1. 87
Explore I GOLD COAST
GOLD COAST
SHOP
I
T’S a gloriously sunny
Saturday afternoon
and the bunch of chic
20-somethings is all
shopped out. They
have bags from Scanlan
Theodore, Chanel,
Michael Kors, Sephora,
H&M and Sneakerboy, and
now they’re making the
seemingly tough decision
as to which hip restaurant
– rooftop or garden bar,
apparently – they should
go for cocktails and a
late lunch. This is not a
scene from Australian
fashion capitals Sydney
or Melbourne, but
Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Not so long ago, the
Gold Coast was best
known for its theme
parks, beaches and the
Surfers Paradise glitter
strip, but the city has
AUSTRALIA’S GLITZ CITY IS EMERGING AS A FASHION
CAPITAL WITH AN INTERNATIONAL VIBE
WORDS AMY MILLS
PHOTOGRAPHYISTOCKPHOTO.COM,RIXRYAN,NATALIEMCCOMAS,MELCARRRERO
transformed into an
exciting, creative and
entrepreneurial mecca.
With the Gold Coast
gearing up for the 2018
Commonwealth Games,
upmarket eateries,
fine-dining restaurants,
designer markets and
cool pop-up bars opening
every week, and premium
global brands opening
their doors in the city,
the ‘Goldie’, as locals
affectionately call it, has
grown up.
Gold Coast
QUEENSLAND
the ‘Goldie’,
as locals
affectionately
call it, has
grown up

2. 88
Explore I GOLD COAST
“There’s a new
confidence here,” says
restaurateur Simon
Gloftis, the man behind
Greek institution
Hellenika and the iconic
The Fish House, which he
recently sold to work on a
top-secret project.
“There comes a point
where a city matures
and the Gold Coast is at
that crucial point now.
We’ve hit critical mass
population-wise, we have
the airports, the sporting
teams, the shopping –
we have everything all
coming together.”
Along with the
burgeoning culinary,
arts and music scenes,
one of the most dramatic
changes in recent months
is the retail landscape.
While Gold Coasters
once had to visit southern
states for a serious
fashion fix, the city is
fast becoming a world-
class shopping hub. And
where better to start your
retail therapy than at
shopping giant Pacific
Fair, which is in the final
stages of a $670 million
redevelopment.
Here you will find a mix
of global brands including
Givenchy, Gucci, Louis
Vuitton, Prada, Christian
Louboutin and Chanel,
international chains such
as H&M and Zara, plus
Australian designer faves
Zimmermann, Scanlan
Theodore, Aje, Alice
McCall, Sass and Bide and
Manning Cartell.
If in doubt of where
to start, head to The
Resort, an open-air retail
precinct filled with palm
trees, water features and
cabanas. There are good
restaurants and cafés in
the dining precinct, or try
hot-spot Garden Kitchen
and Bar across the road at
Jupiters Gold Coast.
Over at Robina Town
Centre, shoppers will be
in foodie heaven when
urban marketplace and
culinary playground
The Kitchens opens this
month. The $160 million
two-level, industrial-style
space is a melting pot of
fresh-food retailers, cafés,
fine-dining restaurants,
bars and street food
options including
MasterChef judge George
Calombaris’ souvlaki
bar, Jimmy Grants, and
reality star-turned-Naked
Treaties entrepreneur
Jemma Gawned’s organic,
raw, sugar-free desserts
and superfood smoothies.
If you want a village
atmosphere and spot
of boutique shopping,
CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP: Pacific Fair
Resort; Marissa
Bowden and Sarah
Schoeller from
The Village Markets;
house-smoked
salmon salad from
Garden Kitchen &
Bar; rack of denim at
Bikini and Me.
...an open-air retail precinct,
filled with palm trees, water
features and cabanas

3. Explore I GOLD COAST
89
Burleigh Heads’ James
Street is a must – don’t
forget your Birkenstocks
and denim shorts.
Once lined with banks,
hair salons and souvenir
stores, James Street is
now a charming seaside
enclave boasting myriad
boutiques, cool cafés, juice
bars and organic stores.
After a strong brew
from Canteen Coffee,
visit Sean Scott Boutique
for eclectic labels such
as One Teaspoon,
Goldie brand-turned-
international success
story Valley Eyewear and
Rolla’s denim. Bikini & Me
is the spot for Bassike
and Tigerlily swimwear,
while Anuk Boutique
stocks Zulu & Zephyr, We
Are Kindred, Alice McCall
and Bec and Bridge.
Over the road in the Old
Burleigh Theatre Arcade,
lovers of bohemian luxe
can source cult Byron Bay
brands Spell, Free People,
FallenBrokenStreet
and Brixton hats at The
Freedom State.
AFTER 11 YEARS IN
SYDNEY, FORMER
WEEKEND TODAY
NEWS PRESENTER
WENDY HAS RECENTLY
RETURNED TO HER
HOMETOWN WITH
HER HUSBAND DAVID
AND THREE CHILDREN.
THE NEWSREADER
AT NINE GOLD COAST
REVEALS HER LOCAL
FAVOURITES.
MY GOLD
COAST:
WENDY
KINGSTON
Where are your top three
places to shop on the
Gold Coast?
I think Pacific Fair and Robina
Town Centre (pictured below)
are becoming equal, if not
better, to what’s on offer
in Sydney or Melbourne. I
spend most of my shopping
hours there. For something
special or eclectic you can’t
go past The Village Markets
in Burleigh. We found some
great art the other day.
There is a sense of
excitement on the Gold
Coast at the moment. What
are your thoughts on the
cultural shift?
There’s a huge cultural shift.
Once the Gold Coast was
only known for its Glitter
Strip – now it’s so much
more. We have become a
destination for shoppers and
food lovers who also like
spending time at the beach.
The difference is what’s on
offer – better restaurants,
more cultural events and
the fact we are going to host
the Commonwealth Games
– it suggests the Coast
is becoming a force to be
reckoned with.
We have the tram line
that has changed the way
people travel, renovations
to our big shopping centres,
plus a surge in our café and
restaurant culture. Beach
suburbs such as Palm Beach
and Burleigh have become
hotspots, with more small
bars and more restaurants,
but both still retain a great
local vibe.
If you had a child-free
evening, where would
you go?
On a (rare) child-free night,
I’ve been to Hellenika in
Nobby Beach and had a
beautiful meal. Pablo Pablo
in Palm Beach is amazing and
so are the pizzas at Justin
Lane at Burleigh.
Love the outdoor
shopping vibe
PHOTOGRAPHYMELCARERRO

4. 90
Explore I GOLD COAST
On the first and third
Sunday of the month,
head to The Village
Markets in Burleigh
Heads. The brainchild
of former marketing
executives Marissa
Bowden and Sarah
Schoeller, TVM, as the
cool kids call it, has
helped brands such as
Byron Bay’s Children
of the Tribe, Peony
Swimwear and Kivari
go global. Its 100-plus
stalls showcase fashion,
homewares, swimwear,
jewellery, children’s wear,
art and collectibles.
“There is an abundance
of creative talent here,”
Marissa says. “Part of
the reason we started
TVM was that there was
nowhere on the Gold
Coast for these small
businesses to showcase
their designs. Small
brands can’t necessarily
afford to open a bricks-
and-mortar shop so we
were able to provide that
platform, which in turn
prevents local talent from
moving to Sydney or
Melbourne.”
For those after a more-
bargain-than-boutique
experience, Harbour
Town, Australia’s largest
outlet shopping centre,
will appeal. The Biggera
Waters outlet mecca offers
up to 70 per cent off labels
such as Coach, Tigerlily,
Ralph Lauren, Victoria’s
Secret, Hugo Boss, Calvin
Klein, Oroton and Nike.
There’s a free tourist
shuttle bus and plenty
of cafés for sustenance
in between bargains,
including Goldie icon
Zarraffa’s Coffee.
If you’ve still got
stamina, there are pockets
of hidden gems across
the Gold Coast. Palm
Beach, or ‘Palmy’, is
undergoing a dramatic
metamorphosis and is
now home to a slew of
hip cafés and boutiques
such as White Bohemian
and Hendrixx Espresso,
with at least six new
restaurants and bars set to
open in coming months.
Surfers’ haven
Coolangatta is worth a
visit for great homewares
and boutique shopping:
stop by the chic Moelleux
Store for Australian, New
Zealand and European
menswear. Grab a treat
from Gelato Messina after.
If you don’t get to every
place on your list, it’s the
perfect excuse to return
... once your credit card
has recovered from the
workout.
Jetstar has great low fares
to the Gold Coast from
across the network.
To book, visit
JETSTAR.COM
Travel info
The pool at Jupiters Gold Coast.
TOP LEFT AND BELOW: Harbour
Town exterior, and inside Coach
at Harbour Town.
Right next to Pacific Fair
and across from the
bustling Broadbeach dining
precinct, Jupiters Gold
Coast is the perfect retreat
after a shopping marathon.
As part of its $345 million
transformation, the hotel
and casino has unveiled
newly refurbished executive
floors and deluxe rooms. It
wouldn’t be the Gold Coast
without a sprawling pool
area with private cabanas,
poolside bungalows and an
outdoor spa. After a day in
that famous Gold Coast sun,
indulge at Chase Kojima’s
izakaya-style Japanese
restaurant, Kiyomi, enjoy
an Italian feast at the lively
Cucina Vivo or treat yourself
to a drink or lunch on the
lawn at Garden Kitchen.
Where to stay
PHOTOGRAPHYRIXRYAN