Who remembers the Gold Coast Airport of yesteryear? Yep, it was pocket-sized with just the most basic of basics. Fast forward to 2022 however, and it’s about as far from its humble beginnings as J.Lo is from the Bronx. Just wait till we tell you what’s in store for the September unveiling of the newly revamped and expanded airport which for flying out loud, will be a destination in itself!

We all know a holiday starts at the airport, and visitors would be forgiven for cancelling their itinerary and kicking around the new terminal for the duration of their stay. The Hassell-designed $500m redevelopment is a spectacular nod to the region and all it has to offer, and will impress even the most discerning traveller. There is much to unpack here, but we’re going to skip straight to our favourite part which involves, yes you guessed it – F.O.O.D.

Local providores and produce will take center stage, providing travellers with a curated selection of the thriving GC and Northern NSW food scene. Our epic local coffee, distillers, brewers, and fresh produce will be celebrated and not to sound up ourselves, but no-one does it better. By mid-next year, we’ll see 18 new food and bev and retail outlets, with cafes and eateries headed up by the man, the myth, the legend: the incredible Chef Matt Jefferson. Matt is of course the Executive Chef at Broadbeach’s iconic Social Eating House, and you just know that anything he puts his hand…or hat to (he has plenty of those #awardwinner), is going to be first class all the way.

Proudly putting the dining offerings at the airport as an extension of our city’s thriving food and cultural scene, there’ll be Mediterranean, fresh food, sushi and Asian cuisine, along with the first Schnitz outlet in an Aussie airport. Possibly the most exciting of all, however, is the introduction of flagship new cafe and bar, Wollumbin, named after the Yugambeh First Nation name for nearby Mount Warning. It will serve up a variety of contemporary Australian and international dishes, as well as local beverages and folks, does it look the part! The ultra-modern blonde wood-infused design is just, wow, and packs a punch with its multi-dimensional effect roofing. I mean it’s screaming #InstaMe.

While we’re talking looks, the entire Gold Coast Airport upgrade is aesthetically on point. Upon arrival, visitors will be greeted by a naturally lit hall with soaring 11-metre ceilings. A timber feature wall including the locally abundant spotted gum mimics the mountain range view, and the interior design reflects the picture-perfect setting. To the east are the coastal blues and mint greens of the Pacific Ocean, while to the west are the grey-greens and bronzes of the World Heritage hinterland.

Those leaving the GC will be tempted to do a runner away from the runway, as they gaze out to the spectacular vista of the Gold Coast and Northern NSW hinterland and the airside operations through double-height, floor-to-ceiling windows in the departure lounge.

We all know bigger is better when it comes to airports and the terminal expansion will double the capacity for both domestic and international flights. In line with this, travel infrastructure has been upgraded, with the addition of four glass aerobridges and new baggage claim areas, a bigger bang duty-free store, parents’ room, multifaith room and a totes boujee VIP room *dons sunglasses and pretends to be famous.

So if you needed that final push to book an upcoming vacay, this is surely it! The new Gold Coast Airport is so amazing that you’ll leave thinking “why I am leaving again?!”

Where: Eastern Avenue, Bilinga
When: Launching September 2022

Words by Bianca Trathen.

Amelia Evans is a chartered accountant with years of experience in Australia and overseas across the aviation, telco, fast moving consumer goods and property industries. In July 2022 Amelia was appointed Queensland Airports Limited (QAL) CEO. When the opportunity arose to interview Amelia we jumped at the chance to learn a little more about the woman behind this impressive resume. We talked about the career path that led Amelia to QAL, her love of travel, and what she loves to do in her downtime.

How long have you been a Gold Coast local?
Gold Coast is home to me. I moved here as a teenager (but spending most holidays on the GC), it’s where I completed my university degree and landed my first career role at Ernst & Young.  I did move overseas for 15 years; however, I moved back to the Gold Coast 8 years ago and have been living here since and loving it.  I’ve always considered myself a local,  I’ve seen a lot of change here (while some things are still just the way I’ve always remembered)!

What do you love the most about the Gold Coast?
My large family, old and new friends, the relaxed vibe, weather and our growing selection of great local restaurants and cafes (secret foodie).

Tell us a little bit about yourself (both personally and professionally).
Personally – I’m a daughter, sister, aunty, wife and mum.  My family are my purpose, and just about everything I do is with or for them.  My husband is Canadian, and we have 1 son who is 9 and they are my world. I love having fun, and have always been very adventurous, whether it was wreck and shark diving, canyoning, or jumping out of planes, but these days I just stick to some form of sport and activity by walking/playing soccer/tennis/golf.

I love travel and food and will spend every waking minute planning a holiday and all the restaurants we should go to (drives my husband crazy).  I love singing (sometimes badly), reading books (mostly on wellness, leadership and biographies), and I have become extremely reflective and curious over the past few years, so have been learning a lot about different types of philosophies, and holistic ways to improve the way we live (from Ayurvedic wellness which I loved while in India, or the Tao).  Surrounding myself with people who appreciate new insights in this space has brought a renewed sense of purpose to who I am.  Even my son and team groan when I burn a palo santo stick here or there.

Professionally, I started my career at Ernst & Young in Bundall, but when the opportunity to move to the Solomon Islands with EY came my way I jumped at the chance. I lived there for two years working as a financial controller, overseeing the export of copra (coconut) and travelling across many islands. It was a life-changing but wholesome experience that gave me new perspectives on life and people. From there, I moved to London and then New York where I worked in the Teleco industry, it was a super challenging period in my career as I took on many roles, some I’m sure were out of my depth at the time.

Just when I was due to come back to Australia to work, an opportunity came my way to move to the Caribbean as a COO overseeing IGA supermarkets, a marina and developing commercial/residential property. It was an unbelievable 5 years; I loved the job but it was the people who I loved and learned from the most. It’s also where I met my husband, Colin. Together, we moved back to Sydney, where I worked with Qantas for 7 years before landing the CFO role at Queensland Airports Limited here on the Gold Coast in 2016, and most recently taking on the role of CEO. A whirlwind career with an immense of amount of twists, turns and resilience building to get to where I am today.

What does a typical day look like?  
The first thing I do is see if my son is awake (he generally is) and attempt a quick cuddle (I’m much more keen than he is), then try and make time for a ‘morning moment’ (meditation/Gi Gong), have a cup of green tea, then get my mind and body in gear to get on with the day. This generally means making sure my son has brekky, lunch and all things ready for school (husband is much better at this than me depending on my diary), drive along the beautiful Gold Coast Highway to the airport and hit the ground running. My diary is generally packed for the day so other than going from meeting to meeting, I try and make sure I walk around and have a chat to the team, have an acai bowl for lunch and by the time I finish up meetings, I am focused on getting home to have dinner with the family if I’m not travelling, at an event or in Brisbane. Downtime comes later in the evening.

What do you love most about your new position at QAL? 
Having a great team – I am surrounded by a team who give a lot to QAL, and are all such good human beings to be around, even during the toughest times. I am proud of our business and our team, and have felt very humbled for the opportunity to take on this new role. It’s a huge responsibility to make sure everyone feels included, safe and do all the things we need to keep our passengers, community, industry colleagues and shareholders happy.  The other thing I love (which is not a secret to most) is the fact that I do get to see aircraft every day. I have loved planes since I was a child and spent many hours stalking them around the world, particularly while travelling and working overseas.

For those who don’t know, tell us about the Gold Coast Airport redevelopment?  
Our newly opened International Terminal was developed as a $260 million expansion project, doubling our terminal’s footprint. The redevelopment sits right next to the existing terminal and connects seamlessly via a system that has the ability to swing between domestic and international services, facilitating smooth passenger flow-through inside. The new facility is contemporary inside and out, bringing our customers a fresh, modern-day experience. It’s three levels, with level two being the departure lounge, offering spectacular views over the beautiful hinterland, as well as our new duty-free store, and Wollumbin Café and Bar for international passengers to enjoy while they wait for their flight.

What should customers expect at the new Gold Coast Airport?
An awesome team and ambassadors, fresh food and modern retail outlets (with more to come over the next year), beautifully designed architecture, exceptional scenery, and if you’re lucky a friendly tail wag from one our in-terminal therapy dogs.

Tell us… what are the future plans now for Gold Coast Airport? Any new flight routes?  
The future is exciting, we are always looking to add new destinations and airlines to our Gold Coast Airport network, and there are plenty of exciting announcements to come. However, securing these agreements can take a long time and often require a lot of different stakeholders (government, airlines, tourism) to work together to make it happen. It’s an exciting time, with just under 10 years to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympics Games – now is the time to reposition the Gold Coast as a brand by finding new ways to tell our story, sharing new and inclusive experiences to ensure this opportunity is fully leveraged. The Gold Coast is a spectacular place to visit and an even better place to live, so as an airport we are focused on what we do best, removing the barriers of distance and connecting communities all over the world. It’s up to the whole community to share our stories and make it a great place to be, so watch this space and get travelling everyone!

What are your Gold Coast favourites…
Café/Coffee spot: Tarte, Burleigh
Restaurant: Jimmy Wahs, Rick Shores and also Muso Ramen (can’t say no to ramen)
Bar or place for a drink: Rick Shores or Tropic (not very original I know)
Beach: Currumbin (brings back childhood memories and is a place I walked every single day with my son when he was first born)

How do you choose to spend your days off?
Watching my son play soccer (football), walking the dogs, seeing my penguin family (lots of them), having some downtime for a movie/yoga/tennis.