It lies within the Gold Coast Electorate Division 12 which also includes Burleigh Heads, Burleigh Waters, Andrews, Stephens and Reedy Creek. In south is Marymount College as well as two large shopping centres. The Gold Coastcanal and waterway system network allows access form Burleigh Waters to The Broadwater and the Pacific Ocean. Five lakes have been created and named in Burleigh Waters. These are Lake Heron, Miami Lake, Swan Lake, Pelican Lake and Burleigh Lake. The canal system is tidal, and during years of heavy rains and flood, homes on the Burleigh Waters canal can face flooding.
History
In the 1950s the Isle of Capri was one of the first canal estates constructed for waterfront living. Developers have expanded the popular estates ever since. Prior to the eastern inland development of the Varsity Lakes area, Burleigh Waters was the southernmost point of the Gold Coast canal and waterway system. Burleigh Waters developed in Stages, starting in the 1970s. One section, Burleigh Waters Estate was a canal extension developed by Hooker Corporation with partner the BMD Group during the late 1970s. The Hooker Corporation collapsed and Mr Power's BMD Group was paid out at 60c in the dollar a few years later. Privately built homes were being constructed by the time Pacific Fair opened in 1977 and continued with the expansion of the suburb. The Burleigh Waters Library opened in 1991. For decades a local urban myth maintained that sharks were seen as far south in the canal waterways as Burleigh Waters. Alleged sightings and stories were locally spread, but balanced with scepticism. In February 2003, a Burleigh Waters man was fatally attacked in shallow canal waters by a bull whaler shark. These sharks are also known as Zambezi whaler and are very aggressive. After the attack, the public was warned not to risk swimming in any Gold Coast canals but rather to swim safely at the beach, between the flags. At the 2011 Census, Burleigh Waters had a population of 13,868.
Demographics
In the, Burleigh Waters recorded a population of 13,868 people, 52.3% female and 47.7% male. The median age of the Burleigh Waters population was 40 years, 3 years above the national median of 37. 71.8% of people living in Burleigh Waters were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were New Zealand 7.4%, England 5.5%, Scotland 0.9%, South Africa 0.6%, Germany 0.6%. 88.6% of people spoke only English at home; the next most common languages were 0.6% Japanese, 0.6% Spanish, 0.5% German, 0.5% Cantonese, 0.5% Italian.
Amenities
The Gold Coast City Council operates a public library at the corner of Christine Avenue and Galeen Drive.
