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.

Buckle up, Gold Coasters, we’re taking a joyride through the turbocharged life of Rachael Reid. From a wheelie bin speedster in her childhood to the glamorous Miss Indy, race car driver, Surfers Paradise bar owner, and supercar test pilot, Rachael’s story is the ultimate automotive dream come true. With a heart as big as her engine and a passion for philanthropy, she’s more than just a social media influencer—she’s a charity queen and a proud mom of three incredible girls. We dive into her journey from car-loving tomboy to the powerhouse behind Her Supercar Life, and learn how she’s using her drive to make a difference both on and off the road!

How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
I have lived on the Gold Coast since I was nine having moved from Sydney.

What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
The beach lifestyle, the exciting automotive community, and opportunities for business.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
From a car-loving tomboy to the runways of Miss Indy, my life so far has been a thrilling ride. I’ve shifted from modelling to racing to business. Alongside owning a popular bar in Surfers Paradise to developing commercial real estate, I’ve owned, tested and reviewed supercars, carving a niche as a social media influencer and charity advocate. Today, I channel my passion through Her Supercar Life and The Sunset Run my supercar charity event, while also being a proud mom to three incredible girls. My journey merges speed, style, and the drive to make a difference through philanthropy.

What initially sparked your passion for exotic cars and motorsport?
My brothers working on cars and their influence at a young age, along with my early exposure to motorsport.

What inspired you to create Her Supercar Life?
What inspired me to create Her Supercar Life was not just my personal passion for high-end exotics and supercars, but also a desire to open this exhilarating world to other women. I aim to demystify the often intimidating world of automotive, highlighting not only their potential as smart investments but also the sheer joy and artistry of driving them.

Each car has its own unique story, rich with history and innovation, which I find absolutely fascinating. Through Her Supercar Life, I strive to empower women to appreciate, invest in, and experience the thrill and prestige of these incredible machines.

What are some of the most memorable moments or highlights you’ve experienced since founding Her Supercar Life?
Being asked to join the Lamborghini global female advisory board by the then Lamborghini Global 2IC Katia Basile, driving Formula 4 at Sepang, and building a successful brand that resonates with female car enthusiasts.

You’ve raised over $150,000 for notable charities such as LIVIN and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. How important is philanthropy to you and Her Supercar Life, and how do you integrate charitable efforts into your events?
Philanthropy is not just important to me—it’s a core pillar of Her Supercar Life. We believe in leveraging our passion for supercars to make a meaningful impact on the community. This commitment is reflected in events we’ve held, such as Exotics and Espresso, where we bring together supercar enthusiasts to support various causes. Our latest initiative is The Sunset Run, an event that not only offers an exceptional driving experience but also serves a greater purpose by raising funds for mental health advocates LIVIN.

By integrating these charitable efforts into our events, we create opportunities for our community to engage in philanthropy that resonates with their interests, fostering a culture of giving back while enjoying the cars they love. To date, we’ve raised over $150,000 for notable charities, including LIVIN, Make-A-Wish Foundation and others, underscoring our commitment to driving positive change both on and off the road.

How do you see the supercar community evolving in Australia, and what role do you envision Her Supercar Life playing in that evolution?
The supercar community in Australia is rapidly evolving to become more inclusive, particularly encouraging more women to engage. The ‘Her’ in Her Supercar Life symbolises not just my involvement but stands as an invitation to all women and our commitment to fostering female participation and dismantling stereotypes in this traditionally male-dominated industry.

Looking ahead, we aim to expand our events and initiatives to not only increase female visibility but also use our platform for philanthropy, making the supercar community about more than just cars but driving positive social change.

What does the future have in store?
Expanding our events nationally with exciting partnerships – watch this space, also new exciting events on the horizon, more charity work, and continued advocacy for female empowerment in the automotive industry.

What are your Gold Coast favourites:
Café: No Name Lane
Restaurant: Social Eating House
Bar: Burleigh Pavilion
Beach: Burleigh

How do you choose to spend your days off?
Spending time with family, and of course driving.

Meet Matt and Lucy van der Riet, the creators of Vandy, the vibrant and functional beach robe that warms, dries, protects, and expresses your beach-loving self. We chatted with Matt and Lucy about the journey of Vandy, from its innovative beginnings to its mission of making your beach days longer and more enjoyable. They share their passion for the ocean, adventure, and their cosy, colorful robes that have become a beach day essential.

How long have you been Gold Coast locals?
Lucy: I spent most of my 20s on the GC. I went to Griffith Uni and lived in Tugun, which has changed SO much, before moving to Melbourne. In 2021 the family moved back, which was one of the best decisions of our lives. We moved to Tallebudgera and have loved living in the trees, but we’re in the process of moving now to Burleigh as our kids get older to be closer to the action.

What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
We equally love the lifestyle and the people on the GC. The beaches and environment are the prefect match for how we want to spend our days. And the heart and attitude of GC locals is just the best. It’s the most supportive, kind and inclusive community. We feel so lucky to have integrated our family, lives and business so seamlessly. When we first moved I clearly recall us all notice how friendly people are here. Being outdoors so much is honestly the greatest gift we can give out kids.

Tell us a little bit about yourselves.
Gosh, Matt and I met when he interviewed me for a job at NAB in Melbourne (got the job haha). We pretty quickly became inseparable and literally before we knew it had three kids and a dog. We both have a pretty similar attitude towards change and taking risks.

Life is short and you just do the thing you desire and if it doesn’t work out, that’s ok. Having this approach to life has served us well, although sometimes the living on the edge is a little hectic. But it’s what lead us to living on the GC and starting Vandy and having this beautiful beach lifestyle, with mostly sunny days.

For those that don’t know, what is Vandy?
Vandy is a beach lifestyle brand that makes beach robes. The idea came from the practical need to being able to cover up on the beach, dry yourself, protect your skin and look damn cool in the process. The beautiful unfolding of our robes is that they are multi-purpose so our kids’ ones are used for swimming lessons, beach and pool days and bath time.

While our women’s robe, when not being used at the beach, is perfect for adding a bit of colour to your day at home. Speaking of colour, you’ll notice our robes are all pretty bold. Vandy is bold and fun. We want our robes to inject a little extra fun into life.

Tell us about the process of creating your robes.
The process of taking Vandy robes from idea to reality was easier said than done. The design of the robe was pretty seamless. Being a robe lover, I took all the favourite design features of robes I’ve owned over the years added a few unique touches and by third sample it was nailed.

We ended up creating both a certified organic range and a 100% cotton non-organic range. Same design but two different price points. The material selection and dying of the organic material was time consuming as the organic cotton is dyed and then milled. Matt went over to China mid project to see first hand the process and meet our team and ensure the factory practice was aligned with our values.

What has been the biggest opportunity and/or challenge so far?
We’ve had our fair share of challenges, like all start-ups, it’s a wild ride. We designed the robes ourselves, but they’re manufactured overseas in an ethical factory. Having many things out of our control like shipping delays etc can really unhinge plans. We had hoped to launch well before last Summer so that our robes were ready to hit the Aussie beach for 23/24 Summer but multiple hold ups that blindsided us, like the process for GOTS certification of our robes, meant we were unable to have our product available until the very end of Summer.

We’ve had to constantly pivot and problem solve, which keeps things interesting. I really believe the obstacles we come up against contribute to how our brand evolves in the best way. While we launched as a beach robe, what we’ve been so thrilled to see is that our robes are actually multi-purpose and have become peoples go-to throw on for daily life. So cool!

What’s next for Vandy?
We have some pretty big plans for Vandy which involves collabs, customisation and international expansion. We think we are onto a winner and we want to stay true to our core product. We really desire just to do one thing exceptionally well. You can expect to see our robes expand in styles and colours, fabrics and places they are designed to be worn.

What are your Gold Coast favourites?
Cafe: Wholefood Pantry, Palm Beach
Restaurant: Little Tommy’s, Currumbin
Bar: Currently not in our bar era, however fave spot to have a drink would have to be out the front at Rick Shores.
Beach: The Alley Currumbin

How do you choose to spend your days off?
Any time we are not working we are at Palm Beach Touch fields or watching our kids play touch, oz tag or soccer. Or at Burleigh Bombers watching AFL. When sports not on we are hanging at the beach, Matt and the kids surf, or we’re entertaining at home. Life feels very beautifully full and we are just about to start building a house, so again something new and unknown we’re embracing. Our best mates are the builder Joint Builders, so we feel in safe hands. You’ll also find Matt watching his beloved Hawthorn (AFL) team on the couch over the weekend.

Website: vandy.com.au
Instagram: @vandyrobes