Labrador Liveability Snapshot
Labrador, at a glance
Position, central–northern Gold Coast, established Broadwater-side suburb immediately north of Southport
Distance to Brisbane, approximately a 1 hour drive
Commute to Gold Coast Airport, approximately 40 minutes
Vibe, quieter and more residential than Southport, established, Broadwater-oriented
Best for, buyers who want Broadwater access, established streets, and better value than beachside suburbs
Day to day, quieter and more residential than Southport, with a strong local routine feel
Walkability, moderate to good near the Broadwater and Labrador village pockets
Transport, bus-based, easy access north and south, short drive to tram stops in Southport
Schools, catchment dependent, multiple state primary and secondary options depending on street
Hazards, property specific, flood overlays apply in some low-lying areas near the Broadwater
If you want the investor view as well, including how the house, unit and duplex market behaves and what drives price movement in different Labrador pockets, email me and I can give you a quick, plain-English summary tailored to your budget and property type.
If you are moving over from NZ, start here, at my Moving from NZ hub, with checklists, early admin steps, and Gold Coast suburb guidance.
Overview
Labrador is an established, Broadwater-side suburb located immediately north of Southport. It is predominantly residential, with a mix of older homes, renovated houses, duplexes, and low-rise unit blocks. Compared with Southport, Labrador generally feels quieter and more suburban, while still offering easy access to shopping, schools, medical services, and the Broadwater lifestyle.
Who Labrador suits best
Labrador suits families, downsizers, and buyers who want space, established streets, and access to water and parks without the intensity of a CBD environment. It is often chosen by people who like the Broadwater lifestyle but want a calmer day-to-day feel than Surfers Paradise or central Southport.
If you are looking for high-rise living, nightlife, or a very walkable café and retail core, Labrador may feel too spread out and residential.
Why choose Labrador
Labrador is often chosen for its Broadwater lifestyle, established streets, and quieter residential feel compared with nearby Southport. It appeals to buyers who want water access, parks and space without high-rise density or a CBD environment.
For many families and downsizers, Labrador offers a balance between lifestyle and practicality, with access to schools, medical services and shopping while still feeling settled day to day.
Housing and streetscape feel
Labrador has a strong mix of housing types. You will see post-war homes, renovated family houses, duplexes, townhouses and low-rise unit blocks, particularly closer to the Broadwater.
Street feel varies by pocket. Some areas have wide, leafy streets with long-term owner occupiers, while others are more mixed with rental stock. As with Southport, liveability is very pocket dependent, but Labrador generally feels more consistent and residential overall.
Getting around and commute reality
Labrador is primarily car-based, although bus services connect the suburb to Southport, the tram, and surrounding areas. Most residents drive for work, school and shopping, but proximity to Southport means major services are only a short trip away.
For those working in Southport, the hospital precinct, or central Gold Coast locations, commute times are generally reasonable.
Schools and education
State school zoning in Queensland is address-based, not suburb-name based. Labrador overlaps multiple school catchments, so the only reliable way to confirm eligibility is to check the exact address in EdMap for the relevant year level and enrolment year.
Primary schools your Labrador address may be zoned for:
Labrador State School
Biggera Waters State School
Southport State School
Musgrave Hill State School
Secondary schools your Labrador address may be zoned for:
Southport State High School
Keebra Park State High School
When researching Labrador and nearby Southport schools online, you will often see mixed reviews. That is common in larger, centrally located catchments with diverse student populations. Online commentary usually reflects individual experiences rather than the overall day-to-day environment. As with Pimpama and Southport, visiting the school, understanding catchment rules, and considering your child’s specific needs will give you far more useful insight than review sites alone.
If you are relocating with kids and want help shortlisting schools and aligning catchments with your housing search, I offer a Family Relocation Concierge option; details are on my services page.
Parks, sports and lifestyle amenities
Labrador’s standout feature is its direct access to the Broadwater. The foreshore offers long walking and cycling paths, playgrounds, picnic areas and water access, making it a major drawcard for families and downsizers.
There are also local parks scattered throughout the suburb, supporting a strong outdoor, everyday lifestyle rather than a destination-style precinct.
Convenience and day-to-day essentials
Labrador has good local convenience, including neighbourhood shops, cafés, medical services and takeaway options. Bigger retail centres and major services are close by in Southport and Biggera Waters.
For most residents, daily errands are straightforward and do not require long drives.
Dining and cafés
Dining in Labrador is local and understated, with cafés and casual eateries spread through village pockets and along main roads. The focus is on everyday use rather than destination dining or nightlife.
For broader dining options, residents typically travel a short distance to Southport, Broadbeach or coastal precincts, which allows Labrador to retain a quieter residential feel.
Shopping and everyday services
Labrador has good everyday convenience, including neighbourhood shopping strips, medical services, takeaway and supermarkets. Larger retail and specialist services are close by in Southport and Biggera Waters.
This supports day-to-day living without Labrador needing to function as a major commercial hub.
Community profile
Labrador has a mixed but stable community. You will find long-term locals, families, retirees, and renters, with less short-term turnover than more central or tourist-focused suburbs.
It generally feels more settled than Southport, with fewer visitors and less night-time activity.
Crime and safety, relative to the Gold Coast
Using Queensland Police data and suburb benchmarking tools, Labrador generally sits below Southport and around the mid range for the Gold Coast overall, with variation by pocket. Activity is higher near main roads and shopping areas and lower in purely residential streets.
As with all suburbs, crime varies significantly by pocket, so it is worth checking the Queensland Police crime map for the specific area you are considering rather than relying on suburb-wide averages.
Socioeconomic context, SEIFA
SEIFA provides area-level context rather than insight into individual households. A lower score indicates greater relative disadvantage, and a higher score indicates less disadvantage.
For Labrador (SA2 Labrador), the Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) score is approximately 925, placing it around decile 3 out of 10 nationally (higher decile indicates less disadvantage).
Labrador has a higher share of rental housing and unit stock in some pockets, particularly closer to major roads and the Broadwater unit strips, which can pull SEIFA down compared with suburbs that are dominated by detached family homes. At the same time, Labrador also has established owner-occupier streets and improving pockets, so lived experience can vary a lot block to block.
Plain English takeaway: Labrador trends lower on SEIFA overall, but lived experience varies significantly by street, housing type and proximity to the Broadwater. Suburb-wide statistics matter far less here than pocket selection.
Price and rental context
Labrador generally sits in the lower to mid price range for Broadwater-adjacent suburbs on the Gold Coast, offering better value than beachfront locations while still benefiting from water access and established infrastructure. Pricing varies strongly by pocket, housing type and proximity to the Broadwater.
Median house price, around $950k
Median unit price, around $650k
Median 4 bedroom house rent, around $850 per week
Median unit rent, around $700 per week
Medians sourced from realestate.com.au, for 12 months to December 2025
As a broad guide only, and subject to market conditions at the time, houses closer to the Broadwater and in quieter streets typically attract a premium, while units show wider variation depending on building age, density and body corporate costs.
Plain English takeaway: Labrador offers Broadwater proximity at a lower entry point than beachside suburbs, but price and liveability vary sharply by street and dwelling type. Most buyers narrow to specific pockets early in their search.
Flood, bushfire and natural hazard considerations
Parts of Labrador are low lying and close to the Broadwater, so flood overlays can apply to some properties, particularly ground-level dwellings and homes closer to waterways. Flood risk is not suburb wide, but it is important to check the specific address.
Bushfire hazard is limited and generally applies only where properties sit near mapped vegetation. As with any suburb, overlays are property specific.
As with any area where overlays may apply, insurance premiums can vary by property, so it is worth getting an insurance quote early in your decision-making process.
Quick take, pros and trade-offs
Pros:
Broadwater lifestyle, quieter and more residential than Southport, established streets, good value relative to beachside suburbs, family and downsizer friendly.
Trade-offs:
More car dependent, fewer cafés and nightlife options, housing quality varies by pocket, flood overlays apply in some low-lying areas.
Helpful links
These tools are address-specific, so always check the exact property before relying on suburb-wide assumptions.
School catchments, EdMap
Queensland Police crime map
City of Gold Coast flood planning map
FloodCheck Queensland
City of Gold Coast bushfire overlay mapping
Helpful note
Labrador is a suburb where street selection really matters. If you are shortlisting it, narrowing to a few pockets and checking schools, flood overlays and street feel will give you a far more accurate sense of liveability than suburb-wide statistics alone.
If you want, I am happy to sanity-check a specific street, school catchment, or property against how you want to live day to day - Lets Talk.
