🚀 GC's happy Gilmour launches a rocket
Volume 126: Mudgeeraba's four-legged friend day out | What the oil.. is oil? | The GC gets six international soccer games | Armed robbery in Robina and more
G’day and welcome back to another GC Minute Thursday, it’s July 31.
In today's newsletter
One Big Thing: Happy Gilmour launches a rocket
A day out with your: Four-legged best friend in Mudgeeraba
GC’s Kokoda Youth Foundation: Starts youth bootcamps
Trending: Last night’s lights in the sky above Oxenford
Around The Web: What the oil.. is oil anyway? | Mudgeeraba's four-legged friend day out | The GC gets six international soccer games | Armed robbery in Robina with three charged and more!
Upcoming Events
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On somewhat of a personal note this week, it’s incredibly sad to share that Tye Alroe, a successful Gold Coast business figure, passed away suddenly from a heart attack at just 39.
Having known Tye through friends from earlier years up in the Redlands, he was always a genuine bloke and nice to chat to.
Well-known across both communities up there and down here on the Gold Coast, he was the CEO of a thriving construction and development company, Alroe Constructions.
Our thoughts and condolences are with his family and friends.
Vale, Tye Alroe.
Weekend Weather and Surf
Live Housing Price Index
1. One Big Thing: Happy Gilmour launches a rocket
By Marshall Hall
What’s Happening: Queensland’s own Gilmour Space Technologies has conducted the maiden test launch of Eris, Australia’s first-ever locally designed and built orbital-class rocket, from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport.
Why It Matters: Although the rocket cleared the pad and flew for 14 seconds before shutting down, it marks a bold step toward sovereign space capability and positions Australia in the small club of nations developing orbital launch tech from scratch.
By the Numbers
Australia is one of only a few nations developing launch-from-home capability
23 metres tall and weighing 30 tonnes
The rocket flew for approximately 14 seconds before shutdown
The craft was built almost entirely in-house, including the spaceport
Local Impact: Gilmour Space, headquartered on the Gold Coast, is putting the region on the global space map — not bad for a city better known for beaches than boosters.
From Waves to the Stars: With TestFlight 2 already in production, the local startup is aiming for orbit next.
What The People Say
"Space is hard," said Adam Gilmour, CEO of Gilmour Space Technologies. "SpaceX, Rocket Lab and others needed multiple test flights to reach orbit. We've learned a tremendous amount that will go directly into improving our next vehicle, which is already in production."
"Clearing the tower was a major milestone for our team. It showed that Australia can design, build, and launch rockets right here at home," Gilmour said.
What To Look For Next: Flight data is now under review, with a second test launch, TestFlight 2, scheduled within months.
Read more at the full article below.
💼 🧾 Smart legal for local Gold Coast startups
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Whether you’re kicking off a side hustle in Burleigh or scaling from Southport, Lawpath keeps it simple, fast and affordable.
Before you book a lawyer, check out Lawpath, Australia’s #1 online legal platform.
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2.
A day out with your four-legged best friend
Dogs were domesticated from wolves as early as 20,000 years ago, long before even the development of agriculture, when our ancestors were still hunter-gatherers.
In celebration of this ancient bond, the Mudgeeraba Showgrounds are set to play host to hundreds of humans and their canine counterparts this Saturday, 2 August, 9 am- 2 pm.
Weekly Dream Gig
This week: The Mad Hueys are chasing a Creative Brand Content Lead in Currumbin Waters to help tell the story of surf, fish, party, and sell a truckload of gear while you’re at it.
If you can spot a hero moment from a mile off, filter the gold from the noise, and keep up with founders, ambassadors, and the odd pub lunch… this one’s got your name on it.
Perks? Solid salary, flexible hours, gear allowance, full kit provided, and your boat and jet ski licences covered after 12 months.
Paying $120,000.00+ (according to Seek filters..)
💼 🧾 Smart Legal for local startups
Launching a business on the Gold Coast?
Before you book a lawyer, check out Lawpath, Australia’s #1 online legal platform.
3. Kokoda Youth Foundation starts youth boot camps
By Marshall Hall
What’s Happening: The Gold Coast headquartered Kokoda Youth Foundation has been picked to deliver the state’s first intensive early intervention program for at-risk youths aged 12-17.
Why It Matters: It’s part of the State’s $500+ million push to break the youth crime cycle with early intervention, not just punishment, at the heart of the strategy.
By the Numbers
$560 million has been allocated in the State Budget for intervention and rehabilitation programs
3 short-stay ‘resets’ form the backbone of the 12-month Kokoda program
Youth aged 12–17 will access 24/7 supervision, education, mentoring and outdoor challenges
Kokoda Youth Foundation will run the program for the next four years
Local Impact: Based in Nerang, Kokoda’s delivery of the Regional Reset is a major Gold Coast win, with local boots on the ground now shaping how youth intervention rolls out across the state.
Breaking the Cycle, One Bootcamp at a Time: From digital detoxes to leadership hikes, Kokoda’s holistic, hands-on model will aim to build resilience and rewire behaviour before it turns criminal.
What The People Say
Premier David Crisafulli said Regional Reset would help restore safety where you live to help make Queensland safer.
“Regional Reset is an important part of our plan to prevent the next generation of hardcore repeat offenders and start to make Queensland safer,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Only with more police, stronger laws, rehabilitation and early intervention that works will we start to turn the tide on Labor’s youth crime crisis.
Kokoda Youth Foundation chief executive officer Angie Debnam said the funding would help transform young lives by giving them the opportunity to build a positive future.
“We welcome this investment by the Queensland Government, which will allow the Kokoda Youth Foundation to support young people in Ipswich over the next four years,” Ms Debnam said.
What To Look For Next
The full article below.
5. Trending
Those lights in the sky over Oxenford last night..
Recent newsletters
⁉️ Fun Fact: Nepal ghosted the rectangle!
What does that even mean!?, you ask..
Well, while every other country in the world flaps a four-cornered national flag, did you know Nepal decided to go officially full mountain mode?
With a double-triangle pennant design that represents the mighty Himalayas, it’s the only flag in the world that doesn’t have four corners but does have official mathematical instructions for how to draw it.
Pythagoras would be proud🇳🇵
6. Around The Web (Snippets)
Queensland’s startup scene has bounced hard off the post-2022 lull, with fresh data from Cut Through Venture showing that: $417,000,000.00 poured into local startups in FY 2025
Mark Zuckerberg is promising you can: Trust him with superintelligent AI..
What the oil? A shockingly large number of people seem to think oil comes from liquified dinosaurs. (Spoiler alert, it’s not..) so, here’s exactly what it is.
Police have charged three people following an: Armed robbery at a Robina home on Tuesday night
A boy found a shipwreck on a Scottish beach, which turned out to be a: 250-year-old warship from the American Revolution.
YouTube is tweaking its profanity-related rules to allow creators to: Monetise videos with swearing in them, provided the profanity is limited to the first seven seconds of the video. (TechCrunch)
Here’s footage of the tsunami: Hitting the coast in Russia after yesterday’s 8.8 magnitude earthquake
6. Upcoming Events
🏀 Australian Boomers vs Colorado Buffaloes: July 31 from 7 pm; Team Australia takes on the Buffs in an international basketball exhibition at Carrara Sports & Leisure Centre
🏉 NRL: Titans vs Warriors: August 3 from 2 pm; the Gold Coast Titans return to Cbus Super Stadium to face the NZ Warriors in Round 23 of the NRL season
🏄♂️ Kirra Longboard Klassic: August 1 to August 3 from 8 am; longboard surfing, vintage boards, art, music and dress-up heats hit Kirra Beach in this grassroots surf celebration 🔗 facebook.com/kirralongboardklassic
⛵ Gold Coast to Mackay Yacht Race: August 1 from 11 am; competitive offshore yacht race departs Southport Yacht Club, challenging sailors across 600 nautical miles
🎀 All Star Battle Cheerleading: August 1 from 9 am to 5 pm; top cheer squads battle it out at Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium 🔗 aascf.com.au/calendar
