Fun filled family entertainment and springtime events will be in abundance on the Gold Coast over
coming months and there are also plenty of new things to see and do in the region particularly with
the onset of the warmer weather. See below related activities that will ensure plenty of good times
during your next Gold Coast getaway.

New Developments
· Burleigh Brewing: The Second Coming of the Black Giraffe
· Intimate Birds of Prey Encounter with O’Reilly’s Mark Culleton
· Good Charlotte Back from Hiatus to Rock the Gold Coast 600
· Sea World Resort Offers the Ultimate Theme Park ‘Staycation’
· 1000 Days: Robert Brownhall and The Gold Coast
· Top Ranked Courses to Host Mitsubishi World Masters
· Train with the Commando at Binna Burra Mountain Lodge and Campsite
Awards
· Imagine Cruises Wins Prestigious ABIA Award
· Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat Named in Top 10 by Organic Spa Magazine
Events
· 3 Chefs Do Lunch - Celebrity Chefs Cooking Workshop (Saturday 1 September)
· Swell Sculpture Festival (Friday 14 – Sunday 23 September)
· Dragonboat and Lantern Festival (Sunday 30 September)
· Gold Coast Sevens – Fever Pitch (Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 October 2012)
Media Familiarisation Opportunity
· Top 10 Things to Do on Southern Gold Coast

New Developments
Burleigh Brewing: The Second Coming of the Black Giraffe
Burleigh Brewing’s Black Giraffe is back by popular demand. The micro-brewery has again collaborated
with local Zarraffas coffee to brew a flavour creation. The coffee for the Winter 2012 Release is made
from 100% rainforest alliance coffee beans and is ethically sourced from Guatemala. The Black Giraffe
is unique in the specialty ‘coffee beer’ category as the beer itself is a black lager rather than an ale.
Burleigh Brewing Brewmaster, Brennan Fielding says they also have a unique and considered approach
to selecting the coffee for the beer, the spec’s to which it is roasted and ground and the way it is
added to the brew.
Distinctly Burleigh Brewing Co www.burleighbrewing.com.au

Intimate Birds of Prey Encounter with O’Reilly’s Mark Culleton
O’Reilly’s and Mark ‘The Birdman’ Culleton now offer a rare opportunity to interact with some
intriguing Australian raptors. In a new intimate wildlife experience, guests can get up close and
personal with a Peregrine Falcon or Wedge-tailed Eagle in a once in a lifetime experience. For a
magical half-hour, guests can learn about handling, care and management of the raptors while luring
the bird to your own glove. See firsthand the swoop of the Peregine – the fastest member of the
animal kingdom or observe the great wingspan of Australia’s largest bird of prey, the Wedge-tailed Eagle. Encounters are held at the O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyards and are available Monday to
Thursday by appointment only.
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat www.oreillys.com.au

Good Charlotte Back from Hiatus to Rock the Gold Coast 600
Australia’s love affair with the Madden brothers is set to continue with punk rockers Good Charlotte
heading this year’s V8 Supercars Armor All Gold Coast 600. Good Charlotte will headline a weekend of
entertainment ontrack, alongside award winning rock trio The Living End and 360, one of the fastest
rising stars of Australian hip hop. There are concerts on Friday and Saturday nights at the Broadwater
Parklands.
Armor All Gold Coast 600 www.v8supercars.com.au

Sea World Resort Offers the Ultimate Theme Park ‘Staycation’
Sea World Resort & Water Park is offering guests the ultimate ‘staycation’ with a fantastic opportunity
to enjoy all the facilities that the award winning 4.5 star Resort has to offer, plus unlimited theme park
entry. Save up to 60% with the Red Hot Special package which includes one nights’ accommodation in
a deluxe room and unlimited theme park entry for the length of your stay for only $179 for two adults,
plus you can bring the kids for an extra $10 each per night. For the length of your stay you’ll receive
unlimited entry to Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild Water World, providing
hours of entertainment for the kids. Plus, if you stay for two nights or more, you’ll receive a free
Dolphin Discovery Presentation at Sea World, exclusive to resort guests. Offer is valid for stays until 14
September.
Sea World Resort www.SeaWorldResort.com.au

1000 Days Robert Brownhall and The Gold Coast
From Saturday 11 August – Sunday 16 September, Gold Coast City Gallery will host 1000 Days: Robert
Brownhall and the Gold Coast. Robert is a Brisbane-based artist who has been surfing Gold Coast
breaks for 20 years. His exhibition captures crowded beaches and cracking waves, modern and retro
architecture, and everyday life on the Coast. On Tuesday 28 August, Robert Brownhall will visit the
gallery and discuss his painting practice and influences, as well as his observations of the Gold Coast
over the past two decades.
Gold Coast City Gallery www.theartscentregc.com.au

Top Ranked Courses to Host Mitsubishi World Masters
Australia’s largest amateur golfing competition has announced it will have the top ranked Links Hope
Island and The Palms at Sanctuary Cove as host courses for the first time, as well as Robina Woods and
The Glades. The 2012 Mitsubishi World Masters Golf Championship, now in its 17 th year, tees off on Sunday 21 October and runs until Saturday 27 October and will bring with it over 1,000 players and visitors from around Australia and overseas. Men and women over the age of 35 play with other golfers their own age and handicap and will be able to play in a variety of compulsory and non-compulsory events over the seven days.
Mitsubishi World Masters www.gogolfing.net.au

Train with the Commando at Binna Burra Mountain Lodge and Campsite
After his rise to fame on Channel 10’s ‘The Biggest Loser,’ Steve Willis (aka The Commando) will hold a
number of 3-day gruelling bootcamps at Binna Burra Mountain Lodge from August to October, 2012.
Rachel Allen from Binna Burra first approached Steve in 2009 to bring his intense workouts to the Lodge, believing his style of exercising and training was perfectly suited to the outdoor environment at
Binna Burra in the Gold Coast Hinterland. With rave reviews from past participants, bootcamps have
continued to grow in popularity. This year, bootcamps will take place on 19-22 August, 2-5 September
and 14-17 October.
Binna Burra Mountain Lodge and Campsite www.binnaburralodge.com.au

Awards
Imagine Cruises Wins Prestigious ABIA Award
One of Queensland’s foremost wedding suppliers, Imagine Cruises, has been recognised for their
consistent achievement of designing the dream of brides perfect day by being announced as the
winner of the 2012 prestigious ABIA award. Since 1997 the Australian Bridal Industry Academy (ABIA)
has been conducting performance appraisals of businesses engaged in the supply of wedding products
and services. Over 37,000 wedding business have been through the ABIA performance appraisal.
Imagine Cruises offers a unique, exciting and romantic wedding reception venue cruising the beautiful,
calm Gold Coast Broadwater in a luxury 100ft cruiser.
Imagine Cruises www.imaginecruises.net.au

Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat Named in Top 10 by Organic Spa Magazine
Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat has been named one of the Top 10 Organic Spas in the world by Organic
Spa Magazine. Gwinganna is the only Australian spa to be included in this upmarket magazine which
reaches over 350,000 people in the USA including across three major airline lounges.
Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat www.gwinganna.com

Events
3 Chefs Do Lunch - Celebrity Chefs Cooking Workshop (Saturday 1 September 2012)
Take three highly-respected local chefs, throw in the freshest regional produce, mix in live
demonstrations, a pinch of giveaways then serve with delicious wine/beer/spirits to complement –
and you have a premiere food and wine event on the Gold Coast. Watch as professional chefs Daisuke
Miyake (Ten Japanese Restaurant), Brian Meade (The Arts Centre Gold Coast) and Alex McKerchar
(North Burleigh Surf Life Saving Club) re-create their favourite signature dishes, resulting in a 9 course
lunch that will have your taste buds singing. 3 Chefs Do Lunch is a deliciously, entertaining event,
abundant with food, wine, recipes and great giveaways. Get the secrets direct from the professionals
and become your own master chef.
3 Chefs Do Lunch www.theartscentregc.com.au

Sculpture Festival (Friday 14 – Sunday 23 September)
Swell Sculpture Festival is a free outdoor exhibition that creates visual splendour amongst the natural
coastal setting at Currumbin Beach. Over 10 days, visitors can experience the sculptures, enjoy twilight
walks, and informative artist talks, discover new perspectives at the Public Art Forum, wander through
the Swell Smalls Gallery or participate in artist master classes and childrens workshops.
Swell Sculpture Festival www.swellsculpture.com.au

Dragonboat and Lantern Festival (Sunday 30 September)
This year (2012, the Year of the Dragon) marks the 40 th anniversary of diplomatic relations between
Australia and China. In recognition of this, Gold Coast China Town Committee will host the Dragonboat
and Latern Festival on Sunday 30 September at the Broadwater Parklands. The day will include dragon
boat racing, en eye dotting ceremony, art and cultural activities plus Asian food stalls. China has
become Australia’s biggest trading partner in the past 40 years, now replacing Australia’s traditional
economic partners, such as the United States and Japan. Two-way trade between the China and
Australia exceeded $100 billion, with the balance of trade heavily favouring Australia. 2012 presents
an opportunity to reflect on this shared history, and also to look forward to the future, continuing to
work actively with Chinese colleagues and counterparts to ensure that the relationship remains strong
and productive on both sides.

Gold Coast Sevens – Fever Pitch (Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 October 2012)
Rugby Sevens returns this October when Gold Coast Sevens – Fever Pitch kicks off the 2012/13 HSBC
Sevens World Series. The Gold Coast will once again light up when this world-class sporting event -broadcast around the globe - sees 16 national teams descend on Skilled Park over a frenetic two days.
There will be exhilarating non-stop action with 45 matches of super-fast running Rugby and off-field
entertainment offerings that deliver a unique atmosphere unlike anything else in Australian sport.
Already famous for fancy dress, music and dancing, Gold Coast Sevens – Fever Pitch is an event not to
be missed.
Gold Coast Sevens – Fever Pitch www.goldcoastfeverpitch.com.au

Media Familiarisation Opportunities
2012 Gold Coast Themed Media Familiarisations
Gold Coast Tourism is seeking expressions of interest to participate in an exclusive media
familiarisation based on the most exciting offerings on the Southern Gold Coast. From stand-up
paddle-boarding, to cultural events, quirky cafes and exquisite beach-side Kirra accommodation – the
Southern Gold Coast epitomises summer, surfing and relaxation.

As the spiritual home of Australia’s beach culture, Southern Gold Coast radiates a unique character,
charm and provides an ideal setting for holiday-makers. To view examples of experiences available in
conjunction with this media famil, please click here.

In order to ensure the exclusivity of content for your publication, this famil will be limited to three
spaces which will be filled in order of response and type of publication.

Familiarisation dates are flexible and can be arranged to suit journalist requirements. Please forward
any expressions of interest to Molly Dunn via email molly.dunn@gctourism.com. Please note: only
confirmed commissions will be accepted.

Gold Coast Tourism welcomes the opportunity to work alongside various media on individual, tailored
media familiarisations. To discuss potential stories, ideas and itineraries, please contact Molly Dunn.