Pacific Pines, originally a locality in Gaven, in Gold Coast City, was made a separate suburb in 2003. It is immediately south of Studio Village, Oxenford, on the west side of the Pacific Highway, and is 10 km north-west of Southport.
Pacific Pines was an 800 ha site which included a pine plantation. From its most elevated parts there are views of Stradbroke Island and Coolangatta. The vegetation and the views inspired the name.
Stockland acquired the site in 1990 and designed a suburb comprising 5800 house lots and several open-space reserves. A service reservoir and the suburb's most prominent address Zenith Crescent, are immediately west of the largest reserve. Land sales began in 1993 and about half the total house lots were sold by 2003. The upgrading of the Pacific Motorway in 2000 stimulated demand by reducing commuting time to Brisbane. Two primary schools and a high school were opened between 2000 and 2002. The Pacific Pines drive-in shopping centre has about 6000 sq metres of retail space, the Woolworths supermarket occupying about half the area. There is also a hotel.
Pacific Pines' census populations have been:
| census date | population |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 5967 |
| 2011 | 14,788 |
