The Gold Goast is a strong contender for sports-related meetings and events, backed by its diverse attractions and new facilities. By Paige Lee Pei Qi

The sporting appeal of Gold Coast is set to grow a notch higher as the city welcomes the newly upgraded Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, which just hosted the biggest Pan Pacific Championships in Australian swimming history in August and will be one of the official venues for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

These two international events will give a “significant boost” to Gold Coast’s branding as a sports and recreation destination, according to Anna Case, director of business events, Gold Coast Tourism.

This “active reputation” will enable the destination to “court sports-related industries to host sports science and sports medicine meetings and conferences”, she said.

Opening in September following an A$14 million (US$13 million) redevelopment, the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre features not only state-of-the-art, international-standard competition facilities, but is also capable of hosting meetings in its multi-purpose spaces for up to 80 pax. Located along the Gold Coast Broadwater in Southport, the outdoor podium areas also provide a waterside venue for larger functions and events.

The centre will pave new opportunities for teambuilding activities with over-water views of the Gold Coast skyline, and the NTO is already linking up with corporations and conference organisers to develop a fresh range of teambuilding activities.

She said: “With so many sporting heroes and athletes residing on the Gold Coast, we see this as an opportunity to incorporate their expertise, motivational and inspirational stories, and successes to engage with the corporates.

“Several former Olympic and Commonwealth Games medalists currently host teambuilding activities within their sporting field,” she elaborated.

An example is five-time Olympian Natalie Cook, who conducts motivational, leadership and teambuilding workshops as well as personal play and coach volleyball sessions to corporate clients, according to Case.

Talan Miller, managing director of Sabre Corporate Development, believes that the Gold Coast’s well-reputed image as Australia’s holiday and business tourism playground offers a “terrific backdrop for any tailored teambuilding experience”.

“The Gold Coast can easily offer diverse environments of beaches, city, rainforest, theme parks and luxury resorts all within a 30-minute travel radius,” said Miller. “This gives us unequalled scope for great events that incorporate different environments and locations, and it is also a very safe destination.”

Sharing similar sentiments, Byron Kurth, managing director at Managing Australian Destinations (MAD), said: “Gold Coast has a unique blend of urban and city experience, coupled with water and bush. And given the climate in the Gold Coast, we rarely need to change plans to suit the weather.”

In tandem with the destination’s rising sports stature, sports-based activities can be incorporated into teambuilding activities to increase the fun factor, industry players advocated.

One of the sports-based activities Sabre offers is Beach Olympics, which immerses groups in Olympic-theme action with beach team activities and dress up to represent different countries, complete with opening and awards ceremonies, according to Miller.

Another top favourite he recommends is Strike Force, in which a commando raid interrupts a meeting and troops issue uniforms, dog tags and special equipment. The military theme then becomes a fun and dynamic medium for team missions, imparting key messages to ensure a memorable event on the battlefield.

Alternatively, MAD’s Kurth suggests Yachting Regatta, where participants get to race on luxury yachts and world champion yachtsmen can be invited aboard to share their skills to enhance the regatta experience.

For sporty activities but with less adrenaline rush, companies can opt for lawn bowling, which enables executives to wind down after a serious day of conferencing, Kurth recommended.

Ideas

Out and about in Queensland in two days

Day 1
Begin the morning in style and zip freely down the roads of Gold Coast on a Harley Davidson, heading towards Surfers Paradise for breakfast with the dolphins at SeaWorld. The dolphin encounter also allows guests to touch and feed bottlenose dolphins and learn hand signals to communicate with them. Spend the rest of the morning at this marine animal park filled with attractions and rides for all ages.

At noon, indulge in a sumptuous buffet of local seafood and international delicacies at Four Winds 360°, alongside panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and the hinterland at Queensland’s only revolving restaurant. After lunch, take a helicopter out to South Stradbroke Island. At this exclusive island getaway, guests can enjoy a diverse range of activities including speedboat rides, paraflying, seaplane rides and four-wheel drive tours.

Wind down with a sunset dinner cruise back to the Gold Coast, savouring views of the beautiful ocean over champagne aboard a comfortable sailing boat.

Day 2
Rise and shine early, and take off at dawn on hot air balloons to float over picturesque landscapes on a 60-minute ride. Following which, indulge in a delicious breakfast with refreshing champagne at a secluded vineyard.

A revitalising break away from the city awaits in the afternoon. A hinterland tour will take guests to visit tumbling waterfalls, verdant rainforests and stunning lookout points in the South East Queensland region.

Come evening, head to Harbour Town Shopping Centre on the Gold Coast, where guests can shop at brand outlets and specialty stores offering goods at discounted prices.
Mark the end of the day in true Aussie style. Enjoy a unique dinner-and-show experience filled with outback music, drama and action with over 40 stock horses and a three-course Australian BBQ dinner.

Credits: Gold Coast Tourism

Sleeping in the wilderness

Taronga Western Plains Zoo, near Dubbo in New South Wales, has launched 10 new luxury African-inspired lodges at Zoofari Lodge. The new safari lodges feature African-inspired décor, king-size beds, double bath and private decks right on the edge of the zoo’s African Savannah, enabling guests to see giraffes, elephants and zebras roaming from the comfort of their own lodges.

Cooking with Masterchef Julie Goodwin

Learn to cook up a storm with Australia’s first MasterChef winner Julie Goodwin, who has established her very own cooking school, Julie’s Place. Located in Gosford, Central Coast, the school features a selection of cooking classes hosted by Julie and her team.

A wide array of culinary skills at various levels are available for mastery at Julie’s Place, ranging from the fine art of cake decoration and classic French techniques to canapés and family meals. Email cook@juliesplace.com.au for more information.

Darwin welcomes new homegrown hotel

The 301-key Élan Soho Suites has opened its doors in Darwin’s CBD in July, marking the launch of the Northern Territory’s newest homegrown hotel chain.

Offering one- and two-bedroom apartments, this modern 4.5-star property is Darwin’s first hotel to offer remote check-in facilities, allowing guests to check in via smartphones and using their devices as room keys throughout the duration of their stay.

The mezzanine level boasts a dedicated conference floor comprising six event spaces that can accommodate up to 400 delegates. The hotel will also introduce Darwin’s inaugural Korean barbeque restaurant, Seoul Food.

Dirty Dancing returns to Down Under

Fans of Dirty Dancing will rejoice to know that the popular stage musical will return to Australia for its 10th anniversary production. AussieTheatre confirmed that the production will open at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre by late 2014. Dirty Dancing staged its world premiere in Sydney in 2004 and has since enjoyed ongoing success on the international circuit.

Tigerair starts roaring on Brisbane-Cairns route

Tigerair Australia launched new daily return services between Brisbane and Cairns in April, reflecting growing confidence in the Far North Queensland tourism industry. The introduction of the service will provide a 30 per cent growth in Tigerair’s existing services to Cairns. Also launched in April are daily return services between Brisbane and Darwin.