Southern Gold Coast News

Unfortunately, due to changed Dept of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) rules, we have had to remove our Pure Gold banner signs from light poles in the region.

The change in DTMR policy is State wide and prohibits any permanent form of advertising on DTMR controlled light poles other than short term banners for not for profit festivals and the like, for which DTMR have made an exception.

We are currently in negotiations to seek alternative locations to display our region’s signage so stay tuned for more information on the case of the missing street banners coming soon!

Tourism Promotion – Over the last three months, we have conducted radio advertising directed at the SE QLD Drive Market; familiarisation and information tours in conjunction with Gold Coast Tourism, Tweed Tourism and Tourism Australia;  replenishment of SGC regional brochures to traders in the region; and specific promotions in relation to the Seafood Discovery Trail (Currumbin to Cabarita). For further information or enquiries please contact Mike Thies on 0755 343 500.

Events & Festivals – Not withstanding the lack of supply of sponsorship funding for events & festivals, we are pleased to report that our sponsorship monies have been applied to events such as Rhythm Kirra Team Challenge, Quiksilver Pro, Rip MP Classic and Surfboard Festival. Surfing is a major attractor of publicity for and visitations to the Southern Gold Coast. We are constantly scanning for opportunities for new events and festivals and are currently in discussion with promoters of the Kirra Kite and Multi-cultural Festival; Beach Volley Ball competition and have made a commitment to Gold Coast Beach Soccer Championships to be held at Kirra from July 7-10, 2010. For more information contact Jim Wilson 0755 343 500.

Business Assistance – We have been working with Southern Cross University and John Flynn Hospital in relation to new avenues for attracting overseas patients; local organisations engaged in environmental and cultural education – in order to provide a website to promote all of their businesses; surfing industry representatives on manufacturing and educational opportunities; and the establishment of a Business Enterprise Centre at Tugun for the purpose of providing free professional advice to small business on establishment and growth matters.

Connecting Southern Gold Coast has just completed its survey of business conditions and outlook for the Southern Gold Coast region, which extends over the 8 villages from Currumbin Valley/Currumbin south to Coolangatta/Rainbow Bay. The survey was again conducted by The Centre for Independent Business research, a Gold Coast-based company.

The data that CIBR obtained on the region was sourced from its own research backed up by way of a telephone survey of a random selection of business owners and operators in the region in the last week of February 2009.

The survey found that there were approximately 2,000 businesses in the SGC, located as follows:

1. Currumbin/Currumbin Waters and Currumbin Valley: 840
2. Tugun/Bilinga: 320
3. Kirra-Coolangatta- Rainbow Bay: 840

Important key statistics reported were:

The Survey compared the movements in 5 key indicators between the same time in 2009 with 2010. A summary is as follows:

Stephanie Gilmore claims her first place win at the 2010 Roxy Pro

What do the Quiksilver & Roxy Pro’s, Rip Curl’s MP CIassic & Surfboard Fest and the Rhythm Kirra Teams Challenge all have in common? The Southern Gold Coast of course!

In the past two months, the SGC has been on display during an active summer of surf events! We have hosted the start of the ASP World Championship “Dream Tour” marking the SGC as one hell of a location not just for surfing, but also for spectating in style! As recently reported in the Gold Coast Bulletin, the point and beach breaks located in the SGC contribute a massive amount of money into our economy each year with Kirra bringing in between $2-4million dollars alone.

The SGC is not only home to these incredible events but also the home of some iconic identities of the surfing world. Gordon Merchant, the founder of Billabong and also the most recent addition to the Surfing Hall of Fame, Rip Curl’s CEO, Doug Warbrick, also call the SGC home! No other place in Australia has such a rich and vibrant surfing community as our very own Southern Gold Coast!

L-R John Guise (Event Promoter) Jim Wilson (GM Connecting Southern Gold Coast) Arch Nicholson (Life member of Kirra SLSC)

Coolangatta’s newest surf challenge, encompassing three of Australia’s most revered surf breaks – Snapper Rocks, Coolangatta and Kirra. Whether you’re an ironman or ironwomen contender looking for a hitout, or a newcomer to ocean swimming, the Cooly CIassic will not disappoint you. The course starts at the popular Snapper Rocks surf break and follows the coastline north where the finish line awaits at Kirra. What better place to host such an event, with 3km’s of Ocean-way paths that allows spectators, family and friends to follow the swimmers from the starting point to the finish line! Find out more here!

Yes, it’s true that the Southern Gold Coast has many amazing white sandy expanses to enjoy in our beautiful sub-tropical climate, but did you know the Southern Gold Coast has more activities than the average punter knows about? From walks in our amazing hinterland, to kayaking, dropping a line in, stand up paddling, to the more adventurous pursuits of skydiving, joy-flights, motorcycle tours, challenging water sports and competitions!

Of course there are the old favourites with new things to see and do, such as the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Honeyworld and the new Surf World Gold Coast! Check out more of our website before you get here this Easter to get the most from your stay and find out all that our region has to offer!

The SGC is pleased to welcome an established business to our region to add another feather to the cap! Traillblaze Communications specialises in Executive Coaching, Corporate Facilitation and Training, Group Dynamics, Process Design, Mediation and Culture Analysis just to name a few! Do you want to get better outcomes, develop your business environment into a workplace of excellence and generate success in every way? Then this company is for you! Stop by their website today at www.traillblaze.com.au!

Over $200 million in new developments ‘open for business’ on the
Southern Gold Coast!

The laid-back holiday destination of the Southern Gold Coast is redefining itself as a
burgeoning business precinct with more than $200 million recently invested in private
projects across a broad range of industries.

Jim Wilson, General Manager of Connecting Southern Gold Coast Ltd, said the completion of these projects has been received with great enthusiasm by businesses on the Southern Gold Coast.

“They come at a time when our February business survey showed that the effects of the GFC have been felt on the Southern Gold Coast, with reduced revenues and owner satisfaction with business performance,” he said.

“However, our business survey also showed that there are increasing signs of optimism from business owners concerning increases in revenue and business performance in the coming year. These completed projects have led this improved sentiment and outlook.

“An integral factor of these projects is that they create diversity and depth in the Southern Gold Coast economy, which will lead to better marketing of the region and increased employment. These multimillion dollar developments will put the Southern Gold Coast at the forefront of lifestyle, investment and opportunity in Queensland,” Mr Wilson added.

The following projects have recently been completed:
Transport:

• Gold Coast Airport Limited, Bilinga: expansion of Gold Coast Airport terminal (improvements continuing)

Education:

• Southern Cross University Gold Coast Campus, Bilinga: 4-storey campus (planning is underway for another 10-storey development on the Bilinga site);
• Envirotech Institute of Education, the Bird Gardens, Currumbin Valley.

Health and Science:

• Ramsay Health Care’s John Flynn Private Hospital, Tugun:  new Day Surgery
• Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Currumbin: new Animal Hospital

Manufacturing:

• DMS (Daniel MacDonald) Surf Boards, Currumbin Industrial Estate, Currumbin Waters

Tourism Attractions:

• Surf World Gold Coast Museum, Currumbin
• Kirra Surf Retail Surf Store, Kirra (largest in Southern Hemisphere)
  

Tourist Accommodation:

• Komune Resort and Beach Club, Coolangatta
• Reflection On the Sea, Coolangatta
• Reflection Tower 2, Coolangatta
• Nirvana By the Sea, Kirra
• Kirra Surf Apartments, Kirra

Residential:

• The Highlands at the Ecovillage, the Ecovillage at Currumbin (Village Centre- Commercial, planned for this year).
• Elysee Apartments, Kirra

Mr Wilson said that the Southern Gold Coast residential property market appeared very healthy, with a regional record sale price of over $8 million recently achieved for a home on Currumbin Hill overlooking Currumbin Alley and the Pacific Ocean.

“The Leda Group’s proposed Cobaki Lakes residential development south-west of Boyd Street Tugun is planned to have the first of its projected 5,000 residential dwellings completed before the end of 2011, increasing economic prospects for the Southern Gold Coast.

“Whilst there are still many issues relating to the Cobaki Lakes project to be worked through with Local Governments, the project will offer employment and lifestyle opportunities to the Southern Gold Coast, as well as the Tweed.

“This development will also add a third gateway to the Tweed region of New South Wales (Tugun -Cobaki ), complementing the existing M1 (Coolangatta – Tweed Heads) and the Tomewin Mountain Road (Currumbin Valley – Murwillumbah),” Mr Wilson said.

Mr Wilson encourages local businesses and residents to support the above projects and existing local traders wherever they can, as part of a “Buy Local” Programme for the Southern Gold Coast.

Southern Gold Coast
Lifestyle, Investment, Opportunity

Click the link below for Graham’s latest tip!

Setting Goals

Advancing the interests of the Tugun community is what the Tugun Progress Association (TPA) is all about. Since its establishment in 1931 the TPA has played an important role in voicing the concerns of the Tugun community.

If you wish to champion an issue that causes you concern as a member of the community, you can apply to the TPA for Special Interest Group (SIG) status, which assists such groups in the way of providing the facilities and resources (and in some cases funding) of the TPA in order to assist  SIG’s to achieve their intended outcome on behalf of the community.

Previous SIG’s include: The Tugun Byoass, The History of Tugun Project and the Airport Noise Abatement Project to name a few.

Click here to view the TPA’s Guidelines for Special Interest Groups!