What's different in Southport
The CBD
Southport's business area became a priority development area in 2013, and Wikipedia counts 18 high-rise towers completed, under construction or awaiting commencement.
Units and leases
Flats were 54.6% of homes, townhouses 20.9% and houses 23.8%, with an average of 2.4 bedrooms. 57.9% of homes were rented.
Cooler nights than the Seaway
At Southport (Ridgeway Avenue), the Bureau's figures give July a mean low of 9.1 degrees, against 12.0 at the Gold Coast Seaway. January's mean top is 28.5.
Broadwater and river
The Nerang River meets the Broadwater on Southport's south-east edge, and the Broadwater runs along its north-east.
Heritage by the water
The Southport Sea Wall, the Southport Bathing Pavilion and the old Pacific Cable Station buildings are heritage listed.
Air conditioning in a Southport tower
In a high-rise, the building decides a lot: where outdoor units can go, whether there's a plant area, and how pipes can run. Ask the building manager for the by-laws before you call anyone.
Think about servicing as well as fitting. An outdoor unit on a high balcony or roof has to be reachable safely, so ask how it will be serviced in five years, not just how it goes in.
Size it for the room and the humidity. Rinnai says an oversized unit dehumidifies less effectively, which you'll notice on a sticky Broadwater night.
Renting? The RTA says an owner can approve a fixture with reasonable conditions, such as professional installation, and putting one in without written approval breaches the agreement.
Questions for a Southport apartment installer
- Have you worked in this building, or one like it?
- Where will the outdoor unit sit, and how will you reach it to service it?
- What sound power level does the outdoor unit list on its energy label?
- Does it need a dedicated circuit, and is there room for one on the unit's switchboard?
- What's your QBCC licence number, and who holds the ARC licence on the job?
What we'd do
If it were our Southport unit
We'd get the by-laws and written approvals first, then a split sized for the room, with the outdoor unit where it breathes and a technician can reach it safely. So close to the Broadwater, we'd also ask what corrosion protection the outdoor coil has, and service it every year. Send us the job and your 4215 postcode. Where we have licence-checked installers near Southport who work in apartment buildings, they see it, and only the one who takes it gets your details. Should no one near Southport take it within 48 hours, installers elsewhere in Queensland may see it.
