Brief history of Nerang

The physical location of Nerang township in the late 1800s was determined, in part, by the fact that the Nerang River was navigable by steam ships that started to service this area from about 1872 onwards. However, prior to this, as described more fully in the social history section, cedar cutters had taken logs from upstream areas down to Nerang to build rafts for subsequent transfer of timber to Brisbane and beyond.

Nerang has a central location within the Gold Coast. In terms of geographic centrality relative to other parts of the Gold Coast, Nerang simply cannot be matched!  It was because of the centrality of Nerang that the former Albert Shire chose this town as the most obvious and practical site for the shire offices. However, within the amalgamated Gold Coast City Council area Nerang remains at the geographical heart of the city, so it makes good practical sense to retain the local government complex within Nerang to ensure fairest access for all city and hinterland residents. Other location advantages for Nerang include the ready access off the upgraded Pacific Motorway, the Nerang Railway Station and linked coastal bus services (and, in time, perhaps a light rail service).