How we help Gold Coast families
Whatever stage you are at, we set out a clear plan and handle the process for you. We can:
Experienced with the matters that come up on the coast
Complimentary 15-Minute Call with a Family Lawyer
In 15 minutes, a Brisbane family lawyer will pinpoint the deadline that applies to you, your best next step, and the documents to gather first.
By filling this in you are ok with us contacting you back by phone, sms or email, if you have a preference, please let us know.
This call is general guidance only and not a full advice appointment.
Where are Gold Coast family law matters heard?
There is no family court registry on the Gold Coast. The Southport courthouse is a state District Court, not the federal family court, so Gold Coast divorce, parenting and property matters are filed through the Brisbane registry on the Commonwealth Courts Portal under the Family Law Act 1975. You do not travel to Brisbane for that. We prepare and lodge everything, and we appear if a matter is contested.
Gold Coast family law services
We act across the full range of family law for Gold Coast clients, with property settlement and divorce as our main focus.
Divorce and separation
Advice on the divorce application, the twelve month separation requirement, and what a divorce does and does not resolve.
Property settlement
Dividing assets after separation, including complex pools with trusts, businesses, superannuation and investment property. See property settlement.
What Our Clients Say About Us
Clients describe our team as professional, empathetic and clear in the way we explain options and next steps.
Local family law issues on the Gold Coast
Some of what we deal with here is shaped by the Gold Coast itself: the state border, the visitor economy, and the kind of assets local families hold.
Cross-border separations with Tweed Heads and New South Wales
Coolangatta sits on the Queensland and New South Wales border, so many southern Gold Coast families have a former partner across the line, or children and property split between Coolangatta, Tweed Heads and the northern rivers.
Family law is federal and applies the same on either side, but state domestic violence orders, where the children live and go to school, and serving a party interstate all need care. We deal with these border matters regularly.
Dividing a Gold Coast small business or short-term rental
The southern Gold Coast runs on tourism, hospitality, construction and small business, so many separating couples here do not have a simple salary and one house. We untangle seasonal and self-employed income, a cafe or trades business, and short-term holiday rentals, and we work with forensic accountants and valuers so the pool is disclosed and valued properly.
High-value property and superannuation
High-rise and off-the-plan apartments can be hard to value in a moving market, and in longer relationships a large part of the pool is often superannuation. We get the valuations and the superannuation split right under Part VIIIB and the four-step process.
Gold Coast suburbs we serve
We act for families in Coolangatta, Kirra, Bilinga, Tugun, Currumbin, Palm Beach and Burleigh Heads, across the wider Gold Coast, and over the border at Tweed Heads and the northern rivers. Clients elsewhere in Queensland work with us by phone and video.
How to meet a Gold Coast family lawyer
You can see a lawyer in person at our Coolangatta office by appointment, which suits families around the southern Gold Coast, or deal with us entirely by phone, email and video if that is easier.
What your first consultation covers
We listen, confirm your goals, explain the options and likely costs, and set out the next step in writing, so you leave with a plan rather than guesswork.
Do Gold Coast matters go to court?
Most do not. The majority resolve through negotiation, mediation and consent orders lodged in the Brisbane registry. Where a hearing is needed, we handle the filing and the appearances for you, so a contested matter never means you are running the court system yourself.
Our Coolangatta office
Queensland Family Law Practice, Gold Coast
100 Musgrave Street, Coolangatta QLD 4225 (by appointment)
Phone: (07) 3172 3777
Email: enquiries@qflp.com.au
In central Coolangatta, close to the Coolangatta and Kirra beachfront.
Why southern Gold Coast families choose us
We work exclusively in family law, we are comfortable with the border and small-business situations that trip up general firms, and we tell you the truth from the first meeting, including whether you actually need a lawyer.
Your first fifteen minute call is complimentary, confidential and without obligation. It is general guidance to help you understand your options and your next step.
Below are some of the questions Gold Coast families ask us most.
Gold Coast family law FAQs
Do I have to travel to Brisbane for a Gold Coast family law matter?
No. Gold Coast matters are filed electronically through the Brisbane registry. You meet us at Coolangatta by appointment or deal with us by phone and video, and we appear for you if a hearing is needed.
Where are Gold Coast divorce applications filed?
Through the Brisbane registry of the Federal Circuit and Family Court on the Commonwealth Courts Portal. There is no separate family court registry on the Gold Coast.
My ex has moved to New South Wales. Does that change the law?
Family law is federal and applies the same on both sides of the border. State domestic violence orders, the children’s living and schooling, and serving a party interstate need care, and we handle these border matters regularly.
How is a Gold Coast small business divided in a property settlement?
It has to be valued and disclosed properly before it can be divided. We work with forensic accountants and business valuers, and we assess seasonal or self-employed income carefully rather than taking one tax return at face value.
Can I meet a family lawyer in person on the Gold Coast?
Yes, at our Coolangatta office by appointment. Please call ahead so we can arrange a time.
Talk to a Gold Coast family lawyer. Call (07) 3172 3777 or book a consultation and we will map out your next step.