Stones, the Suns and he’s not done
HE HAS rubbed shoulders with the Rolling Stones and was a driving force in getting the V8 Supercars established in Australia, but Gold Coast stalwart Tony Cochrane’s two proudest achievements are literally worlds apart.
The entertainment legend and Gold Coast Suns chairman, Mr Cochrane has been honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the latest Queens Birthday celebrations.
In a short time, the Supercars Hall of Fame inductee has packed in a lot.
One of the biggest event promoters in the country, Mr Cochrane was instrumental in getting The Rolling Stones to tour Australia, and a backer of stars such as John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John, as well as late stars Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
He also oversaw musicals and other theatre productions. In 2003, he was the producer on the musical Hairspray, which won Best Broadway Musical at the Tony Awards.
“I am super proud I won a Tony on Broadway – very few Australians have achieved that,” he said.
Another cherished highlight of his career has taken place must closer to home.
“The enormous amount of work I’ve done with the Gold Coast Suns and developing AFL not only on the Gold Coast but in Queensland more generally has been a terrific part of my life and I really thoroughly enjoyed it,” Mr Cochrane said.
“I really thoroughly enjoyed working with a lot of brilliant people there and in the AFL generally.”
As well as his extensive work in the entertainment and sporting industry across the nation, Mr Cochrane has been instrumental in shaping the Gold Coast.
He was part of the bid to get the 2018 Commonwealth Games here and has been instrumental in bringing events to the city. During the Covid pandemic, he has been ready to offer help and advice to keep the city going.
He also has a close relationship with Mayor Tom Tate.
Mr Cochrane is nowhere near done and his focus at the moment is on helping the tourism, entertainment and sporting industries recover from the pandemic.
“We have a few things bubbling away and we have to try to get those projects up,” he said. “We have one in particular in mind for the city that we are excited to try to land.
“Who knows where you go from here and hopefully onwards and upwards.”
Mr Cochrane said that he would be “very disappointed” if the restrictions continued until 2022.
“We should all be unselfish and all agree to be vaccinated.
“If you don’t want to be vaccinated for yourself, be vaccinated for all those people around you who are still looking for a job and trying to get their industries back up.”
Mr Cochrane did have one simple message. “You can do it all from the Gold Coast if you put your heart into it.”