Sunshine, Super Cars, And Adventure At Gold Coast Australia
Come October 2009, the Gold Coast, already a vibrant holiday destination, will be even more alluring. You will be able to see Super Cars, beautiful girls, and experience the spirit of Australia all at the same time.
At a time when the weather is getting cold in the northern hemisphere, the Gold Coast promises sunny skies, and sunny beaches. I have just returned from a quick trip down under, and even in the dead of winter, there is still enough sun for the beaches to be thronging with bikinis and swimming trunks.
From 22nd October to 25th October 2009, the Gold Coast is hosting the Nitro Super GP, a racing event that petrol heads like me would enjoy greatly. Run on a 4.47 kilometre long street circuit that cuts through the heart of the city, the race event will feature the Australian V8 Supercars Championship Series, and the opening round of the 2009/2010 A1GP world Cup of Motorsport.
The V8 Supercars Championship Series is Australia’s hottest race event, with a full grid of muscle cars, mostly Fords and Holdens. With 5.0 litres tuned to the highest specifications, the fight for top honours is going to be very intense. If you have ever been near a V8 racing machine, not only ill you be deafened, but the deep-throated roar of the engines pulling more than 8,500 rpm will make your heart flutter as the cars pass by.
Fans will witness some of the finest drivers and cars racing around the street circuit in the V8 SuperGP, which is regarded as one of the “crown jewel’ motor sport events worldwide and one of the most popular sporting and entertainment events in Australia each year. Visitors may be lucky enough to meet veteran F1 driver Alan Jones, who heads the Australian A1GP effort; the Gold Coast is also where Sir Jack Brabham, another F1 race winner, who resides at the Gold Coast. As a guest of the Gold Coast tourism, I was fortunate enough to meet up with both of these celebrities when I was there.
The Gold Coast racing circuit is very well designed, and has been acclaimed internationally and is used as a benchmark for new temporary street circuits world-wide. Over a 12-month period, plans are laid and then implemented to transform a bustling residential, commercial and holiday destination into a temporary street circuit capable of facilitating high speed motor races and hundreds of thousands of people.
In a two-month period leading up to the event, five bridges are erected, 2515 concrete barriers installed, over 7,000 grand stand seats constructed, more than 100 corporate suites furnished, 10 km of debris fencing and 16 km of security fencing placed, many more temporary structures fitted, and large scale power and communication systems activated.
Up to 1,700 people volunteer their services to deliver the event in roles such as track marshals, grand stand officials, media centre assistants, flag marshals, information booth attendants, grid marshals and much more. The entire event is a logistical masterpiece.
The Gold Coast will come alive for that particular weekend, as the Australian defence force aircraft soar overhead, sporting and entertainment celebrities come out to play, with the crowds soaking up the sights and sounds of the moment, and bands rock the stage.
While Motorsport is the main attraction, there is so much entertainment to keep the expected throngs of people occupied for the four hot days and nights, with the entertainment spilling over to an array of locations around the Gold Coast.
On track, the TW Steel Miss Super GP contest will be something great to witness; the Sea FM Air Show and the Australian Defence Force Aerobatics will keep you enthralled. In addition, more than 35 off-road events will create a carnival atmosphere for the entire Gold Coast region, with cocktail parties, corporate breakfasts and luncheons, colourful street parades, extreme sports, nightclub parties, gala balls and much more set to feature on the calendar.
The options open to visitors are endless; you can still take your family to the well-known attractions of the gold coast such as Dreamworld, Movieworld, and Seaworld, where you can experience everything from mild to extreme rides. Scattered around the city are hundreds of booths where you can book tours and excursions to the outback if you are a nature lover. There is fun for everybody at the Gold Coast.
Outdoor types can go for a spin in a V8 powered buggy, or take a drive in a rally-prepared 4WD Subaru STi, or go for a ride through lush farmlands, going through hills and dales on an ATV (All Terrain Vehicle), or take a 40 minute ride on a helicopter that flies over the Gold Coast. Perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, whale watching can be very exciting, and you usually do not have to go very far out to sea to see these huge denizens of the deep.
The Gold Coast is almost entirely driven by the tourism industry; accommodation will be the least of your problems, although bookings are expected to be heavy during the SuperGP week. In addition to various classes of hotels from 3-star to 5-star accommodation, there are also hundreds of short term and medium apartments available for lease; the apartments are a boon to families, as most of them offer cooking facilities, and would be a more economical alternative for families travelling in a group.
Food is aplenty for those who like to dine out; you will find hundreds of restaurants, bistros and cafes offering all kinds of international cuisine, from Chinese food to western food. I even found a smattering of Indian and other exotic restaurants. Fast foods are found on practically every street.
For travellers who want to keep travelling costs down so that they can spend more time at the holiday destination, Air Asia flies to the Gold Coast four times a week, and there are constant offers just a click away.
