The estuary reaches from the locality of Southport in the south, to the southern section of the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Moreton Bay in the north.

[3] The Broadwater has undergone dramatic changes since the 1970s including the construction of an extensive number and network of artificial waterways that account for up to 90% of Australia's canal estates.

Positioned in one of the fastest growing regions in the developed world, urbanisation surrounding the Broadwater is expected to continue.

The Broadwater provides a vital function in the provision of feeding, spawning and nursery sites for recreationally and commercially important finfish species.

The bridge provided direct access between Southport and Main Beach and offered an alternative to, and eventually replaced, the ferry services which had transported passengers from the jetty, in the vicinity of later day Barney Street, across the water at the point where the Nerang River meets the Broadwater.

Plans for a cruise ship terminal and resort on Wave Break Island were rejected by the Queensland Government in 2015.

A popular and regionally iconic hospitality and entertainment complex (known to locals as Fishos), Fisherman's Wharf opened in 1983 before closing in 1998.