At a glance
- When
- Friday 30 October 2026, 5pm to 8pm; free entry
- Road closure
- Nerang Street between Scarborough Street and the Gold Coast Highway, 11am to 11pm
- Parking
- Mal Burke and Cloyne Road car parks (fees 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday); Australia Fair free for 3 hours
- Getting there
- G:link; Nerang Street station is named for the street
- Dogs
- Welcome
- Help
- Translink 13 12 30
Nerang Street in Southport is fully closed between Scarborough Street and the Gold Coast Highway from 11am to 11pm on Friday 30 October, for the free CBD Twilight Markets, which run from 5pm to 8pm. The easiest way in is the G:link tram, and the council car parks nearby stop charging at 5pm, which is when the markets open.
The markets are presented by the City of Gold Coast with QLD Vegan Markets. Entry is free, and dogs are welcome.
When and where is Nerang Street closed?
The City of Gold Coast’s city alerts list a full road closure of Nerang Street, Southport, for Friday 30 October 2026, from 11:00am to 11:00pm. The notice gives the closed section as Nerang Street between Scarborough Street and the Gold Coast Highway (Marine Parade) and says the closure is “to facilitate safe event management”. The notice calls the event the “CBS Twilight Markets”. It is the same Friday as the CBD Twilight Markets listed at 5 Nerang Street, so we treat them as one event.
| What | Time, Friday 30 October |
|---|---|
| Nerang Street closed (Scarborough Street to Gold Coast Highway) | 11:00am – 11:00pm |
| Markets open | 5:00pm – 8:00pm |
The closure starts six hours before the markets open and ends three hours after they finish. If you drive through Southport on the Friday, plan around Nerang Street for the whole day rather than only the evening. The City’s notice does not give a detour route.
What’s on?
Inside Gold Coast’s What’s On listing, which credits the City of Gold Coast as presenter, describes a free, dog-friendly evening of street food, live music and market stalls. It lists vegan-friendly food from QLD Vegan Markets, live music from Matt Hansford and DVNA, a vinyl DJ set by Transit Venus, and Souls On Fire painting a mural during the evening. The event page on Facebook is hosted by the City of Gold Coast and QLD Vegan Markets and gives the address as 5 Nerang Street, Southport.
The markets have run before. Last year’s edition was on Friday 19 September 2025 at the same address and the same hours, 5pm to 8pm. Its old event page is still online, so check that you are reading the 2026 page, which is dated Friday 30 October.
Where can I park?
The Inside Gold Coast listing names three car parks: Mal Burke Carpark, Cloyne Road Carpark and Australia Fair. It encourages carpooling and says fees may apply. The City’s own pages for Mal Burke and Cloyne Road give the rules below. Both are council car parks that are open 24 hours.
| Car park | What the operator says |
|---|---|
| Mal Burke Carpark (Hicks Street) | Two storeys. Vehicles over 2.08 metres high and trailers are not allowed. Fees apply 9am – 5pm, Monday to Saturday; free outside those times |
| Cloyne Road Carpark | Outdoor car park between Cloyne Road and Marshall Lane. Fees apply 9am – 5pm, Monday to Saturday; free outside those times |
| Australia Fair (Marine Parade) | Ticketless. The first 3 hours are free, then $8.00 for 3 to 3.5 hours, rising to $40.00 after 8 hours. Car park open 4:30am – 12:30am. Card payments only |
Both council car parks charge $3.20 an hour or $9.20 for the day, as of October 2026. Because the markets open at 5pm, the council fees should not apply to an evening-only visit. If you park earlier in the day, you pay for the time before 5pm.
Australia Fair’s own directions say that if you are driving south on the Gold Coast Highway, you exit immediately after Nerang Street and turn right onto Marine Parade. The car park has a north and a south entry, both on Marine Parade. Check the signs on the day for any change to the closures.
Is there public transport?
The listing says the G runs every 15 minutes to Southport Station. The G:link network has three stops in this part of Southport: Nerang Street, Southport and Southport South. The organisers name Southport, so use the Translink journey planner (13 12 30) to pick the stop and the walk that suits you. We have not measured walking distances.
As of 12 October we found no Translink notice that changes tram or train services on Friday 30 October. The Gold Coast 500 weekend a week earlier does change tram stops and services. Our Gold Coast 500 parking and public transport guide covers that.
What if it rains?
None of the pages we checked gives a wet-weather plan or a cancellation policy. Before you travel, check the City of Gold Coast or QLD Vegan Markets event page on Facebook for any change.
Quick checklist
- Entry: free, no tickets.
- Dogs: welcome, according to the listing.
- Driving: avoid Nerang Street between Scarborough Street and the Gold Coast Highway from 11am to 11pm.
- Parking: council car parks are free after 5pm; Australia Fair is free for the first 3 hours.
- Tram: G:link to Southport; confirm the stop in the journey planner.
- Not published: a detour route, a wet-weather plan and a full stall list.
More guides: Gold Coast parking guide
Sources
- City of Gold Coast — City alerts, Nerang Street closure (checked 12 October 2026)
- Inside Gold Coast — CBD Twilight Markets listing
- Facebook — CBD Twilight Markets, 30 October 2026 (City of Gold Coast and QLD Vegan Markets)
- City of Gold Coast — Mal Burke Carpark
- City of Gold Coast — Cloyne Road Carpark
- Australia Fair — Parking
- Australia Fair — Getting here
- G:link — All stations
Featured image: Nerang Street G:link station, Southport (photo: Nottashaa432 / CC0)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with the City of Gold Coast, QLD Vegan Markets, Australia Fair or Translink. Check the official pages above before you go.