Southern Gold Coast News

We recently had a lovely chat with Alicia from Boatshed Bait & Tackle, a long standing SGC business, who have discovered a niche for themselves and are taking the bull by the horns!

When Alicia & Leo realised they had an opportunity to purchase the Boatshed Bait & Tackle shop on Thrower Dr in Currumbin, they were looking for a change in lifestyle and decided to take the plunge and become small business owners.

Being a recreational fisherman, Leo was ready to leave the Air-Conditioning business to change the pace and to combine an enjoyable past-time with some hard work to form a new career path. Alicia came in to help out and do some book-keeping, well that was the intention! Having just discovered the joys of paddle boarding, Alicia took her new Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Board into work one day, planning to go for a paddle in the beautiful Currumbin Creek, little did she know it would be the key to successfully expanding the business!

After lots of enquiries about whether her paddle board was for hire, Alicia realised this was a fantastic opportunity that their business was ideally situated and ready for. Already having Kayak’s for hire, it became a logical progression to expand their hire equipment and start building a fleet of SUP’s. Starting with just 12 boards, they now have 24 SUP boards for hire along with their fleet of 30 kayaks.

Offering free lessons, twilight paddles, ladies classes every weekday and teaming up with the Boatshed Restaurant to offer a half price paddle with a pizza, Boatshed Bait & Tackle have seized the day and it has definitely paid off! Anyone who lives works or plays in the Currumbin creek area will have noticed a sizable jump in the number of people taking to the creek with a SUP!

For Alicia, paddling is not just part of the business, you can tell by talking with her that it’s also a passion. When I asked Alicia why she loves it so much, she said “I was lacking something in my life, and paddling gave me an outlet, a chance to exercise and enjoy the water but also it was a time out for me, like a meditation.”

The team at CSGC would like to congratulate Leo and Alicia on their hard work and are glad to see a SGC business flourish despite a tough climate out there in the business world!

Call the Boatshed Bait & Tackle and try it for yourself, it could be just what you need!

Do you know of or own a business in the SGC that is going great guns? If so we want to hear about it, email us at admin@southerngoldcoast.com.au and you may be next month’s Spotlight on Business!

Click the link below for Graham’s latest tip!

Doing It Tough

Well folks it had to happen. Cooly Rocks On, in conjunction with one of its major sponsors Bendigo Bank Tugun, is expanding its reach to encompass the thriving community of Tugun. During the first Saturday [4/06/11] of the Festival Cooly will be Rockin’ Tugun with a Car Cruise finishing on Golden Four Drive at around 1.30pm showing off some of the classic cars, cruisers and hot rods that will be on display the following weekend in Coolangatta/Tweed Heads. In the Car park behind Foodworks there will be the Dave Bridge & Barry Brady Duo playing some great rock ‘n’ roll tunes from the past and the Tugun SLSC will be cranking up the BBQ for all of the hot sausages you can eat.

If that is not enough for you, that night there will be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Dinner Dance at the Tugun Bowls Club with the dynamic duo of Dave Bridge & Barry Brady cranking out some more old favorite rock ‘n’ roll songs of the 50’ &60’s, with a special appearance by Lisa & Chris to give us a great demonstration of rock ‘n’ roll dancing. There will be a raffle on the night to raise funds for the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation with some great prizes to be won. Tickets are $35 including a 2 course meal and can be purchased at the Tugun Branch of the Bendigo Bank or by phoning Wendy Handley on 0417758987

This is great promotion for DMS Shapes in Currumbin! Congrats guys!

Getting excited about Cooly Rocks On?  We are! Head to www.coolyrockson.com to book tickets to the shows of your choice now! Tickets for all shows are selling fast, CRO will NOT over sell any of the shows, once the venue limit has been reached, the website will automatically close down ticket sales. Don’t take any chances rock n rollers, book now!

Team Cooly Rocks On

The ‘Team Cooly Rocks On’ program was launched last week as a way for the traders to show their support for the festival.

CRO management would like to thank the businesses who attended the traders meeting held in April, the festival is getting loads of support and they appreciate the local businesses getting on board.

Cooly Rocks On sponsors’ the Daily News, ran an ad to promote the meeting and letters and flyers were distributed throughout the businesses.

Festival Operations Manager, Mr Bob Newman also delivered an exciting Cooly Rocks On presentation at the combined Tweed and Coolangatta Chambers of Commerce breakfast last week. The CRO team continue to spread the word with Kellie visiting traders individually as we speak.

Cooly Rocks On will promote the traders in multiple ways including competitions for ‘best service’ and ‘best themed shop’. The winners will be awarded at the Traders Ball on the 8th June.

If you are a local business, haven’t heard from CRO yet and would like to join Team Cooly Rocks On please send an email to admin@coolyrockson.com and they will drop in.

The Daily News Street Parade

Saturday the 11th will see the CRO inaugural street parade hitting the tarmac. It’s going to be big, bright and colourful!

We invite you to be a part of this amazing event and show off your talents at the gathering of the year.

Prizes will be awarded to the Rock ‘n’ roll revellers who go all out and decorate themselves and their vehicles with the most sensational style.
This year is all about colour and we want as much of it as possible. Be aware – props will be looked upon VERY kindly! So get out your old guitars, your old quiff wigs, your skates and your pink poodle and join in the party.

For all clubs, groups and businesses this is an excellent opportunity to gain exposure and recruit new members or customers.

Enter your car, float, caravan, boat, walkers, dancers, skaters or poodles right now as we have limited places available and Expressions of Interest are coming in every day.

Entries close May 16th and will only be confirmed once payment has been received. CLICK HERE to enter and secure your position in the Daily News Street Parade!

The Great South East

The Great South East team visited Coolangatta and the CRO team on the 21st April to film a segment for the show that will air on the 22nd May. Make sure you tune in to Channel Seven to watch the segment!

Baskin & Robbins and their many flavours of ice-cream, will open in Tugun over the next two weeks!  You will be able to indulge in yummy ice-creams, sundaes, milkshakes and more when they open their doors next to Marie’s Pizza on Golden Four Dr!

Tugun also welcomes Storm Cycles, a new Bike shop at Shop 1 & 2 415 Golden Four Dr. Storm Cycles hire and sell bicycles along with accessories and have been open for just 3 weeks! Get down to the shop on the weekend of the 14th & 15th May for their Grand Opening Sale and grab yourself a bargain! Their new website www.stormcycles.com.au is currently being developed so keep your eye out for the launch of the site coming very soon!

Coolangatta Foreshore is a sprawling foreshore area filled with play areas for the kids, wide open spaces perfect for a picnic, BBQ or a game of footy or cricket!

With direct beach access to cool off in the ocean, and the retail and dining precinct of Coolangatta just across the road, Cooly Foreshore is a great place to spend the day.

Ride your bike along the Ocean Walkway, take the dog for a walk or just stroll along enjoying the beautiful views with a loved one.

We are pleased to inform all SGC traders that the Gold Coast City has been successful in attracting the International Rugby Sevens to Skilled Park at Robina, on the 25-26th November 2011 – and for the ensuing 3 years. This event is the first leg of the HSBC Seven’s World Series.

It is pleasing to know that it will coincide with Schoolies Week and the carnival atmosphere will be exhilarating.

The HSBC Sevens World Series is the shortened, 7-aside version of the international game of Rugby Union which is played in 56 countries around the World. Rugby Seven’s in now a Commonwealth Games sport and will become an Olympic Sport in 2016.

The HSBC Sevens World Series is a 12-stop World tour, like the Association of S u r f i n g Professionals (ASP) World tour and will reach a projected 400million homes over 40 countries and will showcase the beautiful Gold Coast to the World!

Connecting Southern Gold Coast Ltd is pleased to congratulate Rugby Gold Coast, the Gold Coast City Council and Events Qld on this massive piece of good news for the Gold Coast!!.

We would also like to congratulate Mr Murray d’Almeida President of Rugby Gold Coast and his team. Mr D’Almeida is also Chairman of Connecting Southern Gold Coast Ltd.

We have today written to Rugby Gold Coast and Mr d’Almeida to express the interest of the Southern Gold Coast in being involved in whatever way possible in the International Rugby Seven’s Gold Coast this November.

CSGC has appointed Mr Mike Thies as coordinator of the interests of the SGC traders in respect to this wonderful event and, if any SGC traders have any ideas, suggestions or queries, they should contact Mike on mike.thies@southerngoldcoast.com.au.

The music event is one of a number of projects under way through the new Southern Gold Coast Music Hub, a partnership between Southern Cross University’s Research Centre for Tourism Leisure and Work and Connecting Southern Gold Coast, which was launched in November.

Aria award-winner David Bridie and well-known Australian musician Frank Yamma lent their support to local Gold Coast musicians as they gathered last Wednesday, April 27 to celebrate the launch of a new annual music event entitled Ethno Australia due to be held in Currumbin Valley in December.

Ethno Australia, which has been sponsored by Southern Cross University’s Research Centre for Tourism, Leisure and Work, the Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre and world music organisation The Wantok Foundation, will bring together more than 50 folk musicians from around the world to collaborate and exchange ideas in a 14-day intensive music program, culminating in a public performance on the Gold Coast.

The launch of the event, which took place last week at the Komune Resort in Coolangatta, featured performances by Katia and Frank Yamma and was attended by a host of local Gold Coast musicians including Latin jazz band A French Butler Called Smith, folk band Lamplights and reggae musician Bobby Alu.

Professor Kerry Brown, director of Southern Cross University’s Research Centre for Tourism, Leisure and Work said Ethno Australia, which is supported by funding from the Australia India Council and the Australia Thailand Institute would bring high quality world music to the Gold Coast.

“Ethno Australia will be a significant gathering of traditional cultural performers – many of whom are national treasures in their own countries,” said Professor Brown.

“It will consist of a series of music workshops, jam sessions and seminars – the results of which will be presented by the performers in an extraordinary world music concert which will be open to the public.

“There will be a strong representation of local artists in the program who will have the opportunity to work creatively with traditional and folk musicians from all over the world to hear their local music and exchange cultural ideas.”

“The Southern Gold Coast region is a premier location where natural beauty connects with high quality entertainment,” said Professor Brown.

“The Southern Gold Coast Music Hub is aimed at providing creative pathways and professional development opportunities for young people, musicians and music industry operators living locally.

“By supporting world music activities in this area – and importing and exporting musical talent – we can create a flow-on effect for other artists and cultural organisations operating on the Gold Coast, stimulating the local music industry.”

For information on Ethno Australia email ethnoaustralia@gmail.com or go to www.ethno-world.org