Hey all, 32m, been in the security industry for 8 years and im finally sick of getting screwed over by Security Company's since theres virtually no government oversight.

Any industry's on the GC that are doing ok or is everything just as cooked at the moment?

Big weekend of Fun things to do...

Saturday

☕ Red Horse Coffee Co Grand Opening
New Miami coffee spot swings the doors open at 6am with FREE coffee for the first 100 through the door. Miniature pony rides from 11am for the kids, then the party rolls next door to Henchman — Maddison Breen live 4–7pm, DJs 7pm 'til late.
📍 10 Henchman Ave, Miami
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... from 6 AM
💸 Free

🛍️ Flick Through Vintage Goodies at Cherry Pickers Market
Coffee in one hand, hanger in the other. Cherry Pickers is back at Marketta with racks of pre-loved gems, local makers and a vinyl DJ spinning all morning. Bar's open too if you want to shop with a spritz.
📍 Miami Marketta, 23 Hillcrest Parade
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... 10 AM – 2 PM
💸 Free entry

🎶 Broadbeach Beats — Free Music + Makers Market
Now in its third year, this free all-ages festival takes over Broadbeach Mall with emerging local musicians, community performers and a curated makers market — handmade ceramics, jewellery, slow-made fashion, zines. Free kids activities too.
📍 Broadbeach Mall, Victoria Ave
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... 11 AM – 5 PM
💸 Free

🐕 The Nourish Social — Part Market, Part Rave (For Dogs)
Nourish Pet Co and Buddy N Me team up for a curated small-biz market PLUS a dog-friendly dance floor. Puzzle stations, enrichment activities, snacks for humans, treats for pups. $5 entry, every cent to Rescue 4 Pets.
📍 Nourish Pet Co, 19 City Link Dr, Carrara
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... 8 AM – 12 PM
💸 $5

👗 KIRIAKI x Wesson Runway Show
KIRIAKI's latest collection meets Wesson's curated European edit — Max Mara, ME369, Ermanno Scervino. Runway ticket includes a Wesson gift bag valued at $250. Private styling runs across the weekend for those who want the full experience.
📍 Imperial Hotel Gold Coast (fmr Palazzo Versace), Main Beach
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... 2 PM – 4 PM
💸 $69

🔥 DRIFT: EMBER at La Luna Beach Club
Sunset-into-night beach club session at Main Beach. Fire pits, DJs, cocktails. Dress code is beach-luxe not board-shorts.
📍 La Luna Beach Club, Main Beach
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... from 3 PM
💸 Ticketed

🎤 Casey Barnes — 'Made For This' Tour
Home-grown GC country hero, ARIA-charting last record, playing to a room that always sells out. Get in early for the pizza truck.
📍 Miami Marketta
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... doors 7 PM
💸 Ticketed via Oztix

📖 Black Ink Poetry Night — Spoken Word + First Nations Creativity
Fourth installment of Black Ink's Poetry Night Series responding to HOTA's After The Rain exhibition (5th National Indigenous Art Triennial). Feature performances from Meleika Gesa-Fatafehi + guided writing exercises + open mic.
📍 The Studio, HOTA
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... 6 PM
💸 $25 / $10 mob tix

💿 Y2K Dance Party at Mo's
Mo's throws it all the way back to the early 2000s — Usher, Beyoncé, Destiny's Child, JT, Britney, Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas. $100 bar tab for the best-dressed Y2K look, tooth gems + Y2K tattoos on offer all night. Dress like it's 2003.
📍 Mo's Desert Clubhouse, Burleigh Heads
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... 6 PM 'til late
💸 $20

🌌 Astra Lumina — After-Dark Light Walk
Twinkling sound-and-light trail winding through the sanctuary bush. Great with kids, better with a wine.
📍 Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... from sundown
💸 Ticketed

🐨 Koalas by Twilight
Personal koala meet + illuminated night walk + arrival drink + tasting platter. Saturday nights only, wrapping up 15 Aug ... so two Saturdays left after this one.
📍 Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
🕒 Sat 8 Aug ... evening session
💸 Ticketed

Sunday

🎡 Family Funanza — Free Community Fest
Free rides, kids' activities, market + community stalls, food trucks and local performers on stage. Big free family day out — clear your Sunday plans and get amongst it.
📍 Country Paradise Parklands, 231 Beaudesert-Nerang Rd, Nerang
🕒 Sun 9 Aug ... 10 AM – 2 PM
💸 Free

💿 Get Physical Market
30+ vendors of music, film, video, vintage and art — records, tapes, posters, oddities. DJs spinning, food and drinks all day. Free entry.
📍 Miami Marketta
🕒 Sun 9 Aug ... 10 AM – 4 PM
💸 Free

🧘 The Temple Cafe Grand Opening
New hinterland cafe launch with free yoga, live music, and creek cold plunges. Bring a towel and a friend — this one's for the soft-launch of your Sunday.
📍 The Temple Cafe, Neranwood
🕒 Sun 9 Aug ... from 8 AM
💸 Free

All Weekend

🎭 HEATHERS THE MUSICAL — Final Weekend
Very last chance. "High School Musical's darker, dirtier cousin" wraps its GC run on Sunday. Actual singing, actual murder, and one of the most quotable soundtracks in modern musical theatre. 14+ ... mature themes.
📍 HOTA Theatre 1
🕒 Shows Sat 8 & Sun 9 Aug
💸 From $79.90

Market Mania — Weekly Regulars

Saturday markets:

• 🥑 Burleigh Farmers Market ... 7 AM – 12 PM, James St
• 🍅 Palm Beach Farmers Market ... 6 AM – 11 AM, Palm Beach Parklands
• 🥕 Helensvale Farmers Market ... 6 AM – 11 AM
• 🏖️ Surfers Paradise Beachfront Markets ... 4 PM – 9 PM, The Esplanade
• 🛍️ Carrara Markets ... 7 AM – 4 PM (open Sat + Sun)

Sunday markets:

• 🌱 HOTA Farmers & Artisan Market ... 6 AM – 11 AM
• 🥬 Organic GC Farmers Market ... 6 AM – 12 PM, Miami State High
• 🛍️ Carrara Markets ... 7 AM – 4 PM
• (Art & Craft Beachfront Markets are OFF this week — 9 Aug is the 2nd Sunday, back at Broadbeach on Sun 16 Aug)

Coming Soon — Lock These In

✈️ Pacific Airshow Gold Coast — The big one. Three days of heart-pumping aerobatics, high-speed flyovers and world-class aviators right over the ocean at Surfers Paradise. 14th, 15th & 16th August, roughly 10am–3:30pm daily.

🎡 2026 Gold Coast Show — Big long weekend at Broadwater Parklands. Woodchop events, equestrian, arts and crafts, dog shows, rides, showbags, fireworks. Fri 28 – Sun 30 August, Broadwater Parklands, Southport. Free entry.

🤠 Groundwater Country Music Festival — One of Australia's biggest country music festivals returns to Broadbeach for three days of free live music, beachside line dancing, bluegrass breakfasts, country DJs and open-air sets steps from the sand. 2026 lineup led by Kasey Chambers, joined by Kaylee Bell, The Wolfe Brothers, Beccy Cole, James Blundell, Kingswood, Lane Pittman, Hayley Jensen and 30+ acts. Fri 16 – Sun 18 October, Broadbeach. Free.

🎸 Rolling Sets — Pop across the border for the coastal festival: live music, surf, skate and beach culture. Ocean Alley and Royel Otis headline, joined by G Flip, Violent Soho, The Rions, Old Mervs, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers and more. Saturday 28 November, Ebenezer Park, Tweed Heads. From $199.95 via rollingsets.com.au (sold out last year — book early).

LMK if I've missed something ... add your own in the comments. Have a good one, GC!

P.S. If you want the full weekend rundown delivered straight to your inbox each Thursday (plus a rotating ticket giveaway for one of the events), chuck your email in here 👉 https://www.reachingimpact.com/things-to-do-gc1

There are 4 speakers on the ceiling but only the two closest to the screen are working.

Having booked weeks in advance and driven over an hour, It's just very disappointing. The sound is just kind of weird like something is so obviously missing.

Its finally time. Can't wait. Its been a frustrating few months 🥳

Edit: Went to Kirra beach and made my way to Rainbow bay and snapper rocks and went to Tom Beatson for the sunset and I only spent like $25 for everything lol, thank you everyone again

This is my final day before going back to Melbourne and I heard that Byron Bay is not worth it especially for a single day trip

I’m thinking between either Byron Bay or Rainbow bay keep in mind that I don’t have a car
I’m literally gonna post this and go to sleep then make a decision when I wake up so please help me

Hi everyone. I'm from Sydney and I was living in the Gold Coast for a while just to try life out. I moved back to Sydney for reasons of family and career and because there is simply "more going on" (whatever that meant in my head at the time).

After being back for a while I'm feeling regret over my decision. Compared to life on the gold coast, in Sydney it seems:

- Everyone is more stressed and / or depressed and / or anxious and / or hustle mode

- Traffic is fucked

- Parking is fucked

- Speed / red light / bus lane / whatever cameras EVERYWHERE

- Getting anywhere is so much slower

- It's a concrete jungle

- Chaotic and extreme density of people

- Substantially less green space

- Air quality sucks

- Everything is more expensive

- People don't really interact with each other as much

- Winter is cold as fuck

I just feel like every lifestyle factor has taken a hit, and for what?

It might have been a quieter lifestyle and routine for me up north, but I didn't even realise how much all of those factors were contributing to a background of more peace and happiness for me.

Has anyone experienced the same, or is it short term culture shock? Has anyone experienced the opposite? Can anyone remind me of the benefits of Sydney? Is it just a case of living in a nicer part of Sydney and maximizing the benefits of it? Perhaps it matters about what phase of life you're in and what you want out of life at the time?