Challenges and Opportunities to Develop a Smart City: A Case Study of Gold Coast, Australia

Rapid advances in information and communication technologies have intensified global interest in smart cities, particularly their potential to enhance environmental management, infrastructure efficiency, economic development and public engagement. This paper develops a conceptual framework for understanding smart cities and applies it to the Gold Coast, examining how emerging technologies, governance arrangements and economic diversification efforts shape the city’s smart‑city trajectory. Through a review of local policies and the city’s participation in IBM’s Smarter Cities Challenge, the paper identifies key opportunities—such as leveraging knowledge‑economy assets and lifestyle amenities—as well as challenges related to disaster resilience, ICT integration and strategic coordination. Lessons from the Gold Coast case study offer insights for other cities seeking to position themselves as smart, sustainable and resilient urban centres.