Gold Coast in Australia changes city brand following Austin’s example — ABC News Australia
The Gold Coast City Council in Australia unanimously supported the vision of the Brand Gold Coast organization, which seeks to change the city’s reputation. For decades, the Gold Coast has been associated with beach holidays, neon motels and low-cost tourism. City marketing chief Todd Babiak believes that the image of a “fun but rather cheap” resort no longer matches the city’s ambitions.
As ABC News Australia reports, the Gold Coast is studying Austin’s experience in Texas. The city has become an important technology hub while gaining a reputation as an unconventional and creative place. The unofficial slogan Keep Austin Weird emerged in response to fears that corporate growth would make Austin resemble other American cities.
A focus on wellbeing and creative industries
Babiak spent about 200 hours talking with residents in an effort to identify the Gold Coast’s core story. In his view, the city can build a new identity around wellbeing: early-morning walks, surfing or running combined with intensive work. He believes that the stereotype of an exclusively relaxed beach lifestyle limits the Gold Coast’s appeal for business, education and investment.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
One area of the rethink is set to be the film industry. Its gross value on the Gold Coast stands at $420 million, and international blockbusters filmed in the city include Thor, Aquaman and Elvis. Chris Amos, the founder of his own studio, noted that overseas productions create short-term jobs, but intellectual property that can generate ongoing revenue from merchandising and streaming goes abroad.
The risk of losing identity
Southwestern University professor Joshua Long, who studied Austin’s transformation, warned about the consequences of rapid development without measures to protect existing residents. According to him, gentrification pushed some residents, including those from African American and Latino neighborhoods, to the outskirts of the city. Long also stressed that Austin’s identity became commercialized over time.
Austin is now home to about 1 million people — a population level the Gold Coast expects to reach over the next 20 years. At the same time, the median value of housing on the Gold Coast has risen by more than 80% since 2020, reaching $1.2 million.
