What is the tallest building in Australia?

The tallest building in Australia is the Q1 Tower on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Visitors can admire Surfers Paradise from the Skypoint Observation Deck or test their nerve on the Skypoint Climb.

Many visitors assume that the tallest building in Australia will be in Sydney. And, when they’re in Sydney, it’s pretty obvious what the main candidate is. The Sydney Tower sticks out of the city centre like an enormous needle.

But at 305 metres tall, the Sydney Tower is not the tallest building in Australia. Nor is Australia 108 on Melbourne’s Southbank, at 316.7 metres. Australia 108 is, however, the tallest building in Australia if you measure to the roof.

The tallest building in Australia

If you take the full architectural height, however, the tallest building in Australia is the Q1 Tower in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast, Queensland.

Completed in 2005, the Q1 was once the tallest residential building in the world. It’s 245m to roof level, and 322.5m to the top of the spire. Admittedly having a 97.7 metre spire (it starts below roof level) is cheating somewhat.

Best day trips from the Gold Coast – 7 ways to improve your stay

The Gold Coast is a destination in its own right, but there are several excellent day trips you can do while using it as a base.

Deluxe Tamborine Mountain winery tour – with gourmet lunch.
Full day Springbrook National Park tour – with waterfalls and bush tucker tasting.
Snorkelling with turtles at Cook Island.
Evening glowworm-viewing experience – with guided stargazing.
Lady Elliot Island day trip – with glass bottom boat & guided Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tour.
Hopping between microbreweries – with lunch included.
Northern Rivers fruit & distillery tour – with Tropical Fruit World and Husk Distillers.

Skypoint Observation Deck at Q1 Tower

Q1 is a residential building, but it is open to visitors. The Skypoint observation deck is on Level 77, and the lifts take just 42.7 seconds to get there. That’s a little quicker than slugging it up 1,331 steps.

The Skypoint observation deck at Q1 in Surfers Paradise. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

Skypoint boasts of being Australia’s only beachside observation deck, and it does offer tremendous 360 degree views. It’s the best place to admire the long, sandy beaches that turned the Gold Coast into a major holiday destination in the first place.

Tickets to the Skypoint Observation Deck cost from $19. You can also eat at the top of Q1, with food available at the Skypoint Bistro and Bar.

Skypoint Climb on Australia’s tallest building

However, it’s possible to go even higher with the Skypoint Climb. This adventurous activity is similar to the Sydney Bridgeclimb, Story Bridge Adventure Climb in Brisbane or Adelaide Oval Roofclimb. You’re strapped into a harness, taken up to the roof and clipped onto safety rails.

The Skypoint Climb heads to a ‘nest’ on the spire, 270 metres above sea level. The truly daring can lean forward for a photo, theoretically safe in the knowledge that the harness and clips will stop them falling off the roof.

The Skypoint Climb at the Q1 Tower on the Gold Coast costs from $77. Book via the Skypoint website.