Gold Coast Open House

09/10/2026

09/10/2026

Only on the Gold Coast would you find a Spanish Mission bridal suite turned funeral home.

'Sata Nita; was built by Ralf "Sonny" Tennant Johnston in 1936 ahead of his marriage to Lila.

Half of Johnston and Freeman Lumber Merchants, Johnston sourced red cedar from Numinbah and Springbrook for the build, the living room floor was cut from a single tree, and an Italian master plasterer spent six months on the ceiling detail, still in excellent condition today.

The home stayed in the Johnston family until the 1980s, later becoming an antiques store, then a funeral home, much of the original fit-out intact throughout.

Discover this fascinating piece of history during Gold Coast Open House - tours run all day on Saturday 10 October, no need to book.

08/10/2026

Don't miss your chance to discover how we can rethink the way we design and build our homes this weekend.

The Slow Home Project starts as little more than a simple room and grows over time towards a planned goal, at a considered pace.

The focus is on experience: the in-between spaces, the pockets of joy, and achieving more with less. It's a home that values the journey as much as the destination, shaped by connection, time, identity and affordability.

Take a tour on either day this weekend (Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October).

See our website for more details and to book your spot!

18/12/2025

If you are heading up to the Woodford Folk Festival, make sure to immerse yourself in the incredible sculptures presented by our friends at SWELL Sculpture Festival 🫶

03/12/2025

This year’s Open House program showcased how resilience is embedded in everything from restored heritage homes and adaptive re-use projects to new builds engineered to withstand extreme weather.

Explore how resilience shapes our city’s built environment. On the Gold Coast, buildings and infrastructure aren’t just designed for looks — they’re crafted to respond to a shifting coastline, subtropical climate, and the need to balance heritage with change.

See: goldcoastopenhouse.com.au/journal/
Pictured: Kanooka House by Knight Office and Dan Wilson. Image: Yaseera Moosa.

01/12/2025

Urban Sketching Across the City and Coast — Exhibition Opens Today

Our latest blog explores the unique practice of architect and artist Peter Richards, whose urban sketching workshops have become a defining part of the Open House events in Queensland for many years.

Today marks the opening of Peter’s exhibition, showcasing sketches from the Gold Coast, Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and locations abroad. The exhibition offers an in-depth look at how drawing can capture the character, history and identity of a place.

Visitors can also attend a Meet the Artist session and drawing demonstrations during the exhibition. Read the full story on our website and visit the exhibition Scrumptious Reads until 21 December.

Urban Sketchers