KIDS EDITION
SUrfers paradise / Event Guide / Art & Culture / Music & Entertainment / Food & Lifestyle
Kids Week 2014 Your guide to all the fun Peppa Pig’s Paradise Adventure Surfers Paradise In pictures Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 Gear up for this year's party
INFINITY Attraction is a mind-blowing journey into spectacular, futuristic maze like worlds of wonder an extraordinary series of around 20 multi-sensual environments filled with unique special effects, atmospheric sound fields, ultra groovy music and illusions that appear to go all the way to infinity! Open daily 10am-10pm (Closed Christmas Day - Open from 1pm Anzac Day) Chevron Renaissance Cnr Surfers Paradise Blvd & Elkhorn Ave Surfers Paradise P (07) 5526 8935 (2hrs FREE Parking*)
infinitygc.com.au
Mention the Precinct Magazine to receive 15% DISCOUNT on ADULT and CHILD admission or online with coupon code “PRECINCT”
su
r a a dise p s r rfe
PAGE
08
PAGE
32
PAGE
39
PAGE
PAGE
22
48
contents Cover Stories
Sports
Lifestyle
08 Kids Week
28 What’s On
26 A Local’s Love for Paradise
10 Kids Week Schedule of Events, Peppa Pig 30 Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600
music & Entertainment
48 Fiesta Del Stingray 50 Citrique, for Seafood Lovers
32 Rise of Aussie Hip Hop
39 Surfers Paradise, in Pictures
Regular Features 06 Bulletin Board
Arts & Culture 34 Once Upon a Time 36 Spring Ready Shopping Spree
22 Surfers Paradise Ambassador 24 Precinct Map
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
3
Welcome Note
W
elcome to our very special Kids Week issue! September is always an exciting time of year. The start of spring means we can swap our beanies for bathers and start enjoying the beautiful surrounds of Surfers Paradise with the knowledge that warmer weather lays ahead.
September also brings with it a host of activity in Surfers Paradise, and this issue you will find out all there is to know about Kids Week. Presented by Zagame’s Paradise Resort Gold Coast, Kids Week is loaded with fun for all ages, with activities like balloon twisting, cupcake decorating, character appearances and so much more. Over the weekend of the event, the main stage will come alive with laughter and premier kids entertainment, and along the foreshore you will find a giant inflatable slide and castle, plus plenty of hands on activities by the beach. The very popular Peppa Pig will be making her way Down Under for stage shows and meet and greet opportunities. After the success of last year, the event is running for a whole week of the September holidays this year. With a different theme every day, this is one week the family won’t want to miss. A full schedule of events can be found on pages 10 & 11. It’s also a big couple of months for sport in Surfers Paradise, with the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 and V8 Supercar drivers revving their engines to take on one of the world’s toughest street circuits. Headlining the off-track entertainment this year is Australian hip hop group Hilltop Hoods – read more on the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 and off-track entertainment on pages 30 & 31. Top the month off with Netfest, the Queensland Beach Volleyball Tour, the Navy Surf Rowers and the 2014 Gold Coast Rugby Sevens, and you have a jam-packed season of competitive outdoor sports. In other very exciting news, we are proud to be launching Surfers Kids Club, supported by Timezone Surfers Paradise. Free to join, with loads of benefits, the club is designed to keep the family on the cusp of kids-oriented activities and events during the year, along with special promotions, merchandise and more. Read all about it on page 9. Be sure to sign up to Surfers Kids Club between 17 September and 17 October to go into the draw to win accommodation giveaways. From 19 September, you will also be able to download a new Surfers Paradise App that will keep you in the loop all year round with news, events and deals all over Surfers Paradise. It’s your complete, handy pocket guide to everything Surfers Paradise! Until next time … The Team at Precinct
4
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
Precinct Magazine, an initiative of Surfers Paradise Alliance Limited Official marketing and management authority for Surfers Paradise. spa@surfersparadise.com www.surfersparadise.com Published by Nude Publishing, a division of Nude Creative Pty Ltd www.nudepublishing.com.au Art Direction, Editorial & Production Nude Creative hello@nudecreative.com.au www.nudecreative.com.au City Soul Feature Photography - Tait Whitelaw Freshcoat Creative National Advertising Manager Peter Wastie peter@nudepublishing.com.au Printed in Australia by Webstar www.bluestargroup.com.au Disclaimer. No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied in any form by any means without prior written permission from the Publisher. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Surfers Paradise Alliance Limited or Nude Publishing. Every issue of Precinct Magazine is prepared with careful attention to accuracy. Please use this magazine as a general guide. Precinct Magazine expresses the views of the authors and is based on the information available at the time of publication and it is not to be taken as advice. All prices quoted in this publication are correct at time of printing. All editorial material is accepted in good faith. We welcome editorial and photographic contributions.
The best kids brands at the best prices everyday
harbourtowngoldcoast.com.au | +61 7 5529 1734 Cnr Gold Coast Hwy and Oxley Drive, Biggera Waters, Gold Coast
2
Bulletin Board 1
1 | Exciting Chevron Renaissance Renewal Project
2 | QT takes out Gourmet Traveller Australia’s Best Breakfast Award
Move over Melbourne, Chevron Renaissance is set to bring Surfers Paradise locals and visitors a completely unique cultural experience by this coming Summer. To begin the transformation, the centre has welcomed Max Brenner Chocolate Bar, much to the delight of chocolate lovers everywhere. Touted as ‘the very best dessert destination’, Max Brenner serves up chocolate smothered on just about everything, including waffles, milkshakes and dessert pizza. There will be much more to come for Chevron Renaissance in the coming months. Inspired by the eclectic urban laneways and rustic food and wine districts of art-house hubs like Melbourne and Sydney, Chevron Renaissance has initiated a multi-million dollar rejuvenation project that will transcend the all too familiar glass-front shopping experience. The project includes rustic wooden features, stylish garden beds and the transformation of a water fountain into a food and beverage kiosk, and will bare space for intimate cafés, bars and artisan product specialty stores. The transformation is currently underway with likely completion date before the busy Summer period.
Surfers Paradise’s QT Gold Coast hotel has already turned heads for its cool Californian vibe and exciting, cutting-edge design. Now it can boast Australia’s Best Hotel Breakfast for 2014, as awarded by globally recognised food and travel magazine, Gourmet Traveller. As the Food and Beverage Manager, Rupert Sakora says, Bazaar Bistro is a bustling ‘marketplace’ that celebrates fresh local produce and in-house creativity. From the buttery pastries and breads to the plethora of jams, everything is made in the kitchen. Hop out of bed and straight to the live omelette station for a custom omelette, or for a sweet start, indulge in one of the house-made hot jam doughnuts. Whatever option you go for, Executive Chef Luke Stepsys and his team are committed to creating the most moreish morning treats around.
6
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
“In the industry, if you can create an experience at this time of the day, you are separating yourself from the norm. For a hotel restaurant located in Surfers Paradise to be awarded the best hotel breakfast in the country by Gourmet Traveller Magazine is an enormous feat and something all locals should celebrate.” The menu is constantly changing for breakfast, lunch and dinner, giving you the best of the region’s flavours and a better reason to get out of bed! Bazaar Bistro, QT Gold Coast 7 Staghorn Avenue Surfers Paradise 4217 (07) 5584 1200 www.qtgoldcoast.com.au/food-drink/bazaar
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so it’s important to make it exciting,” says Rupert.
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
3 4
3 | Take to the Skies with Jet Flight Simulator
4 | The Shave Ice Shack
5 | 7/11 on Ferny Avenue
Give flight to your wildest dreams with Surfers Paradise’s Jet Flight Simulator. You can experience the closest thing to flying a commercial jet airliner and take control of Australia’s only privately owned flight simulator based on the Boeing 737-800NG. The team of professional pilots has the cabin ready for you to take off from your choice of 22,000 airports at any time of day, in any kind of weather. A 10am flight out of Paris on a crystal clear day will be an easy adventure. Not only are the experienced pilot instructors trained to guide flying beginners into an exciting and memorable flight of 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes, they have trained over 50 commercial pilots to pass their Airline Candidate Recruitment Assessment Check Flight. Your instructor will act as First Officer, with you as the Captain, as you both take to the sky in one of the country’s most realistic and exhilarating simulations. You will be in full control of takeoff, airspeed, altitude and landing with the same screens and controls used in the real Boeing. Just when you thought you’d seen everything in paradise, now the sky’s the limit!
It’s Hawaii’s favourite beach treat, right here in Surfers Paradise. Located on bustling Cavill Avenue, The Shave Ice Shack is the first of its kind in Australia, serving up refreshing and fluffy shaved ice topped with scrumptious homemade fruit flavours. With a range of 24 tropical flavours like Blue Hawaiian, Passion Fruit and Wild Strawberry, choose a staple combination or mix and match your own. All flavourings are natural and preservative-free, using organic cane sugar for sweetening. The ice is structured artistically in huge flower cups to ensure none of the goodness escapes. Head down to Cavill Avenue and let The Shave Ice Shack give you a taste of Summer!
One of the biggest names in convenience has opened a centrally located store on Ferny Avenue. Forgetting the milk or bread won’t be such a drama anymore for locals in the area, and the craving for a famous Krispy Kreme donut will no longer go unsatisfied. Stationery, ATM services, refreshments, game cards and mobile credit, newspapers and magazines - 7/11 Ferny Avenue will have all your daily necessities in one convenient location!
2/3078 Surfers Paradise Blvd Surfers Paradise 4217 1800 538 354 www.jetflightsimulator.com.au
www.surfersparadise.com
Shop 3, 3 Cavil Avenue Surfers Paradise 4217 0406 707 065
Stay Informed You can keep up to date on all things Surfers Paradise by visiting our website, www.surfersparadise.com or connecting with our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/surfersparadiseqld
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
7
su
kids week feature
r a a d p ise s r fr e
F
un, sun and time enjoyed with the whole family. That’s what the Surfers Paradise Kids Week presented by Zagame’s Paradise Resort, is all about!
From Saturday 20 to Friday 26 September, the Surfers Paradise precinct will come alive with laughter and beachside activity, bursting with the colour of arts and craft and the sound of some of the most popular children’s acts. Headlining the weekend stage shows, the enormously popular Peppa Pig will be taking on Surfers Paradise Main Stage with her charming hosts, enchanting kids with her well-known mannerisms. Ronald McDonald and Friends will also be providing entertainment, plus special live shows from Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Paradise Resort. The weekend will also feature the Paradise Resort Marquee located on the Foreshore. Under one big tent, you and the kids can get involved with entertaining activities like cupcake decorating, traditional face painting, balloon twisting and colouring in workshops! Be sure to find some time in between the activities, shows and lunch, to visit the outdoor Foreshore attractions, which will include a giant inflatable slide,
8
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
an inflatable castle, baby animal farm, and a King Tutt's Putt Putt course to practice your tee. The school holiday event program only gets better. Over one massive week, families will be wowed with an exciting theme for every weekday. Does your little one like arts and crafts? There will be a whole day dedicated to it! How about dance and music, or Lego? Then be sure to head to the event on dance/music day and Lego day! And for those kids who can’t get enough of all things superheroes and fairytales – yep, you guessed it – there is a very special day in honour of favourite heroes and fairytales, with roving characters and a special storybook corner. If you’re able to get the family down on opening night, you’ll be treated to a spectacular fireworks display starting at 7pm. And in case you miss it, fireworks will also light up the skies of Surfers Paradise on closing night. It will be a busy, fun filled week and the perfect way to spend the school holidays. Be sure to check out where to stay on page 14 if you plan on staying in Surfers Paradise and making a holiday of it, and places to eat on page 16 for those hunger-busting pit stops. Turn over for the full Kids Week Schedule of Events, and happy planning!
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
kids week feature
Surfers Kids Club Launching in Kids Week, the Surfers Kids Club is an exciting new concept designed to give the whole family fantastic benefits and a chance to be on the cusp of kids-oriented events and promotions all year round. Proudly supported by Timezone Surfers Paradise, Surfers Kids Club is free to join and is ideally suited for kids aged between 3 to 12. Members will receive free merchandise, birthday e-cards and gifts, special offers from all over Surfers Paradise, and entry into exclusive member competitions. Members will receive a free hat on registration as well as a Surfers Kids Club Card loaded with $10 of Timezone credit and other offers! To join the club, simply register online through kids.surfersparadise.com or through the new Surfers Paradise App, available for download from 19 September 2014. Both the App and the website will include fun games for members only!
win!
kids.surfersparadise.com Register between Friday 19 September - Friday 17 October for your chance to WIN a Holiday at Paradise Resort! If you sign up for Surfers Kids Club between those dates, you will go into the draw to win five nights accommodation in a Resort Room for two adults and two children, including continental breakfast daily! There are also five other holidays to give away, with each prize including two nights accommodation in a Resort Room for two adults and two children including continental breakfast daily, plus five Family Passes for the Paradise Resort Ice-Skating Rink! Terms and conditions available at kids.surfersparadise. com. Competition opens at 10am on Friday 19 September 2014 and entries close at 11.59pm on Friday 17 October 2014.
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
9
kids week feature
Schedule of events for kids week Main Stage – Surfers Paradise Beach
Workshops – Surfers
Saturday 20 September
Saturday 20 and Sun
10.00am to 10.30am
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Show
11.00am
Paradise Resort Marquee – Foreshore
10.30am to 11.00am
Paradise Resort Show
12.00pm
Paradise Resort Marquee – Foreshore
11.00am to 11.30am
Peppa Pig Show
1.00pm
Paradise Resort Marquee – Foreshore
12.00pm to 12.30pm
Peppa Pig Meet and Greet
2.00pm
Paradise Resort Marquee – Foreshore
1.30pm to 2.00pm
Peppa Pig Show
3.00pm
Paradise Resort Marquee – Foreshore
SUNDAY 21 September
The Foreshore Attracti
10.00am to 10.30am
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Show
10.30am to 11.00am
Paradise Resort Show
11.00am to 11.30am
Peppa Pig Show
Giant inflatable slide
12.00pm to 12.30pm
Peppa Pig Meet and Greet
Inflatable castle
1.30pm to 2.00pm
Peppa Pig Show
Baby animal farm
3.30pm to 4.00pm
Ronald McDonald & Friends Live Show
King Tutt's Putt Putt
Saturday 20 and Sun
Beach ac
Saturday 20 and Su
�Pig a p p e P s s i m Don’t e
t �th ee �performing �a reshore Marqu o F e is d ra a P rs Surfe 1st September 2 y a d n u S & Saturday 20th am & 1.30pm Shows at 11.00
10
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
Time
Location
10.00am to 12.00pm
Beach
2.00pm to 4.00pm
Beach
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
kids week feature
ia l A speec for themy day ever
s Paradise Foreshore
nday 21 September Cupcake decorating presented by Paradise Resort Face painting presented by Paradise Resort Balloon twisting presented by Paradise Resort Colouring in presented by Paradise Resort Cupcake decorating presented by Paradise Resort
School holiday program – cavill mall Monday 22 September Lego day
Starting at 10.30am
Tuesday 23 September Craft day
Starting at 10.30am
Wednesday 24 September Animal day
ions – 11.00am to 4.00pm
nday 21 September
Starting at 10.30am
Thursday 25 September Dance/music day Starting at 10.30am
Friday 26 September Superheroes & fairytales Starting at 10.30am
ctivities
unday 21 September Activity Beach Volleyball Little Leagues
s k r o 20 w y a d r Fire Satu
26 y a d i r & F m be r Septe
7pm
Schedule of Events is subject to change. Please check surfersparadise.com for updates.
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
11
Peppa �Pig � is performing at � Surfers P� aradise!
FREE
Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st September Surfers Paradise Foreshore Marquee Shows at 11am & 1.30pm
meet Peppa
at 12pm on Saturday & Sunday
For further information visit surfersparadise.com
su
kids week
paradise s r rfe
where to stay Paradise, kids style
S
urfers Paradise Kids Week is a fantastic time of year for local and visiting families to enjoy precious time together. In an age where even toddlers can navigate an iPad, the festival takes the young (and the young at heart) back to more traditional pastime favourites, including a huge range of different games, art classes, and cool activities like cupcake decorating and balloon animal making, as well as hosting a number of character appearances and music performances. But the kid conviviality doesn’t have to stop at the festival itself. By staying at Surfers Paradise’s famed family destination, Paradise Resort – a resort which happens to be the winner of the 2013 Queensland’s Hotel Association Award of Excellence for a unique approach to hospitality – the family can keep the activity ball rolling for their entire holiday. Hotel Activities Paradise Resort goes one step further than offering a great playground, with the addition of Dusty’s Rock Climbing, a nine-metre climbing wall with three levels of difficulty accommodating for beginners through to the more experienced young climbers. All the crew is professionally trained for safety and tuition. On the ground, there’s also Laser Tag sessions four times a day to battle it out with family and friends, as well as Dusty’s Indoor Jungle Gym and Outdoor Adventure Playground, where parents can watch the kids go wild! Paradise Resort also offers a huge range of activities for the kids and parents to enjoy together, such as balloon artistry, beach ball relay, frisbee and hulahoop challenges, pool noodle races, jelly eating contests, sand, art, scavenger hunts, live character shows, trivia nights, and T-shirt design sessions. And rest assured, parents can have their own fun with cocktail making classes and live poolside music in Dusty’s BBQ area.
14
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
Bistro Zagame Bistro Zagame is ready to fuel the family for the day with a range of sweet traditional breakfasts like buttermilk pancakes swimming in maple syrup with berry compote and cream, or a hearty breakfast of classic bacon and eggs. The all-you-can-eat continental buffet is free for children under four, $8 for 5-12 years old and $14.95 for all ages over 13. To wind down after a big day, Bistro Zagame also has dinner from 5.30pm, serving up a range of Modern Australian and international cuisines, and a great kids menu all priced at $8. There is also Paradise Resort’s Poolside Café, open for brekky, lunch and dinner with eat in and takeaway options, and often hosting BBQ nights and Churro Fridays! The Perfect Place Paradise Resort is just a beach ball’s throw to the well-known and loved Surfers Paradise Beach – with gentle conditions, shade, lifeguard patrol and the chance to learn to surf with a number of surf schools. Its location also makes it perfect for accommodation during Kids Week, as families can walk just five or so minutes along the Foreshore to arrive where all the action is. All year round, the resort has more than enough to do indoors and outdoors. The swimming pool and water park, 24-hour gym, games room, outdoor spa for adults, Planet Chill ice rink, a number of restaurant and bar establishments and the resort shop, all make for a holiday that celebrates family time Gold Coast style, with a focus on endless enjoyment. So when Kids Week rolls around again this year, there really is no other place to stay but the Coast’s most kid-oriented, fun-loving resort, jam-packed with entertainment every day of the year!
Zagame's Paradise Resort 122 Ferny Ave Surfers Paradise 07 5579 4444 www.paradiseresort.com.au
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
su
kids week
paradise s r rfe
ten places to tuck in We’ve handpicked ten pit stops to take the kids when the hunger pangs kick in!
1
2
3
4
Charlie’s Restaurant
Vapiano Gold Coast
Amalfi Bistro and Wine Bar
Waxy’s Irish Pub
If you are in the mood for a burger, Charlie’s Restaurant has been serving quality burgers to locals and tourists for over 35 years – and it still serves the best 100% Australian beef burger in town! Its beachside location makes it the perfect snack or beverage stop during Kids Week. 24 hours a day Cavill Mall, Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise 5538 5285 Take a little trip to Italy for the evening at the new modern Italian restaurant, Vapiano located in the stunning Soul building in Cavill Avenue. For a bit of people watching, a well-earned cocktail for mum and dad, and a bite to eat beside the waves, Vapiano is happy to have you from 11am ‘til late. The children’s menu featuring delicious pasta and pizza will have the kids saying grazie! in no time. Thursday to Sunday 11.00am - 11.00pm | Friday to Saturday 11.00am - midnight 8 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise 5538 8967 Take the whole family and give the kids a taste of some fantastic modern Mediterranean cuisine that showcases fresh Australian produce. Its central location on the ground floor of the Watermark Hotel and Spa makes for a nice walk back to your hotel beneath the Surfers Paradise lights or on the beach. Watermark Hotel & Spa, Lobby Level, 3032 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise Friday and Saturday 5.30pm - late 5588 8305
A step into Surfers’ longtime favourite pub, Waxy’s, is like a leap across the globe to a meal set amongst a fantastically Irish backdrop of wooden oak barrels, UK-style lamp posts and a warmly lit, wooden interior. Daily menu specials include eight meal choices for just $10 and the famous $2 Sunday steaks. There is a huge range of Irish fare, grilled dishes, seafood and pizza, and a traditional and inexpensive children’s menu. Lunch 12.00pm - 3.00pm | Dinner 5.00pm - 10.00pm 3206 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise 5526 7655
16
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
kids week
5
6
The Coffee Club paradise centre
Nicolini’s
Sometimes just a bit of familiarity is all it takes to find a good coffee. The Coffee Club located in Cavill Mall has all your regular favourite coffee options, sweet and wholesome breakfast choices and snacks to grab on your way to Kids Week. 6.00am - midnight Cavill Mall, Surfers Paradise 5538 8940 Over 35 years of thriving business, a loyal local and tourist client base and a menu filled with Italian favourites; that’s a recipe for a great dining experience! All the popular pastas and pizzas are there, as well as a huge selection of fresh, well-treated veal, steak, chicken and seafood dishes. Saturday to Sunday 9.00am - late | Monday to Friday 10.30am - late 3106 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise 5539 0884
7
Helm Bar
Helm Bar has an extensive range of Modern Australian and European seafood dishes made for both the big appetites or for sharing with the whole family. Peter’s Pirate Kids’ Menu has traditional kids’ plates for nothing over $8, and also features a light menu boasting seafood sensations like the European-style Salt Cod Fritters, Salt ‘N’ Pepper Squid with Asian Salad and Lime Aioli, and the classic Wagyu Beef Burger. Kids Eat Free special on Saturdays and Sundays with every main meal purchased. Everyday from 10.00am - late Kids Eat Free Saturdays and Sunday between 5.30pm and 6.30pm 30-34 Ferny Avenue, Surfers Paradise 5538 9677
8
9
The Groove Train
Hurricane’s Grill
The Groove Train on Surfers Paradise Boulevard has one of the grooviest children’s menus on the coast, with a huge range of healthy and hearty breakfast and lunch dishes including grilled fish, calamari and chicken and a number of pasta dishes (and gluten free options for both menus). Great value in a great location just seconds from the beach and Kids Week. Monday to Thursday 11.30am - 10.00pm Friday to Sunday 9.00am - 11.00pm The High Street Hilton, 3113 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise 5538 8121 One of Surfers’ most popular bar and grills now has some new delicious kids menu options, including the Junior Pork Ribs, Junior Lamb Ribs and the Junior Chicken Strips. Every junior meal ordered includes an ice cream – the perfect way to finish a big day looking out to the spectacular views of Surfers Paradise Beach from the 360-degree viewpoint. Everyday from 12.00pm - late Soul Building, 4 – 14 The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise 5503 5500
10
Hog’s Breath Café
www.surfersparadise.com
You won’t leave hungry at one of Australia’s best-known grill houses and successful countrywide franchises, Hog’s Breath Café, located on Cavill Ave. Choose from a range of kids’ burgers, pastas and steaks, seafood and vegetarian options, and if the kids are not too full, they can enjoy two scoops of ice-cream! Watch the exciting hustle and bustle of Cavill Avenue all from the comfort of your table. Everyday from 5.00pm - 11.00pm Soul Building, 4 – 14 The Esplanade, Surfers Paradise 5527 5554
A SWEET TREAT San Churros This Spanish chocolateria has a rich background story and even richer selection of traditional Spanish churros, desserts, taste plates, cakes, sweets and shakes exploding with divine chocolate. San Churros prides itself on its treatment of chocolate, which is made from 100% cocoa butter. Reward yourself! Monday to Thursday 9.30am - 10.00pm Friday 9.30am - 11.00pm Saturday 10.00am - 11.00pm Sunday 10.00am - 10.00pm 47/48 Circle on Cavill, Surfers Paradise The Shave Ice Shack Enjoy the tropical flavour of Hawaii’s most popular treat on the sand of Surfers Paradise! The new Shave Ice Shack on Cavill Avenue offers delicious, delicate mounds of artfully shaved ice saturated in one or a combination of 24 delectable summer flavours, including coconut, kiwifruit, lemon & lime, blue Hawaiian and watermelon. All natural ingredients. Enjoy a taste of Hawaii in Surfers Paradise! Everyday from 9.30am - 9.30pm Shop 3, 3 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise Ben & Jerry’s With flavours like Cookie Carnival, New York Super Fudge, Maple Tree Hugger and Triple Caramel Chunk, Ben & Jerry’s in Cavill Mall will have the whole family screaming for ice-cream! Monday to Thursday 10.00am - 11.00pm Friday to Saturday 10.00am - midnight Sunday 11.00am - midnight Shop 1, Centro Surfers, Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise Max Brenner Chocolate Bar Australia’s favourite chocolate genius has now spread his deliciously dangerous addiction to Surfers Paradise in the Chevron Renaissance Shopping Centre. A cheeky mid-day snack or an after-dinner treat glistening with intoxicating milk or white chocolate can top off a wonderful day. Monday to Thursday 9.00am - 11.00pm Friday 9.00am - midnight Saturday 8.00am - midnight Sunday 8.00am - 11.00pm Chevron Renaissance, 3240 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
17
su
kids week
paradise s r rfe
top tips to enjoy kids week Plan ahead
Have you ever hit the ground running at an event and suddenly found yourself overwhelmed with options? What to do first? The music acts, the craft tent, or something to snack on? Avoid the excitement overload by planning ahead and scheduling a rough idea of what the whole family wants to see and do. Prior to the event, write down a list of the favourites, their times and locations, and coordinate yourselves with a plan of attack! That way no one will miss out!
Bring what you need
Hats and sunscreen? Check. Swimmers and towel? Check. Snacks and water? You got it. Don’t leave the house or your holiday apartment without first checking you have all the essentials. Keep in mind, the less you have to carry, the better! Try travel sized sunscreens and larger towels that are ideal for sharing. Pop everything you need in one backpack that everyone can have a turn of carrying. Definitely don’t forget the camera!
Be in the know
In the centre of this magazine you will find a colourful and easy to use map of Surfers Paradise - rip this out and take it with you on the days you travel into the festival. It will show you a birds-eye view of the precinct and where public transport stops, public restrooms, event locations and eating spots are. Take a photo with your phone or camera of the Where To Eat pages so when the hour of lunch falls, you’ll know exactly where to fuel up!
Determine a meeting spot and number
Make a week of it!
18
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
With all the flashing colours of living cartoon characters and braided formations of balloon animals, the vibrant street music and the surging crowd of families and strangers, it can be easy for the kids to lose themselves amongst the activity. With the help of our Surfers Paradise map, determine an emergency meeting spot where kids and parents will meet if someone happens to go walkabout. Give the kids both parents’ mobile numbers just in case. It’s doubtful that the family will separate on such an exciting outing, but it is better to be prepared!
Hey, it’s called Kids Week for a reason - you don’t have to cram all the activity into one day! Take it easy and make a week of it. Relax in the mornings and hit the Esplanade for a glowing afternoon, or do some arts and crafts all morning and top it off with lunch, spending the afternoon at the pool. Whichever way the family chooses to enjoy the festival, just remember that slow and steady sometimes does win the race!
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
0 1 4* 2 * Escape Travel are the school holiday experts. We have exclusive discounts and bonuses that will make your family holiday extra special.
BOOK NOW FOR CHRISTMAS SCHOOL HOLIDAYS 2014!
6 MONTHS INTEREST FREE * Holiday experts now available 24/7. Over 160 stores nationally
1300 551 729 escapetravel.com.au *Terms and conditions apply. 6 months interest free provided by applying for the Lombard 55 Visa Card and is only available to approved applicants, it is subject to further terms and conditions contained in the Lombard Visa Card Account Conditions of Use and Lombard Visa Card Product Schedule. An application fee $60, monthly account fees $2.90 and other fees and charges are payable. The Lombard Visa Card is a credit facility provided by Lombard Finance Pty Limited (ABN 31 099 651 877) (Australian Credit License Number 247 415). Flight Centre Limited (ABN 25 003 377 188) trading as Escape Travel. Licence Number: SA TTA254, WA 9TA 589. ATAS Accreditation No: A10412 ETMARK61633
events calendar
WHAT’S ON surfers paradise
Kids Week presented by Zagame’s Paradise Resort
WHEN:
Saturday 20 September to Friday 26 September 2014
For a week of family fun that celebrates being a kid (again), head into Surfers Paradise for the Kids Week festival, where the Surfers Paradise precinct will be brought to life with colour, live music and character appearances. From games and art classes, to cupcake decorating and balloon animal making, this Kids Week will be jam-packed with activity and a perfect opportunity for the kids, Mum and Dad to spend some time together in paradise!
WHERE:
Surfers Paradise Beach and Foreshore
COST:
Free
WHEN:
Wednesday, Friday & Sunday nights 5pm – 10pm
Now that winter is over and blissfully warmer days are ahead, enjoy one of the largest night markets on the Gold Coast, featuring a variety of premium products, including fashion, jewellery, accessories, artworks, photographs, beauty products and home wares.
WHERE:
The Foreshore, Surfers Paradise
Live Music @ the Avenue
WHEN: Continual
september
Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets
The Avenue has been a Gold Coast icon since 1984. The venue is not only famous for its nightlife and atmosphere, right in the heart of the Surfers Paradise entertainment precinct, it also hosts the best local and international acts around.
Nick Jr’s Dora the Explorer Live! Dora’s Pirate Adventure Nick Jr presents Dora the Explorer live! Join Dora and the rest of her friends as they embark on an exciting trip to Treasure Island in search of the ultimate pirate party.
20
CONTACT: (07) 5584 3700 spa@surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
COST: Free CONTACT: (07) 5584 3700
WHERE:
The Avenue, 4 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise
CONTACT: (07) 5592 1678
WHEN:
Wednesday 3 September 2014 1.00pm
WHERE:
Arts Theatre, The Arts Centre Gold Coast, 135 Bundall Road, Bundall
COST:
Platinum $59.90, Gold $39.90, A Reserve $29.90 (Children under 12 months old free)
CONTACT: (07) 5588 4000
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
events calendar
october
september
Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase Local and international comedians are hand picked from Sydney’s biggest annual comedy event and squeezed into one hilarious night of world-class comedy.
Angus and Julia Stone
WHEN:
Saturday 13 September 2014 8.00pm
WHERE:
Paradise Room
COST:
$35.00
CONTACT: (07) 5588 4000
WHEN:
Sunday 21 September 2014. 8.00pm
WHERE:
This ARIA Award winning brother-sister folk-blues group are returning to the stage this September on their first national tour since 2011, reuniting for their third studio album Angus & Julia Stone.
Arts Theatre, The Arts Centre Gold Coast, 135 Bundall Road, Bundall
COST:
$64.90
Oktoberfest
WHEN:
Friday 3 October 2014, 7.00pm-Midnight,
The Gold Coast makes this iconic German festival its own by celebrating Oktoberfest at 230 metres into the sky! Tickets to Skypoint’s Oktoberfest event include German food, live German music by Oz Oompah, and a night of stein-swinging dance moves with German beer songs. Also includes a take-home stein and Oktoberfest hat. A perfect way to welcome the beginning of warm weather with a breathtaking view.
WHERE:
Skypoint, The Q1, 9 Hamilton Avenue, Surfers Paradise
COST:
$75.00
Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 The city’s loudest and fastest event is back for another year of on and off-track action set to get our hearts racing! The Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 will be a huge weekend of live entertainment and events, including Aussie hip hop group Hilltop Hoods headlining the Saturday night concert. With bigger and better spectator facilities, the new beach-stage day club, Club 600, and a number of community arts and motorsport events, you will want to buy your tickets fast!
www.surfersparadise.com
CONTACT: (07) 5588 4000
CONTACT: (07) 5582 2700
WHEN:
Friday 24 October to Sunday 26 October 2014
WHERE:
Surfers Paradise
COST:
Varies between one day and multiday Trackside, Fanstand and Platinum Grandstand Tickets
CONTACT: ticketek.com.au for tickets www.v8supercars.com.au (07) 5630 0364
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
21
Surfers Paradise Ambassador Cheyne Horan in his younger years.
here to surf Burleigh, Greenmount and Snapper. I still envisaged waves I surfed at 15 years old at Kirra. “But when you head out at Surfers Paradise, where there is never any crowds, with a couple of my mates, it’s like the fun never ends,” says Cheyne. Cheyne recalls a coastline of fishing shacks and clean peaks running from Burleigh all the way to Main Beach. In his youth, he searched for whatever fun was free, including the local trampolines, skating and surfing. And in the 1960s era of liberty and self-expression, surfing was one step ahead. “I always tell myself how lucky I am to be a surfer. There is no authority when you’re in the water. You can’t experience that magic in basketball, ice hockey, cricket - sports that have rules. Surfing has order, it has respect, but it’s about the experience of freedom,” he says. “I have such an affinity with the ocean. I watch dolphins swim around me, the albatrosses surfing the air above a wave. To describe the essence of surfing: it’s the feeling of freedom.”
Surfers Paradise Ambassador Profile: cheyne horan
P
icture Surfers Paradise. Skyscrapers, covert nightclubs, restaurants, crowds and sound. There’s a lot happening in the streets, but when looking at that famous sign of the golden girl Meter Maids at the beach, we can only imagine whose bare feet have left a slate of salt and sand on the pandanus-studded footpath. What was Surfers like, long ago? Surfers Paradise has changed into an eclectic holiday attraction, with a whir of international tourists, sandals, beach towels and all. But to understand the grass roots of Surfers, we should head east toward the water. Surfers Paradise earned that name for a reason, and world surfing legend Cheyne Horan is here to remind us why. First, let’s rewind and dip our toes into an important part of Queensland history. Surfers Paradise officially came to be in 1933 as part of a marketing idea to bring more people to this lively urban-beach setting – the only one of its kind in Australia. The hotelier Jim Cavill, the promoter behind the name, saw the area’s potential as a coastal haven for Australian and international tourists and decided to separate the region from the once-known sub-divisions of Elston in 1925. And in good timing; Elston’s tourism rate was growing steadily following the construction of the Jubilee Bridge, which gave access to the area by road. Surfers Paradise was recognised as the first landmark in the Gold Coast, and it fast became the region’s centre for shopping, food and services. On the tail end of the 1960’s, highrise residential buildings began to spring up, kick starting a vacation culture thriving on the
22
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
coastline’s offer of boating, fishing, swimming, and most importantly, surfing. Cheyne Horan is a surfing king. He began professional surfing at 16 years old, scoring runner up World Title to Aussie surf icon Wayne Bartholomew in 1978, first place in the Brazilian Waimea 5000 and first in the inaugural Op Pro in 1982. His dynamic style is the origin of plenty of surf maneuvers that are still well known today, and his career boasts 12 victories and seven top-five positions. In 2007 he was inducted into surfing’s Hall of Fame. Cheyne has a strong idea as to why Surfers has its name. While Surfers, Burleigh and south breaks Kirra and Snapper have been his local hot spots for surfing since 1975, he says the best thing about the famous Surfers Paradise is actually its anonymity. “It’s the Gold Coast’s best kept secret!” “When everywhere is flat on the coast, there is always a wave at Surfers,” he points out. “I have never seen Surfers flat in my life.” Cheyne set up camp in Surfers in 1975 and has been teaching surfing on the waves of Surfers Paradise for around 20 years. On arrival, at a time when the coast only boasted six or seven surf schools, he decided its location and conditions offered a great spot to teach. The surfing essence of Surfers Paradise is experienced through Cheyne and his school, and although its waves aren’t as long or crowded as the southern Kirra and Snapper breaks, he says it’s never short of fun. “The waves aren’t world-renowned, but they’re always fun. Surfers hasn’t really affected the international surfing scene because people come
Although the beaches and Surfers skyline has changed and grown over the years, he believes Surfers has always remained a fantastic surf spot without the crowds. “I’ve had so many good surfs at Surfers in the last ten years. And the best thing about them is that I’ll be out there with nobody but a group of mates, scoring the best waves,” Cheyne claims. The Gold Coast surfing mecca has long been tempting international surfers from Europe, South America, Indonesia and around the pacific with ruler-straight line ups and crystal clear water, and the beach free from pollution. Apparently everyone needs to surf the Surfers Paradise break for its iconic status and cruisy conditions, as well as enjoy all that Surfers has to offer for its array of visitors. “Everyone has to surf this break. It’s great for learning, as I can always see a safe spot anywhere on the beach for our lessons. The sand is not polluted, the water is perfect, which is something special we have in Australia.” “In Surfers Paradise, it’s easy to do anything. You can walk anywhere, you don’t need a car. We’ve got great food and fantastic restaurants. And now you can stand-up-paddle board at the Broadwater, which is great exercise,” he says. And his best session in Surfers Paradise? “About 10 years ago, when the waves were about 10 foot, and I got some of the best back-hand barrels I’ve had on the coast.” Maybe that’s why Surfers Paradise remains the coast’s best-kept secret. It’s time to paddle out.
Cheyne Horan School of Surf 1800 22 SURF (7873) 2surf@cheynehoran.com www.cheynehoran.com.au
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
Surfers Paradise Ambassador
Cheyne Horan’s School of Surf is an institution in Surfers Paradise. The founder is a World Champion Surfer. www.surfersparadise.com
Cheyne Horan surfing at Jaws, Maui, Hawaii.
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
23
SURFERS Main Bea
ch Parad
e
The Esplanade
e
rn Ave
B lv d
Ave
oast H
de ew P
R
i iverv
Thomas Dr
Dr
Cypre ss Av e
Palm Ave
Norfo River
Gold C
A
RIVER
Thom
CHEVRON ISLAND
as Dr
BUDDS BEACH
NERANG
CRONINN ISLAND
TRANSPORT
Chev ron I sl and PARK Har r y Bon d PARK
The Stokes Fami l y PARK
Southp
d
t Ea st
Ferry R
Bund
all Rd
J oc k Rutherford PARK
ve
h Rd ort-Burleig
Orchid Ave
wy
Cavill
ara di s e
Elkho
View A v
rs P
Pine A ve
R IP C A O R V IL E L
ell Av
A
Oak A ve
Blond
l
P ise
J
MACINTOSH ISLAND
e
rad
Pa
E wan Ba tt PARK
Sur fe
OUTRIGGER
lk Ave
Birt A ve
oas
Stagh orn A ve
Ave anus
Ferny A ve
y t Hw
dC
Gol
Ave
Pand
ny
O c ea
Fer
n Ave
The Esplanade
su
PA R A DISE rs paradise rfe
embrance Dr Rem
Secon
d Ave
First A ve
Rd
Riley
Ro
C a s ca d e GA R D E N S
co St
ma
St
Carlo
Ave
Via
nes
Can
Joh n Fr as er ME MO RIAL PARK
Monte
Cliffo
rd St
Nedd y H arper & Wi l l i am Dunc an PARK
Ave
River Tce
a St
Aliso n
Rd
Beach Pde
ast Hwy
N eal S han n on ME MO R IA L PA R K
Beach
Wharf
Fern S
Gold Co
Appel St
Surf Pde
Geno
St
Surfers Paradise Blvd
B ru ce Bis h op C A R PA R K
h Rd
Old Burleig
t
Frederick St
Aubrey St
Vista St
Thornton St
t Ende rley S
Markw ell Av e
Hamil ton A ve
Cliffo rd
St
Layco ck
St
t St Tricke t
PARA DISE C
Hanla n St
ENTR E
The Esplanade
Mona
PARADISE ISLAND
lar
su
nin
Pe
surfers paradise precinct Dr
on
ts Wa
VE
R
rd Ave
all Rd
Cliffo
Mona co St
Layco
rd St
ck St
t St Tricke t
Aliso n St
lvd
Appel St
St
embrance Dr m e R Cliffo rd
Rd
r
ER RIV
NER Bru ce Bi sh op CARPARK
Mona c Bund
yD
ista B
Ne al S hannon ME M O R I A L PA R K
o St
Saler
rvi
Cavill
wy
no St
oast H
Thomas Dr
Cypre s
s Ave
Gold C
Beach
Ave
2 HRS FREE
PARKING
Rive
Rio V
Surfers Paradise Blvd
BUNDALL WATERS
de ew P
n St
ISE C
rn Ave
Lex Bel l OVAL
B lv d
ANG
o Via R
NG
ara di s e
Ave G I R U N G I S L A Orchid ND
PARA D
rs P
Savo
OUTRIGGER
Elkho
Sur fe
RA
lvd
tB
View A ve
S
se Sun
The Esplanade
ENTR E
d
Blv
NE
ise unr
Hanla
RI
ISLE OF CAPRI ma
Esp
Leona
Food and Lifestyle
A Local’s Love for Paradise The relaxed and colourful vibe of Surfers Paradise continues to draw different travellers and holiday goers from around the world. Honeymooners, backpackers, families and couples are all inspired to visit the city’s beautiful beaches that by sunset, are shadowed by an exciting cityscape. It’s a city in paradise, and while the visitors come and go all year round, people like Warren Hodson stay for good.
I
t’s the best place on earth,” claims Warren. “Having travelled extensively, I know that there is no other place like it.” At 77 years of age, Warren has spent 34 of those on the Gold Coast in Surfers Paradise. He moved here in 1980 from New Zealand, motivated by better weather and a love of golf. “If I had stayed in New Zealand I wouldn’t have had this great life that I have now. In 1980 I sold everything to come here because I absolutely loved it,” he explains. Warren places a high importance on living healthy, a change that was inspired by the outdoor culture of the Gold Coast. The foreshores, the beach, the parks; Surfers Paradise has more than enough reasons to get off the couch and enjoy life outside. “When you reach my age, you must add more value to your life. I decided years ago that I
26
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
Food and Lifestyle
wanted to improve my health, so every morning I get outside and start moving at a brisk pace,” he says. “I don’t smoke. I only have two glasses of red wine strictly for medicinal reasons with dinner. I sleep well and wake up every day with lots of energy. A lot of people forget that this is the most important part of the day, so enjoy it!” And given the choice between indulgence or relaxation, Warren always takes the second option. “I know people who enjoy sitting inside a pub eating and drinking. Why would I want to do that? I would rather be outside on the beach!” Warren’s typical day in Surfers Paradise starts on the sand around 6.00am walking north or south along the coast. Though he doesn’t cover as many kilometres as he once did, he still relishes in the endless and dynamic beauty of the Gold Coast beaches, something he thinks tourists don’t always get to savour. “You’ve got to experience the real Surfers Paradise to understand it. A lot of tourists come here without realising that the best part of Surfers Paradise is actually the beach. To really capture Surfers Paradise,” Warren suggests. “Visitors should head to the Hinterland for the fabulous view over Surfers Paradise and its beaches. Then you can understand the paradise that you’re in.” Following a long brisk beach walk, Warren reads between three and four newspapers to keep himself updated with business, finance and the property situation of the day, and then enjoys the day appreciating his good health. He thinks any golfer has more than enough choice here on the Coast. “We’re very lucky here on the Gold Coast, we have some of the best golf courses in Australasia right here on our doorstep, including that of Surfers Paradise and Southport,” he says.
Warren is also a longtime car enthusiast, and as the proud owner of The White Lady 1969 Mercedes 280SE 2-door coupe, still loves driving around Surfers where his beautiful car is recognised and saluted by locals and tourists. “She’s won 15 Concours d’Elegance awards and is my pride and joy. I ticked another one off my bucket list by driving 250km/h on the Nurbergring Racetrack in Germany last year, where Fangio won his World Championships.” In 2011, Warren attended the greatest Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach. Being the well-known car fanatic that he is, Warren was recognised by the Mercedes Benz team, who were running the event. Warren knows Surfers Paradise beach well, having walked it almost every day for 34 years, and loves how its environment is always changing, like its people. “When you walk over the sand dunes and see that sunrise over the beach, it’s just magnificent! That’s the same with the community here. The mixture of locals and travellers makes Surfers an invariably transient and unique community. One of a kind.” Surfers Paradise makes for a relaxed lifestyle in the perfect location, and he believes it always has been. “Nothing has changed in Surfers Paradise in all these years except there’s more population and development. But it’s the same Surfers that it has always been.” And that’s what keeps him here. Like the global tourists that visit year-round, Warren has a love for the place that won’t ever fade. And from one local to another, he has an important piece of advice. “Get up and live! Be honest with yourself, be disciplined and do the things that make you happy. Being active and healthy will help anyone to do that!”
sports calendar
WHAT’S ON
QLD Beach Volleyball Tour
october
Gold Coast Sevens
november
NetFest 2014
The Navy Surf Rowers National Premiership
28
SPORT
The state's top beach volleyball talent will scorch the sands of Surfers Paradise at the Queensland Beach Volleyball Tour for another year running. With most rounds held at the Surfers Paradise beach volleyball amphitheatre, spectators can get up close to some seriously physical summer competition. The series is known for creating volleyball stars like Olympian Lee Zahner and Natalie Cook among others, but also serves as an opportunity for all beach lovers to have a go at the quintessentially Australian sport. Perfect for serious competitors or spectators for a weekend filled with sensational beach activity in the heart of the Gold Coast.
DATE
Footy fever will hit the Coast again with this year’s Gold Coast Sevens 2014 tournament. Fans will descend on the Cbus Super Stadium to cheer on their team, while dressed as their favourite fantasy character! In a stadium of Avatars, Mario Kart characters, superheroes and animal onesies, participants will watch a series of rugby matches between 16 national teams as well as revel in the event’s different festivals, beer tents and family areas. After being moved to the Gold Coast in 2011, the event has continued to gather popularity, fierce sportsmanship and crazy costumes. Don’t miss out this year and attend one of the country’s most exhilarating rugby tournaments!
DATE
Following on from its sandy success last year, NetFest will be held again for a weekend of fast, fun, tricky teamwork and outdoor action! As Netball Australia’s biggest participation event, with hundreds of all-age netball lovers from around Australia and New Zealand coming together, NetFest is expected to be even bigger in 2014. The event covers both traditional outdoor netball and social beach netball divisions. Anyone over 18 can be part of NetFest, whether you are new to the game or consider yourself a professional. The event will play out in a round robin tournament over Friday and Saturday and the top four (non social) teams will progress to finals on Sunday. NetFest is a great opportunity for family and friends to get together and improve skills. Competitors and spectators can also enjoy Thursday’s inaugural celebrity beach netball match and Saturday night’s NetFest party.
DATE
Nothing says Gold Coast sun and surf action better than the annual Navy Surf Rowers National Premiership. The sport represents a large part of Australia’s beach and surf life saving culture that dates back to 1908. It takes a measure of strength, skill, tactics and bravery. Rowers are elite athletes who train all year round, and during the competitive summer season, compete at local, state and national levels. The image of a hefty wooden surfboat smashing into a steel-blue wall of water is uniquely Australian, and this event in Surfers Paradise is the perfect way to celebrate a century-old sport. Get down there to watch thrilling surf boat races, expression sessions and beach rescue displays.
DATE
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
Saturday 4 October to Sunday 5 October 2014
VENUE
Surfers Paradise Beach Volleyball Courts, end Hanlan Street, Surfers Paradise
CONTACT www.beachvolleyballgoldcoast.com
VENUE
Saturday 11 October to Sunday 12 October 2014 The Cbus Super Stadium, Centreline Place, Robina
CONTACT www.rugby.com.au/gc7s
VENUE
Thursday 16 October to Sunday 19 October 2014 Beach Netball: Surfers Paradise Beach, between Hanlan and Trickett Streets (one block south of Cavil Mall) Outdoor Netball: Firth Park Netball Courts, Somerset Drive, Mudgeeraba
CONTACT www.netfest.com.au
VENUE
Saturday 8 November to Sunday 9 November 2014 Surfers Paradise Beach
CONTACT www.asrl.com.au
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
Food and Lifestyle
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
29
sport
the Castrol EDGE GOLD COAST 600 Surfers Paradise is yet again the Coast’s ideal location for beachside speed and celebration for the 2014 Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600, the exhilarating motorsport event that has been picking up speed since 1994. This year is no exception, with a fantastic entertainment line-up, off-track activity program and a high-speed circuit all designed to really get the Gold Coast racing!
T
racing the Nerang River Waterway between Surfers Paradise and Main Beach, and framed by the suburbs’ iconic white-sand beach and verdant parklands, the track for 2014 is a rapid, high-performance track that pushes its racers to the absolute limit! Allowing maximum speeds of up to 265km/h with a total of 15 circuit turns, the race will be an encore of the previous years’ thrilling supercar action and a demonstration of international racing talent. A couple of changes will greet this year’s racetrack revellers. Centralised on the city’s personality, 2014’s event program has sought to involve all ages by aiming to have most events in one main precinct, giving families, young people, corporate visitors and party goers a massive selection of activity in the one zone. As well as this, the event’s infrastructure planning has taken it up a notch by investing in an additional 770 grandstand seats for around the track. Last year’s event was completely sold out well before October, so organisers will be ready for the even bigger and better crowds in 2014. The corporate structure will also be improved with enclosed, race-side air-conditioned suites for front-of-house action in style. Music act announcements were made at the exclusive Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort and Spa Launch
30
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
sport
Five minutes with V8 Supercar driver and Gold Coast local Tim Slade After a year of driving with team Erebus and Mercedes Benz, are you glad to be back behind a Commodore? The rules of the competition are very strict, all the cars are built a certain way and are basically the same except for body shape and motor. But it is good to be back driving for Holden and Walkinshaw, as they’re a strong team! We have the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 coming up in October. It was a challenging race for you and the team last year. How will you prepare for this year’s race in the new car? The preparation is similar across every race and we don’t change it too much from race to race. Having said that, we are always going to do the most we can to prepare. In 2013, we had a lot of dramas with the car, in both races, so we’re keen on getting it right this year. Qualifying is very important so we will do our best to get up front from the start and stay there. This applies to all tracks, but it is very important particularly on the Gold Coast, as the track has limited passing opportunities. Because of this, we will want to get to the front and stay out of trouble.
Party in July, with Australia’s legendary hip-hop group Hilltop Hoods as the headliners for the Saturday night concert. They are set to perform tracks from their latest album Walking Under Stars, soon to be released. In the name of tradition, all the favourite sideshows will be returning, including the V8 Superfest Parade, Tapas and Torque on Tedder, the Miss V8 Supercars competition, the CIK Race of Stars and Pimpama, the runners’ hot lap, the V8 Billy Kart Derby at Burleigh and the V8 Utes Charity golf day. Continuing on the streak of surprises, other new off-track events include the Festival of Fuel and Fire in Surfers, the Student Safe Driving program at Mudgeeraba, the Gear Up Gold Coast competition for local businesses and schools, as well as an urban art festival for local visual, digital and urban artists. Sound your engines Queensland, because tickets are already on sale at ticketek.com.au! Grab one for you, your mates or the family and get moving to the biggest motorsport celebration of the year, and take your marks! Visit www.v8supercars.com.au for more information.
www.surfersparadise.com
Is it important for you to be successful where you’re established? That is, on the Gold Coast? I would like to be successful wherever I race. My family comes to most of my big races and I usually speak to my parents the week leading up to a race - they might surprise me by telling me they will be there and offer support. I have a lot of support on the Gold Coast and it is easier for my close friends to make it down to the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 race. It would mean more to me to have a good result in front of them, but I try to stay focused on my driving, whatever race I am in. Do the other drivers look to you, as the ‘local’, to what to do on the Gold Coast? (Laughs) Not really, no. It is such a big weekend, and very demanding on us physically and mentally, that a lot of the other drivers head straight home either that night, or first thing in the morning. If there are any new drivers who haven’t raced here previously or need some advice, I’d be happy to help them out. I live at Mermaid Beach and I definitely have my favourite places to eat. Wheelbarrow at Mudgeeraba, BSKT, any of the cafés at Nobby Beach, and Piccolo Espresso are just a few! How will you and your partner be celebrating the event after the races are complete? It really depends on how the weekend goes and how I went, as that will determine what mood
I’m in! But win, lose or draw, there is always an after party that we will go to. The Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 event staff always put on a great show and look after the drivers, teams, staff, and sponsors. The Gold Coast has a great atmosphere, much like the other street circuits, which I think makes for a more exciting race for the spectators, and gives them plenty more to do. In your downtime and during the off-season, what are your favourite things to do around the region? Fitness is really important to me. I’m on the bike a lot and have just competed in a half-ironman competition in Cairns. That was very challenging but I thoroughly enjoy having the flexibility to be able to do that kind of thing. When I’m home, I’m cycling all the time and I go everywhere from Murwillumbah all the way up the Coast. The weather and the territory around the region make it a really beautiful place to get out on the bike. I feel a lot safer on the roads here. I go out with another half-dozen close friends, so it’s nice to get out with them too. Outside of racing, is there anything else you get involved in over the weekend? Being based on the Gold Coast, the V8 Supercars Management get the Gold Coast drivers involved in a lot of the media side of things and the launches. We know the area very well, and as locals, it’s nice for us to be able to represent our home turf. Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
31
music & entertainment
32
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
music & entertainment
Hilltop Hoods are pumped to be headlining this year’s V8 Supercars Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 between Friday 24 and Sunday 26 October.
T
he Australian hip hop music legends are featured to play the Saturday night performance for the first time, and stop the show with tracks from their latest album Walking Under Stars, to be released soon.
It’s only fitting that such a huge Aussie hip hop act be leading the music scene for the Gold Coast’s loudest and fastest event of the year. The group has received 6 ARIA Awards from 20 nominations between 2006 and 2012 for ‘Best Urban Release’, ‘Best Independent Release’ and ‘Best Urban Album’. In 2001 and 2002, they were nominated for the ‘Best Hip Hop Act’ at the 3D World Dance Music Awards as well as winning the Australasian Performing Rights Association (APRA) Award for ‘Best Up-Coming Group’ in the same year. They’ve also continuously claimed their ground on the country’s most popular and widely broadcasted radio countdown, Triple J Hottest 100, taking five spots in 2005’s list and reaching number 17 on the station’s Hottest 100 of all time, the highest ever placed Australian song. Suffice to say, these guys know how to bring a party to life. With their inspirational lyrics, unmatchable musical flavour, fearless exploration of pertinent social issues and a spirit that celebrates both Australian pride and individualism, Hilltop Hoods are a highly skilled and admirable group that appeal to a range of musical tastes. The group was formed officially in 1991 following the high school friendship of MC Suffa (Matt Lambert) and Pressure (Daniel Smith) in the Hills of Adelaide, South Australia. Through a mutual friend, the two later met DJ Debris (Barry Francis), another hip hop enthusiast and talented musician who joined the group in 1999. Hilltop Hoods also incorporated DJ Next and MC Summit for engineering, turntablism, scratching and rapping between the years 1991 and 1999. Every member of the group has added their own infectious sound element to Hilltop’s head-nodding, hand-pumping beats, which have travelled extensively Australia-wide and overseas. Spreading their lyrical love from Switzerland to the UK, South Korea to the United States, Hilltop Hoods have have performed at events such as Open Air Lumenzia, Glastonbury, T In The Park and Oxegen, gathering press and musical majesty in all corners of the globe. Back on home turf, they have played and headlined at big name music festivals such as Splendour In The Grass, Groovin’ The Moo, Falls Festival, Pyramid Rock Festival, The Big Day Out, Rollercoaster, Make Poverty History, Southbound and Bassinthegrass. Wherever these guys go, they are certain to turn up the volume. Hilltop Hoods is set to turn it up for the coast’s V8 Supercars event, which takes place on the three kilometre Surfers Paradise Street Circuit. This year’s event is anticipated to continue the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600’s festival legacy with a handful of accompanying community and over-18 party events. Hilltop Hoods will play at the concert location on the beach between Cavill Avenue and Trickett Street. Tickets are on sale now at ticketek.com.au, so grab yours, gear up and get ready to chase that feeling at the Gold Coast’s biggest party!
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
33
fashion, Arts & Culture
Once Upon a Time...
September always brings with it a magical change in the air. The sun sweeps away the mid-year chill, igniting colour and warmth in the days with bluer skies and warmer nights.
34
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
fashion, Arts & Culture
A
nd now thanks to Queensland Ballet and the Gold Coast Arts Centre, Gold Coasters will be swapping their thongs and beach towels for glass slippers and ball gowns, with the staging of Ben Stevenson’s classic Cinderella. Following a sold-out season of the stunning performance in Brisbane, Queensland Ballet will take the show to a number of towns from the Gold Coast all the way up to Cairns, sprinkling a bit of fairytale magic across the whole state. The Show The performance is broken into three acts and follows the classical story of Cinderella and her rise from rags to riches following her romantic encounter with Prince Charming at the ball, who, enchanted by her beauty, searches high and low throughout the kingdom to return her glass slipper and proclaim his love to her. All the traditional characters are there. Cinderella and her Prince Charming, her loving father and Cinderella’s wicked stepmother, the terrible stepsisters, the beloved Fairy Godmother, the comical mice and the fairies of Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring who dance Cinderella’s rags into a dazzling ball gown. Not to mention the pumpkin coach that carries her to the ball. Queensland Ballet’s Cinderella is performed with a unique twist of humour, romance and show stopping entertainment that has enchanted adults and children alike since curtain call. Reviews marvel the final scene of Cinderella and Prince Charming’s romantic pas de deux; you may need to bring some tissues! The History Ben Stevenson is a big name in ballet. Since the age of 18, he has worked for major ballet companies such as London Festival Ballet, Britain’s Royal Ballet and the National Ballet Of Washington. He originally created the beautiful and worldrenowned Cinderella in 1970 for the National Ballet of Houston, prior to joining the company and going on to stage his own The Sleeping Beauty in the same year for the inaugural season of the John F. Kennedy Centre of Performing Arts. Stevenson’s interpretation of the centuries old fairytale is one of the highest performed versions, and its modern rendition by Queensland Ballet’s new Artistic Director Li Cunxin is a masterful braid of sincerity, innocence, evil and romance woven with the mesmerising movements of a highly skilled ballet team.
The Coast Surfers Paradise is a beautiful location for a beautiful performance. Since its foundation in 1986 as the ‘Keith Hunt Community Entertainment and Arts Centre’ and its rebranding and renaming in 2010, the Arts Centre has hosted a huge number of national cultural exhibitions. Only a five-minute drive from central Surfers Paradise, it provides the perfect break from the salt water with its Art Theatre of 1139 seats, two cinemas and Arts Café. Gold Coasters can be assured of one thing with the Gold Coast performance: Brisbane is not the only cultural hub in South East Queensland. This event is a nod to the Gold Coast’s continuing cultural development as a city and its dynamic activity as a tourism destination. The Community Adults and children in Surfers Paradise can also put on their dance shoes at the following local dance schools. Street Jam Dance Unit 5/61 Upton Street, Bundall (07) 5526 9299 | streetjam@bigpond.com New York Ballroom Unit 5/61 Upton Street, Bundall 0408 766 722 Latin Mania 424415/75 Upton Street, Bundall 0413 595 275 Athena College 1/10 Strathaird Road, Bundall (07) 5592 4066
the details Performance One: Friday 19 September, 7.00pm Performance Two: Saturday 20 September, 1.30pm Performance Three: Saturday 20 September, 7.00pm Contact the Gold Coast Arts Centre’s Box Office on (07) 5588 4000 or visit www.theartscentregc.com.au
Li Cunxin is recognised globally for his touching and turbulent personal story, which inspired the bestselling novel Mao’s Last Dancer.
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
35
SPRING READY SHOPPING SPREE
INFINITY
Hat World
Ground Level, Shop 31 Chevron Renaissance Centre Cnr Surfers Paradise Blvd & Elkhorn Ave Surfers Paradise (07) 5526 8935
Shop G001, The High Street 3113 Surfers Paradise Blvd, Surfers Paradise (07) 5526 8772 A cute classic style bucket hat, with gorgeous flower detail comes in a range of appealing colours that will dress up a casual outfit and provide perfect protection from the sun. Girls Braided Bucket Hat.................. RRP $14.95 Add some fun to your Fashion on the Fields outfit! Featuring floaty feathers and delicate weaved leaves attached to a lined headband for comfort and stability. Sinamay Fascinator II ........................ RRP $27.95
Just push it! Simply press the face of your soft-touch silicone watch to illuminate the time, date and seconds. The tri-mode display gives you the time, date, and a seconds counter at the touch of your fingertips, lighting up to illuminate the time and switching off until you need it again. Push once for time, twice for date, and three times for seconds. Push It! LED Watch......... RRP $14.95
For the lady that requires more coverage when watching the racing trackside, this dress hat in plum is a chic choice. Boasting bows and delicate feathers, it is a feminine and formal design. Sinamay Dress Hat ..............................RRP $59.95
Spring R
RRP
shopping Sunburn Soul Cotton On Kids
Shop T1/19 Ground Floor 4 The Esplanade Surfers Paradise (07) 5592 6466
Centro Cavill Ave Surfers Paradise Ph: (07) 5531 6383
Sonic Bloom slide tri ...........................RRP $69.95 Sonic Bloom brazilian tie side ........RRP $69.95
Available in a range of bold colours, this cotton tee will keep kids cool during warmer days and fashionably cool on the playground. Boys Just Be Cool T-shirt ................ RRP $14.95
Shimmer mini tube................................RRP $79.95 Shimmer hipster.....................................RRP $69.95 Block party bandeau ...........................RRP $89.95 Costa Maya high waisted pant........RRP $89.95
These durable denim shorts with camo print cuff are sure to be a favourite with boys who have a sense of adventure! Boys Sean 3/4 Denim Short ..............RRP $29.95
36
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
SPRING READY SHOPPING SPREE
VIA LA MODA
SpaQ
Shop G3, Hilton High Street 3113 Surfers Paradise Blvd Surfers Paradise (07) 5526 8070
1/7 Staghorn Ave Surfers Paradise (07) 5584 1108
This gorgeous soft leather bag is the perfect spring accessory. Detailed with gold studs and chain strap, it makes an ideal day bag, or it can be converted to a clutch. Secure twist lock closure, mobile phone and inside zip pocket ensure your items remain in place. Yana by Strada (green) ..................................... ..RRP $186.00 | ON SALE $93.00- Half Price!
Get spring ready at SpaQ! Beginning with a warm, wild thyme foot pumice, the foot therapy session includes a series of nail care techniques to trim, shape and buff your nails. Before applying your choice of Zoya varnish, your feet and legs will be treated to a luxurious warm stone massage. You’ll have feet as fancy as your Gucci shoes! SpaQ Foot Therapy (60mins)...........RRP $110.00
This leather clutch says statement and style. Available in a range of bright colours, its python skin texture will set any outfit off. Daja by Strada (red, green and white)............ ..RRP $199.00 | ON SALE $99.50- Half Price!
Ready spree
This traditional scrub will enliven the body and provide the beautiful youthful flow promised to Javanese Princesses on their wedding day for thousands of years. A luxurious tradition given to soften and sweeten the skin, with hibiscus to cleanse and moisturise. Hibiscus and Tumeric Body Scrub (200ml).......................... RRP $28.00 An unrivalled experience for revitalising weary, dull winter skin. Bamboo grounds are spun to create small, round beads for effectively removing build up. Blended with invigorating anti-oxidants of Ginseng and Gingko, and infused with refreshing Lavender to calm and soothe, this purifying polish can be used from head to toe. Bamboo Polish (125ml).................... RRP $36.00
Exquisite Life Shop 46, Circle on Cavill 3184 Surfers Paradise Blvd (07) 5592 5233 Featuring several square diamantes, the Rockstar Jelly Sandal from holster will surely make you shine. Available in glittering bronze, this sandal will carry your feet fashionably through spring and summer. Holster Rockstar Jelly (Bronze)......................................... RRP $69.99
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
37
Months of sporting and cultural events for everyone! Bring on Spring
6 September – 12 October
Swell Sculpture Festival
12 – 21 September
Gold Coast Multicultural Festival Gold Coast Folk Music Festival
14 September 20 – 21 September
Masters of Rugby League Australia Tournament Celebrate Gold Coast Opera in the Park – an evening on Broadway
27 Sept – 3 Oct 28 September 4 October
Gold Coast Cycle Fest
4 – 5 October
Queensland Beach Volleyball Tour
4 – 5 October
Chinese Festival Gala and Dragon Boat Regatta Gold Coast Sevens (Rugby) Tour de Valley Netfest Brisbane to Gold Coast Cycle Challenge
5 October 11 – 12 October 12 October 16 – 19 October 19 October
Gold Coast 600
24 – 26 October
Coolangatta Gold
1 – 2 November
Pan Pacific Masters Games
1 – 9 November
Bonjour French Festival
23 November
CGC10734
We’re a vibrant events city. For more information about our city’s events, visit moregoldcoast.com.au #goldcoastevents
Surfers Paradise - CITY SOUL
CITY SOUL Beneath the lights, the crowds and the excitement of Gold Coast’s entertainment hub, a beachside suburb known simply as ‘Surfers’, is waiting to be found.
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
39
Surfers Paradise - CITY SOUL
40
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
Surfers Paradise - CITY SOUL
It may be known as the Gold Coast’s tourism and entertainment centre – and that it is – but strip it all back, down to its bare sand and surf, and you will uncover the heart of Surfers Paradise. In that centre, is a place that is home to those lucky enough to reside in a truly eclectic landscape. Look up, and see an exciting city skyline enticing you with entertainment, look down and you will see your feet in the sand. Today, it's a city known to locals simply as ‘Surfers’, but how did this suburb come to be the very spirit of the Gold Coast? The history of the city is riddled with both success stories and losses. James Beattie, a farmer, was apparently the first European to settle in the area when he staked out a farm on the Nerang River. The land, however, proved unfit for farming and was sold to a German immigrant, Johan Meyer, in 1887, who turned it into a sugar farm and mill. Unfortunately, the sandy land refused to let up and it wasn’t until Meyer auctioned the farm and built the Main Beach Hotel that the birth of Surfers Paradise as a holiday destination came to be. While the hotel, and in fact the area which was still called Elston, was not hugely successful or heavily populated at that stage, a land auction in 1917 to sell subdivided blocks as the ‘Surfers’ Paradise Estate was the beginning of bigger things to come. It was also the first recorded reference of ‘Surfers’. Then came Jim Cavill, and his opening of Surfers Paradise Hotel – the first landmark. In the following years, Elston changed to ‘Surfers Paradise’, and after the building boom of the fifties and sixties, the city became the hub of the Gold Coast. What it never lost was its natural pull. High rises were built and worldclass hotels and attractions gave overseas visitors even more of an incentive to visit, but people who ventured here were enamored by the natural atmosphere. From the hinterland to the wide stretch of beaches, Surfers Paradise embodies the best of our Australian landscape. The beaches remind us of how good it is to simply be in the moment, and perhaps that is what keeps people coming back. In recent years, the upgrades and developments along the Foreshore have ensured that Surfers Paradise will continue to adapt to present day needs. It will always be a tourist destination; it will always draw crowds from around the world. But for locals, it will be ‘Surfers’, a place where you can feel the sand on your feet any time of the year.
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
41
Surfers Paradise - CITY SOUL
42
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The Festival Edition / 2014
Surfers Paradise - CITY SOUL
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
43
Surfers Paradise - CITY SOUL
44
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
Surfers Paradise - CITY SOUL
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
45
THE ICONIC SURFERS PARADISE ...has it all! Your shopping, dining & entertainment precinct.
SURFERS PARADISE
Beachfront Markets Wednesday, Friday & Sunday from 5:00pm – 10:00pm On the Foreshore at the end of Cavill Mall
WWW.SURFERSPARADISE.COM facebook.com/SurfersParadiseBeachfrontMarkets Undercover parking available at: The Soul Building, 4 The Esplanade CENTRO SURFERS PARADISE, Hanlan Street Bruce Bishop Car Park, 10 Beach Road
NEW Surfers Paradise App
Coming Soon! It's your complete pocket guide to Surfers Paradise. Everything from information on events, to special deals all over Surfers Paradise, competitions and Surfers Kids Club promotions and news – it will be at your fingertips in one easy to use app, available for download from Friday 19 September.
the Ultimate Surfers Paradise Holiday Download the new Surfers Paradise App from Friday 19 September to Friday 17 October and you will go into the draw to win the Ultimate Surfers Paradise Holiday, including: • Seven nights at the Hilton Surfers Paradise for two adults and two children. • Breakfast daily. • Dinner, one night at Salt Grill Restaurant. • Scenic helicopter tour. • $2,000 spending money.
Prize valued at over
$8,000!
Simply download between those dates, and fill in your details to be in the draw to win. NSW LTPS/14/06184 Terms and conditions available at surfersparadise.com. Competition opens at 10am on Friday 19 September 2014 and entries close at 11.59pm on Friday 17 October 2014
food & lifestyle
48
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
food & lifestyle
Fiesta Del Stingray
T
here are two Australian ideas of the Mexican culinary experience. First, there’s cheese, salsa, beans, more cheese, ponchos and an Australian accented drawl of dos cerveyzahs por fahvor (two beers please!). Or, there is Mexican cuisine that is based on fresh, minimalistic dishes that burst with citrus flavour, with exciting ingredients and flaming habaneros, served in a Californian-like bar and offering more than just Mexican beer. This is Stingray, and what its marine title lacks in Spanish, its Surfers Paradise location, retro interior and take on traditional Mexican dining, speaks the language everyone can understand - good food and a good bar. Stingray, located in the lobby of the Coast’s headturning QT hotel, is where the locals go. And never mind hump-day, Tuesdays are now the day to wind down from Mondayitis and wind up for the coming week with $3 tacos. Bustling by six o’clock with a largely younger crowd of suit-clad business boys and a spectrum of cocktail dresses, the flamingo-pink hue tempts visitors from the centrepoint bar which is stocked generously with a grande collection of superior rum, Australian, New Zealand and European wines, and an impressive fifty types of tequila - for tradition’s sake of course. Obviously Stingray could have celebrated the midweek in a more Australian-style way, by pouring a few skewies and throwing around some hot chip baskets. But given the hotel’s already quirky yet incredibly professional approach to hospitality, the pseudo Californian-Mexican décor adds heat to the experience. And QT is very familiar with success so far, winning the 2014 Gourmet Traveller’s Best Hotel Breakfast for the Bazaar Bistro. Let’s saltshot-lime to that! The $3 tacos are cooked fresh to order on a separate barbeque grill located bar-side so customers can watch their order start to sizzle, with the company of a cold beer. From land to sea, the tacos hit all the Mexican taste sensations. The grilled fish with achiote paste, red onion salsa and chipotle mayonnaise is a bite of Baja Down Under, while the king prawns marinated in tequila with mango, chipotle, corn and queso salsa is another hit. The grill also whips up Cuban style pork belly, braised goat leg and flame-grilled chicken for those who appreciate the meatier side of things. The menu doesn’t stop there. There’s Oaxacanstyle quesadillas of barbecued chicken, pork belly, mole rubbed lamb and habanero prawns
www.surfersparadise.com
accompanied by traditional toppings with a modern twist. Take the pineapple gel, fresh mango puree and chilli jam, or the goat’s crema, for example. The Smoked corn and chipotle soup with lime marinated scampi and fried tortillas leaves a swirling trail of spicy aroma on its way to a table of five, who among their animated conversation, share the Scallop Ceviche with aguachile verde, raw cucumber and red onion atop crispy fried tortilla pieces. It’s a social setting made for after-work catch-ups, with a round of drinks and better amigos. In the true spirit of a city whose mantra is less fat, more flavour, there are also Italian, Moroccan and Modern Australian salads for those with an eye on the calorie watch. Their carb-free element is not sacrificed for portion, however, and each salad is enough for one person or as a side for the bigger appetites. The Green Pea Salad is a plateful of jade peas glistening in just-squeezed lemon juice, dancing in the sweetness of mint and the bite of chilli flakes. Maybe the Mexicans can make friends with salad. In the same health-conscious vein, Stingray knows its people and offers a neat selection of traditional and innovative cocktails made with agave nectar instead of sugar. Ole! Toast Tuesday off with a Skinny Melon Mojito with Finlandia lime, honeydew, cucumber and mint for a sweet and sour sip, or Fruit Cider Sangria with Squires Orchard Cider, Finlandia grapefruit, ginger and fresh Summer fruit. Sitting amongst the kaleidoscope of loud pastel colours and screens of swirling rainbows and caramel-skinned beach babes blowing kisses circa 1970, it’s not hard to forget momentarily that you’re at home. The theme of groove and retro remains for the whole experience; from the waitresses’ mini-skirt go-go uniforms to the tropically coloured album menus. That, with the sensational smell of chilli and lime and the mixture of golden oldies music remixed with a beach shack twist, will make you forget it’s Tuesday. Taste, touch and time are thrown into a world of Mexican flavour and Californian pop art paradise, which for a Tuesday on the Gold Coast, is a step into a mid-week vacation. From the bar list to the menu of Mexican favourites done Australian style, it seems appropriate to consider Stingray a bit of a well earned escape from the week’s long start, edging closer towards the weekend when, hey, you won’t have to stop at just two beers.
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
49
food & lifestyle
CITRIQUE A MUST FOR SEAFOOD LOVERS
Lovers of fine seafood need only step off the sand and onto the Ground Floor of the five-star Surfers Paradise Marriot Resort & Spa, where Citrique Restaurant serves up the Coast’s freshest selection of daily-caught seafood in a perfect setting.
F
ringed by tropical greenery and speckled by the Gold Coast sunshine filtering through the delicate canopy of palm fronds, the dining room breathes a quintessential beachside paradise air from morning until evening. The restaurant’s ambiance of poolside, holiday relaxation helps guests and local visitors forget the day’s plans ahead.
back to the table by overfilling your plate and instead treat the experience as a fine-dining occasion, serving yourself a starter, first and second course at your own pace. The food is not going to disappear, as the attentive wait staff and cooking team demonstrate through the constant rotation of newly stacked platters. You’re on holiday time, so enjoy every second.
The open-plan design of the buffet makes decision easy. Before the refreshing aromas of lemon, salt and fresh vegetables, diners can watch the whirl of chef’s whites move around the kitchen with pans of flame-red crab claws and oysters glistening like polished black pearls. The off-white and glass frame of the kitchen reflects the hotel’s beachside environment, incorporating a feature wall of exposed rock and a continued mosaic tile motif throughout the room, resembling the sand and sea.
Back onto land, diners can treat themselves to a huge range of enticing European dishes, artisan antipasto, quality roast meats, Asian-inspired curries and satays, wood-fired pizza and yum cha. In perfect fashion for a city composed of an exciting, transient population, Citrique caters for a range of worldly tastebuds with clean, simple presentation techniques and the best quality ingredients.
Succulent crab, Tasmanian smoked salmon, palm-sized prawns, silky scallops, mussels, hearty oysters and sweet-fleshed bugs are some of the exceptional, locallysourced ocean produce that diners can hand-pick from the centrepiece seafood buffet. For real ocean-to-plate freshness, start with a dozen oysters among the table with just a squirt of lemon on each, followed by a few bites of raw salmon or fleshy pink tuna, with a touch of lemon or a drop of tartar sauce. Perhaps Citrique’s greatest feature is the fact it is a buffet, meaning the seafood is endless and always ice cold. Undoubtedly, however, there is a secret to mastering this type of dining. Avoid the messy walk
Don’t let the indulgence end there. Citrique’s dessert selection is as exciting as it is decadent, spoiling diners with freshly baked French pastries, an ice-cream buffet and a variety of condiments. The wickedly indulgent iced chocolate mud cake might seem a bit heavy after a round of raw sashimi, but just one bite into the warm surface of buttery cocoa will take you happily from salty to sweet in a heartbeat. Looking for a leisurely lunchbreak, or the ideal mid-week treat? Citrique’s weekday lunch deal for $29.50 per person gives you a little holiday from your day with a huge range of chef’s choice salads, freshly baked bread, soups of the day and a number of delicious main dishes from the buffet, including dessert for only an extra $5.
For bookings and information, phone (07) 5592 9772 or visit www.citrique.com.au
50
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
The KIDS EDITION / 2014
food & lifestyle
www.surfersparadise.com
Precinct Magazine / Surfers Paradise / Gold Coast
51
FROM $364*/ROOM/NIGHT. FOR RESERVATIONS VISIT SURFERSPARADISEMARRIOTT.COM AND ENTER THE CODE P42
STAY 3 N I G HTS A ND D I S COVER LU XU RY I N PARA D I SE .
Submerge yourself in luxury at the Gold Coast’s stylish playground. Relax poolside on exotic day beds and private sandy beaches, or swim under refreshing waterfalls and snorkel with tropical fish. Discover paradise when you book your Suite Retreat Package which includes: Luxurious accommodation in a stylish suite for 3 nights with valet parking and exclusive access to the Elandra Retreat Club - where you will have space to rest, read and take in the views, as well as enjoy a fresh and healthy breakfast daily and pre-dinner drinks and canapés at sunset.
SURFERS PARADISE MARRIOTT RESORT & SPA 158 FERNY AVENUE, SURFERS PARADISE QUEENSLAND, 4217 PH: 61 7 5592 9800 FAX: 61 7 5592 9888 WWW.SURFERSPARADISEMARRIOTT.COM
* Minimum stay of three nights; subject to availability; terms & conditions apply. Please mention Suite Retreat when booking.
MAR11699