🔒GC developer sent to jail
Volume 128: Yellow brick road found in Pacific Ocean | 80th VP Day | Spring Carnival High Tea at Robina TAFE | Amazon's same-day grocery delivery and more
G’day Gold Coast and welcome back to another winter’s (stormy?) Thursday.
It’s August 14.
In today's newsletter
One Big Thing: 80 years since Victory in the Pacific, here at home
Gold Coast: Survivor prepares for battle
A Gold Coast Developer has: Been sent to jail
Trending: The Brisbane Ekka holiday on the GC?
Around The Web: Suns dream of top 4, a yellow brick road found in the Pacific Ocean, the largest anti-bullying lesson and more
Upcoming Events
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1. One Big Thing: 80 years since Victory in the Pacific on the Gold Coast
What’s Happening: Tomorrow marks 80 years since Victory in the Pacific (VP Day), the day World War II ended in the Pacific, bringing peace to Australia and the region.
Why It Matters: The Gold Coast may not have been a battlefield (thank goodness), but it played a pivotal support role as a rest and recreation area for Allied troops, a vital chapter in our region’s past that shaped the community and its spirit.
By the Numbers
80,000 Americans were stationed just up the road in Brisbane at war’s peak
There were 5 enlisted men’s camps in Coolangatta, known as Coolangatta Rest Area, it included five rest camps for Enlisted Men, and two hotels specifically for submariners.
Camp No. 1 was located at Kirra Beach, along the foreshore north of Musgrave Street, in today's Roughton Park. Huts, ablutions and latrines, a kitchen/mess and an Officer's quarters and sick bay were located between the intersection with Winston Street and Lord Street, as well as down the east side of Lord Street
Camp No. 2 was at Kirra Hill, while Camp
Camp No. 3 was on Marine Parade at Coolangatta Beach.
Camp No. 4 was located at Greenmount, at today’s Pat Fagan Park
Camp No. 5 included five huts divided into 10 single cabins, a mess and recreation room, ablutions and latrines.
Local Impact: From 1942–45, the Gold Coast, particularly Coolangatta and Tweed Heads areas, had broadcast jazz and dance music for thousands of troops, drawing beach parties of up to 5,000.
Wartime dances and novelty competitions, including the Hokey Pokey, brought joy and vital funding to the region.
What To Look For Next: While no large-scale public VP Day event is scheduled, residents and visitors are encouraged to visit local RSLs, many of which will observe moments of silence.
You could head down to Coolangatta to see if you can pick where the camp might have been or just reflect on the stories shared across beaches, books, and family history.
Us?
From the GC Minutes’ side, one of our team members has deep family ties to the Pacific victory, whose grandfather and two brothers all fought in the war.
Colonel Malcolm Alexander “Mal” Bishop, MM, (long-time Gold Coast local)
Commando in New Guinea and Borneo, twice wounded and awarded the Military Medal for bravery
Later served in the Malayan Emergency and with US Marines
Escorted Queen Elizabeth II during her Australian tour
Flight Lieutenant John William “Bill” Bishop
Flew 44 Halifax bomber raids over Europe
Survived two crashes, and later, with No. 37 Squadron
Carried interpreters into Okinawa for Japan’s surrender
Warrant Officer Class 2 Edward James “Eddie” Bishop
Rat of Tobruk, who led night patrols in North Africa
Lost an eye to grenade blasts
Later served as an instructor with the Volunteer Defence Corps
All survived.
Got photos or stories from that time?
Let us know.
2.
Gold Coast Survivor prepares for battle
Reality television fan favourite Shonee Bowtell, who now calls Gold Coast home, is returning to the small screen this week in her fourth series of Survivor.
3. Gold Coast developer sent to jail
By Marshall Hall
What’s Happening: A Gold Coast developer who misused over $1.3 million in investor funds has been jailed.
Why It Matters: Between May 2016 and February 2017, Steele persuaded 14 investors to contribute more than $1.3 million from their superannuation and savings to lend to EA Invest Pty Ltd and Marketing Machine International Pty Ltd.
By the Numbers
Steele was given an 8-year sentence (eligible for parole after 20 months)
Found guilty on 4 counts of fraud
$1.3M+ taken from 14 investors
Local Impact: The money was meant to fund a development in Biggera Waters, but instead funded Steele’s personal lifestyle, including buying a home in his wife’s name, luxury items, travel, and gambling.
None of the funds were returned to the investors, several of whom used their superannuation.
What They Said
ASIC Deputy Chair Sarah Court said the jail sentence imposed by the Court demonstrated the seriousness of Steele’s misconduct.
“When individuals misappropriate funds for personal gain, they not only harm their investors but also undermine the integrity of the financial system, diminishing public trust in investment opportunities,’’ she said.
What To Look For Next: The full article below.
Recent newsletters
5. Trending
6. Around The Web (Snippets)
Reddit says that it has: Caught AI companies scraping its data from the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine
Amazon rolls out same-day delivery of perishable groceries in: a whole 1,000 cities in the US
A ‘yellow brick road’ has been found on the: Pacific Ocean floor during a groundbreaking volcano expedition
Anthony Albanese is being criticised for: Not attending the significant Victory in the Pacific event being held in Townsville from tomorrow.
The sound that: Defined the early days of the internet is shutting down for good!
WARNING - Memories of getting home from school and logging straight into MSN Messenger, incoming👇
Weekly Dream Gig
This week: Next Level Racing is on the hunt for a Chief Financial Officer in Bundall, where cutting‑edge simulation thrills meet boardroom mastery.
If steering strategy, driving growth and building global finance frameworks make your pulse race faster than a racing sim run, this might just be your perfect lap.
Paying $200,000.00–220,000.00 per year plus super, elite leadership, global impact, finance gets a turbo boost
7. Upcoming Events
🥋 World Taekwondo President’s Cup & Australian Open: 14–17 Aug — International Taekwondo competition at the Gold Coast Sports & Leisure Centre
📚 Currumbin Crime Writers Festival: 15–16 Aug — Crime fiction workshops, panels, and author signings at Currumbin RSL
🏉 NRL: Gold Coast Titans vs Cronulla Sharks: 16 Aug @ 3 pm — Titans return to Cbus Super Stadium in a key Round 24 clash
🟡 AFL: Gold Coast Suns vs GWS Giants (Round 23): 16 Aug @ 12:35 pm — Suns’ final regular-season home game at People First Stadium
🌙 Dreamworld Night Market: 16–17 Aug from 5 pm — Evening market with food, stalls, and entertainment at Dreamworld Parkway, Coomera
🎨 HOTA Farmers & Artisan Market: 17 Aug from 6 am — Fresh produce, boutique goods, and live music at HOTA precinct
