Southern Gold Coast News

SGC’s Great Winter Escape Winner announced!

On Monday 27th June 2011, local tugun business owner, Allan Blenkins was kind enough to stop by to draw our winner for the first Great Winter Escape competition.

Congratulations to Suzanne Jarrett of Brisbane who has won a fabulous prize valued at nearly $4000 and includes

• 5nights in the Komune Resort & Beach Club PENTHOUSE
• Tandem SKYDIVE for 2
• Whale Watch or Snorkel TOUR with Cooly Dive
• Spyder Ryder motorbike tour of Currumbin Valley
• Double pass to SURF WORLD GOLD COAST Museum
• $90 worth of dining vouchers!

We know Suzanne and friends will have a fabulous time on their Winter Escape!

Click the link below to Read Graham’s latest tip!

Negotiating The Best Lease

The Currumbin Alley is one of the most picturesque locations on the Southern Gold Coast.

From Cathedral Rock to Elephant Rock, and the estuary, there are amazing vantage points, great surf, excellent cafes and restaurants, accommodation, plus parks and a hidden lookout that really gives you a great workout!

Currumbin Alley is a favourite for personal trainers and boot camps, learn to surf schools and is a popular family location for picnics, paddle boarders and long-boarders!

Currumbin Alley is an incredible jewel in the crown of the Southern Gold Coast and continues to provide a stunning back drop for any activity that you can do outdoors!

June 2011

This newsletter is proudly bought to you by Currumbin Alley

What’s On | Business News | Jim’s Update | Environmental News |Coming Soon

Time to get the Winter woolies out, but don’t put away your swimsuit just yet! Clear skies, sunshine and average water temperatures of 22-24 degrees celcius, means that the Southern Gold Coast beaches are still a great place to enjoy! And for those of you that live in the southern states, it’s a great time of year to escape the harsh winter blues and share the sunshine and good times.

With the SGC’s Great Winter Escape, you could pick up $4000 worth of holiday bliss to enjoy all that amazing winter weather we are so lucky to have here! Stay in Komune R e s o r t & Beach CIub PENTHOUSE for 5 nights, go skydiving, whale watching or snorkelling, have a dinner, lunch AND breakfast on us and much much more! Check out our Facebook page for details on how to enter!

What’s On

1. COOLY R O C K S ON! – It’s finally here! Time to find the bobby socks, slide on your coolest shades, don a leather jacket, slick your hair back and get ready to r o c k the streets of Coolangatta and Tugun!

2. The P a t c h | Exclusive Winter Preview - Fashion Designers Tara Fletcher (Love St) and Emma Milikins are Gold Coast’s own leading edge designers. Be at The P a t c h on Thursday 2nd June from 6.30pm for a preview of their winter range and silent auction of very speciaI one-off designs!
3. Raw Talent Quest – 12th June 2011 Currumbin RSL in conjuction with other sponsors will be hosting a Raw Talent Quest in the months of June and July. This event is designed to give live performance artists of all ages and styles the c h a n c e to showcase their talents in the community.
4. Alleygators “Old Boys” – 9th & 10th July For past and current members of the Palm        B e a c h Currumbin R u g b y Union CIub, a day to catch up with old mates and enjoy some footy!
5. Emerge Kirra – Queensland M u s i c FestivaI (QMF) is coming to Kirra this July for the first time ever. They are looking for local bands to play at the event. So if you have a b a n d, then this is for you! Click here for the application form today, as applications close 3/6/11 at 5pm.

Click here to read Jim’s latest update about the bustling office of Connecting Southern Gold Coast!.

Environmental News

World Environment Day - 4th June 9am-11am Join Friends of Currumbin and BeachCare for f r e e, fun, family-friendly dune care activities along the dunes at Currumbin Alley this coming Saturday.

Coming Soon

Watch out for the following events coming up in the next few months!

July	August	September
Tugun Bowlathon 30th-31st July Raw Talent Quest 2nd July	Coolangatta Markets 14th August Currumbin Valley Markets 28th August	Swell Sculpture FestivaI 9th-19th September

To contribute to our monthly newsletter, please email the details to admin@southerngoldcoast.com.au by the 23rd of the month for the information to be included in the following month’s newsletter, or call us on 07 5534 3500!

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The Patch is Coolangatta’s premier new venue, presenting unparalleled commitment to sophistication, modesty and elegance. The mature and relaxed lounge bar provides a stylish setting for the enjoyment of fun, jazz and soul music. If your business is looking for a unique venue to host an event, this quintessential landmark is the perfect place for your next corporate function!

Live music options and tailored packages are available for any function and the service is really second-to-none! The amazing host, Ian, will attend to every need, all whilst mixing cocktails to tantalise your taste buds and really impress your guests.

Download the Functions Menu here!

The Patch pull together a dynamic selection of wines, which alters week by week. Their home-made dips and tasting plates are to die for and you will receive the best advice on matching wines to compliment your chosen cuisine.

The Patch also have a calendar packed full of fantastic local musicans on Thursday, Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.So if it’s an event, a quiet drink with friends or live music that tickles your fancy, The Patch is the place you want to be!

Southern Gold Coast | Renowned for its innovation and creativity.

On the 26^th May 2011, I hosted a meeting of Southern Gold Coast (SGC) business leaders, where I received input from them as to the strategic thrust for our activities over the next 12-18mths.

At the meeting, I presented for review the current activities on which we are engaged in Tourism, Promotions & Marketing, Events & Festivals and Business Investment and Development Activities (BIDA’s).

The meeting spent a lot of time focusing on our current and future BIDA’s. There were four major outcomes from the meeting;

1. Knowledge-based industries including education and training;

We should continue to develop this type of economic base for our region, wherever we can. For example current discussions with Coolangatta TAFE to intro short courses in Graphic art, media & music where seen as important for social outcomes including reducing unemployment.

2. Coolangatta/Coolangatta Airport – GCCC Pacific Innovation Corridor (PIC) precinct;

With the Airport’s master plan due for release in the next couple of months, it was seen as important that we work with it, GCCC and local businesses to develop ideas for new business ventures in that precinct. I invite all interested parties to contact me with a view to suggestions that we can cooperatively discuss with the aim of improving investment and reducing unemployment.

3. Creative Industries;

Whilst most participants in creative industries (Art, music, fashion, photography etc) are small operators, it was considered important that we develop programs with this sector that will not only contribute to the culture of our region, but also to better business outcomes. The Music Hub Project with SCU, is a strong case in point, where local musicians are being given increased opportunities including participating in events and festivals which we fund.

4. Coolangatta’s Identity (Street-scape,  lighting and general amenity);

Whilst acknowledging the wonderful improvements that GCCC has made to many parks and foreshore areas of the SGC, including Coolangatta, the meeting considered that still more needs to be done to make our “Capital”, Coolangatta, the best place to holiday and do business.  In doing this, we need to increase the positive publicity for Coolangatta with the aim of highlighting its history and character, with a view to attracting more tourists and businesses.

This meeting with our business leaders was indicative of the great ongoing support Connecting Southern Gold Coast has received over the years. I and our Board look forward to continuing to work with them, to produce continuing positive results for our region.

As always I encourage comments and suggestions from Southern Gold Coaster’s direct to jim.wilson@southerngoldcopast.com.au

It’s here!!! The very first Cooly Rocks On is about to blow you away with an amazing line up over 10 days that will definitely keep you busy to say the least!

From the Tweed Daily Street Parade, to Car Cruises, Miss Pin-Up Australia competition heats, dancing workshops, outdoor stages with over 60 free performances, to the Ain’t Nothin’ but a Hound Dog Poodle Parade, this is going to be a blast!

There are over 950 classic cars and hot rods confirmed and numbers are set to exceed 1000 by Friday so there will be plenty of amazingly restored and lovingly displayed cars to drool over.

Cooly Rocks Tugun will begin at 1.30pm Saturday 4th June with classic cars and hot rods on display in the streets, a BBQ and free performances with some speciaI furry friends joining in the fun. Then it’s over to Tugun Bowls CIub Rock n Roll Party from 7pm!

Check the website for the full program and get your tickets now!

CONNECTING SOUTHERN GOLD COAST (SGC) HAS APPOINTED A CREATIVE PRODUCER TO ORGANISE EVENTS AND FESTIVALS ON THE SGC

Mr. Jim Wilson, General Manager of Connecting Southern Gold Coast Ltd (CSGC) recently announced the appointment of Ms. Louise Bezzina to the position of ‘Creative Producer-Events and Festivals’, with the company.

“Louise Bezzina has held positions running the Mackay Festival of Arts for the Mackay City Council; Producer for Brisbane Festival; Executive Producer for Raw Dance Company; Producer for People’s Day (Queensland Government celebrations for the opening of the State Library of QLD and the Gallery of Modern Art); and Program and Marketing Manager for Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts.  Louise has recently been appointed by the Gold Coast City Council as the Chairperson for the Gold Coast Festival Feasibility Study Committee. This is a significant strategic appointment for the traders and businesses of the Southern Gold Coast (SGC), which includes the unique and picturesque villages from Currumbin Valley/Currumbin to Coolangatta/Rainbow Bay.” Mr. Wilson said.

Mr. Wilson went on to say, “The economic fundamentals of tourism may well be under increasing stress over coming months and years if the $A maintains its current levels, or increases, as some are predicting. As such, our Board has assessed that CSGC needs to be much better placed to expeditiously implement tourist-attracting events and festivals and new economic initiatives in creative industries. This will underpin our ability to maintain and increase the profile of the Southern Gold Coast and increase employment in our region.”

“Louise’s expertise in having scoped, negotiated, funded , curated and successfully executed major events and festivals throughout Queensland means that the CSGC will have proven, in-house, events and festivals expertise. This will enable us to adopt a more responsive and cost-effective approach to identifying and executing eye-catching events and festivals for the benefit of SGC businesses and traders. It follows that that CSGC will selectively move into taking responsibility for implementing events and festivals on its own account, and this will start with scoping out the Surf World Gold Coast Surf Culture Festival, a project for which CSGC has received funding from DEEDI. ” Mr. Wilson further added.

Louise Bezzina commences with CSGC in early June. She has a degree in Performing Arts and Public Relations and has successfully directed and produced several independent theatre productions.  She is a newly-arrived resident of Currumbin, and will work out of CSGC’s Tugun office.

This unique site was initially the home of the Coolangatta State School which was established in 1919. Considerable community action led to the Queensland Government handing the custodianship of this site over to the GCCC in 2008 for the purpose of creating a facility for community purposes.

Extensive community and stakeholder engagement derived the priorities for the site which included, preservation and celebration of heritage of the site and the area, appropriate space to nurture, develop and celebrate artistic talent in the southern Gold Coast, flexible and affordable meeting spaces for small interest groups, increased accessibility to services to enhance health and well being and space for community celebration events.

Key elements of the facility include flexible meeting and activity spaces, internal and external arts spaces, small consulting rooms, a heritage display room, art gallery and external events space. Grant funding from Arts Queensland was used to contribute to the creation of the arts spaces within the site.

The site has already won an Urban Design Award due to the process involving multiple layers of Government, strong community participation, and the sensitive restoration of the building to create a multifunctional community facility.

Recently the two working groups connected and became incorporated as the Friends of Kirra Hill Inc. and are pro actively working towards creating displays for the heritage Room and organising Arts workshops, Gallery Displays and exciting cultural events for the site.

The site is due to open fully in July 2011 and there has already been a wide variety interest with booked activities including, yoga, quilt making, children’s art expo, a wedding, a heritage conference, playgroups, cross border services meetings and will be a venue for the Queensland music festival in July.

The site will be managed through a full management contract which is currently in the process of being finalised. On-going governance will be through the governance structure allowing open and transparent decision making involving local residents, user groups and other local stakeholders to assist in operational decisions, promotion of the venue, community engagement and ensuring that the facility is being utilised for maximum community benefit.
For further information please contact : KirraHill@goldcoast.qld.gov.au