[Back to the blog](/experience/blog/) # Following the Schools Cup from your own Main Beach apartment > For the 6–12 December 2026 Australian Volleyball Schools Cup, Contessa offers parents and supporters an individually photographed apartment in Main Beach, with gardens and two pools beyond the tournament itinerary. --- The school has its tournament arrangements. Your visit can have a shape of its own. A parent may be attending every match; grandparents may be joining for a few days; a partner may want time at Main Beach between trips to watch. Start with the people staying together, then choose the apartment they will share. Contessa presents each holiday apartment by number, with photographs of that residence. That makes the first decision a tangible one: look at the bedrooms, dining space and balcony before putting a week of supporting from the sidelines into the diary. Furnishings and outlooks differ, so the individual listing is the useful place to begin. **The Australian Volleyball Schools Cup takes place from 6 to 12 December 2026.** Volleyball Australia's [national calendar](https://volleyball.org.au/home/calendar/) confirms the Gold Coast dates. Arrange any separate supporter stay with a clear understanding of the school's plans for its students. ## A place for accompanying family Every Contessa holiday apartment has two bathrooms and a kitchen equipped for meals, with an oven, stovetop, dishwasher and full-size refrigerator. Separate living and sleeping areas allow someone to turn in while others finish a quiet dinner. An in-apartment washer and dryer are useful over several days, even when the player is staying elsewhere with the team. For a family travelling together, review the occupancy and bedding shown for the particular apartment. Three-bedroom apartments accommodate six; the individual photographs help explain the layout without assuming every residence has the same furnishings. Views may include the river, marina, garden, pool, city or ocean. An ocean outlook is not included as a standard promise. Cooling is also worth understanding before December: the open-plan living area is air-conditioned, and bedrooms have ceiling fans. A considered booking takes those details into account alongside the number of nights. ## Put each venue in the diary The competition uses multiple locations. Its [official schedule](https://avsc.volleyball.org.au/) names Carrara, Coomera, Runaway Bay and A.B. Paterson, so ask which venue your school's division will use and whether it changes during the week. Check the [draw](https://avsc.volleyball.org.au/draw/) close to the event. A supporter following two teams may need a different transport arrangement from someone attending a single match. Contessa provides free undercover basement parking, with no parking reservation required. That is useful for a car brought for the tournament. The light rail is about a 15-minute walk away and serves the coastal corridor; use [Translink](https://jp.translink.com.au/) to check any onward connections. Do not assume a sports venue sits beside a tram stop. Check-in is from 2 pm to 5 pm. Coordinate the first day's attendance with arrival at the apartment, and ask the property directly about arrangements if your journey falls outside that window. ## The hours that belong to Main Beach The beach is across the road, about 50 metres away. Tedder Avenue's cafés and restaurants are a five-minute walk. A family member who is skipping a session can have a local day without organising an alternative excursion or taking the car needed at the courts. Within Contessa, two acres of landscaped gardens run towards the river and private marina. There are indoor and outdoor pools, including a heated indoor pool, as well as a sauna and gym. These are places to spend the gaps in a supporter visit, whether that means a swim before leaving or an hour with a book on return. [View the individual apartments](/accommodation/) and choose from the details shown for each residence. Our [December–January stay planner](/experience/blog/december-january-main-beach-stays-2026-27/) can help if the family is combining the competition with a longer holiday. ## More from the journal. ### [Coming to support someone at the Pan Pacific Masters Games](/experience/blog/pan-pacific-masters-games-considered-stay/) Travel tips ### [Christmas at Contessa: a table together and time in the gardens](/experience/blog/christmas-quiet-end-main-beach/) Local guide ### [A Contessa residence for polo Sunday and the Magic Millions Carnival](/experience/blog/magic-millions-2027-main-beach-apartment/) Travel tips ### [A January futsal week, planned around Main Beach](/experience/blog/main-beach-stay-national-futsal-2027/) Travel tips ### [A December–January stay between Main Beach and the river](/experience/blog/december-january-main-beach-stays-2026-27/) Local guide ### [A considered Main Beach stay for Gold Coast conferences in 2027](/experience/blog/gold-coast-conference-stay-main-beach-2027/) Travel tips