Burleigh Heads

Description

As a professional photographer based on the Gold Coast, I’ve come to appreciate that some of the most stunning scenes aren’t halfway across the world they’re right here in my own backyard. And few places capture the essence of coastal beauty like Burleigh Heads, especially when viewed from the south over Tallebudgera Creek.

It was one of those perfect winter Queensland mornings crisp air, a blue sky so clear it looked polished, and the ocean stretching out like a mirror of the heavens.  My mission: to launch my drone from a vantage point just north of Tallebudgera Creek, and capture Burleigh Headland in all its glory from the aqua shimmer of the creek to the lush green rise of the headland, and the city skyline trailing into the horizon.

After a quick pre-flight check and ensuring I was within CASA guidelines, I sent the drone up into the sky. As it climbed, the world below opened up and it was breathtaking.

Tallebudgera Creek was a ribbon of pure turquoise, cutting gently between sandbanks and mangroves, its colour unreal aqua, Paddle boarders drifted lazily through the glassy water, and the sand on the north side was bright, untouched, and glistening in the sun.

I tilted the drone northward, framing Burleigh Headland as it rose dramatically from the coastline its thick green canopy contrasting beautifully against the electric blues of the creek and sea. The rocky shoreline wrapped around like an arm cradling the Pacific. From the air, the composition was perfect: vibrant creek in the foreground, headland anchoring the middle, city skyline fading into the blue beyond. I took my time, capturing wide aerials, tighter frames, and slow-motion footage of birds cutting through the wind. Each shot was better than the last.

There’s something magical about viewing a place you know intimately from a new perspective. Burleigh from the ground is one thing buzzing with surfers, locals, and weekend energy. But from above, it’s something else entirely. Peaceful. Majestic. Undeniably Gold Coast.

Indigenous Australians inhabited the area of Burleigh Heads for thousands of years prior to European settlement. The Indigenous tribe were known as the Kombumerri clan, who had named the area ‘Jellurgal’.

As I brought the drone back to land, I knew I had something special. Not just another aerial photo but a story told in colour, shape, and light. A moment that captured why I love this part of the world and why I keep coming back with a camera in hand.

That morning reminded me: you don’t always have to travel far to find beauty. Sometimes, it’s just across the creek waiting to be seen from the sky.