Pink Poodle Sign, Surfers Paradise: The Motel Neon That Survived
The Pink Poodle sign in Surfers Paradise is a heritage-listed survivor of the Gold Coast's mid-century motel boom. It advertised the Pink Poodle Motel, which opened on Boxing Day 1967, and the neon sign has outlasted the building it was made to promote. Today it's one of the most loved pieces of old Gold Coast kitsch, and one of the stops in our Hidden Gems Queensland guide.
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Pink Poodle Sign History
The motel traded for decades on the Gold Coast Highway before it was demolished in 2004 to make way for high-rise development. Everything around it was replaced, but the sign was kept thanks to its place on the Gold Coast Local Heritage Register, and in 2005 the National Trust of Queensland nominated it as one of Queensland's Heritage Icons. The neon was redesigned in 1987 but kept the styling of the original. The sign has been moved a few times as the area was redeveloped, and now stands a short distance from its original corner at 18 Fern Street. Its tubes and metal casing are a direct look at 1960s and 1980s advertising, from long before digital screens took over.
Where Is the Pink Poodle Sign?
The sign stands on Fern Street, just off the Gold Coast Highway in Surfers Paradise. It's on public view from the street at any hour, so it's an easy stop on a walk through Surfers.
Pink Poodle Sign FAQs
Where is the Pink Poodle sign now?
At 18 Fern Street, Surfers Paradise, a short distance from its original corner on the Gold Coast Highway.
What happened to the Pink Poodle Motel?
The motel, which opened in 1967, was demolished in 2004 for high-rise development. The heritage-listed sign was kept.
Is the Pink Poodle sign heritage listed?
Yes. It's on the Gold Coast Local Heritage Register, and the National Trust of Queensland nominated it as a Queensland Heritage Icon in 2005.
For complete access details and more heritage sites across the state, grab a copy of our Hidden Gems Queensland guide.
