☹️ GC first home buyers told to look to Logan
Volume 140: Bonnie Blue to blow up Schoolies | Tom Tate on a new GC podcast | New AI chatbot built to argue back and heaps more.
G’day, and welcome back to another big weekly Thursday newsletter.
It’s November 6.
In today's newsletter
One Big Thing: Gold Coast first homebuyers told to look to Logan
Christmas Markets: In Mudgeeraba
Bonnie Blue threatens: To blow up Schoolies
Trending: A lambo 63 boat..
Around the web: Pimpama Station officially opens for commuters | Astronomers detect record-breaking black hole flare | Gold Coast icons share stories on new podcast (including Tom Tate) and heaps more
Upcoming events
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Weekend Weather and Surf
Live Housing Price Index
1. One Big Thing: Gold Coast first homebuyers told to look to Logan
By Marshall Hall
What’s Happening: Gold Coast’s entry-level housing market has become so competitive that first-home buyers are being pushed north into Logan and the Scenic Rim, according to Herron Todd White director Sam Gray. He says affordability challenges and limited stock have driven buyers to seek new homes in developing corridors outside the Coast.
Why It Matters: The shift underscores the growing housing affordability crisis across southeast Queensland, where even modest homes on the Gold Coast are now out of reach for many first-time buyers despite increased government support.
By the Numbers
Detached homes across central Gold Coast suburbs now sit well beyond the grasp of most first-time buyers, forcing many to search elsewhere.
The Home Guarantee Scheme cap was lifted from $700,000 to $1 million, allowing grants of up to $30,000, sparking new price rises in lower-market properties.
In Pimpama, townhouses that sold for mid-$600,000s just 18 months ago are now fetching $780,000–$800,000, a jump of nearly 25%.
Local Impact: Suburbs like Coomera, Upper Coomera, Pimpama, and Ormeau remain hotspots, but rising prices are edging them closer to the million-dollar mark. Many Gold Coast buyers are now turning to the Bank of Mum and Dad or looking to Beenleigh and Eagleby for affordable options.
What The People Say: As the city’s outer ring becomes the new frontier for first-home ownership, growth corridors in Logan and the Scenic Rim are emerging as the next housing hubs for Gold Coasters priced out of their own backyard. Sam Gray said,
““Agents are reporting that a sense of panic buying has returned in the lower price brackets as buyers scramble to secure something before it’s out of reach,”
“If you’re looking for the absolute lowest entry point into the market, then suburbs like Beenleigh and Eagleby are where you’ll need to focus.”
What To Look For Next: The full article below.
2.
Christmas Markets in Mudgeeraba
These days, it feels like as soon as November hits it’s time to get festive- the Council trees are going up and the weather is hot.
3. Bonnie Blue threatens to blow up Schoolies
By Marshall Hall
What’s Happening: Surfers Paradise is preparing for the 2025 Schoolies Festival, but controversy is brewing as English adult performer Bonnie Blue has announced plans to attend despite being banned from Australia last year.
Why It Matters: Authorities may once again need to intervene after Blue, real name Tia Billinger, publicly hinted at circumventing her visa cancellation. Her comments risk overshadowing one of Queensland’s biggest youth events.
By the Numbers
More than 1057 men featured in one of Billinger’s infamous stunts that made her internationally notorious.
Three weeks of Schoolies celebrations are scheduled to begin on November 22, drawing thousands of school leavers to the Gold Coast.
The annual festival includes both under-18 and over-18 events across multiple Australian and international locations.
What They Said:
“I don’t want to give too much away, but let’s just say I’ve got good lawyers, and I will be doing Schoolies this year,” Bonnie Blue told A Current Affair.
What To Look For Next: Officials are expected to monitor border entries and social media in the coming weeks, with Immigration likely to confirm whether Blue will be allowed or stopped from entering Australia before Schoolies kicks off.
Recent newsletters
5. Trending
6. Around The Web (Snippets)
A new AI chatbot that argues back and is designed to: Disagree with users is making waves; some say it’s even better than ChatGPT.
New Pimpama Station opens its doors: Transforming the daily commute for thousands of Gold Coasters.
Apple is reportedly close to a: $1B-a-year deal with Google to use Gemini AI to power the new Siri.
Mayor Tom Tate urges: Urgent e-transport law changes after two Queensland children die in e-bike crashes.
A 16-year-old has invented an: AI tool designed to help cool the world’s hottest cities.
Astronomers have spotted a: Black hole flare so intense, it’s unlike anything ever seen before.
Weekly Dream Gig
This week: Competitive Advantage HRM is recruiting a Chief Operating Officer (COO) / Chief Growth & Operations Officer (CGOO) to lead digital transformation and scale operations for a Gold Coast-based financial planning firm.
You’ll report directly to the MD, drive automation and systems integration across client services, lead tech and IT strategy, and build scalable processes to support national expansion.
This full-time hybrid role offers $180k–$200k per year + performance bonus, with the opportunity to help grow a $10M business to $100M. Ideal for a scale-up-savvy operator with experience in CRMs, workflow automation, and leadership within digital or professional services environments.
7. Upcoming Events
🐶 The Nourish Social - Dog Rave: Sat 8 Nov, 8:00 am; a fun dog-friendly rave event at Nourish Pet Co, 19 City Link Drive, Gold Coast.
🎉 SOLAR (Day Party): Sun 9 Nov, 3:00 pm –10:00 pm; Afro-Latin / Reggaetón / Dancehall day party at Nineteen at The Star (Broadbeach).
🎤 Gold Coast Community Fund Christmas Business Leaders Breakfast 2025: Tue 11 Nov, 6:45 am; Broadbeach · Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre.
💼 ASFA Conference 2025: Tue 11 Nov – Wed 13 Nov, at Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre - industry conference but notable.
🥋 Eternal MMA 100: Fri 14 Nov, from ~5:30 pm; combat sports night at Southport Sharks Events Centre, Southport.
