nightlife — residents are typically drawn by the quieter, hillier residential streets rather than any strip of shops on their doorstep.

For those who want a bigger night out or a beach fix, the drive to Broadbeach or Surfers Paradise is straightforward, making Highland Park a genuine base for people who want hinterland calm with the coast still on the menu.

Shopping

Highland Park relies on its neighbours for major retail, with Nerang offering a full-service shopping centre, supermarkets and everyday essentials just minutes away. Carrara and Merrimac add further retail and bulky-goods options, while the Robina Town Centre — one of the Gold Coast's largest shopping and lifestyle precincts — is also within comfortable reach for bigger shopping trips, cinemas and specialty stores.

Getting around

The Pacific Motorway (M1) is readily accessible via Nerang, giving Highland Park residents quick connections both north toward Brisbane and south toward the coast's business and tourism hubs. Nerang railway station, on the Gold Coast line, provides rail access into Robina, Helensvale and beyond, making a car-free commute towards the light rail network or Brisbane's outer reaches possible for those who plan around it.

Within the suburb itself, the road network is typically hinterland-style — winding and hilly — so most residents rely on cars for local trips, with Nerang, Carrara and Gilston all a short drive away for work, school runs and errands.

Schools & families

William Duncan State School serves the local area and is a key drawcard for families choosing Highland Park, offering a genuine community school option without the commute into central Nerang or Carrara. The broader area also benefits from the wider pool of primary and secondary options across Nerang, Merrimac and Carrara, giving families flexibility as children move through different stages of schooling.

Parks & recreation

Highland Park's hinterland setting means plenty of green outlooks, sloping parkland and leafy streets, well suited to families and those who enjoy an active, outdoor routine. Nearby Advancetown and Gilston extend the sense of open space further into acreage and rural-residential country, while Carrara's sporting precinct — including major event and recreation grounds — sits just a short drive away for organised sport, markets and larger community events.

The property market

Highland Park's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached: current listings show 71% houses, alongside 18% townhouses, 7% apartments or units and 4% land, reflecting the suburb's low-density, family-home character. The median house price currently sits at $1.24 million, backed by strong recent momentum, with house prices up 17.5% over the past year — a notable run that points to sustained buyer demand for the area's larger blocks and hinterland outlook.

Renters are looking at a median of $990 a week, underlining Highland Park's positioning as a premium, family-focused pocket rather than an entry-level suburb. With relatively limited land and unit stock coming to market, competition for well-presented houses is likely to remain a feature of the local market, particularly given the suburb's proximity to Nerang's transport and retail infrastructure.