Play closer to home in this time of uncertainty
WHAT strange and unpredictable times we live in. We’re less than three months into 2020 and already we’ve been threatened with extinction by fire, floods and a biblical plague.
It’s no longer even possible to stock the dunny properly. Our letter boxes are filling with election literature, but regrettably it is not made of a material soft, strong and thoroughly absorbent. So it lacks the capacity displayed by its senders to be full of excreta.
More seriously, a dearth of overseas visitors is crippling many businesses. People are staying away – even though the great pestilence has no foothold on the Coast.
For locals, this creates both an obligation and an opportunity. Getting around and getting a table is almost as easy as the last time the city went into lockdown for no good reason – during the two weeks of the Commonwealth Games.
It means there’s never been a better time to get out and enjoy the array of delights in our playground paradise. And in the process, help local businesses ride out a rough patch.
It is no less than our civic duty to enjoy good times. Unless and until we reach a point where there is a fullblown coronavirus outbreak on the Gold Coast, Dr Woods prescribes the following:
1. Eat out more
The Gold Coast is blessed with an array of amazing cuisine. For a city of our size, the range and quality is stunning. Even if you can’t make it out, there’s always the Uber Eats option. Currently, I’m favouring fine Chinese dining. The shunning of Chinese restaurants has been ridiculous. It has no more logic than filling your home with packets of Quilton King Size. Less toilet rolls, more spring rolls please.
2. Visit our attractions
If you’ve ever wondered how good it would be to enjoy theme parks without the long lines, now’s your chance. It’s been less crowded at TopGolf too, which has been running some great value promotions recently. I visited the Saturday before last and there was no wait at all. Well, none bar the wait for me to actually strike the ball properly (cousin Tiger has a lot to teach me). Next door, there are specials too, with the Australian Outback Spectacular offering half price children’s tickets to its wonderful show. Also half price this month is entry to the Skypoint viewing deck at the Q1. It amazes me the amount of locals who still haven’t been there. Now it’s half price there’s no excuse.
3. Holiday at home
I’ve always had the distinct, gnawing feeling when taking off from Gold Coast Airport that I was heading in the wrong direction. Much better to be the tourist heading towards the Gold Coast, rather than the numpty heading away from it. With flying currently out of fashion, it may be time to indulge that out-oftowner fantasy. Residents of outer suburbs might enjoy the luxury of a weekend in a beachside hotel, with the sound of the ocean as your morning call. Conversely, residents of coastal suburbs can escape to a totally different world with a few nights in a hinterland haven like O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat, which has some amazing Autumn offers going at the moment.
4. Go Wild
We were all so worried about our native animals during the recent bushfires. Fair enough. But koalas don’t only get hurt during natural disasters, and caring for them and their buddies is a yearround affair at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. You can support that good work and treat yourself with a visit, and what do you know, yes, they too are running a special offer this month, with single visits $29 instead of the usual $49 and family tickets just $99. Blinky brilliant.
5. Do some real shopping
This panic buying makes no sense. What is one to do with so much toilet roll? If I’m going to be confined to barracks for two weeks, I’ll be doing my panic buying at Dan Murphy’s.
Meanwhile, other retailers are not doing so well. People are putting off purchasing decisions out of fear of the unknown. Why? Nothing has really changed. The sky is not falling in.
In fact, on the Gold Coast at least, the greatest harm coronavirus is doing is not making people ill, but making them fearful.
It brings to mind American President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous line in 1933 when he said: “The only thing we have to fear is ... fear itself.”
I’m not saying the coronavirus is nothing to worry about. But the reaction among ordinary people looks excessive. No harm being cautious, but no need to stuff the economy in the process.
Despite impressions to the contrary, the coronavirus is not among us yet.
Unless and until it is, let’s eat well, be merry – and support our local businesses.
Because these are strange and unpredictable times we live in, and they need all the help they can get.