🏟️ Suns fire up for this weekend's date with destiny
Volume 132: Terranora man wins $100k | NASA’s mysterious announcement | Woman arrested in Southport attack | Local blood stocks run low | 10 epic images of lions and heaps more
Well, here we go.
It’s Thursday, September 11, just a few days before this weekend’s epic QClash.
After last weekend’s absolute, edge-of-your-seat heartstopper that saw the Suns get up by just one point, we literally cannot wait.
Let’s go!!
In today's newsletter
One Big Thing: The Gold Coast Suns fire up for date with destiny
Pedal-assisted parenting in: The Hinterland
A quick summary of yesterday’s Apple: iPhone 17 release event (and its hefty price tags)
Trending: Jackie Chan’s Gold Coast house..
Around the web: Woman arrested in Southport attack, NASA’s mysterious announcement, Terranora man wins $100k, local blood stocks run low, 10 epic images of lions and heaps more
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1. One Big Thing: Suns fire up for date with destiny
By Marshall Hall
What’s Happening: The Gold Coast Suns line up against big brother Brisbane Lions in the AFL semi-final this Saturday in what will be the biggest game in the club’s history.
Why It Matters: The already sold-out clash at the Gabba has fans dreaming of another Q-Clash triumph for the Gold Coast, although history is not with the club.
Zoom In: The Gold Coast thumped Brisbane 130-64 in the last Q-Clash game in July, but the Lions have won 21 of the 27 games between the two clubs.
What They Said:
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick says the semi-final against Brisbane as the biggest in Queensland football history and it’s time for “little brother to step up”.
Playing in the Club’s first-ever final after 15 years of trying, the Suns last week scrambled to a one-point victory over Fremantle at Optus Stadium, locking in the semi-final date with the Lions.
“Now we get the challenge of trying to beat Brisbane on their home patch, probably the biggest game in Queensland history I would imagine,’’ Hardwick said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
“We had a really good win against them six to eight weeks ago. We take a lot of stock out of that.
“Both sides will have challenges. I do know Brisbane are a very, very good football club and that’s what we aspire to be.
“At some stage, little brother has got to step up and take them on on their home deck.
“We look forward to that challenge.
“We’ve managed to knock a few things over this year that we haven’t achieved thus far.
“A victory over here is one of those. A victory at the Gabba would be incredibly nice. I think this group is only starting out in our journey.”
What To Look For Next: Saturday night’s 7:35 pm kick-off, which will be an absolute blockbuster.
2.
Pedal assisted parenting
The only form of legitimate exercise I’ve done since having children, apart from chasing them around to get ‘one more bite’ into them, is riding my trusty ebike.
It’s been almost two years since I invested in the..
3. A quick summary of Apple’s iPhone 17 release event
What’s Happening: Just yesterday, Apple unveiled its new iPhone 17 lineup, complete with an ultra-slim iPhone Air and pricier Pro models, and a few other incredible devices that signalled what we think is its boldest shake-up in years for these items.
Why It Matters: Apple events always arrive with plenty of fanfare.
But after a few flat years of fairly minor updates, the question remains: what’s truly different this time in the iPhone?
Beyond every model now starting at 256 GB storage and the new Air slimming down to just 5.6 mm, the biggest shift may be Apple’s firm step into luxury territory, with pricing to match.
For example, the new iPhone Pro Max 2TB costs a whopping $3,700.00!
Zoom In: Here is the quick and easy list of all the news devices released yesterday.
iPhone lineup
• iPhone 17 (base)
• iPhone 17 Pro
• iPhone 17 Pro Max
• iPhone Air - Apple’s slimmest iPhone ever (at just 5.6 mm), made of titanium, lightweight, sleek
AirPods Pro 3
• Upgraded noise cancellation (twice what the previous Pro offered)
• New heart-rate sensor built in
• Live translation feature onboard
• Slight price bump from previous models
Apple Watch models
• Watch Series 11 - includes hypertension detection and sleep tracking
• Watch SE 3 - budget-friendly, but bump-ups in durability and features
• Watch Ultra 3 - beefed-up tech: brighter display, satellite connectivity, longer battery life (approximately 42 hours)
By the Numbers: The new iPhone in Australian prices.
iPhone 17: 256 GB $1,399
512 GB $1,799
iPhone Air: 256 GB $1,799
1 TB $2,599
iPhone 17 Pro: 256 GB $1,999
1 TB $2,799
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 256 GB $2,199
2 TB $3,799
The pick of the bunch: Hands down, we think the clear winner in this release was the new AirPods Pro 3 with the incredible new battery life, heart-rate sensor and noise cancellation.
What To Look For Next: With pre-orders opening tomorrow and orders shipping from 19 September, expect provider wars as Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone compete on bundles, credits and bonus data.
And, as the 16 Pro suddenly becomes the “budget-friendly” option overnight, we wonder how many years we are from the world’s first $10,000 iPhone (given the current rate of real inflation, we’re backing 2032!)
Recent newsletters
4. Trending
5. Around The Web (Snippets)
Uber has confirmed that it will be adding: Blade’s helicopters to its platform as early as 2026
NASA's mysterious announcement: "Clearest Sign Of Life That We've Ever Found On Mars"
10 epic images of Lions that: Shows what makes them incredible animals
Spotify ads lossless streaming after: 8 years of teasing
Weekly Dream Gig
This week: Princess Polly E-Boutique is on the lookout for an AU Retail Merchandise Manager in Burleigh.
Calling all trend whisperers! If you know what Gen Z wants before they do and know how to turn “add to cart” into “sold out”, here’s your runway moment.
You’ll curate killer assortments, sync supply chains, and turn racks into reels across Polly’s fast-growing retail network.
Paying over $100,000.00 (according to Seek filters), you’ll bring 5+ years of retail buying wizardry, a knack for spotting trends at light speed, and nerves of steel for a high-velocity fashion game.
6. Upcoming Events
🎇 Astra Lumina – Thu 11, Fri 12, Sat 13 & Wed 17 from 5:30 pm; An illuminated night walk through Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s bushland; family-friendly sessions after dark in Currumbin.
🏖️ SWELL Sculpture Festival – Fri 12 to Sun 21 (various times) (runs through the week); 80+ large-scale sculptures transform Currumbin Beach into a free coastal gallery from Currumbin Alley to Kropp Park.
🍺 Crafted Beer Festival – Sat 13 from 11:00 am; 50+ breweries, 400+ brews, live music (Beddy Rays headlining) at Kurrawa Park, Broadbeach. Details & tickets via
🏉 NRLW: Titans v Raiders – Sat 13 from 1:45 pm; Gold Coast Titans Women host Canberra at Cbus Super Stadium, Robina—NRLW action with gates from 1:15 pm.
🍽️ BONUS FOOD TRAIL (ongoing this week): Sanctuary Cove Palate Passport – Daily (self-paced) (runs slightly beyond the window; major city activation); Taste across 12 Marine Village venues in Hope Island for $99 (valued at $214.25) through Oct 31—perfect add-on around festival days.
