THE GREAT ESCAPE
TASMANIANS’ GOLD COAST TREAT
THE first day of winter may have brought a chill to Gold Coasters, but for this group of Tassie tourists the mild temperatures felt toasty warm compared to their snow-capped home.
Yesterday the entire town of Waratah, in Tasmania’s northwest, was given the chance to drop everything for an all-expenses-paid weekend on the Gold Coast to escape the bitter cold.
Cheers went up as hotel chain AccorHotels announced to a shocked crowd outside the Waratah Museum that they had chartered a private flight to take families straight to the airport for a “wintervention”.
The residents had all registered for the chance to win a holiday, but never in their wildest dreams thought everyone would be chosen.
Behind the scenes, months of agonising preparation had gone into finding a deserving town and secretly putting plans into place to deliver the perfect surprise.
The town, home to 227 people during the last Census, is one of the coldest and wettest places in Australia, notching up an average winter temperature of just 7.9C. But they swapped the snow for sand yesterday as they hit the beach.
Rachel Jenni was among those ditching their winter coats and scarfs as she got off the plane at Coolangatta Airport.
“It was about 4 or 5C when we left this morning and it’s been colder than that lately. This is just beautiful!” she said.
It is the first time her son Lachlan, 13, has been on a plane and the pair were eagerly looking forward to a trip to Sea World today.
For Cobi Landry, who runs the local cafe in Waratah, there are no regrets about leaving her husband and teenagers at home for a girls’ weekend.
“They were too embarrassed to register so too bad for them!” she laughed.
“I drove past my kids on the school bus on my way to the airport and they didn’t look too happy!”
There were smiles all around as the group landed yesterday, but the trip has special significance for the Rogers family. Rosemary and Wayne Rogers hadn’t seen their daughter Tammie, who lives in Brisbane, for more than two years. It was a whole town reunion for Tammie, who was holding back tears as she surprised her parents, sister and brother-in-law, along with plenty of other familiar faces, on the tarmac.
“I don’t think Mum and Dad have been on a plane for 10 years so this is really special,” she said.
“Waratah is small and everyone knows everyone – this is just beautiful for the town.”
Destination Gold Coast CEO Annaliese Battista welcomed the visitors to the Coast and said it was proof the city was perfect for tourists all year round.
She hoped the “teaser” trip would encourage the people of Waratah to come back to the Coast for longer.
Accor’s Bridie Commerford said the “bold” stunt would deliver memories of a lifetime for the families.
“We’re inviting one of Australia’s coldest towns to one of its sunniest cities for a weekend wintervention,” she said. “They’ll soak up the warmth and enjoy some fantastic activities on the Gold Coast, staying at Novotel Surfers Paradise.”
The families were treated to dinner last night and will spend the weekend checking out theme parks, river cruises, indoor skydiving and jetboating before flying home to chilly Tasmania tomorrow.
It was about 4 or 5C when we left this morning ... This is just beautiful!