The Gold Coast Bulletin

BLOOMS OF HOPE

A Gold Coast florist is absorbing the cost of hospital delivery fees in a bid to make local lives brighter. For the past 30 years, Flowers of Southport has been delivering blooms to families across the city, but when owners Carolina Subero and her...

HOW WE BUILT EATERY EMPIRE

The Gold Coast’s most prolific restaurateur isn’t dining out on her success. She’s whisking dishes from the kitchen, greeting and seating diners and whispering into the hidden headsets that make service seem seamless at the newly opened Lim Nahm...

WORKING SMARTER

1. DR DINESH PALIPANA OAM A car accident during medical school left Dinesh Palipana paralysed from the chest down aged just 25. Now, he’s leading cuttingedge research using virtual-reality technology to help people like him one day walk again. As...

HOWZAT

Premier David Crisafulli says he is pushing for the Gold Coast to host cricket and surf life saving events at the 2032 Olympic Games as part of an ambitious sporting agenda for the city.

EAST-WEST CONFIRMED

Two metro-style bus services will fill the “missing link” connecting the light and heavy rails on the Gold Coast. The next stage of the GC Surfer bus services will run from Broadbeach to Nerang and Miami to Robina, and will include major road...

CABLEWAY LEFT HANGING OVER $500M COST

Councillors concerned about the spending of ratepayer money on the $500m Springbrook cableway have brought the project to a sudden halt. Voting records reveal three councillors changed their position — Dan Doran, Donna Gates and Brooke Patterson —...

ACTING BOSS NAMED

Experienced commercial and public service executive Paul Callander (left) will take on the role of Gold Coast City Council’s acting chief executive, as Tim Baker (above) prepares his exit. Councillors were advised by Mayor Tom Tate that Mr Callander...

A LOVE LETTER TO OUR SISTER

Purple was her favourite colour. She loved cats, collected bracelets and stickers, and never went anywhere without her headphones blasting Radiohead on repeat. One year ago, Justine Ramsay lost her little sister. While the investigations, reforms and...

NO MORE STALLED ESTATES

The Gold Coast’s few remaining greenfield development sites must be opened up to allow for tens of thousands of stalled house and unit developments to be built, industry experts say. More than 40,000 units and houses have been approved in the past...

TEACHER CHARGED

A popular Gold Coast chemistry teacher has been charged over allegations he used artificial intelligence to generate explicit images of children, as well as teachers at one of the city’s most prestigious private schools. Dr Robert John Thomas, 73...

EXPLICIT AI PICS OF KIDS, STAFF

A Gold Coast secondary teacher who was sacked from one of the city’s most elite private schools (above) is being investigated for allegedly creating explicit AI-generated images of students and teachers. As part of the investigation, Queensland Police...

CITY’S TOP BOSS EXITS

The Gold Coast City Council’s underfire top boss will leave the organisation, the Mayor has confirmed. A City source on Wednesday told the Bulletin: “(Chief executive) Tim Baker will be exiting the organisation. He will not see out his...

SPEED THRILLS

f one thing captures attention in global sport it’s when the fastest man or woman in history steps up to perform, and when it comes to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, that alpha dog is Australian swimming sprint king Cameron McEvoy. He is the No.1...

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Get ready for a whole new Dreamworld. A $200m hotel and resort complex is set to open its doors at Australia’s biggest theme park by 2032 after its masterplanned expansion was given the green light. The expansion of Dreamworld at Coomera will rapidly...

ASCENSION

The Gold Coast has the potential to become Australia’s innovation hub, with civic leaders pitching the city as the cutting edge of the nation. The days of sun, sand and surf being the Gold Coast’s sole exports are long over, with artificial...

INSTINCT SAVED ME

Ally Frizelle (far right) thought she must have just put on a bit of weight. “It was on a work trip to Adelaide that I realised my clothes weren’t fitting me like they normally did,” she said. “It seemed odd because I had been exercising and eating...

MAJOR FIRE RISK LOOMS

Large swathes of the Gold Coast face significant bushfire risk, amid predictions of a ‘Super El Nino’ event that will bring longer-lasting heatwaves and tinderbox conditions.

COUNCIL JOB ROW

An investigation into Gold Coast City Council’s employment of a manager on more than $300,000 but without anyone reporting to them will be launched after councillors raised concerns. The external legal investigation will start once Mayor Tom Tate...

TEEN’S WAKE-UP CALL

A Gold Coast teenager is heading to Italy to take on the world’s best wakeboarders. Zac Rizzoli, 16, from Hope Island, who qualified for the Junior Pro Division at the IWWF World Wakeboard Championships in Lake Como next month, said he was “stoked” to...

NEW LEASH ON LIFE

They say it takes a village. For 80-year-old Jeanne Wells, that village wasn’t built with bricks and mortar, but with a single biscuit and an open heart. The Burleigh Waters legend, known as the Dog Treat Lady, sets up every morning at Nook Espresso...

‘BROMANCE’ TO BUILD HOMES

Southport’s ‘failed’ priority development status must be fixed and other suburbs put on the same fast-track to supercharge the delivery of housing, Gold Coast Acting Mayor Mark Hammel says. Southport was declared a Priority Development Area (PDA) in...

FLOAT BUSINESS SINKS

A Gold Coast couple in their 70s claim they’ve been left homeless and broke after an ASX-listed shopping centre approved a boxing gym next to their float therapy business, resulting in a high stakes legal battle. Henry and Lorry Koster (right) opened...

TITANS CHASE NATIONAL TITLE

The Gold Coast Titans Wheelchair team is locked and loaded as it prepares for battle in the NRL Wheelchair National Championships at Coomera Sports Centre this weekend. It kicks off an action-packed weekend for the Titans as they prepare to make their...

ARRESTED OVER ‘EXTREMIST MATERIAL’ PYSCH’S TERROR CHARGE

A Gold Coast psychologist whose eldest son was previously charged with sharing violent extremist material has now also been arrested and charged by the Australian Federal Police. Pacific Pines man Dr Ghassan Eltatary, 51, a consultant psychiatrist and...

TINO HONOURS ARTIE & DAD p31

NSW’s most successful coach, Phil Gould, has labelled Queensland hooker Harry Grant a “cheat”. Gould took aim at the onfield antics of Queensland’s dummy half, who relentlessly questions and scrutinises refereeing decisions. NSW players are more than...

A LEAP OF FAITH

A young Gold Coaster, who almost walked away from dancing, has landed a coveted scholarship to one of the world’s most prestigious ballet schools. Charlotte White, 20, from Arundel, was awarded a four-week Summer Intensive Scholarship to the Joffrey...

FIRED UP

The 2026 Gold Coast Marathon has been declared a huge success which is set to inject up to $90m into the economy. Organisers are turning their attention to how to make it bigger and better after the weekend saw Haftu Strintzos become the first...

RACE READY

They’re the true blue cowboys and cowgirls doing it for Dolly at this weekend’s Gold Coast Marathon. A group of farm workers from across the country have united for a special cause in the big race, raising money for the Dolly’s Dream charity to...

RUN AWAY WITH THE CIRCUS

Australia’s longest-running performing arts dynasty has pitched its big top on the Gold Coast once again. The Great Australian Circus has returned to Broadwater Parklands, transforming it into a world of acrobatics, comedy and high-octane stunts...

ACT OF VIOLENCE

Chantay Logan, Chelsea Bunting and Andrew Potts Police believe a man deliberately lit a fire inside a locked room in his ex-partner’s home, killing himself, severely burning two others, and forcing another two to jump from a balcony to safety.

A MODEL SOLUTION

Gold Coast Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel has thrown his support behind creating a modular housing industry, warning there is “no other way” for the city to rapidly increase its supply. Factory-built modular housing has been a standard building practice in...

BALLERINA’S BIG LEAP

A 13-year-old Palm Beach girl has become one of a handful of dancers from around the globe selected for a full scholarship to one of the world’s most elite ballet academies. Palm Beach Currumbin High School student Lani Gehling has been accepted into...

FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL

BLOCKBUSTER CLAIMS

A former Village Roadshow staffer allegedly stole and sold a truck used in the movie Aquaman, while he and a colleague colluded with a contractor to funnel company funds into private mansion renovations and traded thousands of Sea World tickets for...

DINO-MITE TIME

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is going back to the prehistoric era these school holidays, giving kids a Jurassic experience on the Gold Coast. Dinomania will bring life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, roaming dinosaurs characters and a conservation trail...

HOMELESS CATCH-22

A relentless game of cat-and-mouse is playing out across the parks, dunes and main roads of the Gold Coast. As the housing crisis deepens, Southport’s rough sleepers said they were caught in a bureaucratic trap: ordered to move by authorities, but...

BATMAN & MORRIN

Titans forward Kurtis Morrin has extended his time on the Gold Coast until the end of the 2029 season after signing a new deal following a stellar campaign. The 26-year-old joined the Titans from the Bulldogs this season and has quickly made an impact...

REAL FAKE

The Gold Coast’s most prestigious art award has been rocked by copying claims after a winning entry (above) sat undetected for more than a year before organisers exposed it as an ‘imitation’. The ‘imitation’, painted by Lennox Head artist Jane Allan,...

RAPID BUS NETWORK

Metro-style buses will run to the Gold Coast Airport every 10 minutes and trams will travel from the university hospital to Harbour Town shopping centre under a new state government transport plan. A controversial call to quash extension of the light...

MY MUM’S FINAL WISH

Gold Coast teacher’s aide Nat Woods’ selfless last act was the culmination of a life devoted to caring for others. Now her brave teenage daughter Molly, below, is ensuring her legacy doesn’t stop there. The 19-year-old is taking part in Dry July to...

DEVIL IN DISGUISE

The Gold Coast theme park where a Tasmanian devil leapt over a 1.4m fence to go on a two-week adventure is making alterations to its exhibits. Mary the Tasmanian devil was found by wildlife keepers on Tuesday at 8.30pm in bushland 2km from Paradise...

YOU’VE GOT MAIL

A Gold Coast village is celebrating its booming food and arts scene in the most charming way possible. The Mudgeeraba Food and Art Trail, a not-for-profit concept to support local businesses, will run Letterbox Love from the Artists from June 19 to...

TAKE A CHANCE

A Tallebudgera woman is set for a major full-circle moment when she takes the stage as Sophie Sheridan in the upcoming production of Mamma Mia! at The Star Gold Coast this September. Emily Monsma recently returned home to the Gold Coast following an...

NURSE CHARGED

A Gold Coast pediatric mental health nurse who allegedly stalked and abused six young eating disorder patients, had a foot fetish, a sexual interest in “slender young girls,” and continued to work for more than a year after complaints were first made...

DRAWN TO THE COAST

Artist Chris Riley moved down the M1 to the Gold Coast for the sunshine – and stayed for the energy. The former automotive spray painter has replaced workshop panels with luxury canvases. Riley’s transition from tradie to internationally sought-after...

WALKING MIRACLE

A Gold Coast mum whose baby underwent major surgery while inutero has just watched the little girl she thought would never walk take her first steps. When Jenaya Ward (pictured) was four months pregnant, doctors told her baby Lucinda had spina...

PULLING ON THE HARP STRINGS

The Gold Coast Chamber Orchestra is set to celebrate a 15-year milestone with its upcoming recital, echoing a massive growth in the city’s appetite for classical music. On July 5 at Bond University’s Abedian School of Architecture, French Connection...

BUDGET BRAWL

Gold Coast councillor Brooke Patterson, above, has questioned the “value for money” of four council-controlled entities after it was revealed they will cost ratepayers $190 million in 2026-27. But Mayor Tom Tate says they deliver, do not duplicate...

MUSCLE MEMORY

From rock’n’roll and classic cars to vintage fashion and Elvis impersonators, the Gold Coast travelled back in time on the weekend for the Cooly Rocks On Festival. Tens of thousands descended on Coolangatta from around Australia and the globe for the...

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

AI-generated pictures and pranks calls are hurting the search for a Tasmanian devil that escaped a Gold Coast wildlife park earlier this week, authorities say. Mary, 2, escaped her enclosure at Village Roadshow’s Paradise Country with some credible...

RATES HIKE SLASHED

Gold Coast City councillors have backed down on a record rate hike, settling on a 4.7 per cent general rate increase that will save ratepayers at least $13m. The Bulletin earlier revealed council had planned a 5.7 per cent increase — which would have...

DAREDEVIL ESCAPES

A theme park remains closed after a Tasmanian devil staged a daring escape, taking an “abnormally large leap” to get out of her enclosure, and sparking a suburb-wide hunt. Staff at Village Roadshow’s Paradise Country have spent almost two days...

DON’T BE SILLY BILLY FORMER ORIGIN STARS URGE SLATER TO CHOOSE WALSH

Queensland coach Billy Slater has been urged to axe Ezra Mam in favour of his Broncos teammate Reece Walsh to help the Maroons save the series in Origin II. Former Maroons halfback Cooper Cronk and legendary NSW pivot Matty Johns have questioned Mam’s...

BUSH MATTERS

The largest conversation between the bush and powerbrokers starts today, as News Corp Australia launches its 2026 Bush Summit campaign. Regional Australians can have their say on issues that matter most in a new poll, which will help frame debate at...

BARRELS OF FUN

The Gold Coast’s coolest week-long party, the Sessions Surf Festival, has wrapped up its 2026 edition with a Burleigh Heads blowout featuring live music, a beach bar, and a USA versus Australia showdown that saw an impeccable Kelly Slater monster our...

ART OF THE MATTER

Every successful film franchise deserves a sequel. Which is why, after decades spent attracting Hollywood productions and blockbuster budgets, the Gold Coast’s film and television industry is about to debut its new chapter: The Rise of the Local...

A FEAST FOR THE SENSES

The Scenic Rim Eat Local Month launches this weekend, Friday to Sunday, turning the Gold Coast’s stunning hinterland backyard into a premier food and wine playground. Focusing on the eastern subregion – Tamborine Mountain, Canungra and Beechmont – the...

‘FULL OF JOY’

The Gold Coast’s premier contemporary arts celebration is set for a major shake-up as a “spring awakening” this year. Under new artistic director Felix Preval, Bleach Festival will be predominantly hosted by HOTA from October 1 to 11. Mr Preval, a...

WILD NIGHT OUT

Gold Coast glamour and crucial wildlife conservation will collide Saturday night as Dreamworld hosts its highly anticipated second annual Give for the Wild: Gatsby Soiree. The immersive, afterhours event will transform the park’s Rivertown precinct...

MAGIC TITANS PARTNERSHIP

Seven in 10 Australian parents say they are concerned about their children’s financial future. Crucially, half (49 per cent) say costof-living concerns have influenced their decision to limit their family size or not have children at all, Sharesies...

A SWELL TIME AT THE BEACH

A hazardous surf warning is expected to be in place until Tuesday, with a low-pressure system over New Caledonia sending powerful waves thousands of kilometres away. Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Jonathan How said on Sunday southeast...

OMEROS SON SUED

Veteran Gold Coast restaurateur Nick Omeros, co-founder of the Omeros Bros seafood empire, has lodged a bombshell lawsuit to prevent his son operating a new restaurant amid allegations he had been brutally cut out of the picture. Nick Omeros, 83,...

CULTURAL STATEMENT

More than $600,000 has been spent to form a “unifying cultural expression” to help Gold Coast tell a “shared story” describing a yes culture that “is more than a city — it is a mindset,” a new report reveals.

TITANS FANS READY FOR LAS VEGAS

A founding member of the Gold Coast Titans’ dreams have come true, jumping at the chance to watch his team play in the NRL’s 2027 Las Vegas season opener. The Titans will tackle the Parramatta Eels, alongside Melbourne Storm and Wests Tigers, at...

VEGAS, BABY!

The Gold Coast Titans are going to Sin City. The Titans have trumped the Dolphins in the Queensland battle for a spot in the NRL’s 2027 Las Vegas season-opener. Josh Hannay’s Titans will take on the Parramatta Eels.

REUNITED AT LAST

It was the call Amanda Walczak never expected to get. The Oxenford mother-oftwo was on a work call earlier this month when she received a message that her cat was at a pound in Melbourne. This was a surprise to Ms Walczak, who had been forced to give...

MILES AHEAD

Sunshine and blue skies made for perfect conditions for runners to hit a PB at the GC30 event at Main Beach. Event director Adam Goodger said the sold-out race had 4000 participants run from Seaworld Drive to Doug Jennings Park and around to the...

HOONS TERRORISE SENIORS

A gang of e-bike hoons are terrorising an over-60s soccer club, alongside separate reports they have been throwing rocks at cars and targeting drivers with laser pointers. Angelo Raguz, 58, said his soccer team have been terrorised for the past month.

ON A NEW NOTE...

They are the festival first-timers ready to shine at the Blues on Broadbeach this weekend. Despite predictions of continued dreary weather, Brunswick Heads’ Ally Palmer and Gold Coast local Jodie-Joy Smith are excited to make their festival...

TRUMP DUMPS COAST

The Trump family has pulled out of a controversial planned $1.2bn supertower development on the Gold Coast.

SPIT’S $120M REVIVAL

The first all-residential development on The Spit is one step closer as the transformation of the precinct ramps up. Ignite Projects has lodged plans with Gold Coast City Council for the $120m, threestorey The Isles complex, earmarked for the site...

MUM OF 7 KILLED

A single mum of seven who died in a three-car crash on the Gold Coast was on her way home from a Mother’s Day market. Coomera mum Rebecca Hayes (inset), 41, died at Maudsland on Sunday. Police said three vehicles, a Mitsubishi ASX station wagon, a...

ETSU’S SIBLING TO OPEN

The owner behind one of the Gold Coast’s most highly rated Japanese restaurants is a month away from rolling out the welcome mat at their new venue in Burleigh Heads. Etsu Izakaya owner Nathan Horwood will open his new restaurant Shoto Dining along...

MY KIDS SAVED ME

Gold Coast mum Anna Wilkinson says she owes this Mother’s Day to her two children – for saving her life, and for stepping up when she needed them the most.

LITTLE OLIVIA’S BRAVE FIGHT

A young Gold Coast mum received devastating news her three-year-old daughter had stage four cancer on her 20th birthday. Now the inseparable pair are facing the fight of their lives. Jazmine Spring was told her blonde and bubbly little girl Olivia...

ALEXA’S SECOND CHANCE

Australia knows Alexa Leary as the bright and bubbly swim star who won the nation’s hearts with two swimming golds at the Paris Paralympics. Her tear-jerking and inspirational heroics came after doctors gave her little chance of surviving a...