How unlikely figure changed city’s nightlife
The Gold Coast is known for its nightclubs – for both good and bad reasons. In our special four-part Coast After Dark series, learn the truth about the history of Surfers Paradise from the major players who transformed the suburb into a world-renowned pa
SURFERS Paradise became the Gold Coast’s magnet as a globally renowned party hotspot in the 2000s thanks to a brickie from Sydney’s western suburbs.
In the 1980s Billy Cross had made the move to the Gold Coast as a 17-year-old but, not making much money as a bricklayer, he picked up shifts at Surfers Paradise clubs.
To gain some extra coin the young man started “taking off his clothes” which soon became a business opportunity.
One to always jump at a business venture, Mr Cross took the adult entertainment idea and ran with it.
What he didn’t know at the time was the domino effect it would have in transforming Surfers Paradise in years to come.
“In the late 1980s and early 1990s I took over the Manpower Australia business. We did tours across Queensland, Australia and then New Zealand,” Mr Cross said while sitting in his Elkhorn Ave office in the midst of Surfers Paradise.
“We were lucky enough to be given a go on the Donahue Show (in the US) in 1993, which was like Oprah of its time.”
The TV appearance launched a stepping stone for the male dance troupe, earning a touring show in Las Vegas from 1993 to 1999.
The male troupe would go on to land a deal with a residency at the Excalibur Hotel in Las Vegas at the turn of the millennium, where the now-labelled Thunder From Down Under still remains 21 years later – and sells out every night.
BEGINNING OF LOVE AND NEW ADVENTURE
MANPOWER Australia not only allowed Mr Cross to travel but also destined him to cross paths with his future wife and business partner.
Touring with the group in the mid-90s – now solely as an operator – he met Jackie at a show in Sydney and the pair married in 1997.
Around the same time, Mr Cross noticed a new business opportunity while on the Gold Coast.
“I came back in the late 90s. I headed into Surfers Paradise and it still had the same clubs.
“It was a real grunge fest with commercial rock in the ’90s.
“It had gone from grungy rock to being pretty commercial and cheesy with $2 bourbon nights.
“That’s when I thought I should run a club.”
Opening his first venue, Berlin Lounge Bar in 1999, Mr Cross then launched The Drink in 2000.
Before long he had nine clubs along famed Surfers Paradise party strip Orchid Ave, including buying and renaming The Penthouse.
The Gold Coast’s rock n’ roll scene was on its knees and in 1999 the Playroom shut down, demonstrating a sign of the times.
“We came in and really changed the face of the nightlife. We brought in house music clubs and down-the-alley venues that really changed the scene,” Mr Cross said.
“House music had just hit Australia and was a new style of scene.
“Berlin became a success right away. It wasn’t so much a
club, it was a culture. The kids that went there just loved it.
“The environment and the people were friendly and if you were going there it was to have fun.
“The Drink was more of a celebrity nightclub. We were a serious player in the city’s nightlife.
“Then everyone started opening up very similar clubs. We had the majority of the clubs but everyone else lifted their game and brought Surfers to another era.”
CELEBRITY HOTSPOT
SURFERS Paradise became the place to visit for celebrities travelling to Australia and looking for a party.
Mr Cross said he and Jackie made an effort to provide their celebrity guests with top hospitality but put the precinct’s success down to treating everyone like “rock stars”.
“You’d go from your celebrities to your local residents all in the one place and they’d all
be getting along,” he said. “I remember walking in and it would feel like partying at my house.
“We had everyone from movie stars to sports stars. I remember Paris Hilton being the biggest celebrity in the world and coming to The Drink.
“I remember her vomiting up in one of the toilets and everyone around was very cool about it.
“People just loved the hospitality. We treated everyone like rock stars so the celebrities felt comfortable heading out.”
TIMES ARE A CHANGIN’
BILLY and Jackie Cross had changed Surfers Paradise and put the Gold Coast on the global partying map but they sensed a transformation in partygoers’ interests.
On the back of the success of commercial festivals like England’s Glastonbury Festival, Coachella in the US and Australia’s own Big Day Out, the pair jumped on board with electronic music event Summadayze’s Gold Coast leg, titled Summafieldayze.
“I noticed a change in Surfers. For me festivals became a big thing,” Mr Cross said.
“I branched out of the nightclubs and into Summafieldayze. As I moved on to other events I sold all the nightclubs.”
Cross Promotions International continues to work in the festival and event scene, helping with the likes of V8 Supercars, Byron Bay’s Falls Festival and Brisbane’s Riverstage.
Recently Mr Cross went back into the nightlife industry when his company teamed up with The Star and launched rooftop bar Nineteen at The Star as a part of the casino’s $345m development of the Darling hotel tower in 2017.