Blank Gold Coast issue #69 - July 2019

JUL 2019 / #069

Botanical Bazaar

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Community Groups • • • • • • •

EdibleScapes Gold Coast District Orchid Society Inc Gold Coast Rose Society Inc Native Plants Qld GC Branch Ngarang-Wal Gold Coast Aboriginal Assc. Inc Reef Check Australia Wildcare Australia

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The Shed • • • • • • •

Botanical Art • • • •

The Barn

Besito Coffee BrazzaBBQ Coffee@thegardens Conscious Kitchen Currumbin Coffee Roasters Gunter’s Flammkuchen Happy Soul Bowl Juice Power Little Viet Taste Little Wahaca Nera’s Cakes Poffertjes King Raw Earth Organic Surf Burger Yummi Fruit Ice-Creamery Zicatela Woodfired Mexican

Black Hawk Designs Katie Regan Kitchen Utensil Competition Lindy Chandler

ATM First Aid Gold Coast Rotary Information Plant Creche Raffle Table Workshop Meeting Zone

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Flowers by Julia Rose Free Water Leopold's Treat Poseidon Music Box Snake Education Supherb Chocolate

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Community Gardens

Aroma for Wellness Fine and Rare Books Green Leaf Teahouse Kristy Scougall-Aussie Naturopath Naturally Royal Soaps Selfhelp The Clean Living Clinic Triple Moon Goddess Expos

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Comfort and Calm Earth Fibre Easy Oven Flo Gardens Flowers by Friends Grey and Bird Hot Oilly Mumma Norwex Kokedama by Jac Love Thy Earth Orchid Den Plastic Free Alternatives Bee Happy Wraps Simply Soft and Sweet Soil and Seed The Chilli Effect Tick Awareness Australia Tweed Real Food Windemere Orchids

The Greenhouse

Figland

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Figland

Food Village

Evergreen Oval Bee Zone

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Animal Farm

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Animal Farm

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Community Groups

Kids Hub

Plant Clinic

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ABSeeds Air Plant Designs Aizelwood Bromeliads All Turf Solutions Australian Cannabis University Australian Institute of Horticulture Bamboo Down Under Bee All Natural Birchgrove Nursery Birdwings Nature Black Hawk Designs Brights Natural Beeswax Brisbane Backyard Bees Cactus Anonymous Composta Australia Direct Compost Solutions Earthlife Fire Ant Eradication Forbidden Fruits Nursery Friends Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens Inc Frogpond Ceramic Garden Art Gecko Environment Council Gold Coast Amateur Beekeepers Society Inc Gold Coast Catchment Association Gold Coast Rose Society Inc Grandma’s Garden Greens Organic Plants Have'a'Chat Herbs Homemade Preserves Home Soil Solutions Know Bees Now Land for Wildlife (City of Gold Coast) Mellum Creek Nursery Natural Resources (City of Gold Coast) Nikkis's Garden Shed Ocean Connect One Rock Bonsai Pearces Nurseries

Ramsea Nursery Scenic Rim Lavender Shogun Tools Short Stuff Creations Silke's Bags & Baskets Simply Succulents Australia Sow Great Space Plants Pty Ltd Sustainable Cuisine The Ikebana Co. The Woodsman Australia Timber Crate Co Vanderbyl Vireya Nursery Viola's Patch Watersaver Gardens YoungHort Aus

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www.botanicalbazaar.com.au

04 2019

Sunday 9am - 4pm ADULTS $15 | KIDS FREE

Country Paradise Parklands 74 Billabirra Crescent, Nerang

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The Barn Time

Speaker

Presentation

10.00am

Stephen Ryan

Plant propagation w/ seed raising & cuttings

11.15am

Annette McFarlane

Conquering compost - how to make a perfect batch every time

12.30pm

Expert Panel Q&A

Integrating rare, sensory & edible plants into your garden design w/ Stephen Ryan, Annette McFarlane & Aust. Institute of Horticulture

1.45pm

Kate Heffernan

The tastes of Australia - bushfoods for home gardens

2.30pm

Costa Georgiadis

Using your garden to improve biodiversity

Garden & Sustainability Festival

The Greenhouse Time

Speaker

Presentation

10.30am

Gold Coast Rose Society

Pruning Roses 101

11.00am

Gold Coast Orchid Society

Sex life of Orchids

11.30am

Gold Coast Organic Growers Maria Roberson

Nurturing your organic fruit & veggie garden

12.00pm

Aizelwood Bromeliads

The wonderful world of Tillandsia

12.30pm

Gavin Bullock

Organic soil fertility - what you must know!

1.30pm

Gina Winter

How to use herbs in your daily life

2.30pm

Flowers by Friends

Growing & using Australian native plants for cut flora

3.00pm

Kristy Scougall

Naturopathic hydrotherapy for the nervous system

Sustainability Tent Time

Speaker

Presentation

9.45am

Morag Gamble

Steps to living a sustainable lifestyle

10.45am

Birdwings Nature

Plants & Play - the value of bush kindy programs for connecting children to nature

11.30am

Shane Sadkowsky

The growth of vertical gardening & DIY solar powered, water recycling vertical garden

12.15am

Morag Gamble

The Incredible Edible Garden - how to create a thriving and abundant food garden w/ inspiring Permaculture design ideas

1.15pm

Sue Connor

Botanical dyeing extraction method

2.00pm

Plastic Free Gold Coast

Plastic Free Living - the basics

2.30pm

Love thy Earth

Easing recycling confusion - What goes in which bin!

1.15pm

Just for the kids - See Costa the Garden Gnome in the ‘Kids Hub’!

If you have pre-booked a workshop, meet at The Shed 5mins prior.

WIN

Our gardening monster raffle, valued over $700!

Tickets available from 'The Shed'. Fundraising to build Sensory Gardens for all abilities. Drawn at 2pm, must be present to claim prize.

Where naturally wild, urban gardeners and nature lovers of all ages connect.

SUNDAY

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04 9am-4pm

Country Paradise Parklands, 74 Billabirra Crescent, Nerang Adults $15 | Kids FREE (15yrs & under)

www.botanicalbazaar.com.au supported by

Cr Peter Young Division 5

Gold Coast

BOTANICAL BAZAAR gets even greener B

ack for its fifth year is Gold Coast’s greenest event, Botanical Bazaar. Held on one jampacked day in early August, this popular garden festival sees botany experts, nature lovers, local producers, and more converge on the Nerang Country Parklands for a day of education, shopping, demonstrations, great music and of course, delicious food!

Botanical Bazaar has expanded its sustainability offerings this year, by including more

environmentally conscious exhibitors and educational talks. These include: a talk on all things recycling on the Gold Coast; a talk on home plastic-free alternatives with plenty of products available for purchase in the market; education on permaculture; and dozens of information sessions from local community groups.

One of the fascinating sustainability speakers is Dr Kevin Redd (yes you may have to read that one twice!) Dr Redd is passionate about sustainable cuisine, as evidenced by his travelling nursery in which he grows his own unusual tropical edibles.

“The whole thing started years and years ago when I owned a restaurant in Hobart and one of my neighbours wanted to have a community garden that could supply the restaurant, and use the restaurant waste for better soil,” Kevin explains.

“When we moved to Queensland we realised it was a totally different series of things you can grow; all tropical stuff and weirdo plants that aren’t

really common. So I started collecting obscure food plants from Asia, India, South America and started using them in my catering business.”

With people banging down his door to find out where he sourced these obscure ingredients, Kevin decided to start propagating the plants himself, and developed his current nursery. He will be bringing a trailer of hundreds of the unusual plants to Botanical Bazaar, and conducting a talk on the kinds of products that we can grow in Queensland, and some of their best uses.

Plastic Free Gold Coast (PFGC) is a business established in 2018, whose aims are fairly evident within the company name. We spoke with co-founder Jacky Madenfrost about 4

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their company and their presentation at Botanical Bazaar.

“PFGC Started almost a year ago (28th of June) by a group of like-minded people wanting to see a change in our community habits by educating others on how to reduce their waste and live plastic-free,” explains Jacky.

“We have a group of organisers who are together since the beginning of PFGC and together we direct and organise the actions that will go ahead for PFGC. Rhiannon Sibson (Ripples by Rhiannon), Larissa Tedesco (Eat Yourself Geen) and I are now responsible for all activities and for the management of our social media and funds which help us create more platforms and resources to share with our community,” she continues.

“At Botanical Bazaar, we hope to share more about what we do and to provide practical ideas and daily actions that can help reduce plastic consumption. We aim to offer simple and basic solutions to plastic pollution and we try to be inclusive and welcoming in our message, to make sure that everyone feels encouraged to make a change.”

In addition to the educational opportunities on offer at this year’s event, will of course be the usual wholesale plant nurseries and thousands of indoor and outdoor plants, seedlings, seeds and gardening supplies. Enthusiastic green thumbs will be able to shop for rare and favourite plants, meet with experienced horticulturalists, explore plant nurseries, herbalists, botanical artists, and learn about sustainable living concepts.

Throughout the day, celebrity gardeners such as ABC’s Gardening Australia, Stephen Ryan, with local experts Annette McFarlane and Kate Heffernan, will also be taking to the stage to present educational talks on various gardening topics.

Kiddies have not been forgotten either with free entry, a dedicated kids’ hub offering heaps of hands on nature crafts and environmental education, as well as face painting, roving performers, delicious food trucks and music by Gold Coast’s favourite folksters Leopold’s Treat.

Botanical Bazaar has grown like wildflowers over the past five years, with over 6,000 event goers expected to participate. Tickets are only $15 and best pre-purchased in order to avoid the queue. (You’ll also receive a free e-book about Medicinal Herbs with your ticket purchase).

Natalie O’Driscoll Botanical Bazaar hits Nerang Country Parklands on 4 August. Full program and ticket info is at botanicalbazaar.com.au.

y a d h t r i B e e l i �iamond Jub

SATURDAY 13 JULY 3PM-7PM

FEATURING:

BROADWATER PARKLANDS

FOOD TRUCKS

MARINE PARADE, SOUTHPORT

FIREWORKS

Proudly supported by

THE LAMPLIGHTS ELIZA & THE DELUSIONALS HANLON BROTHERS

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FREE EVENT

AMY SHARK AMY SHARK cityofgoldcoast.com.au/celebrate

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MO’S DESERT CLUBHOUSE is here to stay...

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fter a long and arduous 18-month battle, Mo’s Desert Clubhouse has received notification that the venue can continue with its plans to deliver a thriving hub for arts and culture in Burleigh’s industrial precinct.

City of Gold Coast has approved the venue’s development application which means Mo’s can lawfully operate as a music venue and artistic space.

The creative industry warehouse, established in 2017 with the vision to create, inspire and collaborate, offers musicians, artists, performers and the wider creative industry a safe house for creative endeavour. As well as co-working spaces, the warehouse provides a performance space, rehearsal studios, charity store and creative studios. It’s currently home to musician Doolie, charity thrift store Thryft GC, vintage collectors, wedding artist I Am Poppy Designs and screen printing company Smoke Screen.

With no defined land use for such a creative space within the City Plan, Mo's was forced to employ the services of town planners, lawyers, acoustic technicians, engineers, liquor licensing professionals and traffic consultants in a bid to gain legitimacy as a creative entity.

hands were tied. We have been unable to operate to our full capacity and have essentially been treading water with our operations for almost two years.”

Kimberley says the approval is significant, especially given the closure of similar creative spaces over recent years.

The team now need to raise $100,000 capital to get Mo’s up to building certification level. That includes the installation of a bar, disabled toilets and additional audio-visual capacity.

“This is an incredible win for the underground music and arts scene on the Gold Coast.”

“We will be back soon with a fully renovated bar and license, we will be an all ability access venue, more art, more music and more good vibes,” Kimberley added. “The Desert is going to really come to life in Burleigh Heads and we can’t wait.”

“We are a grass roots business and getting this approval is 100% because the community wanted and needed us here.”

While running Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, Christian and Kimberly (who are also new parents) run music agency Beats Cartel with Christian also working as a musician and Kim as an MC and presenter. The trio is completed by creative fibre artist and event coordinator Emilia Lorena. They’re all adamant that Mo’s would not be here without the local community’s support.

“The DA forced our hand to either move ahead with gusto or close our doors forever.

"The decision to move ahead was only due to the incredible network of local artists, musicians and creatives that really backed Mo's. Before we knew it we had such an incredible supportive network, teams of people willing to put their time, energy, money and support into our creative idea.

Christian Tryhorn, one of Mo’s three Directors, said the community support shown for Mo’s was unheard of.

“Dreams can be hatched and achieved, this is a real win for the underdog and will pave the way for similar projects to start and flourish on the Gold Coast.”

“Without the grassroots Gold Coast arts and music scene Mo's would not be here. Hands down.

“It’s a landmark approval,” he said.

“I guess the most frustrating part has been that everything has had to be on hold, our

“We have some serious planning and building work to do,” Christian said.

“Mo's was never intended to be such a huge undertaking,” Kimberly said. “Our vision was to create a clubhouse of creatives to create, inspire and collaborate with one another.”

More than 570 submissions of support flooded Council during the community consultation stage – the largest show of written community support ever seen for a development of this nature on the Gold Coast.

“We don't have a big bank roll to keep forking out cash, so financially the strain has been real.

“We are big believers in creative collaboration and so excited to see creative enterprise be able to move forward, and hopefully with less red tape,” Kimberley said.

“Warehouse Number 5, The Burleigh Common and Arthaus all within the local industrial estates have been forced to close due to the expensive and restrictive definitions of land use within the town plan and the excessive restrictions placed on creative industry in regards to live music,” she said.

The subsequent DA approval for Mo's Desert Clubhouse is a first for the city with a new 'Creative Industry' zone now being established as the benchmark to pave the way for future like-minded businesses.

Co-director Kimberley Ferguson says the last 18 months have been “mentally, emotionally, financially and physically draining.”

“The incredible thing about the approval is that it paves the way for creatives to be able to actually operate.”

“So to them, to all our Mo's family YOU ROCK. This is your clubhouse, a space for you to exist. Keep on creating, we will back Images: left, 'A Glenlivet Romance' wedding photoshoot you like you have backed us.”

by Kate Sillcock; from the top, Mo's directors, Emilia Lorena, Christian Tryhorn and Kimberley Ferguson by Shots Fired by Wills; The Deadlove by Sam Gilmore; macrame workshop; Speed Dating Against Humanity; Desert Digs Rummage Market; Desert Deathrow Fundraiser.

Samantha Morris

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evening will also feature a guest violinist accompanying her on a selection of songs.

This is a night to be still. To be loved. To lay your head back and listen to the sounds of Sarah Shah. Tickets can be purchased at sarahshahtheevening.floktu.com.

DANIEL CHAMPAGNE + MAURICE ARMOUR LIVE AT NIMMEL HALL THIS JULY

JAMES BLUNDELL PLAYS FOR FREE AT SEAGULLS CLUB THIS MONTH A Country Music Hall of fame inductee, James Blundell was the first young Australian country music artist to sign a huge deal in Nashville, paving way for all the Aussies who have come since, and fans are in for a real treat this month when he plays for FREE at Seagulls Club. Blundell has a long list of acclamations including CMAA awards, ARIA nominations and an award, platinum, double platinum and gold record sales. More than just a performer, Blundell has written hits for Lee Kernaghan and Slim Dusty. Don’t miss one of Australia’s icons, James Blundell, FREE at Seagulls Club, Saturday 13 July at 8pm, followed by Ryan Sampson at 10pm.

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN IN MUSIC AWARDS NOW OPEN There are three new categories on offer for this year’s Australian Women in Music Awards which means that in 2019, Producers, Engineers, Film Makers, Photographers, Songwriters, Industry Leaders, Artist Managers and more are set to be acknowledged and celebrated in their own right alongside the talented artists who keep the industry ticking. The awards ceremony takes place in October and nominations close 25 July, so get cracking. More at womeninmusicawards.com.au.

Daniel Champagne, the young virtuoso recently described as 'the finest guitar player of this generation' brings his world tour back home to Australia playing an intimate concert on 5 July at Mount Nimmel Hall in Austinville. This time, he’s being supported

by Maurice Armour, an English multiinstrumentalist, producer and songwriter from Newquay, Cornwall, who recently has reached 32.5 million plays on Spotify.

You don’t want to miss “future of folk” Champagne on this tour. Snap up your tix now on Eventbrite before they’re all gone!

HELP LOCAL HOMELESS PEOPLE THIS WINTER Gold Coast Homeless Connect has launched its 12th annual donation drive, with the aim of helping more than 1700 Gold Coasters who have experienced or are at risk of homelessness. We’re jumping on board and putting out a massive call for Blank readers to help out ahead of the big Homeless Connect event on 7 August. Donations of blankets, sleeping bags, jackets, backpacks, warm clothing like socks and beanies, nonperishable food, other clothing, toiletries and food vouchers are much-needed and can be dropped off at ABC Gold Coast at Mermaid Beach, Metricon Stadium or the Horizon Housing offices at Robina.

JUSTICE CREW HIT RSL CLUB SOUTHPORT Eight-time ARIA nominees Justice Crew are about to hit the road on tour to celebrate their 10th year of performing as a crew, and they’re making a stop at RSL Club Southport as part of it. Stealing the spotlight nearly a decade ago by taking out Australia’s Got Talent, Justice Crew have never looked back.

In the years that followed, John Pearce, Lukas Bellesini, Paul Merciadez, Lenny Pearce, Solo Tohi and Samson Smith transformed into Australia’s most exciting pop group, racking up number one singles, touring the country and writing with some of the hottest names in music. Justice Crew will be performing at RSL Club Southport on Monday 8 July. Tix are available via the venue’s website.

D’ARCY DOYLE ART AWARDS NOW EXHIBITING Thousands of art lovers and art buyers have started to converge on the township of Mudgeeraba where the prestigious d’Arcy Doyle Art Exhibition and Awards are held each year (once the home of d’Arcy). The historic town has turned into an Arts Festival with sculptures and artists in residence.

Visitors get free entry into the exhibition, which is held at the Mudgeeraba Memorial Hall on Railway Street. Artists are vying for a total of $20,000 in prize money, with the top prize of $10,000 in the Landscape/Seascape Category. The Awards now in their 25th year, and run from 10am to 7pm, from now until 7 July.

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ELECTRONIC MUSIC CONFERENCE BRINGS REAL-TALK TO BRISBANE

LEGEND CJ RAMONE COMES TO COOLY HOTEL CJ Ramone, fresh from headlining this years’ annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash, takes the baseball bat to Australian venues this September, including our very own Cooly Hotel. One of the last few surviving punk rockers blessed with famous Ramones sobriquet (and the only who wasn’t behind the drumkit), CJ is bringing his killer band of cretins for a guitar crushing session of psychotherapy this September. Make no mistake, you are never going to hear the Ramones songs done better than Ramones ex-bass player CJ Ramone does them. If you missed the Ramones – or just miss them – this is the show you need to see. Thursday 12 September 2019. Tickets via Oztix.

THE EVENING WITH SARAH SHAH Local singer songwriter Sarah Shah will be sharing some new tunes, originals and stories in the warm and intimate setting of Haul, Burleigh Heads on Saturday 27 July.

Sarah has been quiet on the music scene lately as she completed her post graduate degree and is currently working in the psychology field. Through this time of study and work, music-making and singing were still a core component in her life. Sarah’s

EMC Connect is bringing forward-thinking electronic artists and industry figures together at a series of events coming to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Each event sees some of Australia’s favourite artists unpack a song before having conversations about current industry trends. There’s guides for growth with a focus on building your community as well as an industry briefing and networking to build connections in the room. The Brisbane event takes place 4 July at Loyal Hope of the Valley (Morgan Street) and the featured artist is YesYou. Get all the details at bit.ly/EMCconnectBNE.

he says. “Everything I’ve ever painted in my life I’ve done for a reason that goes far beyond the painting itself.” Opening night is 29 June and the show runs through to 1 August.

A WOMAN’S SONG

SPLENDOUR’S ARTIST IN RESIDENCE EXHIBITION OPENS IN BYRON 2019 is the second year of the Artist in Residence program for Splendour In The Grass which runs 19-21 July 2019. It’s a unique collaboration which sees the artist involved in the festival artwork as well as switching Splendour audiences on to some of Australia’s best artistic talent. This year’s Splendour Artist in Residence is Lee McConnell, an ARIA nominated visual artist. His aesthetic has become widely recognisable, notably through his long term collaboration with Dune Rats. At the festival Lee will be running a masterclass for aspiring artists but either side of the event Lee’s art will be presented by Splendour in the Grass at an exhibition in Byron Bay. ‘Hypnagogic Tableau’ featuring new works by Lee McConnell opens 12 July and runs through until 6 August at Lone Goat Gallery, Lawson Street, Byron Bay.

THE TROPIC’S BEACHSIDE BRUNCH The Tropic launches bottomless beachside brunch from Saturday 6 July. Opening the doors early for morning panoramic views of Burleigh Beach, there isn’t a better location to organise your next day out. Choose from endless bubbles or drinks on consumption.

Executive chef Guillaume Zika designs a banquet menu, that includes freshly shucked oysters; a truffle and mortadella toasty; prawn cocktail rolls; and the signature woodfired pig bun. Finish on a sweet note with chocolate and strawberry cupcakes and lemon meringue tarts. Make a day out of it and kick on in Beach Bar after with DJs from 1pm. Bookings essential. Visit burleighpavlilion.com for more.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Gold Coast MothersMilkBank Charity first opening the doors to their own purpose built facility. In celebration of this momentous anniversary HOTA is hosting A Woman’s Song – a concert in support of the MothersMilkBank – featuring 5 profile Australian female artists in an uplifting, deeply moving and stunning one-off concert event. Produced and directed by Gold Coast performing artist and former mother’s milk donor Nadia Sunde, the concert will also feature the songs and voices of Marcia Howard (Goanna & The Voice), Zardi, Parissa Bouas (The Hottentots) and Rebecca Karlen with musical accompaniment by renowned Brisbane four piece jazz and world music ensemble ‘Estampa’. It all kicks off on Saturday 27 July and tickets are available at hota.com.au.

JAMES MORRISON ANNOUNCES TOUR, GOLD COAST STOP Iconic British singer-songwriter James Morrison with guest Hein Cooper, will perform in Gold Coast September 2019 as part of his national tour. In Australia, James Morrison boasts two platinum albums for ‘Undiscovered’ and ‘The Awakening’, with ‘I Won’t Let You Go’ quadruple platinum and ‘You Give Me Something’ also platinum.

Morrison hits HOTA, Home of the Arts on Sunday 22 September, and tickets are on sale now via hota.com.au.

Creative Director: Kylie Cobb Senior Writer: Samantha Morris Partnerships Manager: Amanda Gorman Partnerships: Simone Gorman-Clark

Contributors (print and online): Natalie O’Driscoll, Samantha Morris, Anthony Gebhardt, Marj Osborne, Zac Fahey, Tiffany Mitchell, Prudence Clark, Sarah Tayler, Simone Gorman-Clark, Catherine Coburn, Brendan Shanahan, Terry ‘Tappa’ Teece, Edan Hannah, Gio Siregar.

Editorial: news@blankgc.com.au Advertising: advertising@blankgc.com.au

NATIONAL LIVE MUSIC AWARDS OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS Nominations are now open for the 2019 National Live Music Awards. Held in December, the national awards will take place at eight venues around the country with every state and territory represented.

Artists, events, venues and photographers are being encouraged to the enter the awards with nominations closing 15 August. More at nlmas.com.au.

Managing Editor: Natalie O’Driscoll

Gigs: gigs@blankgc.com.au Front Cover: Botanical Bazaar, Shots Fired by James Wills.

A SWELL TIME FOR KIDS SAVE THE DATE: FOOD FESTIVALS It makes good sense to eat local. We often talk about the ‘100 mile’ table which, for the Gold Coast, extends our food bowl to the Scenic Rim and Northern Rivers. The SCENIC RIM’s EAT LOCAL WEEK takes place from 29 June to 7 July, and the TASTE OF TWEED runs from 5 to 14 July, both festivals celebrating the food and farmers of the local area through festivals, farm gate events and culinary experiences. You'll find more details at eatlocalweek.com.au and tastetweed.com.au.

NOTHING LEFT. NEVER RIGHT OPENS AT DUST TEMPLE A new exhibition opens at Dust Temple this month, exploring the work of the artist IROK, otherwise known as Sam Gilliland.

Growing up in a lower middle class family, IROK was starved of attention and from a young age found his voice in graffiti. “If I wasn’t painting something of real substance or real meaning to me, I couldn’t understand how it would have meaning to anyone else,”

One of the Gold Coast’s most beautiful stretches of sand will be transformed into Australia’s most stunning outdoor art gallery when SWELL Sculpture Festival returns to Currumbin Beach in September. The 10-day showcase of installations, digital works and sculpture will be complemented by the first ever playful, children-focused SWELL Kids Elements area. SWELL Kids Elements is an innovative project designed to encourage children to immerse themselves in art and culture through the exploration of largescale sculpture, tactile artistic creating and art play. The project will exhibit large scale artworks specifically designed for younger audiences accompanied by a sculpture workshop program designed to stimulate a creative play, including Make a Clay Baby Turtle with Monte Lupo and Create Wire Sculpture with Barbara Licha. Workshops will run on Saturday 14 + 21, and Sunday 15 + 22 September. Bookings can be made via swellsculpture.com.au.

Acknowledgement of Country We genuinely respect and acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and play. We honour their elders past, present and emerging as well as the rich contribution that continues to be made to society through art, story and music.

About us: Blank GC is independently owned and published by Samantha Morris and Chloe Popa. Founded in 2013 we are the Gold Coast’s independent cultural voice and we rely on advertising as well as our generous contributors to keep us in the fray. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editor, publishers or the writing team.

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TARA JUNE WINCH YIELDS TO BYRON WRITERS FESTIVAL

BYRON COMES ALIVE FOR WRITERS FESTIVAL

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yron becomes the home of all things literature this August when Byron Writers Festival rolls into town. And now that organisers have revealed their full program – jam-packed with more than 140 Australian and international speakers, we’re expecting the festival to dish up something pretty special for word-lovers.

The Festival takes place in the sprawling grounds of Elements of Byron Resort, surrounded by dunal vegetation and seaside vibes. 120 sessions over three days incorporate writers’ workshops, a program for children and genres such as fiction, memoir, environment, society, politics, poetry, art and music all getting a look in.

“Now more than ever our world needs writers, environmentalists, poets, commentators, politicians and artists who together can shape stories of hope, courage and change,” says Festival Director Edwina Johnson.

This year the festival celebrates its 23rd year. International guests include former anti-mafia prosecutor and one of Italy’s best-selling crime authors Gianrico Carofiglio, PEN international president and ‘Gun Love’ author Jennifer Clement, former LA Times war correspondent and author of ‘Women’s Work’ Megan K. Stack, New York Times best-selling author of ‘Pachinko’ Min Jin Leeand Indian poet, novelist and dancer Tishani Doshi. KurdishIranian refugee and award-winning author of ‘No Friend But The Mountains’ Behrouz Boochani will appear via live stream from Manus Island where he has been detained since 2013.

One of Australia’s most successful authors Di Morrissey will feature in conversations with ABC TV’s Jennifer Byrne. Former 14

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Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd (The PM Years) headlines a notable lineup of politicians that includes Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young (En Garde), former Greens senator Scott Ludlam and former leader of the Australian Democrats and founding chair of Our Watch Natasha Stott Despoja (On Violence).

Writers and revered commentators Stan Grant (Australia Day and On Identity), Kerry O’Brien (Kerry O’Brien: A Memoir), Peter Greste (The First Casualty) and Leigh Sales (Any Ordinary Day) will unpack the politics of the day as well as discuss their own books.

There’s inspiring real-life stories from people like Tim Costello and 2019 Stella Prize winner Vicki Laveau-Harvie as well as music writer / bird tragic and author of ‘Pig City’ Andrew Stafford who is about to launch his much-anticipated memoir ‘Something to Believe In’.

Clementine Ford, Benjamin Law, Adam Spencer, Trace Spicer, Tim Flannery and Bruce Pascoe are all on the lineup as is Alice Gorman and filmmaker Damon Gameau who premiered ‘2040’ at Gold Coast Film Festival and considers our post-climate future in ‘2040: A Handbook for the Regeneration’.

All in all it’s a diverse, entertaining and thought-provoking program and having attended last year’s event, I highly recommend you make a weekend of it.

There’s nothing like a Byron winter, full of literature and like-minded people to reconnect you with what’s important in life.

Samantha Morris Byron Writers Festival 2019 takes place 2-4 August in the beautiful grounds of Elements of Byron Resort. Full program and tickets at byronwritersfestival.com.

‘T

he Yield’ is a groundbreaking Australian novel by Wiradjuri author Tara June Winch, advance copies of which are already receiving five star reviews. Set for release on 2 July, ‘The Yield’ tells the story of Albert ‘Poppy’ Gondiwindi, who takes pen to paper, knowing he will soon die.

Already critically acclaimed for her first two novels, Tara June Winch is one of the most highly anticipated guests at the upcoming Byron Writer’s Festival, and we had the pleasure of interviewing her ahead of her appearance.

What was the inspiration behind ‘The Yield’?

I’ve always been interested in languages.

I knew I wanted to write about the power of reconnecting with a language that my ancestors would have spoken freely, not only to reclaim the words, but also the deep time associated with an ancient language. The work of Stan Grant Snr and John Rudder in resurrecting the Wiradjuri language was the main inspiration. They gave a people back their language and I wanted to honour their work and find a way to write a non-fiction novel about belonging in this country.

How would you describe ‘The Yield’ in five words?

Family. Language. Love. Home. Ngurambang (country) What inspired you to include the Wiradjuri dictionary?

I used the Wiradjuri language dictionary and took a class in western NSW during my research for Swallow the Air over a decade ago. I felt a sadness that the novel didn’t accommodate and include more language, and I think I just reckoned with myself that I would circle back to revisit the language again in another book, which is ‘The Yield’.

It is the International Year of Indigenous Languages, are you passionate about breathing new life into traditional Aboriginal languages, many of which have been forgotten? Why? It’s important to remember that English is the second, third, fourth and so on language to many indigenous people still

alive and thriving today. The challenge is three-fold – that our education system can balance and honour our intact indigenous languages in parts of Australia and celebrate those languages and cultures and people by allowing fluidity in the classroom. The other side is for the allowance of our people to engage in connection and healing through language – through supportive community projects, or programs of rehabilitation rather than locking our people away or passing off the residue of pain and trauma that we battle with. That is the work of decolonising the mind and tongue. Finally I think as a nation there is an opportunity for we, all of us, as Australians, new and old, to embrace the mother tongue of where we live - whether it be by supporting local language centres and linguists or lobbying for first nation language programs to be taught in our local schools and early childhood curriculums – feeling proud of our cultural history as a nation, acknowledging the horrors openly and giving all of us a real fighting chance to be so proud of our country’s future and the resilience of our first people.

I see you are based in France, what draws you to that country? Did you write the profoundly Australian book ‘The Yield’, there too?

Much of ‘The Yield’ has been written while in France. Sometimes being away from a place makes the senses of the landscape more sharp and profound. Although at the same time, equal amounts were written in Australia too. I was drawn to France for the language and the literature for sure.

I’ve read both ‘After the Carnage’ and ‘Swallow the Air’ and loved the rawness of your writing, do you have authors you draw inspiration from or whom you admire?

French writers! Albert Camus and Marguerite Duras. And then lots of Australian musicians like Archie Roach and Paul Kelly.

Why should people read ‘The Yield’?

You’ll realise. And then you’ll realise you should share your copy with your friends and family too. It’s my love letter to the past and the future of Australia. I said what I really wanted to say for my grandparents, my parents, my siblings and my daughter equally. That’s something to me and I just hope it translates to something for everyone.

Prudence Clark

WITH SPECIAL GUEST

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HOTA.COM.AU ALBUM YOU’RE STRONGER THAN YOU KNOW OUT

THUNDER LAKE STUNT SPECTACULAR

TAFE OPEN DAY

explore, encounter, engage

T

A

new artist-run studio, just a short stroll from downtown Burleigh, has launched a comprehensive series of art workshops to get the city’s creatives through winter.

he Coomera campus of TAFE Queensland is a $26m facility, purpose-built for delivering real life skills to Gold Coasters. And when the campus opens its doors on Saturday 20 July, you’ll see exactly why there are so many happy graduates.

Mint Art House, located on West Burleigh Road is home to eight local artists including ceramicists, painters and sculptors. It is both a collaborative studio as well as an event space that aims to open art up to the public. Mint this week announced its workshop series, which will be facilitated by its resident artists.

TAFE provides serious pathways into a bunch of industries and the Coomera campus is home to specialised courses in cyber security, virtual reality, screen and media, graphic design, interior design, building design, software development, information technology and music. Students can even opt for a Bachelor in games and interactive design as well as the only Bachelor degree in music on the Gold Coast.

One of those artists, Cara Sanders, describes the idea behind the workshops.

Dana Lowrey AKA DVNA is a TAFE graduate and she said her experience was extremely hands on and practical.

“The Coomera campus is fantastic,” she said, “with modern recording studios which I was in every day creating new music and working alongside like-minded artistic individuals.”

The open day includes guided tours exploring facilities such as the auditorium, box theatre, industry standard sound recording and music rehearsal studios, drawing rooms, PC and Mac computer labs, digital video and editing suites, 3D motion capture, production control facilities and much more.

Plus, there’ll be live music from current students.

Samantha Morris TAFE Coomera campus is at 198 Foxwell Road, walking distance from Coomera train station and the open day takes place Saturday 20 July. More info at bit.ly/TAFEopenday.

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“These workshops are really about de-mystifying the process behind creating art, and proving to people that anyone can be creative,” says Cara Sanders, resident Mint Artist.

“It’s not often that you have a space like Mint that encourages so much collaboration between artists and the public, and in such a prime position,” says Andrew Cullen, also a resident artist and previous SWELL Sculpture Festival exhibitor.

The first workshop takes place 27 June, focussed on watercolour and hosted by Nat Pop. Subsequent sessions will explore wire sculptures with Andrew Cullen, ceramics, smouldering, acrylics and an introduction to intuitive expression. Workshops range in price from $45 to $140.

Mint Art House winter workshop schedule, Burleigh Heads 27 June – Sip and Watercolour with Nat Pop 29 June - Get Wired with Andrew Cullen 5 and 12 July - Sip & Pinch with Judy and Dean 11 July - Sip & Smoulder with Emily Rose 18 July - Sip & Acrylic with Cara Sanders 3 August - Introduction to Intuitive Expression with Danni Borody Samantha Morris For more information on the workshops visit mintarthouse.com

W

ater sports are a huge part of a lot of people’s lives on the Gold Coast. Time on the water is a great way to socialise and spend time as a family, as well as keeping fit and getting some fresh air. The new stunt show on Sea World’s Thunder Lake is the perfect excuse to take your wakeboardobsessed teen out for the day and catch some live inspiration from the stunt waterski and wakeboard team. The new show, which started in April, features young stunt skiers from all over Australia, America and the UK, including barefooters, ski jumpers, wakeboarders, show skiers and jet skiers (as well as some BMX stunt riders too!) The Sea World Thunder Lake show team includes 18 fulltime staff ranging from 16 to 39 years of age.

Gary Reid, Director of ShowTimeFMX, is responsible for bringing the new show to Sea World.

“Our company runs the stunt show at Movie World and the same company owns Sea World so we have always wanted to get the waterski show going again. It was also a personal goal of mine as I performed there as a water skier in 1995 before starting my company, ShowTime FMX,” said Gary. “With this new show, we wanted to combine good old fashion fun, crowd involvement, and exciting acts in the one show”.

Although the format of the show might be refreshed and updated every few years, the show is scheduled indefinitely and Gary says waterskiing on Thunder Lake will be around for many years to come.

Even if you are not into watersports, the new action-packed comedy stunt show is definitely worth the watch. On every day at 1.30pm, the show fits nicely with the existing shows so you won’t have to choose between watching the seals or the stunts. As well as the shows at Seaworld there are an array of animal exhibits including jellyfish, polar bears, penguins and sharks on display. Plus a host of interactive activities you can get involved with such as snorkelling with the reef fish, swimming with dolphins and glass bottom boat tours.

Sarah Tayler For more from Sarah, visit itsonlyaplanerideaway.com

DISTIL OUR BEATING HEARTS ...at Husk Farm Distillery

T

here is a certain magic about location of Husk Farm Distillery in Tumbulgum, Northern NSW. Nestled within the Green Caldera, the eroded core of a once powerful volcano, the Tweed River and rolling green hills give way to the open valley where Husk Farm Distillery lies in compliment to its picturesque surroundings.

After the roaring success of their original Ink Gin, Husk branched out into producing a variety of rums and are now proudly the first paddock to bottle agricole rum distillery in Australia. What sets Husk apart from other distilleries is that their run is produced from the cane that grows on the farm, rather than the by-product such as molasses. For the Messenger family, the owners and operators of Husk Distillery, agricole rum has a more earthy, refreshing taste, and transports them back to their holidays in the Caribbean where their love of rum began.

Proclaimed to be “a fresh Northern NSW summer feeling in a glass” the Husk Pure Cane Rum is distilled from freshly crushed sugar cane juice straight from the Husk Paddocks and has the clean grassy, fresh flavour that is the earmark of an agricole rum. The highly coveted Spiced Bam Bam is naturally infused with wattle seed and sundried, locally sourced native ginger root, as well as some other secret botanicals for three months, giving it its unique spiced flavour. A new release by Husk is their triple oak, a thoughtful blend of three 5-year-old barrels from the 2013 harvest using American Oak, Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Port barrels. Husk are working towards releasing this “sipping spirit” once a year and recommend drinking like you would

a fine scotch. Ink Gin is the bright jewel in the Husk crown and has been causing a sensation since its first release in 2015.

Deriving its beautiful amethyst colour and unique flavour from an overnight infusion in butterfly pea flower, an Ink Gin and tonic is sure to become your new favourite drink, if it isn’t already.

Visitors to the Husk Farm can take a Distillery Tour where, for $35, you can see where production takes place, learning how their gin and rum are produced and partake in a rum flight where you can try all three of the different rums, or a cheeky cocktail.

Lasting for around 45 minutes and including a gin and tonic on arrival, this is a must book event for your trip to the Distillery.

It has been many years of planning and building, with a devastating flood along the way, for Husk Distillery to open their doors to the public, and we couldn’t be happier.

Catherine Coburn The Husk Farm Distillery is open 10:00am to 5:00pm Wednesday to Thursday and 10:00am to 6:00pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Distillery Tours can be booked on their website huskdistillers.com/ Follow more of Catherine’s adventures on Instagram @goldcoastfoodie

The Planters Café has four menus a year based on the seasons and sources its wares from local producers. Our choice from the current menu is the Husk Board filled with a selection of local cured and fresh meats, Byron Bay smoked fish rillete, speciality hard and soft cheeses, daily baked artisan bread, Byron Bay seeded crackers, organic dips, marinated olives and dried fruits.

Setting up the distillery at Tumblegum, the Messengers were focused on creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly Distillery that compliments its surroundings.

Distiller and founder Paul Messenger reports, “we follow sustainable practices growing the raw materials for our rum and feeding the waste streams from both rum and gin back to our happy herd of cattle. What they can’t eat becomes nutrient rich compost to go back on our rainforest plantings, crops and gardens.” ‘Our fertile land and mild climate, along with our local cane varieties, our people and methods of production define our provenance and give our rum its unique terroir.”

GOLD COAST MUSIC INDUSTRY MINGLE Monday 12 August, 5.45 – 8.00pm Gold Coast Music 53 Nerang St, Southport

WORLD OF MOUTH

How to tour internationally as an independent musician: getting down and dirty with those who’ve been there and not returned broke(n).

Gold Coast The Gold Coast Music Industry Mingle is proudly delivered by Blank GC in collaboration with the City of Gold Coast’s Music Action Plan 2021.

www.blankgc.com.au

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SHARKS

HUB S IS THE K R A H S T HE GOLD SOUTHPOR SIC ON T U M E V I L FREE,

OF COAST.

JULY

9 1 0 2 E D I U G GIG

FRI BENNY

FRI ELEEA

southportsharks.com.au

12

NAVARRO

FRI

19

HANNA

LIV

26

HEYER

FRI PARIS

5

LANE

Corner Olsen & Musgrave Aves, Southport QLD | 5532 1155

SAT U2

THE

6

SAT

SHOW

13

SUNSET

HERE

IS

A

TASTE

OF

OUR

CITY

LIVE

ACTS

ON

FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHTS THIS SEASON!

FRI 5

6.00pm

Paris Lane

FRI 19

ACOUSTIC

8.30pm

8.30pm

Bon Jovi / Brian Adams Tribute TRIBUTE

COVERS

PLAYING

27

VEGAS

SAT 6

8.30pm

U2 The Show

SAT 20

TRIBUTE

FRI 12

Benny Hanna

ACOUSTIC

Miss T & The Anchormen SAT

6.00pm

ACOUSTIC

Countdown Reloaded AUSSIE ROCK TRIBUTE

6.00pm

Eleea Navarro

8.30pm

FRI 26

6.00pm

Liv Heyer ACOUSTIC

8.30pm

Preserve the Moose

8.30pm

Late for Woodstock

ROCK POP

WOODSTOCK ERA

SAT 13

8.30pm

Sunset City POP, FUNK, ELECTRONIC, SOUL

FRI BON

JOVI

/

BRIAN

*Entertainment subject to change at any time.

ADAMS

19

TRIBUTE

SAT 27

8.30pm

Playing Vegas CONTEMPORARY, MODERN + RETRO CLASSICS

SNOITASREVNOC EVAC KCIN HTIW SRATS-LLA

)KROY WEN( Music/Talks

Sun 11 Aug

TIM ROGERS’

LIQUID NIGHTS IN BOHEMIA HEIGHTS Tim Rogers as the louche DJ presents special guests, a live quiz, faux sponsors, Poem of the Week, general mayhem, and sweet, sweet music.

BOOK NOW BOOK NOW

HO H TOAT.AC .OC M O .MA. UA U

Co-presented

by Double J

Theatre/Cabaret

Music

Sat 27 Jul

Thu 25–Sat 27 Jul

MOTHERSMILKBANK CHARITY: 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT

A lot can happen in 10 minutes, and we’re here to prove it.

A WOMAN’S SONG

SHORT+SWEET FESTIVAL

With Nadia Sunde, Marcia Howard, Zardi, Parissa Bouas, Rebecca Karlen and world music ensemble Estampa.

Support

Festival

Thu 1–Sat 3 Aug | Free

GLOW

WE LOVE LOCAL ARTISTS ARTWORK BY KIEL TILLMAN

CREATURES AND COLOURS OF THE NIGHT

Support homegrown artists, donate a little (or a lot).

Explore all that shimmers, moves and creeps at this wonder filled night-time adventure.

H O TA . CO M . A U / S U P P O R T

JULY THURSDAY 27 JUNE Free the Genie | The Cambus Wallace James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince BOO Seeka + Tuka | Studio 56, Miami Marketta (Ticketed) Wicked | HOTA (Ticketed)

Radolescent + Boing Boing + Perve Endings +Visas | The Northern, Byron Bay Jock Barnes + Pink Zinc | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

SATURDAY 29 JUNE Bella Paton (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack

Gavin Doniger | Tupe Aloha, Kirra Mikey Edwards (2.00pm) | Hard Rock Cafe Wally & The Gators | The Bearded Dragon, Mt Tamborine Open Mic Sunday Sesh (12.00pm) | Ground n Sound Russel Sprout (1.oopm) (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Kristie Roberts | House of Brews

Hot Donnas & The Darrans | Vinnies Dive

Coast to Country | Southport Sharks

Grant Robert | Ground N Sound

Black Rabbit George | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

Deck Acoustics: Phil & Tily (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL

Jet Club Effect | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

Peach Fur | Studio 56, Miami Marketta (Ticketed)

MONDAY 1 JULY

Gavin Doniger | Middle Pub, Mullumbimby The Swamps | The Northern, Byron Bay The Dirty Channel | Beach Hotel, Byron Bay

FRIDAY 28 JUNE Recall Dj’s + Free the Genie | Last Night on Earth, Southport Witches and Zombies + Snake Mountain + Monster Fodder + Piston Fist | Mo’s Desert Clubhouse (Ticketed) Atlantix | Ally Chow, Nobbys Beach M.E. Baird & Karl S Williams | Dust Temple (Ticketed)

Salt & Steel | Miami Marketta Gritty Blues Machine | Eddie’s Grub House Hotfest 2 (from 1pm): Swanee + Kevin Borich Express + Taste + Marie Wilson + Tyler James + Cassidy Paris + Bounty Hunters Band + A Somerset Parade | Coolangatta Hotel (Ticketed) Bella Paton (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack Richard Clapton | RSL Club Southport (Ticketed) Wicked | HOTA (Ticketed)

Round Mountain Girls + LEMAIRE | Miami Marketta

Living in the 70’s (Tribute)| Southport Sharks

The Bowery Boys | Eddie’s Grub House

Mode Duo (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Friday Acoustics: Tayla Doyle | Cabana Bar & Lounge

Bullhorn | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingslciff

Die For Mushies + Nullum Void + Lady Finger + Sara Tonin | Currumbin Pub (Ticketed)

SUNDAY 30 JUNE

The Tea Party | Coolangatta Hotel (Ticketed) Deck Acoustics: Brooke Supple (5.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Cassidy Paris | Hard Rock Cafe Radio Star (Covers) | Southport Sharks Gemini Duo (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Mescalito Blues | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

100 & The Buoys | Vinnies Dive Deck Acoustics: Michael Eotvos (1.00pm) + Sarah Grant (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Lily Budiasa | The Cambus Wallace Herbie Walker | The Scottish Prince Deck Acoustics: Michael Eotvos (1.00pm) + Sarah Grant (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Hayley Grace & The Bay Collective | Advancetown Hotel Aaron Saxon | Nobby’s Beach Surf Life Saving Club

Lloyd Saniel (Covers) | Southport Sharks

TUESDAY 2 JULY Selecta Vzion | The Cambus Wallace The Yams | The Scottish Prince

WEDNESDAY 3 JULY James Street Preachers | The Cambus Wallace Archer | The Scottish Prince

THURSDAY 4 JULY Free the Genie | The Cambus Wallace Dosed | Vinnies Dive

Winter in the Vale (6.00pm): The Hussy Hicks + Jade Soul | Helensvale Library & Cultural Centre The Vanns | Mo’s Desert Clubhouse (Ticketed)

Archie Rye | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

SUNDAY 7 JULY Elliott DJ | The Scottish Prince

Tully John & Liza-Jane | Dust Temple (Ticketed)

Stephen Lovelight | The Cambus Wallace

Eliza & The Delusionals | Vinnies Dive (Ticketed)

Jason Delphin (12.00pm) | Harrigan’s

Confession | Coolangatta Hotel (Ticketed)

Hayley Grace | Aviary Rooftop Bar

Daniel Champagne + Maurice Amour | Mount Nimmel Hall, Austinville Lastlings | Miami Marketta (Ticketed)

Deck Acoustics: Jason McGregor (1.00pm) + Jackson James (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Scott Dav-Vee (3.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing

Mescalito Blues | Riverview Hotel, Murwillumbah

Seaside Sounds (2.00pm): Josh Lovegrove + The Hussy Hicks | Burleigh Point, Burleigh Heads

Killer Queen Experience (Tribute) | Parkwood Tavern (Ticketed)

Open Mic Sunday Sesh (12.00pm) | Ground n Sound

Long Gone Daddy’s (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Daryl James | Advancetown Hotel

Miss T & The Anchorman (Covers) | Southport Sharks Benny D Williams | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff

SATURDAY 6 JULY Jesse Matthes (1.00pm) | Harrigan’s Gavin Doniger (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack

Mikey Edwards (2.00pm) | Hard Rock Cafe The Rockin Bodgies | The Bearded Dragon, Mt Tamborine Jeff Camilleri (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Cigany Weaver | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff Benji and the SSS (4.00pm)| Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

Kristie Roberts | House of Brews

Brendan Leggatt Band +Izzy Day | Miami Marketta

Coast to Country | Southport Sharks

Ben Amor (5.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing

Justice Crew | RSL Club Southport (Ticketed)

FRIDAY 5 JULY

Park After Dark: Cheap Fakes | Dreamworld (Ticketed)

Lloyd Saniel (Covers) | Southport Sharks

The Polar Bears | BBQ Bazaar

TUESDAY 9 JULY

The Decline | Vinnies Dive (Ticketed)

Matthew Armitage | The Cambus Wallace

Mescalito Blues (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack

Jammin with Who: Katie Who + Guests | The Avenue

Trilogy (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

WEDNESDAY 10 JULY

Little Fritter | The Cambus Wallace The How Dare You’s | The Scottish Prince Stephen Lovelight | Balter Brewing Recall Dj’s + The James D’Khan Trio | Last Night on Earth, Southport Felicity Lawless + Amy Roberts | Miami Marketta Deck Acoustics: Sarah Archer (5.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Friday Acoustics: Paris Lane | Cabana Bar & Lounge

U2 Tribute Show | Southport Sharks Round Mountain Girls | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff Music in the Park Saturday Sessions: Matty Rogers (1.00pm) | Rowan Robinson Park, Kingscliff

MONDAY 8 JULY

James Street Preachers | The Cambus Wallace Polish Club | The Northern, Byron Bay (Ticketed) The Yams | The Scottish Prince

THURSDAY 11 JULY

Cool Change (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince

Preserve the Moose (Covers) | Southport Sharks

Free the Genie | The Cambus Wallace

LEMAIRE | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff

Danny Widdicombe with TRICHOTOMY | Dust Temple (Ticketed)

Push | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

Polish Club | Studio 56, Miami Marketta (Ticketed)

FRIDAY 12 – SUNDAY 21 JULY

Kristie Roberts | House of Brews

VIVA Surfers Paradise | Surfers Paradise

Approachable Members Of Your Local Community | Studio 56, Miami Marketta (Ticketed) Coast to Country | Southport Sharks

THURSDAY 11 – SUNDAY 14 JULY Bello Winter Music Festival: Bullhorn + Emily Wurramara + Vaudeville Smash + Lloyd Spiegel + The Maes + Hat Fitz & Cara + The Montgomery Brothers + MORE | Bellingen (Ticketed)

FRIDAY 12 JULY BRCKS | The Cambus Wallace Chev Wilson | Balter Brewing Recall Dj’s + Free the Genie | Last Night on Earth, Southport The Yams + Elska | Miami Marketta Karise Eden | Parkwood Tavern (Ticketed) Deck Acoustics: Bonnie Kellett (5.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Elephant Hive + Fight Ibis + Rinser + Blue Savannah Underworld | Vinnies Dive (Ticketed) Lily Budiasa (5.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing Winter in the Vale (6.00pm): Black Rabbit George + Steve Cousins | Helensvale Library & Cultural Centre Bodyjar + 28 Days | Coolangatta Hotel (Ticketed) Rugby League The Musical | Soundlounge (Ticketed) Friday Acoustics: Eleea Navarro | Cabana Bar & Lounge

SATURDAY 13 JULY Christian Patey | Balter Brewing Tim Stokes (1.00pm) | Harrigan’s Felicity Lawless (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack Fire and the Whistle Theory + Steve Cousins | Miami Marketta Nick Nuisance & The Delinquents | Vinnies Dive Deck Acoustics: Jerome Williams (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Celebrate GC: Amy Shark + The Lamplights + Eliza & The Delusionals + Hanlon Brothers | Broadwater Parklands, Southport Elska (5.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing The Runes | BBQ Bazaar Die for Mushies + Nullum Void + Lady Finger + Sara Tonin | Coolangatta Hotel (Ticketed) Sunset City | Southport Sharks James Blundell + Ryan Sampson | Seagulls Club James Reyne | The STAR Gold Coast (Ticketed) Dead of Winter Festival | The Jubilee Hotel & The Tivoli (Ticketed) Diamond Country (Covers) | RSL Club Southport

Tomi Gray | The Cambus Wallace Nick Waters (12.00pm) | Harrigan’s Michael Eotvos | Aviary Rooftop Bar Deck Acoustics: Hayley Grace (1.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Greg Peterson (3.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing

Brooke Supple (1.00pm) | Harrigan’s

Coast to Country | Southport Sharks

Bill Jacobi (2.00pm) | Sheoak Shack

FRIDAY 19 JULY Ordio | Balter Brewing Recall Dj’s + The James D’Khan Trio | Last Night on Earth, Southport

Deck Acoustics: Rob Edwards (4.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Ben Amor (5.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing The Smashed Crabs | BBQ Bazaar

Taylor + Liv Heyer | Miami Marketta

Monster Fodder + Antechinus + Cao Vadio + Buttermilk | Vinnies Dive (Ticketed)

The Decline | Vinnies Dive (Ticketed)

Deck Acoustics: Elliott Hahn (5.00pm) | Currumbin RSL

Madame Butterfly | HOTA (Ticketed)

Thor Phillips | The Bearded Dragon, Mt Tamborine

Burger Joint (5.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing

The Pearl Jam Show (Tribute) | Lonestar Tavern (Ticketed)

Open Mic Sunday Sesh (12.00pm) | Ground n Sound

Winter in the Vale (6.00pm): Elska + Katie Who | Helensvale Library & Cultural Centre

Bon but not Forgotten (Tribute) | Parkwood Tavern (Ticketed)

Seaside Sounds (2.00pm): Electrik Lemonde + Steve Cousins | Burleigh Point, Burleigh Heads

Mason Rack Band | Advancetown Hotel Mikey Edwards (2.00pm) | Hard Rock Cafe Montana Duo (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Dan Clark Duo | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff Katie Who | Brothers Cafe, Kingscliff Catchpole (4.00pm) | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

MONDAY 15 JULY Marco (Covers) | Southport Sharks

TUESDAY 16 JULY Suneden | The Cambus Wallace Jammin with Who: Katie Who + Guests | The Avenue

WEDNESDAY 17 JULY James Street Preachers | The Cambus Wallace The Yams | The Scottish Prince London Calling | Vinnies Dive (Ticketed)

Gritty Blues Machine | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff

THURSDAY 18 JULY

South Wall | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

James Street Preachers | The Scottish Prince

SUNDAY 14 JUL

Hot Coffee | The Cambus Wallace

Matthew Armitage | The Scottish Prince

Madame Butterfly | HOTA (Ticketed)

YOUKALI | Dust Temple (Ticketed) Cooly Goes Country | Coolangatta Hotel (Ticketed) Mental As Anything | Soundlounge (Ticketed) Madame Butterfly | HOTA (Ticketed) Friday Acoustics: Benny Hanna | Cabana Bar & Lounge Trace Duo (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Bon Jovi & Brian Adams Tribute | Southport Sharks Splendour in the Grass | Byron Bay (Ticketed) Mel Scarlett | Brothers Cafe, Kingscliff Raku | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff Rogue Elements | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

SATURDAY 20 JULY Night Butter | Balter Brewing The Sugar Shakers | Miami Marketta

Beth Hamilton | The Bearded Dragon, Mt Tamborine Gemeni Duo (Covers) | RSL Club Southport Countdown Reloaded (Tribute) | Southport Sharks Splendour in the Grass | Byron Bay (Ticketed) The Angels | Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff (Ticketed) Jordan McRobbie | Hotel Brunswick, Brunswick Heads

SUNDAY 21 JULY Gavin Doniger | The Scottish Prince Angelo Pash | The Cambus Wallace Eleea Navarro | Aviary Rooftop Bar Deck Acoustics: Josh Lovegrove (1.00pm) | Currumbin RSL Rob Edwards (3.00pm) | Burleigh Brewing Seaside Sounds (2.00pm): Port Royal + Katie Who | Burleigh Point, Burleigh Heads + more at blankgc. com.au

G

roundwater is one of Australia’s fastest growing country music festivals, taking place right here at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast from 26 – 28 July.

Now up to its seventh installment, Groundwater seeks to showcase both up and coming and renowned country music talents, both home-grown and from abroad.

In a further fillip for the event and its founder Mark Duckworth (who also curates the annual Blues On Broadbeach festival), it was elevated to ‘major status’

by Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) due to its importance to Queensland’s economy, generating an evergrowing influx of visitors to the Gold Coast.

This year sees highly regarded US country rockers Davisson Brothers Band fly in as one of the headliners, performing alongside Aussie legends such as Lee Kernaghan, Graeme Connors, Beccy Cole, Fanny Lumsden, Felicity Urquhart and up and coming talent such as Tori Forsyth and the Gold Coast’s own Casey Barnes.

Special, one-off performances will include John Schumann and Shane Howard presenting Songs That Changed Our Country and Tex Perkins and the Tennessee Four with Rachel Tidd performing Far From Fulsom, Songs of Johnny Cash.

Another major highlight of this year’s festival will no doubt be Tasmanian country rock royalty The Wolfe Brothers.

Having announced their arrival in 2012 by taking out second place on the nationally televised ‘Australia’s Got Talent’, since then the lads have gone from strength to strength, recently cleaning up at the 2019 Golden Guitar awards in Tamworth, where they took out four major awards, including the coveted ‘album of the year’ gong for their 2018 release ‘Country Heart’.

In the lead up to their appearance at this year’s Groundwater Festival, we got a chance to fire off a few questions to them.

Your most recent album, ‘Country Heart’ scooped the pool at this year’s Golden Guitar Awards. Did you feel any pressure to live up to your previous successes at the time the album came out in 2018? Or did you suspect you were onto

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another winner that would really resonate with audiences, when you were writing and recording the songs?

I think we felt the songs we had written were the most personal and real yet. We really pushed ourselves in the studio with trying new things and getting us out of our comfort zone. We are glad it worked, haha!

You’ll shortly be appearing at this year’s Groundwater Country Music Festival. Having played the festival a few times already, what’s your opinion of how it fits into the national country music landscape?

Personally we love it! Country Music on the Gold Coast - I mean, that’s a great thing. There is a fantastic vibe within the festival and it feels like this is fast becoming one of the staple events on the Australian Country Music Calendar.

Are there any other artists on this year’s bill that you’re particularly looking forward to catching?

There’s a lot of local artists we love and who we can’t wait to catch up with… guys like Lee Kernaghan and Graeme Connors. We're also excited about seeing The Davisson Brothers - those boys have some real energy!

How long were you playing music together before you were discovered in 2012? And do you recall your very first gig together as a band?

We all meet on the school bus. So we have been playing music together for a long time. We learnt our craft in the pubs of Tassie. Tom was 14 when we played our first pub show!

Are you currently working on any new material?

We are currently writing a new album. We set the bar pretty high with ‘Country Heart’ so we want to make sure we write another good one!

Anthony Gebhardt The FREE Groundwater Country Music Festival will be held between 26-28 July in Broadbeach, through its bars, restaurants, streets and parks. More than 50 acts will perform across 15 stages. Head to groundwatercmf.com for the full line up.

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THE GREAT EXPANSE WORLD TOUR WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

ADRIAN EAGLE, S HADOW & DJ N I N O B ROWN

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HILLTOP HOODS N

ine ARIAs, multi-platinum sales, half a billion global streams (and counting) and a swag of songs embedded in the national consciousness. The legacy of the Hilltop Hoods is undeniable – they legit catalysed the birth of Australian hip-hop as a genre. But they’re not done yet. Their eighth studio album ‘The Great Expanse’ debuted at #1 on the ARIA album charts (their sixth album to do so) and they’re about to embark on their first headline tour since 2016 with a bunch of Australian shows selling out within hours.

MC Pressure spoke to Gold Coast’s Samantha Morris about the new album, what it’s like to be considered an elder statesman for the genre and the band’s ‘Side of Stage’ partnership with Canteen.

“I’m connecting you through to Pressure now,” said the helpful Universal team member as I frantically searched for my interview notes, having completely forgotten about this appointment. I haven’t found them by the time MC Pressure is on the other end, so I’m floundering for my first question.

“Do I call you Pressure,” I say, “or Dan?” MR Pressure, AKA Dan laughs. “If you feel weird calling me Pressure, just call me Dan. My mum doesn’t call me Pressure. It’s mostly just Dan.” He tells me Pressure is a hangover from a graffiti tag when he was a “proper” kid; “being a jerk cruising around the Adelaide hills, tagging things.”

I can’t help but ask if he’s grown out of being a jerk and he laughs again.

“I’ve definitely grown out of being a jerk.

Well, I like to think so, anyway.”

Dan is sitting in his South Australian studio when he speaks to me, part of his home on the edge of the Adelaide Hills, not far from the city. It’s where he writes most of his lyrics.

Now that we’ve got the naming issues out of the way, I remind Dan that it’s been 22 years since the Hilltop Hoods released their fist EP. I’m curious about how he feels having sustained a career for more than two decades in such a fickle industry.

“Ah, amazed, actually.”

“I never meant to make a career out of it.

And when we put that EP out, we weren’t even serious about making any music, it was just a hobby.”

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The band took a loan out from Debris’ boss to put the record out and Dan says that just goes to show how much they didn’t really consider music to be a viable option to live off.

On the contrary, I think it shows that they might have had an inkling.

“I’m amazed that people still like our music.

Genuinely,” he says.

“It’s so much [music that’s been made] that I forget we’ve made songs. I did another interview and I told her we were going to play a heap of old songs in the tour and she asked if we were going to play this song and I had forgot that that song even existed.”

Hilltop Hood’s new album ‘The Great Expanse’ is their eighth studio album and it shot straight to #1 on the ARIA charts, like five albums before it. Dan says he feels a little pressure to deliver the goods, but mostly for fans.

“Our manager tries his hardest to put me under a shitload of pressure for what he expects the record to do,” he said, “And I guess there is a lot of external expectations, but for me, I kind of don’t care about that stuff.”

“Accolades are nice and acknowledgement from peers, but the support from listeners is the most important, I would rather people just say nice things about the album rather than it going number one.”

“The thing I care about with most of our records is if people can listen to it as a cohesive piece of art, a journey from start to finish, enjoy listening to every song.”

“Like everything in this world, things are being consumed faster, at the greatest volume, everyone is putting out singles and EPs now and I don’t want to do that. I want to make records.”

“I think that aspect and the art of making an album has been lost a little bit.”

It’s no wonder when a piece of work like ‘The Great Expanse’ can take so long to come to fruition. Dan tells me it was three years in the making. From the first initial song idea and beat that got made by a producer through to release.

“It was heavy writing and recording for the last 12 – 18 months. That was fairly intense.”

“I don’t think we wanted to go that long between albums,” Dan said.

And it seems fans have

been fanging for new music as much as the artists themselves. With ‘The Great Expanse’ tour being the first headline tour since 2016 for Hilltop Hoods, many shows have sold out and some 14 countries are on the hit list. The tour takes in New Zealand, then Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne before heading overseas.

“It’s a pretty big tour. Easily the biggest I’ve ever done,” Dan said. “About five months.”

“There’ll be some going and coming home between some of the legs. It’s basically New Zealand, Australia, Europe and North America.”

But he’s most looking forward to the Australian shows.

“Genuinely. I’m looking forward to playing at home – they’re always special.”

e x p a n s e “They’ve all sold like crazy. I thought we were taking a risk putting arenas up on sale. We played with the Symphony Orchestra last time and it’s hard to know whether that was because of the spectacle [that they sold so well] or that’s just where we’re at.”

“Some of these shows sold out on the first day. There’s this energy of excitement for us as well as the people coming along.”

One of the initiatives taking place during this tour and across many tours and festivals in Australia at the moment is ‘Side of Stage’. The program is a flow-on one from a song Dan wrote called ‘Through The Dark’ which was about his son’s journey with leukemia, treatment and recovery.

The band collaborated with Google who made an interactive film clip for the song and then donated a large portion of funds raised to Canteen on behalf of the band. Canteen then used those funds to catalyse the ‘Side of Stage’ initiative which sees young people who are going through cancer get to experience live music from the side of the stage.

“They get out of their normal everyday life, doing it tough, to experience something they wouldn’t normally get access to,” Dan explained.

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“There are a lot of people on board – festival promoters, bands, lots of people have offered access to backstage to give these young people a day of awesomeness,” he said.

Dan’s son is in full remission now but he says it was a very eye-opening journey.

“He beat it,” he said. “It brought the band closer together, it brought me and my son and all my family closer together. It’s a very different perspective on life and it definitely changes you and makes you realise the things that are all important and the things that aren’t.”

While the Hilltop Hoods released their first music in 1997 they first got together in 1994 and people have described them as the elder statesmen of Australia’s hip-hop scene.

How does Dan feel about that moniker?

“I guess mostly proud,” he said.

“I always feel the need to point out that there were some awesome underground acts who inspired us to make music as well – the underground scene back then when we were in high school.”

“I guess I’m really proud to be a big part of hip-hop in Australia. It’s a great story.”

Samantha Morris Hilltop Hoods bring ‘The Great Expanse’ to Brisbane’s Riverstage on Friday 23 August and Saturday 24 August (sold out). You can also catch them in Melbourne on 9 August (10 August is sold out), Adelaide on 17 August (sold out), Sydney (31 August) and Perth (7 September). Get details at hilltophoods.com.

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ity of Gold Coast has announced a huge diamond jubilee birthday party which will see the city’s favourite musicians perform alongside Amy Shark at Broadwater Parklands.

Celebrate GC will mark the City’s 60th birthday with a free festival on Saturday 13 July with the lineup featuring golden girl Amy Shark alongside Eliza and the Delusionals, Hanlon Brothers and The Lamplights.

The celebration kicks off at 3.00pm.

Amy Shark will headline the event on the back of an enormous national tour, the runaway success of yet another huge single in ‘Mess Her Up’ and the announcement that she’ll be the first Gold Coast musician inducted into a new Gold Coast Music Hall of Fame in 2020. I was lucky enough to catch Amy live at Riverstage for her most recent tour and take it from me, it’s a show you do not want to miss. Especially when its local and free.

Amy will be joined by Hanlon Brothers who have had a hiatus from making new music for a couple of years, but are back, big time. Their new track ‘Solar’ hit airwaves just last month and is already making its presence known.

The track finds brotherly Hanlon trio, Ruka (MC), Saia (drums) and Omar Hanlon (bass and vocals), lay down a soulful, hip-hop inflected r’n’b groove, perfect for a lazy, sun-drenched winter weekend.

‘Solar’ serves as the title track to an upcoming EP of material, lovingly crafted over the past 12 months as the brothers strived to definitively capture their ethos in a purpose-built studio in Miami.

Five-piece The Lamplights serve up an organic blend of folk, funk, roots, and blues with pop undertones. They’ve received accolades both nationally and internationally, winning in three different categories at the 2011 Australian Songwriting Association Songwriter Awards – a feat no other songwriter has achieved in the 32 year history of the awards – and taking home a QMusic award in 2012. With close to 500 shows and 15,000 CD sales under their belt, The Lamplights are a professional act with a consistent and diverse fanbase.

And completing the lineup is acclaimed indie rock outfit Eliza and 28

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The Delusionals – one of the city’s most popular current live music exports. Led by uber-talented front woman Eliza Klatt, they have been making waves since their inception in early 2015. They’ve had several finalist berths at the Gold Coast Music Awards, performed alongside mega artists like Grinspoon and City Calm Down, toured with Dear Seattle and Killing Heidi and hit events like Falls Festival, amassing fans everywhere they go.

It’s a perfect Gold Coast lineup for a quintessentially Gold Coast celebration.

Samantha Morris Celebrate GC takes place Saturday 13 July from 3.00pm at Broadwater Parklands.

Check out the FB event and spread the word.

THE MAES BRING THEIR SISTERLY FOLK TO BELLO WINTER MUSIC

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nchanting Melbourne folk duo The Maes are sure to be one of the highlights at this year’s Bello Winter Music, a delightful boutique festival experience now into its fifth year and taking place in the quaint countryside surrounds of Bellingen, NSW from 11 – 14 July.

The sisterly duo of Maggie Rigby (banjo, guitar and vocals) and Elsie Rigby (mandolin, violin, vocals) have blazed their own unique trail on the world contemporary folk circuit since becoming a full time touring entity in 2014.

Their latest record has been received glowingly by both fans and critics alike; a moving, honest and intimate set of songs perfectly encapsulating the sisters' masterful command of their genre, a place where sweetly serendipitous vocals, quality song writing and gorgeously unadorned instrumentation intersect in magical harmony.

In the lead-up to their upcoming performance at Bello Winter Music, we fired a few questions off to the sisters.

How’s the current tour going? You have some real 'off the beaten track' locations in the itinerary!

Yeah we love playing small Australian towns!

Partly because we love touring in Australia and once you've played Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, you're basically left with small towns. But also Elsie and I grew up in a small town in Central Victoria and there's something really grounding about knowing you're not playing for a room full of local folk music fans, you're playing for a group of all sorts of locals - keeps us real!

What's been your favourite overseas territory (or show) you've played so far? And

is there anywhere you'd love to play that you've yet to do so?

One of the best things about the job that we have is that it's so varied and there are different things to love about almost every place that we visit. It's hard to compare the merits of a show on an Irish Island where you're greeted by a school of dolphins on arrival and play tunes all night to a show at a festival in Colorado where you are surrounded on all sides by some of the most spectacular mountains in the world. I am very unimaginative and when I dream of doing shows they're usually in places that I've already been...but the best shows always take you by surprise and the idea that the best shows and experiences of our lives are still ahead of us is such an exciting thought and part of the reason that we keep going!

For those coming to a Maes show for the first time, what can we expect from you in the live realm?

Lots of songs and a few anecdotes, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar, cello-shredding and heaps of vocal harmonies - don't come if you don't like vocal harmonies!

Anthony Gebhardt The Maes will be performing at this year’s Bello Winter Music, taking place in Bellingen between 11 – 14 July. Other quality acts on the bill include Nadia Reid, Tammi Savoy and The Chris Cosello Combo, Jess Ribeiro, Laura Jean, Lloyd Spiegel, Bullhorn, Vaudeville Smash, Horns Of Leroy and The Mammas. Visit bellowintermusic.com.

JUNE 26 – JULY 7 D’ARCY DOYLE ART AWARDS & EXHIBITION MUDGEERABA MEMORIAL HALL, 62 RAILWAY STREET The Awards and Exhibition showcase the best of Australian art from professionals and up and coming emerging artists – now in its 15th year. darcydoyleartawards.com.au

JUNE 28 – 30 MUDGEERABA SHOW MUDGEERABA SHOWGROUNDS mudgeerabashow.org.au

JULY 10 GOLD COAST TITANS NAIDOC EVENT FIRTH PARK, SOMERSET DRIVE, MUDGEERABA 10am to 2pm community@titans.com.au

EVERY SUNDAY ADVANCETOWN HOTEL NERANG-MURWILLUMBAH ROAD, ADVANCETOWN JULY 7 - DARYL JAMES// JASON KOFOA & THE BLACK PEARL

JULY 20 - 21 KOKODA CHALLENGE GOLD COAST HINTERLAND

JULY 14 - THE MASON RACK BAND

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JULY 28 - OLIVIA RUTH//THE ADAM HOLE BAND

JULY 28 BONOGIN RURAL FIRE BRIGADE OPEN DAY BONOGIN RFB, 660 BONOGIN ROAD

EVERY SATURDAY MUDGEERABA PARKRUN D’ARCY DOYLE PARK, SOMERSET DRIVE 7.00am

JULY 21 - 8 BALL AITKIN

Free 5km timed run JUNE 28 CASEY BARNES & BAND LIVE AT THE MUDGEERABA SHOW 7.00am – 9.00pm

JUNE 29 NATURALLY GC - WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS Meet face to face with our country’s stunning wildlife FREE event - suitable for all ages 9.30 – 10.30 and 10.45 – 11.45 eventbrite.com.au/e/naturallygc

10am – 2pm FREE event for all the family facebook.com/even ts/411696846228456/

JULY 28 DARREN SMITH CYCLE CLASSIC HINZE DAM, ADVANCETOWN 7am to 3pm goldcoastcyclingclub.com.au/ darren-smith-classic-2018/

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The Gold Coast’s most exciting new music, SEASIDE: BELIEVE THE HYPE

OLD SOUL IN THE NEW WORLD Gabrielle Kerr is yet another glorious product of the Gold Coast talent-producing machine that is (was) Griffith University’s Bachelor of Popular Music. The young songstress describes herself as an old soul watching the new world spin, and from the sound of her debut EP ‘Truth In The Flowers’ it would be easy to mistake her as someone who’s been releasing music for decades. The four track is a beautifully dark mix of alt-country, rock and folk, touching on heavy hitting themes such as death, facing inner demons and the sting of unrequited love. The highlight track ‘Pointless’ is truly haunting and offers a unique progression from her influences such as Aurora and The Dear Hunter. ‘Truth In The Flowers’ is strong, timeless sounding debut; something that Gabrielle Kerr can be proud of.

It’s been an almighty 12 months for Byron indie heroes Seaside. They’ve impressed local crowds at Splendour and Shakafest, enjoyed triple j and Spotify additions and toured the country supporting major acts like Angus And Julia Stone and Last Dinosaurs. Believe the hype because the four piece have just upped the ante with their strongest release to date. ‘Sycamore’ is the band’s glistening new single inspired by a need to persevere through social anxiety and self-doubt. Whether through the band’s growing musical maturity or the depth of the muse, ‘Sycamore’ seems to offer a more than your classic indie-rock tune. It still follow’s the traditional indie formula of jangly guitar and dreamy production but there’s definitely something special and unique about Darcy Dexter’s melody that sets the track apart.

Together with the clever pace changes by the band, ‘Sycamore’ evokes emotions like all good music does. Add it to your playlist.

SLOW BURN A SLEEPING HIT Not just another psychedelic band chasing Tame Impala fame, Sleeper Hit are the real deal, and can prove it with their debut single ‘Market Fair’. The debut single takes a more low-fi approach to that of their contemporaries, swapping synthesisers for reverse delayed guitar noise and stereo panning trickery. The first listen may leave you a little confused but by the fifth play you’ll be hooked and start recognising the song as the band’s name suggests - a sleeper hit. The track has been out for a few months already but in true sleeper hit style they’ve let it marinate, and it’s only just been formally launched at a live show at HOTA, celebrating the re-opening of the Basement space.

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TULLY JOHN AND LIZAJANE DROP EMBERS Gold Coast duo Tully John and Liza-Jane have released new track ‘Embers’, a delicately layered and sincerely crafted number, complete with guitar and piano as well as beautiful melodies and seriously honed vocals by both members of the band. There’s a touch of pop, a touch of folk and more than a touch of winding country roads on a grey day. The lyrics – which deal with love and loss - match the sometimes muted, sometimes bright tones emanating from ‘Embers’ and the ease with which this duo comes together makes me super excited to hear what might come next.

HANNAH CAMPBELL’S EAST COAST DREAM ‘East Coast Dream’, the new song from Hannah Campbell is an anthem for adventurous spirits. Recently locating to the Gold Coast, Hannah’s song is a follow-up to highly-praised single ‘Run Like Wolves’ with an echo of folky roots, catchy chorus and great lyricism that together deliver honest humility while exploring failings and hopefulness as well as emotional vacancy and unspoken truths. It’s out now and you can listen via all the usual channels.

TORRENTS BY LEMAIRE

BYRON BAY ALL-STARS Northern NSW favourite Hayley Grace has been winning the hearts of audiences along Australia’s surf coast for many years, catching waves and bringing good vibes wherever she goes. After many successful self-titled releases, Grace has now teamed up with a collection of Byron Bay’s best musicians to release a slick EP of soul infused reggae tunes under the moniker Hayley Grace & The Bay Collective. The opening track ‘No Idea’ sets the EP’s tone with a solid reggae groove that could have easily come directly from Kingston Jamaica in 1975. It then builds around Grace’s soulful vocals, developing into an outright party track showcasing what this all-star collaboration is capable of. The band is already getting labelled as a “must see” live act after lifting the newly installed roof off Miami Marketta at their EP launch in June, so be sure to keep an eye on the band’s socials for upcoming GC dates.

phosphorus specks along the shoreline. It’s an impressive first offering for the 19 year old, complete with backing string sections, layered harmonies and slick production.

Monica Adair is showing all the signs of a star in the making and is definitely one to watch in 2019.

ANTHEMIC DEBUT FOR RAW DEEP Local rockers Raw Deep met and formed at high school and have been have been honing their skills playing local gigs ever since.

Their debut single ‘Give Me A Reason’ shows that the hard work has paid off. ‘Give Me A Reason’ is an anthemic rock belter featuring soaring vocals, screaming guitar solos and a classic rock power cord progression. The track builds towards the distorted riff-based chorus that makes you want to join the nearest mosh pit. But it’s not all horns-tothe-sky head banging. The track also has some really nice moments with the piano and acoustic guitars taking the limelight.

Their last show was the single launch at the Coolangatta Hotel in June but Raw Deep are the kind of band that can’t keep off the stage so keep an eye on the band’s socials for their next local gig.

BIOLUMINESCENCE FOR MONICA ADAIR Monica Adair has recently relocated from North Queensland to the Gold Coast and brought a gem of a debut single along with her: ‘Stars In The Water’. The indie-pop track was inspired by a night spent on one of her local beaches up north - the “stars in the water” literally refer to the rare phenomenon known as bioluminescence which create

Byron Bay based independent 21 year old singer/songwriter and rapper LEMAIR, has released his second single, titled ‘Torrents’.

It comes ahead of a debut EP due later this year. The rap track channels r ‘n’ b vibes and will stick in your ears long after its final moments. This young man has already had sets at Bluesfest, Mullum Music Festival and Buskers by the Creek and at just 15 years of age won the Lismore Young Songwriters Competition. Get your ears around ‘Torrents’ and your eyes around its new video before the full EP is released.

YORKE ANNOUNCES HEADLINE TOUR + NEW SINGLE In the past year, Byron Bay based Yorke has given us a bold string of singles as a result of finding her feet in adulthood - a confusing and daunting time. Floating in a confident indie-pop dream space, she embraces her vulnerability and provides a glimmer of hope through her captivating sound. New single ‘Thought I Could’ explores continues on that journey, exploring her sound with a sense of hopefulness as well as poppy hooks. Yorke has just announced her maiden headline shows (Sydney and Melbourne) and is fresh from supporting Ruel on his national tour and right now is on the road with Jack Gray.

It’s been a big year for Yorke and it seems that trajectory is going to continue.

TANIA KERNAGHAN’S BETTER WORN IN SALLY SA’S MAMA HITS THE AIRWAVES Sally Sa has delivered one of the smoothest songs out of the Gold Coast this year. Easy listening hip-hop infused with soul and laced with jazzy beats (not to mention sexy sax), ‘Mama’ is a treat for the ears as well as the hips which will no doubt be sashaying their way around lounge rooms and dance floors this winter. With the recent resurgence of neo soul as a contemporary artform, it’s wonderful to hear an artist with as much talent and musical sensibility as Sally living a humble life here on the Gold Coast. Keep your ears peeled for new tracks and shows in coming months.

With lyrics making reference to life being like a well worn pair of boots and with tell-tale country guitar twang, Gold Coaster Tania Kernaghan is the master of delivering simple country songs that appeal to swathes of people. New track ‘Better Worn in’ is a slice of country perfection. It’s out now.

SUPER MASSIVE MELTWATER After playing their first show together in four years earlier this year Gold Coast’s newest sci-funk-alternative-rock outfit Super Massive have released a brand new single ‘Meltwater’. The track features the truly super massive drum sound of ex-Machine Gun Fellatio drummer/composer/producer Glenn Abbott (AKA Bryan Ferrysexual).

Heavy drums and layers of pulsating (the

curated by Zac Fahey & Samantha Morris media release accurately describes them as “squonking”) synths and guitars are juxtaposed by the intimate vocals of Malina Hamilton-Smith making for a unique style that sounds like a modern mix between Divinyls and Regurgitator. ‘Meltwater’ was literally written about the planet’s ice caps melting, inspired by a David Attenborough documentary on global warming. It’s out now and it’s a doozy.

BYRON RITERS FESTIVAL 2019

SUGARY SWEET RELEASE FOR SAINT LANE Gold Coast rapper Saint Lane released new single ‘Sugary Sweet’ earlier this month and it’s landed on ears with serious impact. The track comes on the back of the release of ‘Zip Code’ and ‘Compliment My Shirt’ which have seen Lane support Baker Boy, pop up at Vivid’s Inner Westival and score a slot at Korea’s Ultra Music Festival just in a matter of a couple of months. The track lives up to its name as a sugary sweet (and short) number coming in at just 2:00 and featuring Lane’s signature rhymes laid over a sparse soundscape. Saint Lane’s got some big things in the pipeline and I reckon 2019 will be the year he’s well and truly beatified.

HANLON BROTHERS GO RENEWABLE WITH NEW SINGLE Chilled Gold Coast groove merchants Hanlon Brothers, have well and truly returned within the delivery of radiant new single ‘SOLAR’. The track finds the brotherly trio, Ruka (MC), Saia (Drums) and Omar Hanlon (Bass and Vocals), lay down a soulful, hip-hop inflected r’n’b groove, perfect for those lazy, sundrenched winter weekends which are sure to be bountifully bestowed upon the Gold Coast over the coming months. ‘SOLAR’ serves as the title track to an upcoming new EP of material, lovingly crafted over the past 12 months as the brothers strive to definitively capture their ethos in a purpose-built studio, morphing their sound palette into exciting new realms.

AARON CAN’T LOSE 17 year old Aaron Gannaway has infused loop-based ambience with some sweet indie folk vibes in new single ‘Can’t Lose You’, released last month. The up-and-coming singer-songwriter from the Gold Coast has a distinctive gravelly voice but the thing that stands out the most in this track – his third – is his exceptional songwriting talent. His emotive storytelling and acoustic instrumentation shine alongside lyrics which pull at your heart strings. Aaron’s debut EP is in the wings too, set for launch on 12 October this year, the same day as his 18th birthday. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Damon Gameau

Ash Grunwald

Tara June Winch

PAIGE BOTTRIELL’S EMOTIONAL FATALITY RELEASED When a debut release includes the work of both Paul Blakey and Nik Carpenter (Core Studios), you know it’s going to have some legs. Paige Bottriell was ‘discovered’ just last year and thrown straight into the studio to work on her debut album. Described as “hauntingly beautiful” the five-track EP includes tracks that swing between heart-filled ballads and soulful and uplifting pop numbers with every song shining a light on Paige’s vocal ability. The EP ‘Emotional Fatality’ is out now. www.blankgc.com.au

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PURE MILK Palm Beach (single) Gold Cost indie rock collective Pure Milk are a band clearly unafraid to embrace their local identity, as evidenced on the release of earlier cracking numbers such as ‘M1 Motorway’ and ‘Elephant Rock’. The release of their latest single, ‘Palm Beach’, sees the four piece continue the trend, penning a homage to their suburb of residence, the track described by the bands front man, song-writer and guitarist Lewis Nitschinsk as “a socially conscious ode to one of the Gold Coast’s prettiest and grittiest suburbs.”

‘Palm Beach’ ebbs and flows off the back of an insistent indie rock groove, the rhythm section locking into a splendidly simple, loping groove as Nitschinsk proclaims his inner musings, digging a bit deeper, beneath the locale and indeed the city, to touch upon the pangs of everyday living and everyday fears in a town masquerading as a city.

A cracking slice of angular and heartfelt indie-rock done right. Embrace your inner postcode, folks…

Anthony Gebhardt

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Company with Regret (single)

Side A (EP)

Seventeen-year-old singer Billie-Rose Copeland has released her first single ‘Company with Regret’, a composition by a songwriter with musical maturity and velocity of vocal tones beyond her years.

YT DiNGO is a multi-talented collective performing across a dazzling array of creative realms. Pack leader, the irrepressible Travers Ross, serves as the band’s creative visionary, with other members including prolific drum-meister Dave Atkins, of Resin Dogs and Wolfmother renown.

Performing as early as eleven years old, Billie has cut her teeth on stages from hometown Charters Towers, throughout Queensland’s North West, from country music festivals and music competitions to football game anthems. Music is clearly important to her as a career, and through these early live experiences she has found her niche sound that’s bordering on country but could easily fit in the pop ballad fringes.

The undercurrent of relaxed bass note rhythms set the scene with a largo threefour signature that’s serenely sustained throughout. Every lyric is sung with clarity and because of this quality you can hear the sincerity of each note displayed in Billie’s voice. It is simple song writing without the embellished vocal trickery – which always has the best outcomes for listeners. We are left feeling rejuvenated.

The song touches on lost love and regrets as Billie explains on her release notes; “It’s one of the easiest songs I have written, I had always thought I wanted to be a very modern country music artist but during my experience recording I realised I had developed my own sound which seemed to have more depth.” The single, recorded at LOVE HZ studios, encompasses the musical wizardry of Matt Fell who played bass, acoustic, electric guitar, mandolin, keyboards and percussion to bring a layered sound to the single without overwhelming Billie’s heartfelt vocals. We hope to see Billie-Rose Copeland in festivals and venues further south in the future, however with her local performances building for the year, it seems North Queensland audiences may have other ideas.

Tiffany Mitchell

Having taken out ‘Video of the year’ at the recent Gold Coast Music Awards, the band are springboarding into the rest of 2019 with some real momentum behind them with the release of their ambitious debut EP, ‘Side A’, a release resplendent in themes of passion, vulnerability, redemption and connection with the earth.

The EP’s Opening number (and first single in a trilogy of jaw dropping film clips), ‘I’ve Been To The Sea’, features Djuki Mala and commences with the native Australian sounds of digeridoo and tribal chanting, before bursting forth into a masterful hip-hop/modern rock amalgamation, with MC style verses giving way to a soaring chorus.

The video award winning ‘Shipwrecked’, is in turns moody and robust, taking the hip-hop with rock and funk work-out blueprint to the next level, with impressive results.

Meanwhile third in the video-trilogy, ‘Thrill Of The Chase’, dials in an ethnic-electro element to the bands base sound, augmented with a fist pumping, nu-metal approximating chorus.

‘Wicked Rest’ is a rollercoaster of mood and release, the track flitting on a dime between chilled, modern r&b, prog-rock interludes and explosive moments of heavy hitting rock and rap.

It takes skill and balls to merge such disparate elements, for which Ross and cohorts display an impressive aptitude.

The EP’s final two numbers, ‘Deep Blue’ and ‘Girls Down Under’, continue to deliver the band’s highly honed musical stew in spades, with the latter number sure to be an anthemic live highlight when YT DiNGO bring their sound and dance extravaganza to some of this regions finest live music spaces in June.

There is a very strong visual element to the man and his music, with spellbinding dance choreography a key component of the band’s ethos, so be sure to view the trilogy of videos to take in the full, wide screen YT DiNGO experience - and get along to one of the shows, at that!

Anthony Gebhardt

Where could you go?

Take your next step towards a career in music with one of Australia’s leading young universities.

You will learn in state-of-the-art music studios, guided by lecturers who are practicing musicians with strong industry links.

Our students benefit from practical experience, performing at local venues and having access to artists and producers at music events such as Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay Bluesfest and Falls Festival.

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MEET KACEY PATRICK:

Bringing Artemus to life

I

f you’ve been following our music stories for the last few months, you would have seen the name Artemus Events popping up here and there.

The newest kid on the Gold Coast music events block, Artemus is the brainchild of long-time Gold Coast resident and musician Kacey Patrick, who saw and seized an opportunity to position Dust Temple, Currumbin as the intimate concert venue of choice for regional, national and international artists passing through. With a particular focus on world and concert musicians, jazz and folk, Kacey has unearthed an audience starved for a regular hub on the Gold Coast, and in doing so has carved out an intimate and much-needed niche in the live music market.

“I grew up as the daughter of an opera singer and was exposed to a lot of singing, musical theatre and stage productions throughout my childhood,” Kacey explains.

“Singing, as a professional, was not really on the radar until I met my musical partner (guitarist, Aaron Hopper) and we formed a jazz duo - stringmansassy - as a little bit of an experiment.”

After years of gigging and touring, stringmansassy came to an end while Kacey raised her family on the Gold Coast, keeping her love for all things music and performance alive through engaging when possible with arts and performance opportunities that have presented themselves, such as Women In Voice; The Dream of Zedkat Nabu (with Linsey Pollak) for WFF 2012; the world music ensemble The Saruzu Quartet; 2018 Commonwealth Games Community Celebrations for the Scenic Rim; Woodford Folk Festival Fire Events; and more recently, as the Music Director for the Bleach Festival 2019 'Water Songs' Project.

Then, in 2015, Kacey was invited to get involved in the creation of a pop-up gallery for Mount Tamborine-based artist, Maki Horanai, during which she set up the gallery space, curated the exhibition, and organised a series of music, poetry and food events around the month-long event.

This was the birth of Artemus Events, but it wasn’t until Kacey spoke with Dust Temple co-owner Isla Wilson about hosting concerts at the venue that its current incarnation took shape.

“Very fortunately for me, Isla also shares a grand passion for jazz and live music was incredibly excited,” remembers Kacey. “We began the Jazz Series with our first concert in October 2018.

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Image: ArtWork Agency

“Dust Temple is such a pleasure to play music in, irrespective of the genre, and the inherent creative intention of Dust Temple holds artists in the most incredible way.

"The room offers the performers and the audience a chance to experience intimate, concert-styled performance, held by this extraordinary creative space. As a promoter, it is an absolute gift and a glorious opportunity to be able to host musicians and artists, who can share their creative output with an audience that 'leans into it'.”

The Jazz Series has now morphed into being so much more than just jazz, with the defining constant being the celebration of original creative output: be it jazz, folk, roots, blues, alternative, ambient, world, classical and even theatre.

Kacey shares a couple of her personal highlights on the Artemus journey so far.

“One of the highlights - if not the highlight - would have to be the Master Brazilian percussionist Márcio Báhia, who performed with The View From Madeleine's Couch in May. It is an extraordinary experience to be in an intimate setting with such a magnificent musician. Humbling, inspiring and brilliant. He was off the scale brilliant! And such a beautiful man.

“Also, inviting our first international artists to the venue, Latin Grammy Winner and Grammy Nominee, Gaby Moreno. They loved the space and performing at the Dust Temple was one of the highlights of their tour. It is very satisfying, sharing our city with artists in this way.

“Holding space for musicians and live performance particularly in a concert setting - was, and always has been, a grand passion.”

Natalie O’Driscoll If you’ve not yet visited Kacey’s grand passion, there are plenty of upcoming opportunities, with July seeing performances by Tully John and Liza-Jane, and Danny Widdicombe and Trichotomy. The pinnacle upcoming performance will be a five day visit by RHIANNON and Laurence Hobgood, two of the leading jazz and improvisational musicians in the world in early August.

All details are available at artemus.com.au. Follow the Artemus Events socials for news and keep an eye out for #liveatdust.

MEET THE MAN BEHIND the Kokoda Challenge

2019

marks the fifteenth year of the Kokoda Challenge, a brutal 96km Gold Coast hinterland trek taken on each year by hundreds of teams of four over 39 hours, with all proceeds raised going to support the Kokoda Youth Foundation (KYF).

Established in 2004, the KYF supports Australians, particularly young Australians, by inspiring them to do extraordinary things. Through hiking endurance events, youth programs and an outdoor education camp, they challenge beliefs, allow limits and abilities to be explored, and provide opportunities for growth. KYF founder Doug Henderson explains that the idea for the Foundation came about after he attended an RSL conference and learned about the history of the Kokoda trail and its significance in Australian military history.

“I felt shame that I didn’t know the story, because it’s such an incredible story of amazing human beings who went up there and saved us from invasion,” he tells us.

“Around the same time there was a lot of media coverage around the supposed ‘horrible kids’ being brought up these days – I don’t subscribe to that - but some kids do fall through the cracks.

“And I thought ‘what an inspirational story this is, about what you can achieve if you’re given some opportunities and encouragement, and a bit of love’.”

And thus, the Foundation was born. Each year Doug, his wife Anna and his team of dedicated volunteers and paid youth workers

run a variety of programs for children that focus on instilling discipline, structure and boundaries, and most importantly, an understanding of accountability (ie. you get out what you put in) and the power of their choices.

“They’re old fashioned values, but I guess I’m an old-fashioned guy,” laughs Doug.

Regardless, the program seems to be pretty effective on the youth of today. Selected participants head over to PNG to walk the real Kokoda Trail each year, and all of them participate in community service around the Gold Coast. Doug says there have been so many inspiring stories come out of the program he struggles to think of a small handful of examples. One that springs to mind is a man who will be walking part of the way of the Gold Coast event with Doug this year. We’ll call him Dave.

“Dave came in a very difficult time in his life when he was 17, and his mother had to move away for work.

He had some challenges. He went through our program, got his life together, moved into a warehouse job, up to admin, into purchasing and now he’s a purchasing officer with a big company and is a lovely 30 year old man.”

Despite being 73 years old, Doug is determined to walk a decent stretch of this year’s event, having just completed the

smaller Brisbane event which is 48 kms.

Alongside him will be a range of teams made up of previous program participants, fitness buffs, corporate groups, school teams, and folks who are just generally keen to push and challenge themselves. In fact, the 2,500+ strong attendance list is full of just about every walk of life you can think of. Pun intended.

“It’s extraordinary,” says Doug. “People have done it five times, ten times, they keep coming up, it’s like a disease! I’ve got volunteers out there who’ve been volunteers since we started.

“There are incredible stories from the competitors - particularly women. [Women] are a lot stronger than we are, I reckon, they’ve had terrible relationships or cancer or they’ve lost a child and then they find themselves and work out how amazing and extraordinary they are, if they can just get the chance.”

There is certainly one woman without whom, the Foundation, the challenges and all of it would not be possible, Doug knows.

“My wife is my hero. She’s stood there beside me this whole time. There’s a price to pay for anything like this. We’re volunteers and we’ve never gotten paid any money, so she’s a very special lady to go through all the agony of waiting that comes with work like this.”

Through the registration costs of entering a competing team in the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Melbourne challenges, and some private sponsorship from Accor (the foundation does not receive any ongoing government support), KYF manages to raise money to fund its annual programs and pay a small

management team. But the rest of the staff are volunteers.

“I think when volunteers get to know what we’re doing here, they feel pretty passionate about it,” Doug explains. “There are lots of great organisations doing amazing things out there. And I hope that we’re at least making a bit of a difference in people’s lives.

“I guess for me, I’m 73, and I’m thinking at the end of the day, if you look back on your life and can say I’ve just made a little bit of a change, changed one or two lives, how good’s that?”

We think he’s changed significantly more than one or two lives, but Doug’s humility is one of his most charming qualities. After having served in Vietnam where he lost an eye, had his “legs smashed up”, and fought through a ‘six month to live’ stage four melanoma diagnosis a few years back, this Gold Coast treasure still feels genuinely blessed and fortunate enough that he’s happy to spend his life giving back to the community. The Kokoda Youth Foundation and its challenges may be packed to the brim with inspirational people, but its founder is up there with the best of them. And of course, he’d never admit it for a second.

Natalie O’Driscoll Inspired yet? To get involved with the Kokoda Youth Foundation, whether as a challenge competitor, program participant, volunteer, or just to learn more about the whole endeavour, your first stop should be kokodachallenge.com. The Kokoda Challenge Gold Coast event runs from 20-21 July, and registrations were still open at the time of writing.

www.blankgc.com.au

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THERE’S NO MUSIC SCENE without a music store

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any in the local music scene would know Stewy Fairhust. The voice behind 94.1FM’s Local Gig every Tuesday night, he’s wildly passionate about local music. Having picked up a guitar at five and playing drums in a school band, he decided at a young age that he wanted to ROCK, and with his first band Southern Axent he did just that, supporting artists like Daryl Braithwaite, Screaming Jets, Suzi Quatro, Mondo Rock and Mental As Anything. He’s done sound for artists like Brian Cadd and The Living End, performed in covers band Rushmore and still does the odd solo show and private party. He moved to the Gold Coast in 1992, chasing more opportunities for the band.

and his staff then moved to the Southport store when the Mermaid Pro Shop closed.

strengths and I focus on keeping everything running smoothly and keeping everyone happy.”

“In 2018, it all went south, the whole business collapsed and it was gone,” Stewy said.

If you haven’t been into Gold Coast Music yet, you might be surprised at the diversity (and quantity) of stock onsite.

There’s jaw harps and kazoos, flageolets and liquid calluses.

They stock Fenech Guitars, provide guitar repairs, help with tuition for guitar, mandolin, vocal, piano, bass and flute and have second hand instruments as well. And that’s without mentioning the huuuuuuge range of traditional instruments.

“We had already created a following in Ipswich for fun live rock and some of them supported us still on the Goldy,” he said.

“We saw the writing on the wall, we could sense things were coming to an end. Tam and I were concerned that this could be the end of the Southport music store. So we decided to take a huge gamble. We put everything into it, because this store is iconic – it had to remain a music store, we couldn’t let it go! It was just something we had to do.”

Stewy’s wife Tamara has an interesting backstory herself – but none of it involves playing musical instruments – “I didn’t practice the piano and guitar often enough to learn the basics”.

It’s lucky Tamara and Stewy share a passion for music or perhaps Gold Coast Music would never have happened.

They met in 2008 and Tam says she was on board from day one.

Born at the Gold Coast Hospital, her parents actually met at Spotlight Theatre and went on to be life members. Her mother started the Spotlight Costume Hire business from their garage at Isle of Capri.

“The deal was I would look after the back end and he would look after the front end – customers, ordering, sales. It was a very well calculated decision between Stewy and I, and it’s working fantastically well so far.”

These days though, you can find Stewy and Tamara behind the counter at Gold Coast Music – the city’s newest, and arguably best music store – located right in the heart of Southport.

It’s the ideal role for Tamara who has a background in hospitality, retail, construction, transport and logistics. And more.

Running Gold Coast Music isn’t the first time Stewy’s worked in a retail music store. He started at The Musicians Pro Shop in Mermaid in 2007 and became store manager three years later. In 2012 the owner of the Pro Shop reopened Allan’s Billy Hyde and rebranded the stores. Stewy

Of course it’s not easy owning a bricks and mortar store in this digital age, so I ask Stewy what the secret is to running a successful retail business?

“We’ll tell you when we find out,” Stewy laughed, but he’s adamant there’s a niche market for Gold Coast Music.

“To have a music scene – you need a music store!”

Samantha Morris Gold Coast Music is at 53 Nerang Street Southport.

“The things you do to get by and pay the bills,” she said about her varied professional past. “My strengths are the finance and the accounting side of organising a business.

Stewy and I work really well together, he focuses on his

Southport Yacht Club Cocktails.

Tapas.

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Weddings.

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BELLA PATON:

early beginnings

A

fresh new face on the local music scene, Bella Paton is a precociously talented young starlet whose beguiling amalgamation of classy indie-pop inflected with heartwarming folkish undertones plays equal parts heart-tugger and foottapper.

WADING IN THE WATER S

with Liv Heyer

assy young Gold Coast artist, Liv Heyer, is one of the most promising of the up and coming ‘new breed’ progressing through the Gold Coast musical ranks. Her multi-instrumental capabilities (she’s proficient on guitar, ukulele and piano) combined with a willingness to regularly ply her trade in a live setting, performing everywhere from festivals through to pubs, cafes and even weddings, have seen her gain a steady foothold on the scene, receiving global recognition for her songwriting as well as performing with artists of the calibre of Birds of Tokyo, Montaigne, and Cody Simpson.

Her new single, ‘Something In The Water’, is a spritely slice of folk inflected pop embellished with Liv’s dexterous and confident vocals. It augers well for her upcoming album release, for which she has laid down 14 songs of original material.

Yes my family are very much musical! They all supported me growing up playing every instrument from violin to baritone. I finally found the guitar and fell in love.

Do you perform solo when you play live and how many instruments do you have onstage when you perform?

I do perform solo - and I have my guitar, uke, and stomp box! You can expect upbeat pop-folk with a cool twist when I bring out the ukulele.

You play quite a few different types of performance spaces, from pubs and festivals through to more intimate locations such as cafes. What’s the most memorable live show you’ve ever performed?

My most memorable performance would have to be Carnival of Flowers in 2016 - I supported Birds of Tokyo. I absolutely loved the experience and got to meet so many amazing people.

What does the rest of 2019 have in store for you, musically speaking?

In staying true to her hard working ethos, Liv will be playing a headline show at Southport Sharks on 26 July and in the lead up, she took some time out to answer a few questions.

A lot of live shows - I've got so many festivals lined up! Make sure to follow my socials to keep up to date with them!

I was reading that your ukuleles are lovingly made by your father. Can we assume that music is very much in the blood then? And were you encouraged to explore your muse and play more than one instrument growing up?

Liv Heyer is a name you will no doubt be hearing a lot more of, so be sure to head along to Southport Sharks on 26 July to catch her in all of her stomp-boxing revelry.

Anthony Gebhardt

With a stated manifesto, boldly emblazoned on her Facebook page of “I sing, I play, I have no plan B - music is my life”, Bella is clearly an artist both in thrall of and utterly dedicated to her muse. This devotion is also backed up by talent, as evidenced with the recent release of her debut EP, ‘Early’.

A sterling three song effort, it displays a maturity in song-writing craft which belies her years and experience in the music caper and will surely lift her into the consciousness of local music aficionados.

We recently checked in with Bella to find out more of her story and what makes her tick.

Can you tell us a bit about your debut EP and your musical background prior to its release?

‘Early’). I have a band behind me and they are all so immensely talented. We have been trying to do the songs justice. Often we work with manipulation of dynamics to create different textures in the sound in order to capture the feeling of the actual recorded songs. We have also made some of the slower ones a bit more groovy, to translate better in a live sense.

How is the rest of 2019 shaping up for you from a music perspective?

I have my upcoming launch shows for this EP and I’m so excited for those! I want to keep gigging and make another EP by the end of the year. I finish up Uni this year so I'll have a lot more time next year to work on music - so stay tuned!

Anthony Gebhardt Bella Paton will be supporting the release of her impressive debut EP, ‘Early’ with two upcoming live performances, so if you like what you hear, make sure you get along to The Basement, at HOTA, in Bundall on 26 July. You can also catch her at The Milk Factory, in Brisbane, on 8 August.

In terms of my background, I've always wanted to do music since I was about seven. I didn't really have a way to make money from it until I taught myself guitar at 13 and I’ve been playing ever since.

I read the Beatles biography and decided after that I needed to learn guitar. This allowed me to gig, which is how I've been making money since I was 14. In terms of my EP, I’ve had some of these songs since 2017, when I first left school. I worked with my friend who is a producer and he had a lot of great ideas for the songs that I would never have thought of. It just sort of came together after that.

How do you recreate your music in the live realm – is it just you or do you have other musicians that you perform with?

That’s been a challenge due to the amount of unusual instrumentation in my songs (have a listen for the church bells in www.blankgc.com.au

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READING BETWEEN THE LINES with Danny Widdicombe

old Coast singer and guitarist Danny Widdicombe (The Wilson Pickers, Honey Sliders) has seen his share of adversity. In addition to battling leukaemia for the last quarter of a century, the three-time ARIA award nominee has overcome depression and not one, but two, hip replacements. Still, he has found the time and energy to collaborate with internationally renowned instrumental trio Trichotomy on a new album ‘Between The Lines’, which the quartet will be touring this July. Danny kindly took the time to answer a few questions ahead of their spot at Dust Temple.

The Wilson Pickers or The Honey Sliders, so I asked Sean if Trichotomy would like to flesh out these new ideas. We booked a rehearsal and presto! It gelled immediately and all involved were excited about how this might turn out. We booked time in a studio, pressed record and recorded the songs live. In a few days we had a new album. Then I had to have a hip replacement - but that’s another story.

The project blends a multitude of styles and influences. What do you feel is the overarching musical vibe of the album?

The main idea behind collaborating with Trichotomy was based on the blueprint devised by folk musicians of the early seventies. Van Morrison’s ‘Astral Weeks’, John

Martyn’s ’Solid Air’ and Nick Drake’s ‘Bryter Layter’ amongst others, are basically all albums where the songwriter plays and songs the songs, while the jazz musicians improvise around that central core. Obviously, I don’t sound like Van Morrison, but the concept is the same and it really works. Trichotomy add a level of improvisation to the songs that I could never come up with and conversely, my songs are a complete departure from anything they’ve ever done. We found ourselves meeting in musical places that were new to all of us.

How much of the writing of the album was informed by your ongoing health struggles?

I’ve always been an avid listener of a wide variety of music styles. I met Sean Foran from Trichotomy through our common love of improvised music. I remember he came into a record store I was working at about 15 years ago and we bonded over our love of the Australian band The Necks. Fast forward to 2018 and I was playing pedal steel on a recording session when I met John Parker percussionist extraordinaire. I instantly fell in love with his playing and was struck by his musicality, which flowed effortlessly out of him. We got chatting and then worked out that he was in a band called Trichotomy with my old mate Sean Foran. I’d been writing new songs and they weren’t the sort of tunes or themes that really suited my regular bands

Natalie O’Driscoll Don’t miss Danny and Trichotomy on their ‘Between The Lines’ tour at Dust Temple, Currumbin on 11 July. If you can’t make that one, they’ll be at the Old Museum in Brisbane on 13 July and the Imperial Hotel in Eumundi on 20 July. For the full interview, visit blankgc.com.au.

Gold Coast Music Awards team wearingBluetooth custom Racy & Lucky collection. Image: Lamp Photography

and 1 line input

Line record output with gold plated sockets Ortofon OM5e cartridge, pre-mounted IR remote control included Available in high-gloss black or white

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What can audiences expect from your live shows?

Image by Claire Dalton In addition to me singing the songs and playing guitar, and Trichotomy being their virtuosic selves, we have Kristin Berardi joining us on vocals and the great Michel Rose on pedal steel. Michel is not only the most caring and thoughtful man you’ll ever meet, he’s also the finest player of the pedal steel you’ll ever see. He’s worth the price of admission alone - actually we should put up the ticket prices! Ha. We’ll be playing the album in full plus some extra songs that we can have fun with.

Can you tell us how the collaboration with Trichotomy came about?

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The first single is called 'I’m Not Around’ and deals with the depression that comes from living with leukaemia I’ve been dealing with for 24 years. The hip replacement I just had was another side effect from treatment - it’s a never ending, ongoing issue. I sing in the song “The tide washed me away / the river dragged me down / now it’s better for everyone if I’m not around.” It’s a difficult issue to talk about but we balanced the weight of the subject matter by keeping the song up beat and playful - it even has pedal steel which adds a Hawaiian skirt to an otherwise sad tale. It’s an issue that is massive problem for men in this country.

ROSELLA’S

ST HELEN’S KITCHEN

6/1730 Gold Coast Highway, Burleigh Heads Ph: 07 5633 5905

R

osella’s was borne from a passion for all things Australiana. It’s a haven of childhood memories, the songs we listened to on the radio, the snacks we’d make on Sunday arvos, all with a luxe twist.

Friends since high school, Jack Connor (exAloha) had spent twelve years in hospitality, his friend Jon Debeere immersing himself in the Sydney music scene before returning to the Gold Coast to start a business together.

Realising a huge gap in dining offerings on the coast, the guys opened Rosella’s on Burleigh’s ‘dining highway’. Wisely, they’ve found a real point of difference. The row of Rosella tomato sauce bottles along the top of the bar says it all: this is a place that heroes all things native and indigenous to Australia with an element of nostalgia.

Primarily it’s a bar stocking only Australianmade drinks, including a local range of spirits from Tamborine Mountain Distillery made from native ingredients, Brookie’s rainforest botanicals gins, The Native Collection’s cocktail syrups, alongside Green Ant Gin, Aussie beer and wines, the team making their own spirits, liqueurs and bitters such as Aperol and Chartreuse where they can’t source Australian products.

The Cape Byron martini is made with Brookie’s rainforest botanical dry gin, white chocolate, macadamia and Davidson plum, while the signature Rosella cocktail is made from vodka, Australian bitters, rosella jam, lemon and lilly pilly, served in a rosella shaped glass.

The wine list has a real point of difference, comprising minimal intervention pesticidefree wines with minimal sulphates, Rosella’s being exclusive stockists for each wine. Also featured are Pétillant-Naturel sparkling wines, the cloudy sediment is still obvious in these unfiltered naturally carbonated wines.

Chef Aidan Stewart’s menu gives Aussie classics a shove, reworking many dishes with

2/78 Musgrave St, Coolangatta Ph: 07 5659 2821

native ingredients, such as the Australian Caprese Insalata’s heirloom tomatoes topped with Aussie buffalo mozzarella and ground bush tomatoes dressed with macadamia oil, ice plant and native basil or the Roo Carpaccio, whose toppings include Davidson plum dressing and karkalla.

Many of the bar snacks and jaffles revert to nostalgia, served up with reverent tonguein-cheek humour. Beef jerky gets a touch of Vegemite, the Bunnings snag roll moves over for a smart Bug Sambo, and fresh local oysters come topped with native finger lime and shaved macadamia, the new workie’s knock off time feed tucked inside a polystyrene esky.

The perennial jaffle takes on a life of its own, filled with Spag Bol and pecorino (from his old family recipe), cheddar and wattleseed butter, or Mum’s Onepot lamb jaffle (just like when you raided the fridge at midnight after a big night out). Why not finish with a Kakadu plum and apple jaffle with rosella ice-cream?

While it’s easy to dismiss Rosella’s as a bit of fun (which of course it is), it also carries a far more important message.

“We wanted a small intimate venue where we could talk to people and explain what we are doing,” Jon tells us. “Education is important. We’re in an unusual situation with Australian cuisine under-represented in our own country.”

Like the macadamia nut which is now grown around the world and rarely identified as Australian, we have fantastic native products all around us whose use is endangered because we don’t recognise them.

There’s a growing movement pushing for native ingredients not only to be featured on restaurants’ menus but also for everyday Australians to use them every day. It’s definitely time to ‘eat from our own backyard’. We have so much, foodwise, to offer the world.

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here’s a swell of new eateries opening up along the foreshore of Kirra Beach, St Helen’s being one of the first.

From Seattle on the West Coast of the United States, Head Chef Jess Hayes, who co-owns the restaurant with husband Brendan, is fulfilling the dream they’ve shared since they met thirteen years ago: to own a restaurant by the sea.

Located on Musgrave Street under the new Iconic Kirra Beach Resort, Saint Helens Bar + Kitchen sits overlooking the stunning Kirra Beach and parklands. Whether you are coming straight off the beach for a post surf snack, catching up with friends for sundowners or settling in for a mouthwatering dinner date, Saint Helens Bar + Kitchen is a casual setting befitting the southern Gold Coast dining scene.

Jess brings us a taste of her homeland with its nomenclature of St Helen’s (the volcano near Jess’s home town Seattle) and in the menu of North-West American food with a Gold Coast twist, the famous Kirra break represented by a 10-metre custom mural painted by artist Mike Ambrose.

“I wanted to bring a fresh approach to presenting American food to Australia - the flavours of my childhood. Too often the American foods I grew up with were very one dimensional – typically sickly sweet or overtly greasy. However, I’ve always enjoyed balancing flavours with garden-fresh herbs, pops of spice and a fresh, colourful twist.”

“We’re all about innovative share foods with beers on tap and exciting cocktails that reflect our coastal locale,” says Jess.

Trout, Roasted pork shoulder and Grilled flank steak with sides to share.

Desserts of Peanut butter crème brûlée chocolate cookie, and Grandma’s chocolate pie with a salty Graham cracker base are rich and decadent; a must to share.

Jess’ and Brendan’s longstanding experience in the hospitality industry shows in their approach to the diversity of the menu. It has a low entry price point as well as the ability to suit multiple occasions and diner preferences.

“The Gold Coast is very accepting of different kinds of food,” Jess says, adding that rising to the gluten-free and vegan-friendly challenge has added an interesting dimension to the menu.

With gluten-free options clearly marked on the menu, there are also plenty of delicious vegan dishes on offer, including Saint Helens signature KFC Cauliflower (aka Kirra Fried Cauliflower) and the ‘pulled pork’ jackfruit sliders with bourbon BBQ and coleslaw.

Of course, they’re dishes that everyone will enjoy, not just vegans!

Whether you dine alfresco overlooking the beach with share plates and drinks or more formally inside, the couple’s twist on the food of Jess’s homeland brings something refreshingly different to the coast. Moreover, you get the joy of enjoying it as the sunset is reflected across the Gold Coast skyline.

Perfect!

Marj Osborne Read more of Marj’s reviews on http://www. foodgoldcoast.com.au

To us, the strength lies in the snack menu to enjoy with drinks, with highlights including Crumbed okra tots with spicy ketchup, Trawler prawn fritters with aioli, Artichoke and jalapeño dip with grilled bread, Charred sweet peppers, chicken wings and sliders, leading into mains of Sugar-cured Rainbow

Marj Osborne www.blankgc.com.au

39

YOU CAN HELP THE GOLD COAST HOMELESS THIS WINTER G

old Coasters are being called upon to help more than 1700 locals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

It’s the 12th year that local charity Gold Coast Homeless Connect has run its donation drive ahead of the major event scheduled for 7 August.

The organisation is calling for clothing, toiletries, non-perishable food and food vouchers to support those sleeping rough or at risk of doing so this winter.

Southport resident Wendy Tran, shares firsthand how life-changing these donations are.

“I came from middle class and fell further than rock bottom – I never thought this would happen to me, but homelessness can happen to anyone.”

Wendy left home at 17 years of age due to family domestic violence. Despite working hard to advance her career she was made redundant at 33. She found herself homeless twice in 2014 and 2016.

Wendy moved into a Horizon Housing property earlier this year with her four-yearold son.

“I am forever grateful for support agencies and charities like the Gold Coast Homelessness Network,and companies like Horizon Housing for helping my son and I obtain accommodation.”

The Gold Coast Homeless Connect event encourages the Gold Coast homeless community, or those at risk of homelessness, to attend the event on Wednesday 7 August to receive donations and access a range of services, including haircuts, health checkups, pet vaccinations, allied health services, housing solution advice and more.

Gold Coast Homeless Connect chairperson, Mona Nielsen, said stories like Wendy’s were not uncommon.

“Year round, we provide a wide range of allied health and wellbeing services to Gold Coast locals, as well as services to help some of our most vulnerable community members get a head start in housing or employment,” Mona said.

“The donations received during the drive make a huge difference to our guests on the day – for many, food, clothing, shoes, toiletries, support information and someone to chat to regarding their individual needs, is

PEOPLE

l e t r Ca 40

www.blankgc.com.au

what they need to take a step towards the life they are looking for.”

Samantha Morris Donations for the 12th annual Gold Coast Homeless Connect event can be dropped Image Claire Dalton off at collection points across thebyCoast, including the Horizon Housing office in Robina, Metricon Stadium in Carrara and ABC Gold Coast in Mermaid Beach.

ART PLACE

CURRUMBIN BEACH

13

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22 SEPTEMBER ' 19

www.swellsculpture.com.au

The Original Beautiful Gin

COLOU R FROM NAT UR E

2040: A HANDBOOK FOR THE REGENERATION BASED ON THE DOCUMENTARY 2040 DAMON GAMEAU

‘2040:

A Handbook for the Regeneration based on the documentary 2040’

by Damon Gameau tackles the ever-present issue of climate change with hope, and inspires you to be the change you wish to see in the world.

A culmination of meticulous research and interviews with changemakers and children the world over, the handbook is the accompaniment to Gameau’s era-defining documentary ‘2040’.

Damon Gameau released his first feature film ‘That Sugar Film’ in 2015 which went on to become the highest grossing Aussie documentary of all time. In his new film ‘2040’, Gameau imagines what life might be like in 2040 for his daughter Velvet, if we embraced already existing solutions, right now. He calls it “fact-based dreaming” and creates a vision of a thriving world that is actively reversing the damage of climate change and pollution.

The accompanying handbooks aim is to provide us with genuine hope and to explain how some of the things we can do right now can have a tremendous collective impact on the future of our planet. The inside cover has a lift out easy reference household checklist and the book is broken down into digestible sections of Energy, Transport, Consumption, Drawdown & Sequester, 50 + Recipes and Getting to 2040.

Inside the pages such concepts as renewable energy and micro grids, climate change, clean transport, regenerative agriculture, marine permaculture, carbon sequestration, circular economies and the gender equality are explored.

The book is aesthetically appealing with beautiful imagery, is informative without being too heavy and rather than creating a sense of overwhelm resulting in inaction, it instead empowers, instils hope and motivates.

This engaging and thought-provoking book is a must read for anyone wanting ideas, advice, inspiration and knowledge to create a better world. There are many actionable steps you can implement at an individual or family level immediately, you can start where you are and it doesn’t feel hard to achieve or maintain.

Simone Gorman-Clark

Hand made at Husk Distillers, Ink Gin is pot distilled with a blend of twelve Australian native, traditional and exotic botanicals from around the world.

WWW.INKGIN.COM Buy online and from all good bottle shops.

www.blankgc.com.au

41

SAT 21 SEPTEMBER tickets $55* DOORS OPEN 7.00PM | SHOW STARTS 7.30PM

buy online rslclubsouthport.com.au

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Music

Sun 4 Aug

BAKER BOY

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS ELLA FENCE AND DJ SIEGE JR Grab your mates for an afternoon of live music from one of 2019’s hottest performers.

BOOK NOW BOOK NOW

HO 44AT.www.blankgc.com.au H TO AC .OC M O .MA. UA U