Surfers Paradise Photo Tour

Q1 Tower hit by lightning

Photo Tour Menu: Aerial view of Surfers, Surfers Sunrise, Beach Walking, Dawn over the Ocean, Surfers Paradise Beach, Beach Volleyball, The Indy Track, Miss Indy Finalists, Meter Maids, Cavill Avenue, Night Markets, Lightning strikes Q1, The View from Q1

During summer the Gold Coast's sub-tropical heat and humidity often translates into evening storms. The recently completed Q1 Tower is the tallest building on the skyline, and the highest point between the Hinterland and South America - so it bears the brunt of the storms. They say it's designed to only sway 80cm at the top in a category five cyclone, so physically it's a safe place to be, but in October 2005 it was struck eight times by lightning in the one storm, and that record is sure to be broken many times. It would be like sleeping under a strobe light.