G’day GC, and welcome again to a different massive weekly publication, March 5.
And, as tensions flare on the opposite aspect of the world, it appears some Australians have responded in the one manner we all know how…. Panic-buying bathroom paper and speeding to the servo to prime up the tank (and any spare bucket you’ll find..).
Take it simple on the market.
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One Massive Factor: The East Coast Surf Activation Tour celebration
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GC’s LuminaX expands: SportsTech focus with NRL partnership for 2026
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Designs for the $1.5b retirement tower undertaking in: Southport on the massive Star of the Sea web site
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Across the net: Final week’s Donald Trump ballot outcomes, Seek for Fundamental Seashore lacking swimmer | One other Queensland tropical cyclone | Hundreds of Australians lose jobs to AI | Scientists uncover bushes that mild up in storms and heaps extra
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Trending: GC petrol panic shopping for..
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Upcoming occasions
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What’s Taking place: The East Coast Activation Tour (ECAT) 2026 introduced worldwide surfers from 9 nations to Australia’s east coast, travelling from the Gold Coast to Sydney between 20 and 26 February to attach surf tradition with environmental conservation.
Why It Issues: Following the World Browsing Conservation Convention, the tour is designed to generate international momentum for the browsing conservation motion, strengthening ties between Australia and surf communities worldwide whereas selling the safety of our treasured coastal ecosystems.
By the Numbers
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22 surfers and delegates: Joined the tour, representing ten nations together with Peru, Costa Rica, Easter Island (Rapa Nui), Chile, Mexico, Spain, the USA of America, Indonesia, and Australia.
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Greater than 30 surfboards: Had been introduced by the convoy, together with Peru’s conventional Caballito de Totora reedboard.
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Six Nationwide Browsing Reserve places: Had been visited alongside the coast.
What Occurs On the Street: The street journey included a number of sudden moments.
An early morning shark alert occurred at Lighthouse Seashore in Port Macquarie after sightings of a tagged White Pointer and a Bull Shark.
The alert was later confirmed as false by means of the Shark Sensible App.
One other incident occurred when one of many vans carrying surfboards misplaced its roof load after the straps broke.
The Peruvian reedboard was additionally strapped to the car on the time.
Fortuitously, a possible accident was prevented, and the tour continued towards Sydney.
The group later confronted one other sudden scenario when the media workforce turned trapped inside a resort carry for an hour.
Northern Seashores Fireplace Brigade ultimately freed the crew utilizing crowbars.
“They are saying unhealthy luck is available in threes; fortunately, no extra adopted.”
What The Individuals Say: Organiser Andrew McKinnon, the wrap-up described the tour as excess of a travelling roadshow.
“The theme was easy, connecting group, tradition, and conservation with an excellent old school surf safari.”
Though surf situations had been restricted, the tour continued with sturdy participation and engagement.
“Though Wave God Huey was lacking in motion, it didn’t deter the delegation from having fun with the experience, partaking with native tradition, and experiencing the fantastic thing about Australia’s surf shoreline.”
Mr McKinnon stated the mission targeted on elevating consciousness of browsing conservation.
“The mission was to unfold the phrase concerning the international browsing conservation motion and find out how to shield its browsing ecosystems.”


What To Look For Subsequent: A brief function movie documenting ECAT 2026 is at present being produced by The Edit Suite.
The movie can be submitted to the worldwide Save The Waves Movie Competition 2026 and is anticipated to premiere in June or July.
Mr McKinnon additionally confirmed that one other worldwide tour is already being deliberate.
“We sit up for the subsequent tour in 2027. Keep tuned for updates by way of GCWSR.”, he stated.
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By Marshall Corridor
What’s Taking place: Property developer David Devine has unveiled plans for a $1,500,000,000.00 ($1.5b) retirement-focused house improvement on the long-vacant Star of the Sea web site at Southport, that includes three luxurious towers overlooking the Broadwater.
Why It Issues: For one of many Gold Coast’s most sought-after and sizeable blocks of land, the plans lodged with the Metropolis of the Gold Coast by DD Resort Residing would comprise three towers providing 600 flats, a world-class wellness centre, eating places and outlets
By the Numbers
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From 1898 till 1986, the location was: Residence to The Star of the Sea Catholic ladies’ college
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Three towers can be constructed: Every at 59, 54 and 43 storeys, respectively, and largely designated to over-50’s retirement resort residing
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The plan permits for:
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13,000 sqm of wellness amenities: Are deliberate to be included, claiming to be among the many largest within the southern hemisphere.
Zoom In: Positioned at 60 Marine Parade in Southport’s Precedence Growth Space, the undertaking might remodel a 1.44-hectare vacant waterfront block into a significant residential and life-style hub with eating places, outlets and wellness facilities open partly to the general public.
Gray Nomads Go 5-Star: Leans into the booming international wellness financial system estimated at $9.6 trillion, the 13,000 sqm of wellness area would come with spa amenities, health studios, recreation areas and even water options designed to reflect the motion of the Broadwater.
What They Mentioned:
“The proposed improvement seeks to activate a big vacant and outstanding web site to ascertain a world-class, mixed-use improvement comprising residential and non-residential makes use of, which lend themselves effectively to being within the CBD, the event software says.
The design of the towers “attracts inspiration from the cone of conifer bushes, which is exclusive and supplies important visible curiosity”.
“The proposal supplies a major and distinctive landscaping consequence to Marine Parade with distinctive, large-scale water options that are interspersed with lively makes use of together with residential lobbies and business exercise, which improve the visible amenity of the Broadwater Parklands, the applying says.
What To Look For Subsequent: The total article under.
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Scientists have simply found that treetops emit ultraviolet: Sparkles throughout thunderstorms for the very first time, having discovered that leaves produce weak digital discharges that mild up the tip.
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Ever surprise the place on the planet the Gold Coast was about: 750,000,000 years in the past? Nicely, surprise no extra with this 3D interactive map that exhibits you ways the GC turned to be the most effective place on the planet for sand-bottomed level breaks, and, heaps extra
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A whopping 4,000 out of 10,000 employees misplaced their jobs this week at AfterPay’s: Guardian firm, Block. This come barely every week after Australian firm WiseTech World lower 2,000 jobs, with all the people’ 6,000 jobs being changed by agentic AI
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One other Queensland tropical cyclone is brewing, with residents in: The Cairns space getting ready for a major climate occasion that would begin from as early as tomorrow.
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Police have recognized two teenage boys after they had been allegedly seen driving: Electrical bikes at a Palm Seashore sporting advanced, towing and flinging a procuring trolley into public tools, together with a lightweight pole and soccer objective.
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Wanting like a pack of soft-coloured skittles, Apple simply dropped its latest: MacBook recognized because the Neo👇, and a complete bunch of different merchandise
Final week’s top-clicked hyperlink was 👇
This week – Southern Cross College is education the job market with a Senior Supervisor, Skilled Expertise function in Bilinga, Gold Coast.
If main placement packages, partnerships and compliance sounds extra thrilling than a quiet campus, this one pays $142,445–$161,055 plus 17% tremendous.
For the proper operator, that’s a fairly sensible lesson in profession development..
🧀 Cheese Masterclass with Sam Studd – Fri 6 Mar, 7 pm; an indulgent, learn-something-delicious session with pairings (and a cheeky cheese cocktail). Tickets
🎪 Duck Pond (Circa) – Fri 6 Mar, 7 pm; Swan Lake will get delightfully unhinged with aerials, acrobatics and sequinned chaos. Tickets
🎪 Duck Pond (Circa) – Sat 7 Mar, 11 am; identical present, daytime session—excellent in the event you’re doing the “early lunch, arts, nap” weekend plan. Tickets
🎸 Barcelona Guitar Trio: Tribute to Paco de Lucía – Sat 7 Mar, 7:30 pm; flamenco-fuelled guitar fireworks for a correct Saturday evening out. Tickets
👨👩👧👦 Saltwater Coronary heart Household Day – Sat 7 Mar, 10 am–1 pm; children’ artmaking + story time + meals tasting celebrating the brand new Youngsters’s Gallery exhibition. Register
🎷 Rhydian and the Residuals (Gold Coast Jazz & Blues Membership) – Wed 11 Mar, 7:30 pm; big-band swing power to interrupt up the midweek slog. Tickets
🛍️ Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets – Wed 11 Mar, 4–9 pm; sundown looking with 100+ stalls proper on the foreshore. Markets
💃 Gold Coast Worldwide Girls’s Day Lunch – Fri 6 Mar, 12 pm; a feel-good lunch occasion with speeches and networking at Currumbin RSL. Tickets






















