The power went out on Thursday and didn’t come back on for 11 days. Every route out of our house was flooded. Trees dangled over powerlines. We had no phone reception. The hum of generators sang with the chorus of drumming raindrops and howling wind. The air was sticky with early autumn humidity that made mould grow on our clothes and shoes.

This was the Mudgeeraba experience during ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

For many of us in the hinterland, losing power also means losing sewerage and water pressure. We are often the first to lose power and the last to get it restored. We choose to live surrounded by nature, in the most beautiful part of the Gold Coast, but it can come with a higher cost in times of severe weather.

This is why every hinterlander is encouraged to come along to the Hinterland and Community Connector, a free disaster resilience event specifically designed for vulnerable hinterland communities.

Event Details:

🗓️ Sunday 21 June

⌚ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

📍 Nerang Bicentennial Community Centre Auditorium, 833 Southport-Nerang Road, Nerang

There will be a lived experience panel talking about what they’ve been through and their readiness tips, an emergency services panel with SES, Police, Rural Fire and Council, several stalls, a FREE BBQ thanks to the Mudgeeraba Lions, kids’ activities and an exciting Big Map session. The Big Map is a 9m x 12m printout of the entire city, and guests will be encouraged to participate in a disaster scenario using the map.

Register here (not essential, just helps with catering):

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hinterland-and-community-connector-disaster-resilience-tickets-1987877032717?aff=oddtdtcreator

Disclaimer: All views are proudly my own and do not represent any organisation.

It’s June 11, and the eve of the 2026 World Cup!

The first match kicks off tomorrow, Friday, between Mexico and South Africa at 5 am, with our Socceroos going into battle at the times and dates below (AEST).

⚽️ Fun football fact: What is the fastest someone has received a yellow card in a FIFA World Cup match?

Scroll to the bottom of today’s newsletter for the answer.

In today's newsletter

1. One Big Thing: Property giant wins green light for Robina project

2. Mega El Niño odds upgraded with: Queensland outlook shifting

3. Palmer Leisure Coolum, controlled by GC’s richest person, has: Pleaded guilty

4. Around The Web: The GC’s new Australians of the Year, 100 epic World Cup facts, GC Suns face player retention battle, NASA’s record-breaking supersonic flight and heaps more!

5. Trending: Nerang Cineplex prices…

6. Upcoming Events

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1. Property giant wins green light for Robina project

By Marshall Hall

What’s Happening: Property giant Walker Corporation has won Queensland Government approval for thousands of new dwellings in the heart of the city at Robina, a massive new development that will go by the name Lakesview.

Why It Matters: The site previously had approvals for 1550 dwellings, but its revised masterplan sought to increase that number to 2750.

The State Government reduced that number to 2500, but also dropped the requirement to include affordable homes.

By the Numbers:

• 2,500 apartments and townhouses have been approved for Lakesview Robina.

• The requirement for 500 affordable homes has been dropped by the State Government

• 50ha of open space, including 15ha of lakes and wetlands, are included in the proposal.

Local Impact: Set for a large site beside the northern side of Glades Golf Club and west of the Greenheart Parklands, the approval adds a major housing project to Robina, one of the city’s key residential, retail and transport hubs.

In short, it continues Robina’s rapid shift from a planned suburb to a higher-density city centre.

What To Look For Next: The State Facilitated Development pathway is designed to streamline the approval processes for “shovel-ready” projects on infill land to boost housing supply faster.

So, we’re likely to see more quick-moving major development approvals.

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2. Mega El Niño odds upgraded, Queensland outlook shifts

What’s Happening: The odds of a major El Niño this year have been upgraded, with unusually warm tropical Pacific waters raising weather risks across the coming months.

Why It Matters: In just the last few days, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has said El Niño conditions are developing further, with June to August now the key window for a possible significant event.

Such a weather event can bring much hotter, drier conditions across eastern Australia in particular, which can flow through to winter crops, cattle supply, dairy margins, vegetable planting and supermarket prices.

Queensland's agricultural industry had a better start than expected this year after the late-May rain, but the season still needs follow-up falls to hold that ground, especially given how long El Niño may hang around for if it forms.

By the Numbers:

• There is now an upgraded 80 per cent likelihood of a significant El Niño emerging between June to August.

  • In State of Origin betting terms, 80% odds would be a far-from-ideal NSW paying $1.25, and Queensland out at $5.00 (but with every Queenslander deep down knowing those odds haven’t meant anything in the last 15 years...)

• If it forms, there is also a 90 per cent chance it continues until at least November

• 57mm of rain fell across Queensland’s wheatbelt in May, about 278 per cent of the median.

Zoom In: Late-May rain gave Queensland agriculture a much better winter starting point.

Bendigo Bank Agribusiness report showed Queensland’s wheatbelt averaged 57mm in May, about 278 per cent of the median, which helped winter crops get out of the ground after a dry lead-in.

Cattle producers also got a lift with better seasonal conditions, meaning fewer producers were forced to sell quickly, which tightened supply and helped Queensland export cattle prices rise 20c to 40c/kg across several categories in May.

Queensland winter vegetables were still below long-term price averages in May, but reduced planting could tighten supply from August.

Despite the news above, the watch-outs are still real given the WMO’s upgraded prediction.

What The People Say: 

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said “We need to prepare for a potentially strong El Niño event – which will exacerbate drought and heavy rainfall and increase the risk of heatwaves both on land and in the ocean.

The most recent El Niño, in 2023-24, was one of the five strongest on record and it played a role in the record global temperatures we saw in 2024,”

Dr Mandy Freund from the University of Melbourne has said, “A moderate to strong El Niño is now likely. That matters and is worth paying attention to.”

What To Look For Next: More at the full article below.

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3. Palmer Leisure Coolum pleads guilty

By Marshall Hall

What’s Happening: A company controlled by the Gold Coast’s richest person, billionaire Clive Palmer, has pleaded guilty to breaching the nation’s corporate takeover laws after fighting the charges since 2018.

Why It Matters: Mr Palmer, who is reportedly worth more than $22 billion, is also set to face the court again in September on related charges for which, if he were also found guilty, he faces a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment and/or fines of up to $11,000.

In the long-running battle that dates back more than 12 years, Palmer Leisure Coolum Pty Ltd pleaded guilty this week in the Brisbane Magistrate’s Court to breaching Australia’s takeover law arising from a proposed takeover of The President’s Club Ltd.

The President’s Club is an unlisted public company representing more than 300 timeshare villa owners at the now-closed Palmer Coolum Resort on the Sunshine Coast.

By the Numbers:

• $55,000 is the maximum fine Palmer Leisure Coolum now faces at sentencing

• $11,000 is the fine Mr Palmer faces

• $22,000,000,000 is what Mr Palmer is reportedly worth

• 2012 is when the proposed takeover bid was publicly raised

• 2018 is when Palmer Leisure Coolum and Mr Palmer were first charged

Zoom In: ASIC alleges that way back in April 2012, Palmer Leisure Coolum publicly proposed to make a takeover bid for securities in The President’s Club, however, the company did not make an offer to buy the securities within two months, as required under the Corporations Act 2001.

Mr Palmer was charged with aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the company to commit that offence.

Zoom Out: Both Mr Palmer and Palmer Leisure Coolum were first charged in April 2018. with the case before the courts ever since.

Mr Palmer and Palmer Leisure Coolum have lodged various appeals, including an appeal to the High Court of Australia, seeking to have the case thrown out.

What To Look For Next: With estimates that the cases would have cost millions of dollars in legal fees during that time, Palmer Leisure Coolum now faces fines of up to $55,000 when it faces sentencing in the District Court.

Palmer Leisure Coolum is due to be sentenced in the District Court, and Mr Palmer’s related matter is expected to return to court in September.

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4. Around the web

2. Apple has finally revealed: Siri AI after two years playing catch-up in AI, which is apparently an improved experience, despite having Google’s Gemini under the hood

4. Here are 100 epic World Cup facts that: Every trivia fan should know.

6. Google has fired a warning short in the: AI subscription wars, announcing Monday that it is cutting the monthly price of Google AI Plus from $7.99 to $4.99, while doubling storage included at that tier from 200 gigabytes to 400 gigabytes.

8. Bank of America economists are warning Australia’s house prices will: Continue to fall as ‘correction’ talk amplifies

9. The Gold Coast Suns are set to face their: Biggest player retention battle since ‘dark days’

10. A record-breaking flight that lasted 81 minutes just took place, which saw: NASA’s X-59 plane go supersonic for the very first time 👇

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Weekly dream gig

This week - Think less social media manager, more founder whisperer.

Gold Coast growth firm eCom Capital is offering up to $125,000 plus performance upside for a Personal Brand Content Creator to work directly with founders Sasha and Nejra Karabut.

Your mission? Turn business wins, challenges and behind-the-scenes moments into content people actually want to watch.

You’ll film, edit, write, strategise and help grow the founders’ online presence. Basically, if you’ve ever watched a business creator on LinkedIn or Instagram and thought, “Someone is definitely following them around with a camera”, this is that job.

6. Upcoming events

📣 AASCF QLD Winterfest Cheer & Dance: Fri 12 Jun-Sun 14 Jun; cheer and dance teams take the floor at Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, 296 Nerang Broadbeach Rd, Carrara, for the season-starting Winterfest.

🏃 YOHKA Gold Coast: Sat 13 Jun-Sun 14 Jun; an obstacle course racing weekend for elite athletes, first-time racers, spectators and kids, bringing coastal energy to Southport and Kurrawa Beach.

💬 HOTA Ideas: Love on the Goldy: Sat 13 Jun, 2 pm; a free panel conversation at Studio 1, HOTA Central, where local queer voices talk about love, belonging and community. Registration required.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Fun Day in the Park: Sun 14 Jun, 10 am-2 pm; free family activities, live music, kids’ zones, food trucks, games and fundraising prizes at Roma Park, Isle of Capri, Surfers Paradise.

🎳 Australian Open Bowls: Fri 12 Jun-Thu 18 Jun; bowls action continues across Gold Coast host clubs, with the festival based around Broadbeach and running daily from 9 am to 5 pm.

🍩 2026 Baking Industry Trade Show: Tue 16 Jun-Thu 18 Jun; suppliers, live demonstrations, workshops and Australia’s Best Pie & Pastie Competition will fill Gold Coast Turf Club, Racecourse Dr, Bundall. Register through the trade show page.

🥋 2026 Australian Open and World Taekwondo Presidents Cup: Thu 18 Jun, 8 am-7 pm; elite black belt athletes compete for world ranking points at Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, Carrara, across sparring, patterns and para events.

🏟️ Vinnies CEO Sleepout Gold Coast: Thu 18 Jun; leaders will sleep out at Cbus Super Stadium, Robina, to raise funds for people facing homelessness, with the Gold Coast event aiming for a $750,000 goal.

⚽️ Fun football fact (answer): It took just 11 seconds by Jesús Gallardo (Mexico) vs Sweden in 2018, the fastest yellow card handed out in World Cup history.

What’s Happening?

The odds of a major El Niño forming this year have increased, putting Queensland’s farming outlook, food supply and winter planning back under the weather microscope.

In just the last few days, the World Meteorological Organisation has advised that El Niño conditions are developing further in …

Read more

Property giant Walker Corporation has won Queensland Government approval for a 2500-dwelling project in the heart of the city at Robina.

The State Government has confirmed it has given the green light to Walker Corporation, which was heavily involved with the development of Hope Island, for its Lakesview Robina project.

Lakesvi…

Read more

What’s Happening?

Gold Coast community members came together last weekend for the 2026 Gold Coast Memory Walk & Jog.

Participants tied up their laces and took part in support of people impacted by dementia.

The event brought walkers, runners and joggers together for a shared cause. It also encouraged people …

Read more

Four Gold Coast residents have received recognition for their efforts to make the city a better place to live.

The four were honoured in the city’s annual Gold Coast Australian of the Year Awards.

Gold Coast Recreation & Sport Inc chief executive Anna‑Louise Kassulke, whose worki…

Read more

A company controlled by the Gold Coast’s richest person, billionaire Clive Palmer, has pleaded guilty to breaching the nation’s corporate takeover laws after fighting the charges since 2018.

Mr Palmer, who is reportedly worth more than $22 billion, is also set to face the court again in September on related charges. Mr Palme…

Read more

The Gold Coast has been named as the first destination for flights from the new Western Sydney International Airport, with Jetstar set to start flights in October.

The service will run four times weekly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, with the first flight to touch down a…

Read more

What’s Happening?

The Gold Coast will be the starting point for a year-long Australian road trip backed by BIG4 Holiday Parks.

Grace Herdman and Matt Millward, both 26-year-old teachers from Brisbane, have been named winners of The BIG Aussie Review.

The couple were selected after BIG4 received hundreds of applications from a…

Read more

In today's newsletter

1. One Big Thing: Gold Coast property prices start sliding

2. Ozcare plans major expansion of: Labrador retirement village

3. Easter rush sends: Gold Coast Airport to new April high

4. Around The Web: Farmers wary of dry El Nino in the coming months, Real-life zombies from sea cucumbers, Smoke alert for Moogerah Peaks and more

5. Trending: New GC attraction?

6. Upcoming Events

We need your help to keep the Gold Coast Minute going.

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Live housing price index

1. Gold Coast property prices start sliding

By Marshall Hall

What’s Happening: Gold Coast property prices have joined the downward national slide.

Why It Matters: SQM Research Managing Director Louis Christopher said May’s data pointed to a national market losing momentum.

“National listings recorded their strongest monthly rise in some time and have moved back into positive annual territory for the first time in over a year,’’ Mr Christopher said.

By The Numbers:

• According to the latest figures from independent investment research house SQM Research, the Gold Coast’s median asking price has fallen 2.2 per cent to $1.466 million in the past three months

• The worst-hit area is the city’s northern suburbs, where median prices have slumped 14 per cent to $1.505 million. The median value of units in the northern suburbs has also fallen 3.6 per cent.

• In contrast, the median asking price in the city’s central suburbs has slipped only 1.7 per cent to $1.9 million, while units fell 3.7 per cent to just over $1 million.

Local Impact: Mr Christopher said the number of distressed listings was also increasing in Queensland.

“Distressed listings jumped 5.1per cent over the month, led by Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland, all up around 9 per cent,’’ he said.

“The annual figure is still negative, but year-on-year comparisons lag - the monthly trend is what matters here, and it is rising.

“The ACT is already 38per cent above where it was a year ago. We are watching this closely as an early indicator of mortgage stress.”

What To Look For Next: Read more in the full article 👇🏼

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3. Easter rush sends Gold Coast Airport to new April high

What’s Happening: Gold Coast Airport has recorded its busiest April in history, driven by Easter travel and school holiday demand.

Queensland Airports Limited said the strong month was helped by new routes, added seat capacity and stronger travel demand.

Why It Matters: The record result shows continued strength in the Gold Coast travel market. It also points to strong demand during key holiday periods, especially when Queensland and New South Wales school breaks align.

By The Numbers:

• Gold Coast Airport recorded 570,703 passengers in April, making it the airport’s busiest April on record.

• The April result was 41,606 passengers, higher than the same month last year.

• The busiest day was 19 April, when more than 22,400 passengers moved through the terminal.

What To Look For Next: Gold Coast Airport will add two more international routes in June.

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4. Around the web

2. Rainfall aids Australia’s wheat crop: But dry forecasts loom

4. Scientists say they’ve discovered: ‘Little Lab Zombies’ from sea cucumbers’ tissue

6. Mathematicians puzzled over a: famous problem for 80 years. Now, they’ve used AI to identify a clever solution

8. Microsoft and OpenAI broke up: Now they’re ready to fight

10. Amazon will show AI product images: When you search for some reason

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5. Trending

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Last week’s top-clicked link was 👇🏼

Weekly dream gig

This week - Energy Solution Centre is recruiting a Qualified Solar Electrician, delivering premium residential and commercial solar and battery installations across the Gold Coast.

This full-time role offers $120,000-$180,000+ OTE plus bonuses and a $5,000 sign-on incentive, with benefits including a company vehicle and fuel, structured installer bonuses, exposure to advanced solar and battery technologies, strong career progression pathways, and a supportive team culture focused on quality workmanship.

6. Upcoming events

🎸 Cooly Rocks On: Wed 3 Jun-Sun 7 Jun; motors, music, pin-up fun, retro markets and rock ‘n’ roll across Coolangatta.

🥋 Judo Australia National Championships: Fri 5 Jun-Sun 7 Jun; national judo competition at Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, 296 Nerang Broadbeach Rd, Carrara.

♿ Gold Coast Disability Expo: Fri 5 Jun-Sat 6 Jun, 9 am-3 pm; free expo at Coomera Indoor Sports Centre, 35 Beattie Rd, Coomera, linking people with disability, families, carers and providers.

🏆 Australian Open Bowls: Fri 5 Jun-Thu 11 Jun, 9 am-5 pm daily; free bowls action across Gold Coast host clubs, including Broadbeach Bowls Club, 169 Surf Parade, Broadbeach.

🎤 Anisa Nandaula: No Small Talk: Fri 5 Jun, 6:30 pm; sharp comedy show at HOTA, 135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise.

🎶 Dragon: Fri 5 Jun, 7 pm; live rock show at Coolangatta Hotel, Marine Parade, Coolangatta.

🎸 40 FINGERS - Live in Australia for the First Time: Fri 5 Jun, 7:30 pm; acoustic guitar quartet performance at HOTA, 135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise.

🛍️ Burleigh Market: Sat 6 Jun, 7 am-12 pm; fresh produce, flowers, plants, food, coffee, arts and crafts at Burleigh Heads State School.

🏉 Gold Coast SUNS v Brisbane Lions: Sat 6 Jun, 5:15 pm; QClash match at People First Stadium, Nerang Broadbeach Rd, Carrara.

🎵 Songs From 1975: Sat 6 Jun, 7:30 pm; The Honey Sliders perform classics from 1975 at HOTA, 135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise.

🖼️ Loving: Photographs of Men in Love 1850s-1950s: Sat 6 Jun-Sun 19 Jul, 10 am-4 pm daily; free exhibition at HOTA, 135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise.

🎺 Sunday Sounds: Sun 7 Jun, 1-4 pm; free live music with Issi Dye’s Rock & Roll Revival at Paradise Point Parklands, The Esplanade, Paradise Point.

🐨 KOAL: Thu 11 Jun, 10:30 am and 7 pm; interactive one-woman theatre show at HOTA, 135 Bundall Rd, Surfers Paradise.

The City of Gold Coast is planning to transform its Nerang administration centre into a new high-density residential community.

The council unveiled its plans for the site this week and will soon start a search for a developer to partner in the mixed-use neighbourhood project.

The site on South…

Read more

What’s Happening

Zinfra Pty Ltd has opened applications for its 2026 First Nations Grants program, with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led organisations on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane eligible to apply.

Funding will support projects that p…

Read more

Leading Queensland community care group Ozcare has lodged plans for a major expansion of its Ozcare Parkwood Gardens age care facility at Labrador.

The not-for-profit organisation, which was set up by the St Vincent de Paul Society in 1996, has lodged a Development Application with the City of Gold Coast to expand its exi…

Read more

Gold Coast property prices have joined the downward national slide.

According to the latest figures from independent investment research house SQM Research, the Gold Coast’s median asking price has fallen 2.2 per cent to $1.466 million in the past three months.

The worst-hit area is the city’s northern suburbs, where median prices h…

Read more

What’s Happening?

Gold Coast Airport has recorded its busiest April in history, driven by Easter travel and school holiday demand.

Queensland Airports Limited said the strong month was helped by new routes, added seat capacity and stronger travel demand.

Chief of …

Read more

What’s Happening?

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) is carrying out a planned burn in the Mount Edwards section of Moogerah Peaks National Park.

The burn is scheduled between Tuesday, 2 June 2026 and Friday, 19 June 2026, weather permitting.

Smoke may …

Read more

What’s Happening?

Customers on the Beenleigh and Gold Coast train lines are being urged to plan ahead, with extended track closures set to affect travel from 27 June to 19 July.

The closures will allow crews to complete crucial work safely inside the rail corridor. Most of the disruption has been timed during the school holiday peri…

Read more

What’s Happening?

Five young Gold Coast-area artists have been selected for the 2026 CMAA Academy of Country Music Junior Course.

The Country Music Association of Australia has announced its next group of young artists for the Junior Course, which runs from July 4 to 11.

The program will be held before Hats Off to Count…

Read more

In today's newsletter

1. One Big Thing: Tate and Luhrmann seek MAD partner

2. 🍩 Rolling in Dough: Baking’s big trade show lands on the GC

3. Three charged in a: Cross-border drug bust

4. Around The Web: HMAS Brisbane III arrives, $10m offered to Enhance Games winner, Weird new wave discovered in WA, Ash Barty at surprise GC library, and heaps more

5. Trending: Narrowneck yesterday..

6. Upcoming Events

We need your help to keep the Gold Coast Minute going.

We love sending you our snackable newsletters, and if you’re loving them too, we have an upgraded version with extra perks for just a few dollars.

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⛽️ In case you missed it: The GC Minute’s live, local, cheap fuel finder.

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1. Tate and Luhrmann seek MAD partner

By Marshall Hall

What’s Happening: The City of Gold Coast and award-winning international film director Baz Luhrmann are teaming up to find a partner to develop a creative industries hub on a 4ha site in Miami known as MAD (the Miami Arts Depot).

Why It Matters: The project is being pitched as a major creative economy play, designed to pull film, television, digital, gaming, visual effects and innovation work into the Gold Coast’s already-booming screen sector.

By the Numbers:

• MAD is estimated to generate total benefits of $2.6 billion and support more than 1000 direct and indirect full-time jobs per year.

• Queensland was Australia’s number one state for screen production in 2024-25, achieving a record $925 million in local expenditure ($548m being on the GC).

• More than $500 million in film production investment is expected to be attracted to the Gold Coast over five years

Zoom In: The precinct would be built on the council’s Miami depot site, backing onto the Burleigh Bears playing field, and is expected to combine screen production, technology, visual effects, gaming and innovation with residential, retail and commercial uses.

What They Said: Mayor Tom Tate said the Miami Arts Depot project was “a rare and catalytic opportunity” to shape the future of the city’s creative economy.

“It is time to roll out the red carpet and invite Expressions of Interest for one of the most exciting projects in our city’s history,” Mayor Tom Tate said

“This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of the Gold Coast, attract global talent and investment and position our city on the international stage.

“Importantly, the precinct masterplan is a joint vision between the City and acclaimed Australian film director Baz Luhrmann.”

What To Look For Next: The council’s Expressions of Interest campaign runs until July 31, with the city now searching for a partner to turn the MAD masterplan into a real-world creative precinct.

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😲 Fun fact: An AI-generated movie just made history at Cannes - A startup has premiered what is being called the world’s first AI-generated feature film, created in just two weeks with a small team but requiring massive computing power, costing about $400,000 in compute alone for a 95-minute movie.

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3. Baking Industry Trade Show heads to Gold Coast

What’s Happening: The 2026 Baking Industry Trade Show is heading to the Gold Coast Turf Club from Tuesday, 16 June to Thursday, 18 June, bringing free entry, live demos, tastings, cake decorating workshops and national baking competitions to Carrara.

Why It Matters: It gives Australia’s baking sector a dedicated industry event, bringing bakers, suppliers, food businesses and equipment providers together in one place.

For the Gold Coast, it is another useful notch in the city’s growing events belt, with a little more pastry involved.

By the Numbers:

• The first Annual Baking Trade Show was held in Melbourne in 2017.

• The 2025 show featured more than 55 exhibitor stands.

• Four major competitions headline the 2026 program, including,

  • donuts

  • croissants

  • sausage rolls

  • pies and pasties.

• Registration is free across all three days.

Zoom In: Visitors can expect cheesecake samples, Danish pastries, chocolate products, new bread products, live bakery kitchens, Baker’s Corner, supplier displays, and free cake-decorating workshops, with materials supplied.

Key competition highlights include:

• Tuesday 16 June: The National Donut Competition will take place, with Risque Donut Daddy, known as @thedonutdaddy, overseeing the day and helping crown the national winner.

• Wednesday 17 June: The National Artisan and Croissant Competition will take place.

• Thursday 18 June: The Australia versus New Zealand Sausage Roll Challenge will be held, with the public tasting and judging the baked goods before the official winner is declared.

What To Look For Next: More exhibitor, workshop and competition details are expected as June gets closer, including updated timings for the public tasting and judging sessions.

Visitors can check the official website for registration, courtesy bus stops and updated event information.

Check more updates here: Baking Industry Trade Show Facebook page and Baking Trade Show Instagram

Read more about the event

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4. Around the web

2. Performance drug-fueled: Enhanced Games organisers are offering $10m to anyone who can break Usain Bolt’s all-time record of 9.58 seconds back in 2009.

4. Why Google’s own AI is: Have a bit of a hard time spelling ‘Google’

6. The oldest national history museum in the Americas which was: Destroyed in a 2018 fire, along with 16 million objects (80 per cent of its collections), is about to reopen following a massive effort.

7. HMAS Brisbane arrived this: Morning at the Port of Brisbane

8. An analysis of the Pope’s: Magnifica Humanitas where he wrote about the dangers of AI, has found that certain paragraphs were between 40 per cent and 100 per cent written by AI

9. 91-year-old’s home allegedly targeted in a: Gold Coast break-in spree

10. An exploratory surf mission to the Kimberley Region of Western Australia to a: Tidal rapid that has never been surfed 👇

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Last week’s top-clicked link was 👇

Weekly dream gig

This week - If turning gym gear into global growth sounds like your kind of heavy lifting, this one’s for you.

VERVE Fitness is chasing a Head of Marketing to help take its Gold Coast-born commercial and home gym equipment brand into the US.

Think Shopify, Meta, Klaviyo, GA4, AI workflows, a team of 3-4 and a very real mandate to get traffic, conversion and cadence back on the move.

The package is serious too, with $140,000-$160,000 on offer, a direct line to the CEO and a front-row seat as VERVE pushes toward a $150m revenue goal.

6. Upcoming events

🏉 Women’s State of Origin Game 3 – Thu 28 May, 7.45 pm; Queensland and NSW bring the Origin heat to Cbus Super Stadium for a big under-lights footy night. Tickets.

🏐 Intermediate Schools Cup – Fri 29–Sun 31 May; young volleyball guns from across Queensland hit the Coast for a packed weekend of school sport. Competition.

🏃 Main Beach parkrun – Sat 30 May, 7 am; start the weekend with a breezy 5km run or walk along the beachfront, coffee reward highly encouraged. Run.

🍜 Palette x MUSO Ramen Pop-Up – Sat 30 May, 11.30 am–4 pm; HOTA gets slurpy with a limited ramen pop-up mixing food, art and Saturday arvo vibes. Pop-up.

🌊 Sessions Surf Festival – until Sat 30 May; surf, music, film and art collide across the Coast for one last salty burst of festival energy. Festival.

💃 Sundaze Sunday Morning Ecstatic Dance – Sun 31 May, 10 am–12 pm; shake off the week with an alcohol-free dance session full of movement, music and feel-good community energy. Tickets.

🎸 Cooly Rocks On Festival – Wed 3–Sun 7 Jun; classic cars, rock ’n’ roll, vintage threads and big retro fun roll into Coolangatta for one of the Coast’s biggest weeks. Festival.

The City of Gold Coast and award-winning international film director Baz Luhrmann are teaming up to find a partner to develop a creative industries hub on a 4ha site in Miami

The Miami Arts Depot, to be known as MAD, is estimated to generate total benefits of $2.6 billion or $131 million annually and su…

Read more