The GC – Beautiful one day, business the next!

Queensland’s Gold Coast has always been home to great beaches, plenty of sunshine and good times for locals, along with many visitors from interstate and abroad. So much so that it’s easy to overlook this sunny economic power-house for everything else it offers.

The Gold Coast is one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, which is easy to understand given its enjoyable lifestyle, but what’s not as obvious is the industries underpinning its growth and success.

For example, few people will have heard of Gilmour Space Technologies, which develops rockets, satellites and launch services and is at the cutting edge of Australian aerospace development. It employs more than 200 highly skilled and qualified people at its Yatala industrial precinct headquarters and uses the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in North Queensland as its launch site. Gilmour Space Technologies is a significant and important player in Australia’s defence and aerospace industries, and we can be proud that supports our nation’s sovereign technology and launch capability.

The largest contributors to economic development on the Goldy are the construction industry, valued at $5 billion; healthcare and social assistance at $4.5 billion; manufacturing at $3.1 billion; and professional, scientific and technical services at $3 billion. While retail and tourism attract more than 11 million visitors each year, adding another $2.9 billion to the local economy, it’s in fifth place. This paints a very different picture of the Goldy – one of high-tech industries and highly skilled jobs rather than tourism and trade.

The rapid growth in the tech sector is supported by reports showing growth rates above 50%; forecasts of continued acceleration of start-ups and expansion of digital economies; and by university links and innovation precincts.  

Historically, the Gold Coast has played host to Warner Bros. Movie World and Village Roadshow Studios, but it’s now expanding to host a broader mix of significant screen production industry players. With strong support from local and state governments, this booming industry has the potential to create even more jobs and encourage further diversification of the region’s economic base.

A glowing report of the Gold Coast would be incomplete without highlighting the impressive Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP). This 200-hectare hub is a thriving community of clinicians, entrepreneurs, students and global partners who are driving world-class research and development. 

The numbers are compelling: more than $5 billion in health, research and education infrastructure, 1,000⁺ researchers, 16,000⁺workers, 50⁺ SMEs and tech companies, 300⁺ global and local partnerships, 20,000⁺ students, 2,500⁺ residents, and 150⁺ clinical trials. With its stated ambition to become ‘a vibrant, multidisciplinary ecosystem spanning health, biotech, sportstech, AI, clean energy, defence and advanced manufacturing’, expect more skilled and high-skilled jobs in the region.

The SAS Group supports many existing clients on the Gold Coast, along with national and international companies keen to explore opportunities in the region. With its close proximity to Brisbane, its own airport, established rail and freight services, and world-class waterways, we see a great future for the Goldy as a perfect place for business and leisure.