Understand
When you cross the wide Tweed River from the south, you remain in New South Wales for around 5km before passing into Queensland. The border is in the built up retail area near the mouth of the river.
Where is the border?
The border between New South Wales and Queensland winds its way through the towns of Tweed Heads and Coolangatta. With buildings, roads, and other structures spanning the border it is often not obvious which state you are in. This can be important in summer months, when New South Wales operates on daylight savings time, and Queensland does not. If you land at Coolangatta airport from the south, you will touch down in New South Wales, and taxi to the terminal in Queensland. The border is actually the 19th century survey line of the watershed. When surveyor Evans followed the MacPherson range eastwards he was directed to mark the border and terminate it at Point Danger, however the watershed hit the coast at Currumbin headland some distance north. He drew a direct line from the hill behind Currumbin to what was thought to be Point Danger, thus the border runs parallel to the beach for some kms before terminating at the headland north of the Tweed River mouth.
Coolangatta is pronounced with the emphasis on the second-to-last syllable, like regatta, and unlike Talangatta.
Tweed Heads Visitor Information Centre
Providing tourism information for the Tweed region. Maps, posters and souvenirs. Accommodation, tour and cruise booking service. Open 7 days. or Ph: 1800 674 414 within Australia only