On 11 November 1879, the Queensland Government created 74 division of local government which saw Burleigh Heads included in the Nerang Division. On 9 December 1948, as part of a major reorganisation of local government in South East Queensland the Queensland Government replaced ten former local government areas between the City of Brisbane and the New South Wales border with four new local government areas. Burleigh became part of the newly created Town of South Coast along with other coastal towns Southport and Coolangatta..