Gold Coast

ALTERJOY talks influences, talented friends and living in the moment

Adelaide-made and Gold Coast-based artist ALTERJOY (aka Ben Heidrich) has returned with his fresh new single and video “Better Make a Move”. Known as the drummer of Adelaide metalcore act The Daily Chase, Ben launched his solo project last year with his debut single “This is Real” and exuberant No Doubt cover “Hella Good”. The…

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Gold Coast Film Festival launches its exciting full program

Celebrating its 22nd year, Queensland’s most exciting celebration of cinema is back, from April 17th to 28th 2024, with the Gold Coast Film Festival (GCFF) at its Gold Coast home, HOTA (Home of the Arts). As guests prepare to immerse themselves in the glamour and discover the new stories the festival has to offer, the…

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The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts announces the debut of the AACTA Festival

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) proudly announces the debut of the AACTA Festival, a four-day celebration of Australia’s vibrant screen industry that promises an immersive experience for all, from industry professionals to film enthusiasts, school-leavers, families, and aspiring creatives.  The festival, including the AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Group, will be hosted at the Home of…

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Album Review: Saint Lane – CRYING IN THE PORSCHE (2023 LP)

NZ-born, Gold Coast-based alt-pop artist Saint Lane has already returned with new album CRYING IN THE PORSCHE – released 19 May – after his acclaimed 2022 full-length i thought my name was cursed. With a wealth of singles and two EPs under his belt, the multi-instrumentalist offers a beguiling record with pop, hip hop and…

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Dreamworld’s Wiggles World and the Big Red Car Ride feature in US web series Defunctland

By now, most theme park enthusiasts will likely have stumbled across the US YouTube series Defunctland, created and hosted by Kevin Perjurer. The series looks primarily at the lifespan of now defunct rides at theme parks around the world – with an emphasis on North America. Though it also has produced standalone specials on TV…

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Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Queensland, with Warner Bros. Movie World’s upcoming Wizard of Oz precinct

Gold Coast theme park Warner Bros. Movie World will be putting the ‘Oz’ in The Wizard of Oz, with a brand new precinct themed around the classic film set to open in 2024. Taking over the space previously occupied by the Arkham Asylum coaster (some may also remember it as Lethal Weapon – The Ride),…

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Gold Coast’s Home of the Arts announces new details of $60.5 million HOTA gallery

Gold Coast’s impactful Home of the Arts (HOTA) has now confirmed the 20 Australian artists that will make up the inaugural exhibition program for the venue’s new $60.5 million HOTA Gallery in April 2021. Although it feels like forever away right now, the energetic cultural precinct is looking forward to next year [as we all…

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The Langham, Gold Coast has been confirmed, will open in 2021

After success in Sydney and Melbourne, high-end hotel brand The Langham has announced the opening of a 169-room Gold Coast hotel in addition to 170 serviced apartments slated for 2021. Located in the tallest of the three landmark towers of the gemstone-inspired Jewel development, the properties will offer direct beach access and are being described…

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If you’re looking for Gold Coast’s creative scene, you’ll find it here

Gold Coast is a city built of soft sand and hardy skyrises. At least that’s the short version of it, with the famous beach destination unfairly shouldering the burden of many rash stereotypes throughout the years, the most unfortunate of which has to do with the raucous yearly celebration of “Schoolies”. Much like Canberra and…

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Kiyomi, Broadbeach Review: Chasing perfection on the Gold Coast

It’s always exciting to re-visit one of your favourite restaurants on the Gold Coast, more so when it’s even better than you remembered. When Chase Kojima (of Sydney’s celebrated Sokyo, and the more recent Chuuka) first opened this slick modern Japanese restaurant at The Star back in 2015, reception was instantly, and understandably, enthusiastic. Sokyo…

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Queensland is mecca for music festivals this year

If all the promised festivals hitting Gold Coast and Brisbane go down without a hitch this year, we could see Queensland become the new premier spot for live music in Australia. Seeing as Gladys B (I don’t know how to spell it; not worth Googling) is running festivals out of NSW so kids can keep…

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Theme Parks: Here’s what Dreamworld has been up to over the Summer Season while we await Sky Voyager

There’s been a surprising amount happening at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast over the Summer; with the season set to come to an end with the launch of a brand new ride, Sky Voyager (which you can see being built to the left of the Dreamworld globe in the image above). Though the official opening…

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Milky Lane brings Mi-Goreng Loaded Fries to Sydney

It was bound to happen some day, and there’s no surprise that Sydney’s Milky Lane, harbingers of ridiculously over-the-top and indulgent foods, were the ones to do it. The five-store chain (Parramatta, Cronulla, Gold Coast, Coogee and flagship Bondi) has decided to go full “broke millennial” and spray rounds of Mi-Goreng inspired goodness on top…

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Interview: Jason Momoa on the 5 year journey to Aquaman and loving his own movie

As Aquaman swims his way into cinemas today (read our review here), the King of Atlantis himself, Jason Momoa, has been travelling across the globe in the film’s lead-up to promote the latest offering from the DC roster. Returning to Queensland’s sunny Gold Coast, where the film was mostly shot, Momoa chatted with The AU…

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Travel Deals: Mantra properties Art Series, Peppers, BreakFree and more cut prices across Australia, NZ and Hawaii

One of Australia’s most ubiquitous hotel groups, Mantra, have come around to their popular annual “Global Sale” to make holidaying for Aussies a bit more accessible over the next few months. And it’s the most substantial sale from the group yet, with a serious number of the country’s best properties – from budget to luxe…

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Gold Coast’s new billion-dollar luxury apartment hotel nears completion

After years in development, the so-called “billion-dollar game-changer”, The Ruby Collection is ready to add its substantial weight to the Surfers Paradise skyline. A sightly “Ruby” rooftop sign has officially been raised on the first tower, indicating that the luxury development is finally nearing completion, with just over 70 days to go before CEO David…

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Gold Coast set to showcase their musical best at special BIGSOUND showcase

There’s been a cultural revolution happening on the Gold Coast over the past five years. An increase in funding for arts and culture, the development of a Music Action Plan, exploration of regulatory reform for music venues and associated zoning and the establishment of a new generation of multi-purpose music venues has led to more…

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Eat your way around Byron Bay: 5 places to try during Splendour in the Grass

Not far from the fields where the annual winter festival Splendor in the Grass will take place this weekend, Byron Bay is a hotbed for innovative gastronomy and creative enterprises. The landscape is constantly evolving and flourishing, yet within the much loved laid-back coastal and country environment that has thrived for years. The food scene has…

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Review: Peppers Broadbeach perfects the quintessential Gold Coast lifestyle

Gold Coast hotel Peppers Broadbeach has long been one of the most sought after and established properties of the area, towering above the city’s skyline with that air of luxury apartment living oft credited to the popular holiday destination. It has everything a Gold Coast hotel should, particularly boasting the best location in all of…

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After the Games: How to spend 24 Hours in Queensland’s Surfers Paradise

Known for its beaches, theme parks and seafood, Australia’s second largest state Queensland remains a popular tourist destination all year-round. It’s a big place with an abundance of things to do and places to see. And at the moment its Southern most city is home to the 2018 Commonweath Games. However, if you don’t want…

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The Star Gold Coast has lifted the lid on their super luxe hotel ‘The Darling’

Just in time for the very anticipated Commonwealth Games, The Star Gold Coast has officially begun the launch of their new luxury suite hotel The Darling, kicking off with an unsurprisingly lavish launch night earlier this month. Located at the front of the long-standing Broadbeach Island property, The Darling is the crown jewel of a…

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Review: AVANI debuts in Broadbeach to soak up the classic Gold Coast lifestyle

A $150 million development has birthed AVANI Broadbeach Gold Coast Residences: an ultra-slick, ultra-modern addition to the Gold Coast’s already teeming apartment accommodation scene, though not an unwelcome one. Opened in time for April’s 2018 Commonwealth Games, the debut property from the brand is one of two entry points into the Australian and New Zealand…

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Gold Coast is getting a massive new rooftop restaurant and bar in time for the Commonwealth Games

The Star Gold Coast will welcome a new rooftop restaurant and bar led by acclaimed Gold Coast restaurateur Simon Gloftis and entertainment expert Billy Cross ahead of this year’s Commonwealth Games. Set to open in March, the yet to be named venue will sit atop The Darling, the property’s new luxury suite hotel. Co-managed by…

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Keys to the City: How AVANI hotels are using their guest rooms to unlock local knowledge

“Local Knowledge” is often hard to grasp for tourists who may not have the time, capacity or even patience to plan their trip down to the finer details. It’s an increasingly difficult well of information to tap into as well, with the often ridiculous deluge of blogs (not the good kind) and Zomato/Yelp reviews dirtying…

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Gold Coast’s new AVANI Broadbeach will connect guests to locals through their room keys

As the sun-soaked region continues to prepare for the big Commonwealth Games next year, Gold Coast is seeing some massive sweeping changes to its skyline. One of those latest changes is the addition of the enormous 219-key AVANI Broadbeach, the Australian debut from world renowned AVANI Hotels & Resorts set to open in just a…

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Sydney’s insta-famous Tella Balls Dessert Bar opens in Surfers Paradise (Gold Coast)

After a huge year of growth for Tella Balls Dessert Bar, which first made international headlines with their doughnut-topped milkshakes before opening in both Sydney’s Dulwich Hill and Concord, the self-proclaimed “King of Desserts” has finally gone interstate. Co-owners Aki Daikos and Simon Kappatos have now opened up a 54-seater cafe at the sun-soaked Surfers…

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Flight Review: AirAsia X packs value for money into budget flights from Australia to Kuala Lumpur

Flying ‘budget’ is no longer seen as the ugly alternative for travelers wanting to get from Point A to Point B in comfort without damaging the pocket. Now, budget airlines are flying further than before, aiming further than domestic connections and bringing passengers the world over to different countries for the first time. Our latest…

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The world’s first sandcastle hostel has opened on the Gold Coast

Always wanted to sleep in a sandcastle? For the next few days, a curious pop-up hostel built with 24 tonnes of sand will be attracting constant attention on the golden grounds of Kurrawa Beach, Gold Coast. Built over the past three weeks, the impressive structure stands completely decked out with a stage (for live music and…

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Gold Coast is getting a pop-up hostel made from 24 tonnes of sand

24 tonnes of sand will be used to build a temporary hostel on the Gold Coast later this month, a collaboration between widely used booking platform Hostelworld and Gold Coast Tourism. The sparkling foreshore will be home to this one-off pop-up across three days, looking out across the ocean from the area’s stunning Kurrawa Terrace….

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Intercontinental Sanctuary Cove hooks up with Taylors Wines for “One Wine Weekend” (Gold Coast)

This July, the Gold Coast’s stunning InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort and Taylors Wines are teaming up to celebrate the Sanctuary Cove Winter Wine Festival. Running across two days from July 22nd the resort will host three events different events to bring guests across a wide range of exclusive experiences. These include the Taylors Wines luxury…

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