Southern Gold Coast
News

Meet our latest and newest addition to the team who will help build community awareness of your business.

Polling day for the council elections was held on Saturday 28th of March with both Division 13 and 14 returning the sitting Councillors.

Thousands of jobs will be created as work begins on major Gold Coast infrastructure projects including the light rail and Coomera Connector.

Our peak tourism body Destination Gold Coast has commenced the strategy on bringing visitors back to our famous Gold Coast.

Find out about the latest changes to the Federal Governments JobKeeper program including a change to the minimum age for certain eligable employees.

During this period of hibernation, there is no better time to start learning, acquire a new skill, or try something different. For employers, a fully funded option to upskill your workforce during this time.

Award winning portrait artist Jeska Valk creates stunning work for the latest episode of House Rules airing on Channel 7.

The iconic ANZAC Day Dawn Service won’t be held this year at Elephant Rock, but they are pleased to advise that Currumbin RSL will be streaming a pre-recorded mid-morning service at 11am through social channels.

COVID-19 crisis invites creativity - Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation invites you to celebrate the 2020 Benefit Under the Stars - a virtually charged global event!

The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training is sending this message to keep you informed of the latest assistance from the Australian and Queensland Governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our Chamber of Commerce is made up of like minded business owners and we want to help your business get some messaging out to our members and friends about the great things that you are doing.

TAFE Queensland has new initiatives with regard to Skills and Workforce Development that are either free or low cost training, career profiling or consultancy services that TAFE Queensland or the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training will be offering to enable people to continue to develop their skills and make the most of learning opportunities (and the time they may now have to learn).

As the owner of an investment property in Queensland, if you are not already aware of the Palaszczuk Government’s proposed Special COVID-19 Protections for residential tenants and landlords, The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) wants to ensure you understand them.

A briefing was provided to residents and businesses from Transport & Main Roads about the Pacific Motorway (M1) Varsity Lakes to Tugun Upgrade

The Board of the Southern Chamber of Commerce extends its best wishes to those of you being affected during these challenging times. Many businesses are doing it tough, so now more than ever we need to support each other to get through the difficult months and even years ahead.

With the introduction of the proposed the wage subsidy solution from the Commonwealth Government, many operators are not in a position to come up with the cash to pay wages until May when the federal funding arrives.

The Board of the National Trust of Australia (Queensland) has announced the departure of CEO Jonathan Fisher after 12 years of service beginning at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and over the last 6 years as CEO of the National Trust of Australia (Queensland).

The Federal Government announced $130 billion in coronavirus wage subsidies for businesses to pay workers.

The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training is sending this message to keep you informed of the latest assistance from the Australian and Queensland Governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the restrictions put in place by the State Government to restrict movement over the border, workers will need a pass to gain access.

Gold Coast council has unveiled a range of measures including the waiving of a long list of fees and charges as part of their COVID-19 stimulus package.

Businesses to benefit through immediate payroll tax refunds. Industry focused package to support large employers and helping people stay employed

Your Chamber of Commerce is providing you with details of how you can seek assistance during these unprecedented times.

Southern Gold Coasters are being encouraged to come forward and have their say on the proposed route for the light rail extension from Burleigh to Tugun

Meet Bern, council candidate for Division 13

Meet Scott, council candidate for Division 13

Meet Katrina, council candidate for Division 13

Meet Daphne, council candidate for Division 13

Meet Gail, council candidate for Division 14

Meet Gloria, council candidate for Division 14

Meet Laura, candidate in the state by-election for Currumbin

Meet Kaylee, Labour candidate for the State seat of Currumbin

Meet Nicholas, candidate in the by-election for Currumbin

Meet Sally, candidate in the state by-election for Currumbin

Nominate today for the Queensland Training Awards Small Employer of the Year!

A NEW two-way road will be built alongside the southern stretch of the M1 as the first details emerge of a $1 billion Pacific Motorway upgrade.

The Queensland Government has announced a $27.25 million package to provide immediate assistance to industry to help Queensland deal with the impact of the coronavirus COVID-19.

This World Wildlife Day, consider giving the gift of habitat to Aussie native wildlife.

In response to the effects of the Australian bushfires and the coronavirus on Queensland's tourism industry, TEQ has launched a $2 million campaign showcasing to Australians why Queensland is 'a beautiful place to holiday here this year', leveraging Tourism Australia's campaign launched in late January.

Over the past week, Destination Gold Coast has been strongly advocating for emergency funds at Local, State and Federal Government level to support Gold Coast’s tourism sector.

The devastating bushfires across Australia are a result of the conditions caused by extended drought and extremely dry hot weather. There has been a far bigger impact on the Australian native wildlife than ever imagined.

We need your help in finding out what is important to you and your business in the lead up to the Council and State Elections. Fill in this short survey to go in the running to win a $250 gift card.

In late 2019, a Christmas Eve-part day public holiday was rushed through Queensland’s last sitting of parliament and was imposed on businesses weeks later. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) had sought feedback from the small business community and advised the government on the negative impact this would have on businesses across the state.

The Star Gold Coast’s inaugural charity fundraiser lunch, Help Yourself to Help Others, aimed at raising funds and awareness for three vital Gold Coast charities.

The Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce wants to know which issues are important to you and your business as we move towards the next Council and State elections, and a possible by-election in Currumbin in March.

City tourism leaders have warned the city’s tourism industry would also take a hit from the “double-whammy” of the bushfire disaster and Coronavirus outbreak.

It’s been another bumper year for tourism on the Gold Coast with Gold Coast Airport recording its busiest day of all time and busiest December ever.

Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey has announced she is resigning from parliament from the 1st of February, saying she has been 'swamped' by the 'black cloud' of depression after being 'ridiculed and abused'.

Tweed Sand Bypassing is a joint initiative of the New South Wales and Queensland State Governments. The project's objectives are to establish and maintain a safe, navigable entrance to the Tweed River and restore and maintain the coastal sand drift to the beaches on the southern Gold Coast of Queensland.

More good news for our local community organisations!

The Hon. Karen Andrews has announced that applications are now open for the very popular Volunteer Grants Program.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill. This will be the last one until after the March Council elections.

The Currumbin Beach Vikings is celebrating their 100th year by launching a full calendar of events for 2020.

Currumbin RSL said a fond farewell to Award Winning Alleys Restaurant in September 2019 as Stage 1A of their renovations commenced. After three months of anticipation, Stage 1A of the face-lift has been completed and Currumbin RSL are very excited to announce that they have a brand new, modern dining precinct.

The Currumbin Wildlife Hospital is facing a 20% increase in admissions related to the recent bush fires and drought conditions affecting much of Australia.

2019 was the busiest year on record at the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital. The total admissions for 2019 were 12,198, compared to 11,082 the previous year. The hospital located at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is a National Trust property and is one of the busiest wildlife hospitals in the world with the mission to treat, rehabilitate and release native wildlife.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill.

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a safe & Happy New Year

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 13 Councillor Daphne McDonald.

The iconic Kirra Beach Hotel is set to shut its doors for more than two years while the site is redeveloped into a two-tower resort, rooftop bar and ground level retail laneway.

In a digital-first and experience-driven economy, social media is a key tool for showcasing your business.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, a National Trust property, is excited to introduce their newest addition, Wild Island Adventure Splash and Play Zone. The Wild Island precinct is surrounded by beautiful sub-tropical flora and fauna with sculptures of Australian wildlife and natural features.

A partnership between Gold Coast Airport, Queensland Government, Jetstar Airways and Destination Gold Coast have secured the first ever direct flight from the Gold Coast to Seoul. Celebrating the commencement of the route on the 9th of December 2019.

Southern Gold coast businesses want the trams to go to the border and warn Palm Beach must embrace light rail for its businesses to survive and secure the tourist dollar.

The state government made a major announcement that an additional 400,000 hectares of land is being preserved for koalas and wildlife plus an additional $50,000 for the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital. 🐨🐨🐨

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has capped off the year with a number of awards including the 2019 Tourism, Hospitality & Events award as part of the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards.

Find out about changes to the PAYG and deductions for payments to workers. Information about STP (single touch payroll) and superannuation guarantee along with many more tips and tricks. This advice has been provided from Crowley Calvert & Holmes Chartered Accountants, a Gold Member of the Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill.

National Trust of Queensland Queensland CEO, Jonathan Fisher, has been appointed to the Board of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) at their Annual General Meeting in October.

The first look at the new Gold Coast Airport terminal has been revealed, with construction now underway on the southern terminal expansion.

Business conditions in Queensland have hit ‘rock bottom’ according to the latest Suncorp-CCIQ Business Pulse Survey, where the September quarter revealed that local economic conditions for small and medium enterprises are the worst on record with the confidence index falling to 36.4 points below the indication of optimism of 50 points.

Read up on the latest works and events happening in Palm Beach from Division 13 Councillor Daphne McDonald.

Provides schools and pre-schools, places of religious worship, community organisations and local councils with grants of up to $1 million for crime prevention initiatives aimed at reducing crime, violence, anti-social behaviour and/or other security risks driven by racial and/or religious intolerance.

It was a pleasure to present the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital with a cheque yesterday for $343, which was collected from the raffle at the Chambers recent After Dark Function at Currumbin Vikings. We were even lucky enough to see little Poco who was visiting for a bandage change!

Many employers will be looking at closing down their businesses over the Christmas and New Year period so they can have a well-deserved break.

Residual funding is available to support the development of female leaders in Queensland. The initiative is providing women with grants of between $2,000 and $7,000 to enable participation in one of three programs.

The City of Gold Coast has opened consultation on amendments to the City Plan. Southern Gold Coast locals are urged to view the proposed changes and have your say on shaping our unique part of the City so that our region continues to grow in line with the expectations of local residents, visitors and businesses.

Connecting Southern Gold Coast CEO Josh Martin joined other Southern Gold Coast business leaders last month at a development workshop facilitated by the Southern Cross University School of Business and Tourism for academic staff to hear directly from industry about the capabilities graduates needs to succeed in their careers.

Beach Volleyball is set to reappear on Coolangatta Beach in an exciting new partnership between Volleyball Australia, Tourism Events Queensland and the City of Gold Coast - further cementing Coolangatta as a major events destination for the city.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill.

Read up on the latest works and events happening in Palm Beach from Division 13 Councillor Daphne McDonald.

How is red tape holding your business back? If Queensland is going to be the best state in Australia to do business in, the State Government needs to cut the costs of red tape for small and medium sized businesses.

End of year funding grants are currently available to women in QLD to support their participation in a professional development program.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill.

To assist small businesses with planning applications for grant rounds, the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training has released a grants schedule for 2019–20.

The two-day SandTunes Music Festival previously slated for Coolangatta Beach later this year has been moved to Metricon Stadium in Carrara following talks between the State Government and the promoter, TEG Dainty.

Surf Life Saving Australia has announced a new event is coming to Coolangatta and Kirra Beach during the Coolangatta Gold in October. Beach Warrior is an obstacle course featuring 25 challenges over a 4km course open to everyone aged 12 and over.

Australia's favourite annual nostalgia festival, Cooly Rocks On, celebrated record growth in 2019, with Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister, Kate Jones, releasing the official festival statistics with Connecting Southern Gold Coast CEO, Josh Martin, last week.

The Southern Gold Coast is gearing up for a huge season of major events hitting our region this spring, playing host to artists, musicians and elite athletes with events that celebrate our destination, our culture and this spectacular time of year.

Karen Andrews MP wants to encourage local community groups to take advantage of Round 5 of the very successful Stronger Communities Programme.

The results of the Suncorp CCIQ Pulse Survey of Business Conditions for the June Quarter show that business conditions in Queensland remain subdued due to soft operating conditions in the state.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill.

The Business Growth Fund is now open for applications.

Funding of up to $50,000 (excluding GST) may be provided for eligible business to purchase and implement highly specialised equipment to enable them to move to the next stage of growth.

Two adventurers took on the ultimate outdoor challenge in July, walking the 10 Great Walks of Queensland in just 10 days for the National Trust Q10 Challenge.

Cooly Rocks On is calling all artists Australia wide to be part of our rockin’ lineup at next year's festival – celebrating the 10th anniversary of Cooly Rocks On.

Next year’s Global Wave Conference has been given a huge international boost with the addition of Mark Taylor the Ocean X Submarine Man for David Attenborough’s Blue Ocean documentary series.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill.

New recovery grants are now available to help small businesses across North and North West Queensland rebuild after the monsoon trough flooding earlier this year.

The Small Business Artisan Producer Grants Program will provide assistance to artisan producers of gourmet food (including non-alcoholic beverages) to help them grow their businesses, access new market opportunities and enhance their gourmet food expertise.

Local businesses in Coolangatta and surrounds are invited to have their say on their experience during Cooly Rocks On 2019.

This report focuses on the impact of the highly anticipated Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast business community and the broader regional business environment.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill.

Celebrating cars and culture from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, Cooly Rocks On, June 5 to 9, took over the streets of Coolangatta with record crowds estimated at over 120,000 attending the retro festival over the five days.

The village of Tugun on the Southern Gold Coast has shown a new side this week – not only to its community but to a building in the village.

Local businesses are encouraged to apply for the Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards, the region's leading honours for business achievements.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has partnered with TOMRA, one of the network operators for the Containers for Change deposit scheme to install Queensland’s very first commercial container refund scheme reverse vending machine.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill.

It is intended that the SandTunes music festival showcase the beauty of the iconic Coolangatta beach to the world and deliver significant economic benefit to the southern Gold Coast. The feel of the festival is to be a "sand under foot" experience and will be designed to deliver an easy going beach side event.

This month we have an update from CEO Anne Stovin on what's happening at Currumbin RSL and other related businesses.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill.

After a busy year of fundraising activities, the Currumbin RSL Women’s Auxiliary has made a record donation to the Veterans Support Centre.

Jetstar will commence a three times-weekly service from Gold Coast Airport to Seoul by the end of the year – delivering 52,000 additional visitor seats to the region annually.

Thank you to all sponsors who donated prizes and members purchased tickets at our end of year evening. We were able to raise $1,380 for Drought Angels.

Gold Coast Airport has been recognised for its commitment to sustainability, achieving Level 2 accreditation under the Airports Council International’s Airport Carbon Accreditation program.

Community members looking for affordable Exercise Physiology and Osteopathy treatments can now book appointments at Southern Cross University Health Clinic in Bilinga.

Read up on the latest works and events happening on the Southern Gold Coast from Division 14 Councillor Gail O'Neill.

Help contribute to the way GC City Council deliver the Ocean Beaches Strategy by having a say on how our beaches are managed.

The Place Based Master Plan aims to improve the public space and enhance the lifestyle of residents.

You could win $500 worth of tools from Best Buy Power Tools on Currumbin Creek Road.

The Southport Spit draft master plan has now been released.

Do you know a community group with a great project idea that will make a positive difference in your local area? This year as part of ETC’s 30th birthday celebrations they are delighted to be in a position to increase the ETC Community Support Fund funding pool to $300,000!