⛰️The hinterland's Ruffles resort up for grabs
Volume 127: Broadbeach man wins $15m | Local students take top literary awards | A new $42m Gold Coast Woolies | Shark attacks fishing kayak | AI-powered Alexa+ and heaps more
G’day and happy Thursday afternoon once again, especially to the world’s newest cultural daredevil: John Williams.
At age 93, the famous composer known for Star Wars, Jaws, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones (what a resumè 🤯) just tried something he’s never done before this week, writing a piano concerto..
Trading lightsabers for jazzy nods by unleashing his musicians on the ivories, if this were a film, the crowd’s standing ovation would roll right over the end credits.
And yes, we’d definitely buy the soundtrack.
In today's newsletter
One Big Thing: The hinterland’s Ruffles resort up for grabs
Great Barrier Reef records one of its most dramatic: Annual declines in coral cover in its 39-year monitoring history
A brand new $42,000.000: Woolies opens on the GC
Trending: Kayaking in Gold Coast canals..
Around The Web: Broadbeach man wins $15m, tiger shark attacks fishing kayak, a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030 and heaps more
Upcoming Events
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Weekend Weather and Surf
Live Housing Price Index
1. One Big Thing: Ruffles resort up for grabs
By Marshall Hall
What’s Happening: One of the Gold Coast hinterland’s most exclusive wellness retreats is on the market.
Why It Matters: Located at 423 Ruffles Road, Willow Vale, the former Peppers Ruffles Lodge and Spa, once a top-tier hideaway for the city’s elite, is being sold as a potential business, health haven or sprawling family estate.
By the Numbers
• $4.5 million was the last sale price back in November 2013
• It has 6 villas, 2 two-storey homes, 1 spa and a lodge with a restaurant
• Zoned for short-term stays, food services and healthcare use
Local Impact: It’s a chance to revive a local icon or reinvent it, just 30 minutes from the Coast but worlds away at the same time.
Currently zoned for short-term accommodation, healthcare and food services, there is also an approval in place to expand the wellness facilities.
What The People Say
“Once operated as a boutique resort and wellness destination, the property is now ready for its next evolution,’’ agent Lana Faulkner said.
“It may suit a private health retreat, a destination venue for intimate weddings and events, or a luxurious sanctuary for extended family living.” “It may suit a private health retreat or a destination venue for intimate weddings”
What To Look For Next: The full article and more images below.
2.
Great Barrier Reef becoming more fragile
The Great Barrier Reef has recorded one of the most dramatic annual declines in coral cover in its 39-year monitoring history, according to the Australian Institute of Marine Science’s (AIMS) latest Long-Term Monitoring Program (LTMP) report.
Weekly Dream Gig
This week: Strap in and clip on! SkyPoint needs a fearless Climb Supervisor to guide thrill-seekers 270 m above Surfers Paradise.
If harnesses, heights and horizon-line selfies are your jam, this fixed-roster role offers leadership training, free Dreamworld perks and views better than your screensaver.
Laundered uniforms, onsite parking, access to retailer discounts worth hundreds, and one weekend day off each week — talk about peak employment!
![Spoiler alert: You don’t own your Instagram followers! If your account is suspended or hacked, you could lose all of your followers. Using Manychat, you can add your leads to an email database. [Ad]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!y7Jc!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F153296aa-457d-4278-a66c-d08d52faf503_1584x386.png "Spoiler alert: You don’t own your Instagram followers! If your account is suspended or hacked, you could lose all of your followers. Using Manychat, you can add your leads to an email database. [Ad]")
3. Woolies opens new Upper Coomera shopping centre
By Marshall Hall
What’s Happening: A new $42 million Woolworths-owned shopping centre has officially opened in Upper Coomera, adding major retail firepower to the city’s fast-growing northern fringe.
Why It Matters: The centre is anchored by a 3,500+ sqm full-line supermarket, with a chemist, liquor store and eight additional retailers rounding out the offer.
Upper Coomera is one of the Gold Coast’s most rapidly developing suburbs, with the new centre bringing essential services closer to home for locals and relieving pressure on nearby hubs.
By the Numbers
$42 million investment by Woolworths
3,780 sqm is the supermarket’s footprint
10 total retail and dining outlets operational
What They Said
Woolworths Group Development Manager Chris Sheehan said the new shopping centre was designed to make everyday shopping very convenient for the community.
“We want to sincerely thank the local community for their patience and understanding throughout the construction process as we undertook several road upgrades,’’ Mr Sheehan said.
State Member for Theodore Mark Boothman said he was delighted to attend the official opening.
“The 42-million-dollar investment made by Woolworths in our local community will offer residents significant convenience in local shopping and create numerous local employment opportunities,” Mr Boothman said.
What To Look For Next: The full article and more images, below.
5. Trending
Recent newsletters
6. Around The Web (Snippets)
A Danish zoo has announced that it wants the public’s healthy: Unwanted pets, to feed them to its predators
Here’s a first look at: Alexa+, Amazon’s AI-powered, fully upgraded digital assistant
The Trump administration is set to announce plans this week to: Have a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030 (🌚)
Numerous studies have indicated that: AI search is killing website traffic (and why we believe newsletters are becoming more reliable to communicate through and advertise in than ever before), which Google is strongly denying
The video from this week’s: Local trending link👇
7. Upcoming Events
🏉 DOUBLE HEADER Titans v Rabbitohs + NRLW Titans v Roosters; Sun 10 Aug, 2 pm; Indigenous-Round double-header at Cbus Super Stadium, grab tickets.
📈 Connect 2025: Mon 11 to Tue 12 Aug, 9 am-5 pm; Ray White’s flagship real-estate & business conference at GCCEC, join the waitlist here.
🧠 Neurodivergence Wellbeing Conference: Mon 11to Tue 12 Aug, 8 am-4 pm; innovation & inclusion summit at RACV Royal Pines Resort. Check full program for NWC25.
🎭 Bleach Festival Closing Weekend: Thu 7 to Sun 10 Aug*; coast-wide contemporary-arts finales from Burleigh to Broadbeach, check the full guide.
🎬 Gutsy Girls Adventure Film Tour: Sat 9 Aug, 7 pm; women-led adventure shorts at HOTA Cinema.
