Hey there, Gold Coast

Welcome to The GC Minute, your fresh Gold Coast news source (

Greetings, and welcome to the first edition of The GC Minute, your new weekly newsletter for all things related to the Gold Coast, delivered every Thursday.

The team of researchers and I are super excited to guide you through the latest news in tech and business, events, and general developments in our city.

Before we jump into the good stuff, let me tell you a little about myself and this newsletter.

My name is Troy, and I’ve lived on the Gold Coast for over a decade (now in Kirra). As a longtime resident and growing up visiting friends and family who have lived from Biggera Water to Burleigh, I know how much this city has to offer under the surface, and especially how it has progressed on the tech and business front in the last few years since Covid.

The mission of the GC Minute is simple: to bring you the most important news and events in our community each week in a quick and easy-to-read format. Whether you’re a long-time resident or a newcomer, I hope this newsletter will help you stay connected and engaged with our community.

Now, onto the news!

In today’s email:

• Beer: Get cans in hands as a local brewery took out the top spot

• Economy: Median GC house prices are still waaaaayy above pre-Covid levels

• Trams: Are stopping to allow for more trams..!

• Around the Web: Harry Styles drops by (the Gold Coast… not our newsroom)

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One Big Idea

The People Are Thirsty

The 2022 Australian Craft Beer Survey released today by Beer Cartel has revealed some interesting findings.

What’s on tap?

• Queensland and the Gold Coast have the nation’s best breweries

• Black Hops Brewery retains the top spot for the fourth year in a row for the most popular craft beer brand in Australia.

• New South Wales remains the state with the most craft beer drinkers (38% of respondents).

• There has been a significant increase in the number of beer drinkers who prefer cans over bottles (59% prefer cans, 35% prefer bottles).

• Hazy and New England-style IPAs continue to dominate as the most popular beer style in the country, with 51% of respondents saying they enjoy them.

• The number of respondents who have visited a brewery in the past 12 months has increased to 76%, and the majority of those who have visited a brewery rate the experience as either “good” or “excellent.”

• 30% of respondents said they would pay more for a beer that is sustainably made or uses locally sourced ingredients.

Wanna’ beer?

Here’s the full list of locals:

• Burleigh Brewing Company

• Earth Beer Company

• Lost Palms Brewing Co.

• Black Hops Brewery

• Madocke Beer Brewing Company

• Gold Coast Brewery

• Precinct Brewing

• Balter Brewing Company

• BOB- Best Of Beers

• Black Hops II

• Aardvark and Arrow Brewery

• Burleigh Barrels Brewery

• Laughing Lizard Brewing Company

• House of Brews

• AWOL Taproom

• SOPO Brewing Co.

• Hound and Stag Brewing Co

Economy

According to the ‘Crane Index’ and other stats, you’ve hit the jackpot, Gold Coast homeowners!

The local property market has continued to flourish in 2023, with house prices enjoying a 1.9% annual growth and a whopping 32.2% increase from pre-Covid levels.

What next?

And the good news keeps on coming, as high demand and low supply means that quality homes in top locations will continue to fetch top dollar this year.

Even better, prestige properties are expected to outperform the market, thanks to a steady stream of buyers and interstate/international migration. So hold onto your hats, folks – 2023 is looking like another bumper year for Gold Coast property!

Trams

G:link trams will be replaced by buses from Helensvale to Broadbeach South stations until the last service on 9 March 2023 to welcome one of five new trams.

The new trams are part of the Stage 3 extension to Burleigh Heads, allowing the high-frequency service to continue across the alignment once Stage 3 is live soon.

🍻 Grab a few beers and get on board!

Around The Web

Harry Styles' recent sellout concert on the Gold Coast brought in over 50,000 fans, with 80% of attendees travelling from outside the region and planning to stay for multiple nights, according to Major Events Gold Coast CEO Jan McCormick.

This resulted in accommodation bookings at 76% on the day of the concert, and the event has laid the foundation for future stadium show stops. However, some fans complained about post-concert transport issues, with some having to wait for hours for public transport shuttles.

Despite this, the economic benefit of the event to the city is significant, with estimates suggesting it could be in the millions of dollars. The Gold Coast can be proud of this event, which has proven that hosting big acts can draw a large number of people to the city, boosting the local economy.