Southport was developed as both an administrative centre as well as a holiday destination with hotels and guesthouses to cater for visitors.

Most of what is now regarded as the Gold Coast urban area was at that time located within the Shire of Albert, which had its administrative offices in Nerang-Southport Road, Nerang.

In 2007, as part of a report recommending massive amalgamation of local government in Queensland, the Local Government Reform Commission recommended that the Beenleigh-Eagleby region on the Gold Coast's northern border be transferred to Logan City, on the basis that a common community of interest existed and that planning of the South East Queensland urban footprint would be made more efficient by the change.

As Albert included the entire Logan City area prior to 1978, figures are only provided from the 1976 census.

Prior to this, a series of School of arts and private circulating libraries had supported the communities' and visitors' recreational and educational reading needs.

[12] The City of Gold Coast has 12 libraries at Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads, Burleigh Waters, Coolangatta, Elanora, Helensvale, Mermaid Waters, Nerang, Palm Beach, Robina, Runaway Bay, Southport and Upper Coomera.

[13] In 2018, the mobile library provides a fortnight service to Alberton, Ashmore, Benowa, Bonogin, Cedar Creek, Coomera, Currumbin Valley, Gilston, Jacobs Well, Mudgeeraba, Ormeau (4 visits), Paradise Point, Pimpama (3 visits), Tugun, Steiglitz, Tallebudgera Valley, and Woongoolba.