Former ironwoman and Surfers Paradise Life Saving Club member.
Former ironwoman and Surfers Paradise Life Saving Club member.
As the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club celebrates its 100th anniversary, one of its most iconic members, Karla Gilbert, reflects on what it’s like to be part of a club that’s been protecting Australia’s most famous beach for a century. As a professional ironwoman and life member of the club, Karla has played a pivotal role in shaping the surf lifesaving scene, from a pint-sized nipper to a powerhouse IronWoman. From her early days at the club (including losing a board on Mum’s car—oops!) to her domination in surf sports, Karla’s connection to the club runs deep. She reflects on a life lived by the tides, the incredible legacy of the surf club she calls home and her passion for keeping things salty, strong, and connected.
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
Since day dot! My parents were among the first to build a house along Murlong Crescent in Tallebudgera in the early 1970s; it is still there today, although we moved to Currumbin Hill for most of my childhood. I have so many memories of visiting dad’s business, Palm Beach Printing, on Palm Beach Avenue as a child, with the smell of freshly printed paper and ink. I am always keen to return home from travelling and always feel proud to call myself GC born and bred!
What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
There aren’t many unexplored stones in the GC anymore, compared to the past when you might find an unexplored spot to appreciate with ease of travel. I feel quite passionate about protecting our natural environment and preserving the unique qualities of the GC. These days, it still seems so simple to start the day with energy by going for a swim, paddle, or walk at sunrise. Particularly if you’re a water baby, there are plenty of reasons to enjoy the beach, the warm weather, and the coastal lifestyle!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Gosh, where do I start… I feel I have lived 3 lives in one. Firstly, I love sport and in particular surf sports which luckily enough gifted me a career as a professional Ironwoman for 15 years, winning Australian and world titles. It was a crazy time in the sport and obviously living on the GC helped nurture me as an athlete. From here I met my wonderful husband Andrew and we now have 2 busy teenage girls pulling us in every direction! Business-wise wise I assist clients in nutrition and health through my website and also work alongside LifeChanger Foundation, a mental health and wellbeing preventative for youth, building out the SE QLD region with school workshops and organising their fundraising adventure challenges. I also help coach a community ocean swimming group, saltwater swimmers which is super rewarding and great to be a part of.
You started your journey in surf lifesaving as a nipper at the Surfers Paradise Surf Life Saving Club. What are your earliest memories of those days?
I joined Surfers at age 13, after being enticed with a new nipper board (my old one was lost after I forgot to tie it down on mum’s car), and I remember being feeling like I had landed in the right place. The support from the beginning with the members was amazing and I instantly had an extended family (mainly big brothers!) Females were in minority at the time and Cassandra Segman, another pioneering female athlete helped to pave the way for other females to prove we are just as strong and fierce in the ocean as the males.
How did being part of the SLSC shape your career and your passion for the ocean?
I was always drawn to ocean activities as a child and grew up windsurfing, surfing and swimming, but it was the lure of competing in a changing environment with the challenge of the ocean that really captivated me. In the beginning, Ironwoman racing wasn’t a thing so I watched and modelled my training off the men – thinking that was my destiny until 1990 when the first ironwoman event ever was held and I someone won this as a 15 year old. From there it was a whirlwind and a career I never imagined unfolded which cemented my love and fascination with the ocean.
As Surfers Paradise SLSC celebrates its 100th anniversary, what does it mean to you to be part of such a significant milestone for the club?
I feel very humbled to be involved in the 100 year celebrations of the club, honoring and appreciating everyone who has played a part in protecting one of the busiest beaches in the country. Surfers Paradise beach is one of GC best tourism assests and through seasonal patrols over this time, we have never lost someone in between the flags. We all come and go, and ultimately are custodians in time but Surfers Paradise will always be my home club where I am a proud life member.
You’ve inspired so many women in the sport. What message would you give to young girls aspiring to follow in your footsteps, both in competition and in wellness? Believe in yourself and trust the journey. Embrace challenges as opportunities to grow, not just in sport but in life. Focus on the small, consistent actions that lead to success, whether it’s training for competition or building healthy habits. Above all, stay true to who you are, find joy in what you do, and remember that balance and self-care are key to sustaining both physical and mental wellness. Dream big and be patient with your progress—it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get involved with a surf lifesaving club, either as a competitor or as a community volunteer? Joining a surf lifesaving club is a fantastic way to build fitness, community, and life-saving skills. As a competitor, the training is fun but will push you to your limits, teaching you resilience and mental toughness while offering the camaraderie of a supportive team. Stay committed, and be open to learning from every experience, the ocean is a great teacher for this! As a community volunteer, you’ll have the chance to make a real difference. The sense of fulfillment that comes from protecting others is incredibly rewarding and everyone’s contributions—whether on the beach or behind the scenes—are vital to the safety and success of the community. It’s not just about saving lives; it’s about being part of something bigger than yourself and staying connected with the ocean and the people around you.
What are your Gold Coast Favourites:
Café: Haig Street Cafe, Kirra for breakfast
Restaurant: Any of the surf clubs for great views!
Bar: I’m not a huge drinker but anywhere with a view of the ocean captivates me for one!
Beach: The Alley
How do you choose to spend your days off?
Days off are a rare commodity but if I have the chance I am pottering around the house, after a morning swim and coffee at Tallebudgera. If the surf is good a lunchtime surf is on order, after the crowds have gone then a family BBQ to round off the day.
After 15 years competing as an IronMan Matt Poole announced his retirement earlier this year. In a fitting full-circle moment his last competition was held at Kurrawa, where he made his debut in 2007. We chatted to the new father about his drive to become a professional sportsman, what he loves about the Gold Coast and why he won’t be waiting for a cooked duck to land in his mouth!
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I moved to the Gold Coast from Sydney when I was 18. I’ve been here on the GC the entire time except for 6 years on the Sunshine Coast.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I moved to the GC at 18 to pursue my sporting dream of becoming a professional IronMan, I spent 15 years racing professionally only just retiring earlier this year in April. Highlights of my sporting career include winning the 2017 Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan series, 2022 Shaw & Partners Shannon Eckstein Ironman classic, 2014 Molokai2Oahu World paddle board championships and winning gold at the ISA games in Fiji for team Australia. Outside of my sporting career I’ve got two businesses where I am a co-owner, MAMAN Bar & Kitchen in James St Burleigh and Gravity Seltzer.
Who/what inspired you to pursue a professional career as an ironman?
I grew up at the beach and fell in love with the ocean from a very young age. My Dad would take me in the water with him and pushed me into waves on a surfboard. I played a lot of sports growing up, but Surf Life Saving was my calling and through my teenage years really started to succeed and do well. I first qualified for the professional Ironman series at age 18.
Do you have any advice for aspiring athletes?
The life of a professional athlete is tough.. it takes hard work, dedication, sacrifice and resilience. Work hard, enjoy what you are doing and make it your passion!
How do you define success?
Success can be defined or measured a million different ways from a million different people. For me specifically success was always determined by training, racing and competing at my optimum. Winning races is the ultimate reflection of success, but sometimes for me I raced amazing, didn’t win and still deemed it a success.
In 2020 you teamed up with Oli Frost on opening Maman Bar and Kitchen. What made you want to get into the hospitality scene on the Gold Coast?
Oli Frost is a good friend of mine, he’s got one of the best business minds I know so when he came to me with an opportunity to partner up with him and launch MAMAN here on the Gold Coast, I jumped at it! We opened at the start of Covid which was always a risk, but even that aside we have continued to grow from strength to strength and are now a known and loved restaurant here on the coast.
You announced your retirement from competition earlier this year. Talk us through that decision.
I announced my retirement earlier this year in Feb, I still had a few more major events to round out the season but the timing felt right. 15 years racing professionally and I never left a stone unturned with my training and preparation. It takes its toll on the body physically and also mentally. I love racing and I love winning, when you lose motivation and you’re constantly getting injured it makes training suffer which in turn affects performance.. having said that, after I announced my retirement, I had my best results in Kellogg’s & Summer of Surf series races, but I enjoyed to go out on top, haha.
What’s next for Matt Poole?
My life has transitioned/ changed massively since finishing up my athlete career. I now have my beautiful daughter Posy who is 4 months old, I’m working with Gravity Seltzer to unlock new venues on and off premise for both our alcoholic and Non- Alcoholic range. I’m working on a podcast which is set to launch early 2023 and I’m also doing some commentary work with ch7 this season for Summer of Surf.
Health and wellness is obviously an integral part of your life, how do you intend to continue to incorporate that into your daily routine?
I thought after retirement I would take a long hiatus from any forms of training, however I quickly realised how much I love and miss that feeling you get after a hard session. Although I’m not training like a professional athlete, I still love staying fit and healthy. Mostly I go to gym, run, ocean swim, surf and a little Ocean Ski paddling.
What is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given?
Best advice I have ever been given… It’s more of a quote but it’s still advice: “The hunter who waits for the cooked duck to land in his mouth, is going to be a hungry hunter” – It’s weird, but since retiring I’ve realised you have to work hard for everything in life. You can’t just wait around for opportunities to land at your doorstep.
What do you love most about living on the Gold Coast?
I love the beaches, restaurants and warm weather! I live a stone’s throw from the beach and waking up, going for a morning ocean swim and grabbing a coffee on the way home is the perfect way to start any day!
Do you have any Gold Coast favourites you keep going back to?
Café/Coffee spot: The Kiosk Burleigh Pav
Restaurant: MAMAN
Bar or place for a drink: Burleigh Pav
Beach: Burleigh
How do you choose to spend your weekends?
I love spending my weekends eating out, surfing, fishing and having a drink with mates.
We interviewed Arisa last year when making the Olympic team was a dream. Little did she know, her next move would secure her a place in Australian sporting history and an Olympic gold medal. At just 14 years and 86 days old, Trew became Australia’s youngest-ever gold medallist, dazzling the Paris crowd with a score of 93.18. “My coach Trev just told me to go all out,” she said. “I thought, ‘Why not? It’s all or nothing.’”
And indeed, it was all.
Trew flawlessly executed her tricks, including a backside 360 into a 540, and capped it off with a spectacular kick flip over the corner, catching her skateboard mid-air and landing with finesse…
Here’s the interview from August 2023…
Arisa Trew is not your average 13-year-old. She recently catapulted into the limelight by achieving a groundbreaking feat: becoming the first female to successfully execute a 720-degree spin in a competition. And not just any competition. Arisa landed the move at the Tony Hawk Vert Alert competition in Salt Lake City, Utah, which is significant because Tony Hawk pioneered the move as a teenager back in 1985.
Arisa’s skateboarding journey is a testament to her dedication and perseverance. With each day spent on her board, she hones her skills, mastering new tricks and techniques. With each kickflip and grind, she’s contributing to a more inclusive and diverse skateboarding community. Arisa Trew is a name that’s sure to shine brightly in the skateboarding world for years to come.
How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I’ve been living on the Gold Coast for 11 years.
What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
I love my skate friends, Gold Coast skate parks, the beach & school.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Arisa Trew. I’m 13 years old from the Gold Coast Australia, I love to skateboard and surf.
Can you tell us how you started skateboarding and what initially attracted you to the sport?
I surf a lot, but one winter 5 years ago the water got too cold so I started skateboarding and never stopped. I just love it.
What has been your biggest achievement in skateboarding so far?
My biggest achievement in skateboarding is winning 2 X Games Gold Medals in Ventura, USA this year, as well as being the first female to land a 720 in competition, a move invented by Tony Hawk over 20 years ago.
Are there any skaters, athletes, or individuals who inspire you and have had a significant impact on your journey?
One of my favourite skaters who I look up to and who inspires me is Moto Shibata, because he is a really good skater has an amazing style and is also my friend. He is a Vert skater which is my favourite thing to skate.
What are your goals and aspirations in skateboarding? Are there any particular tricks or competitions you’re aiming for in the future?
I would love to try a 900 or a kicky flip body varial 540. One of my biggest goals is to place in World Olympic qualifiers and win a medal at the Olympics.
What advice would you give to other young people who are interested in skateboarding or other competitive sports?
Never give up and if you really want to be the best then just keep on working at it.
What are your Gold Coast Favourites:
Favourite café or restaurant: Salt Mill in Currumbin, Doki Doki Cafe, Palm Beach
Favourite skatepark: Elanora and Level Up Skate Park
Favourite beach: Currumbin Alley
How do you choose to spend your days off?
If not skating I am usually surfing, hanging with my friends, bike riding or at recovery hot and cold pools.
After the final curtain came down on the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, Australia can very much be proud of their performance across a colossal discipline of sports. Even some events included for the first time like skateboarding, BMX and surfing, where — naturally — we won ourselves some medals!
But how did we do overall? Midway through the 14th of 17 days in Tokyo, Australia surpassed its Sydney 2000 haul and peaked with its all-time benchmark of 17 golds at Athens 2004. So, all up, we saw a nifty performance coming in sixth overall, considering our population is a fraction of those countries towards the top end of the table!
You might not be aware, but some of the gold medal-winning Olympians are devoted Gold Coasters — living and training on our very coastline day in, day out. But who are these people, we hear you ask? Read on and discover the local heroes that have brought home gold to the Gold Coast.
Emma McKeon
This 27-year-old originally from Wollongong is officially Australia’s most successful Olympian — ever. She not only became the greatest medal winner in Australian Olympic history – surpassing Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones – but the first Australian ever to win four golds at a single summer games. Taking her successful Rio de Janeiro 2016 relay gold into account, she now joins Thorpe as the only Australian to win five golds. In the process, she became the first Australian ever to win the splash-and-dash 50m freestyle and only the sixth person ever to complete the 50-100m freestyle double. Her winning 50m swim also set the new world record!
> Griffith University Alumnus
Jean Van der Westhuyzen
Often seen paddling the waters around Varsity Lakes first thing in the morning, this young man originally from South Africa is one of ours now. Jean helped Australia secure its first canoe medal of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with a gold medal performance in the Men’s Kayak Double 1000m. Along with partner Thomas Green, the duo finished ahead of boats from the Czech Republic and Germany to secure the gold in a nerve-racking race that came down to just 0.3 of a second difference!
“World of emotion, the first thing that comes to mind is I am a man of faith, so I thank the Lord upstairs. The coaches, my family, my beautiful girlfriend, all my best mates, it’s such a big team that goes behind this performance,” Jean van der Westhuyzen said.
> Bond University Alumnus
Thomas Green
Originally a Gold Coast lifeguard (and an ex North Burleigh Surf Club employee) with the desire to be an ironman, this 22-year-old teamed up with Jean (mentioned above) to take out the Canoe sprint at the Olympics. Having always loved the water and sport in general, he grew his passion for the sport when he first started kayaking at the ripe old age of 10 at the Currumbin Creek Canoe Club.
But it must be mentioned that the best part of this win was that both gentlemen were the first gold medalists for Australia in the 85-year history of the event! Yeah the boys!
Mat Belcher
A Gold Coaster through and through, Mat began sailing at an early age out of Southport Sailing Club and showed promise winning the 420 World Championships aged just 18 years old. Shortly after, he was given a chance to carry the flag at the Sydney 2000 closing ceremony, sparking his desire to be an Olympian. Fast forward and after successful medal-earning appearances at London in 2012 and Rio 2016, Mat and teammate Will Ryan took the gold in the 470s this time around; thus, making him Australia’s most successful sailor of all time. Ironically, he was then asked to be the flag bearer at these games’ closing ceremony — mirroring the same thing some 21 years previously!
“This has been a wonderful Team that has achieved so much. To lead them into the Closing Ceremony means so much. I will be carrying the flag not just for those who are here but for all those now in quarantine back home or headed elsewhere. This will be for all of us.” said Belcher.
> The Southport School
> Bond University Alumnus
Keegan Palmer
From Elanora skate park to winning gold in front of the entire world, Keegan has secured himself the very first title in men’s park skateboarding — and at the ripe age of just 18 years old! Born in California but then moving to the Gold Coast, he spent the first 14 years of his childhood crafting his skills in and around Currumbin. Going on to then compete in national events and winning the Bondi Bowl-A-Rama in Sydney — becoming the youngest competitor to win the pro division at this event — and claiming his first national title last year at the Australian National Championships. This kid was only ever going to win gold!
Logan Martin
Originally from Logan, we’re more than happy to claim him as one of our own. His career in BMX took off after a chance visit to the skatepark with his brother at the age of 12 — from there, his ability and passion for BMX rapidly took off. After a series of stints in overseas competitions, he went on to win the International Festival of Extreme Sports in 2015 and 2016, and in the same year, he debuted at his first X-Games in Austin, Texas, where he secured himself silver.
Interestingly he went on to spend a whopping $85,000 on a skate park in his backyard on the Gold Coast: that’s dedication, folks!
Martin secured the inaugural gold medal for freestyle BMX within the first 60-seconds of his finals run at Ariake Sports Park when none of his competitors were able to match his top score of 93.3. It meant our Queenslander could put the nail in the coffin with a front bike flip to put the finishing touches to his sport’s spectacular Olympic debut.
Chelsea Hodges
A long-time member of the Southport Olympic Swim Club, Chelsea represented Australia for the first time at the World Junior Championships in Indiana in 2017. She then became a prominent member of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, where she won silver in the 50m breaststroke and the 4x100m medley relay. Now, in 2021 at the age of 19, Chelsea went on to qualify for her debut Olympic Games after placing first in the 100m breaststroke trials final. Always looking like she would do great things, individually, she placed 9th overall; however, the Gold Coaster was part of the gold medal-winning Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay, posting an astounding time of 1:05.57 in her leg.
> Benowa State High
> Griffith University Alumnus — currently studying nursing.
Words by Alex Mitcheson.
