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12 places to catch the footy finals

Your go-to guide for all the footy final fanfare!

The Star Sports Bar (image supplied)
The Star Sports Bar (image supplied)

No matter if you’re team AFL or NRL, for the footy fanatics among us, the pointy end of the season also means it’s time to prepare ourselves to bid a bittersweet adieu to our beloved code yet again.

Though this year we’ll be saying an extra fond farewell, with both codes’ clashes slated for the very same weekend – oh yes, sports fans, it’s a Grand finale double-header #braceyourselves. We might as well also say goodbye to our voices while we’re at it.

A dual GF showdown means many things: namely an over indulgence in beer, party pies, mates and cheering till we’re hoarse… but mostly the requirement to dig deep and back up in a way we haven’t since our 20’s.

Whether you’re an AFL fan chomping at the bit for the sound of that sweet siren at 2.30pm on Saturday 30 September, or a League fanatic counting down till Sunday 1 October, the GC has you sorted. Clear the calendar and gather the buds for double the fun, nail-biting action and… hangover, lbh.

Go ale out to say farewell (or good riddance, depending on your footy fanatic status) to another glorious footy szn in style. Here are 12 local haunts getting into the game day spirit, so you don’t have to worry about your crew drinking your fridge dry.

Robina Pavilion (image supplied)
Robina Pavilion (image supplied)

Robina Pavilion
Avoid your digs undergoing a Mojo Dojo Casa House transformation this GF weekend, and divert the crew to an electric atmosphere made for tackling that fever pitch finale energy. The spruce-up Robina Pav was treated to a few years back make this destination and its myriad of pozzy’s at which to perch, a delight for begrudging tag-alongs and those set to have their eyes glued for every second of the action.
Where: 229 Ron Penhaligon Way, Robina  

Ashmore Tavern
We’re not sure how we got so lucky with the calibre of mighty fine pubs, clubs and establishments us Gold Coasters get to frequent, but here’s another Grand Final worthy watering hole that’s looking better than ever following a full-blown face lift for Ashmore’s beloved tav #heygoodlookin’

Round up your posse this Saturday, Sunday, or both – and tune in to watch the top teams tousle in the schmick as surrounds of the Ashmore Tav Sports Bar. The talented chefs will be slinging stellar food specials straight out of the venue’s gourmet new-look kitchen, and the bartenders will ensure our thirsts remain quenched at all times. Count us in!
Where: 161 Cotlew Street, Ashmore

Ashmore Tavern Sports Bar (image supplied)
Ashmore Tavern Sports Bar (image supplied)

The Cavill Hotel
What could be more fitting for a supersized GF weekend than a supersized screen? Look no further than The Cavill, sporting the biggest screen in Surfers, bc this is absolutely one of those occasions where #BiggerIsBetter! For the savviest of sports fans, book yourself a table to support your code in style. Plus, this year there’s the chance to score yourself the best seats in the house, just spend at the venue for a chance to win VIP luxury couch seating for three, complete with food and some bevvies to boot. How good.
Where: 46 Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise

Burleigh Town Hotel
Following its recent spruce up, the Burleigh old faithful is back, with the Southern GC staple sporting a very fresh new lewk. No doubt this sprawling spot will be a popular choice come game day, boasting a massive wrap-around TV and a multitude of screens to scream at. And of course more ice-cold bevvy’s on tap than you’d need to fuel a Mad Monday sesh.

Get down and get amongst the GF action, and you’ll be rewarded with complimentary half-time snacks, with a bunch of prizes and giveaways to score!
Where: Tsipura Drive, Burleigh Heads

Sports Bar, Burleigh Town Hotel (image provided)
Sports Bar, Burleigh Town Hotel (image provided)

Currumbin RSL
Southern folk flock to Currumbin RSL in droves for footy final weekends, and 2023 will be no exception. Grab your mates and get creekside to catch all the action of both finals clashes, live and loud on their colossal plasma screens.

Alternatively, there’s the very primo option to upgrade to your own exclusive GF par-tay – with a #mancave or #ladylair vibing private room (all packing 85” sweet inches, thank you very much) for you and up to 8 mates to kick back and catch all the action. Throw in some tasty extras like two beer towers and four large pizzas to keep the stamina up (this spectating business is very strenuous stuff, after all) and this sweet as $300 Sporting Den package quickly becomes a real #score.
Where: 165 Duringan Street, Currumbin

The Club at Parkwood Village
Fun fact: The Sports Bar at The Club has over 40 (that’s 4-0) HD TVs, which this is bound to speak to any sports fan…and a particularly pertinent tidbit to bear in mind when a super-charged GF weekend rolls around.

They’re also comin’ in hot with a sweet deal to get in the swing of the NRL festivities come GF day, with the chance to lay claim on your own Topgolf Swing Suite for 4 hours of finale fun for up to 12 peeps. Have a hit with your mates while you wait for kick off, then watch your team duke it out on one of the private projector screens with a $300 food and bev credit to spend as you please. Come as us!
Where: 76-122 Napper Road, Parkwood

Footy Finals Fever at Crafty's (image supplied)
Footy Finals Fever at Crafty's (image supplied)

Crafty’s Sports Bar
Footy finals, refreshments a-plenty, and darn good footy grub await at Harbour Town’s epic sports bar, Crafty’s. This place has become quite the icon on the northern GC, and is the perfect spot to perch up and catch all the edge of your seat AFL and NRL Grand Final action. If you happen to have the ankle biters in tow, no worries because kids and cool folk unite at this crowd fave.
Where: Harbour Town Premium Outlets, Brisbane Road, Biggera Waters

Southport Sharks
No matter your preferred code (and no shade if that’s AFL, we’re all allowed to be wrong sometimes), beloved Southport Sharks is welcoming the whole fam to get in on the festivities for this epic finals double-header. Don the lucky team socks and head on down – the kiddos will be delighted to discover there’s free face painting, and the 50c wings, free half-time bites and drink specials will be met with similar levels of glee for the adults.

The big game(s) will of course be broadcast live on all 5.25m2 of the Mackenzie’s Beer Garden goliath big screen, plus the slew of tactically placed big screens throughout the club.. so you couldn’t miss a minute even if you try.
Where: Corner of Musgrave and Olsen Avenue, Southport

Burleigh Bears Leagues Club
If you can’t make it to the actual finals, don’t fret as Burleigh Bears Leagues Club is known as the ultimate destination for every sporting event #TrueStory. Whether you catch the games in the Lounge or Sports Bar, sit back, relax and pair the good times with a couple of cold ones. With friendly staff at every turn, you can see why this one is a finals venue of choice.
Where: 80 Pacific Avenue, Miami

Burleigh Bears Leagues Club | LinkedInBurleigh Bears Leagues Club (image supplied)
Burleigh Bears Leagues Club | LinkedInBurleigh Bears Leagues Club (image supplied)

The Coolangatta Hotel
Are you ready to watch the finals Cooly Hotel style (translation; with the trifecta of vibes, authentic footy eats and of course, booze)? Opting to cheer on our team at the Southern GC’s go-to entertainment HQ is akin to leaving a sideline conversion in JT’s hands aka, a sure thing.

This year they’re busting out the ultimate game-day duo: beer and chicken wings. With an incredible special going during the first half of ANY footy final matches, so y’know, a sneaky little pre-GF practice run could be on the cards. Good times incoming!
Where: The Strand, Marine Parade, Coolangatta

The Sporting Globe Bar & Grill
Boasting over 50 screens, we challenge you to miss a moment of the action #MissionImpossible. There’s free entry for general viewing, but why not totally level up your #gameday and book you and the crew a VIP booth for either (or both!) finals?

There’s also a $129pp VIP package including share wings and a selection of beer, house wine or soft drink, as well as a burger, bowl, wrap, or parma of your choosing – and obviously we’ll take the parma, pls and ty! (some conditions apply). Umm, sign us up!
Where: The Promenade, Robina Town CentreRobina

The Sporting Globe (Image: © 2019 Inside Gold Coast)
The Sporting Globe (Image: © 2019 Inside Gold Coast)

The Star Gold Coast
Just try to stop The Star from putting on a massive weekend of footy finals fun, our fave recreation destination does this stuff with their eyes closed. Catch every bounce, tackle, try and goal on the on the mega screens from the electric atmosphere of the Sports Bar, or for some unbeatable alfresco vibes, Live on The Lawn. And as if a back-to-back weekend of footy fever isn’t entertainment enough, there’s also the chance to meet legends of the game face-to-face and hearing their thoughts throughout the match, so yeah, we’re about to be very Star struck indeed.

Word has it that the hardcore footy fans should guarantee themselves a prime possy to perch up at by booking one of The Lawn at Garden Kitchen & Bar picnic tables. Oh, and it would also be a #rookieerror to not tackle one of those delish footy burg specials while you’re at it.
Where: 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach

Words by Kellie Leader.

Sports Bar, The Star Gold Coast (image supplied)
Sports Bar, The Star Gold Coast (image supplied)

The Star Gold Coast’s unrivalled new Sports Bar

Sports lovers and fans of comfy chairs and views for days get excited, The Star Gold Coast’s new Sports Bar is set to open tomorrow (Thursday the 8th) and it will be THE place to be to watch ALL the sports (because it’s a sports bar, yes).

Particularly if you’re into super-sized LED screens and lots of mini screens perfectly placed to ensure you don’t miss any of the sporting action.

The Sports Bar is The Star’s tenth venue and things are certainly getting fancy in there folks. With floor to ceiling windows showcasing 180-degree views of the city and beach beyond, a plant-filled outdoor area (with heaters for winter) and specialised private booths, it’s unlike any sports bar you’ve ever seen before.

Greys, navy and burnt orange make up the colour palette giving the indoor space a contemporary feel while the deck is all nautical blues and whites to enhance the salty ocean vibes wafting across the highway.

The 10 metre wide mega screen has the magical ability to broadcast multiple events on one screen at the same time and there are 22 additional screen so maybe say goodbye to your husbands ladies.

Three private, VIP booths are available front and centre offering exclusive viewing positions and ice buckets built into the tables so there’s no actual need to ever leave.

If you haven’t nabbed any tickets to the upcoming Commonwealth Games, Sports Bar will be the best place to catch all the action outside the venues themselves.

As it is a bar purely created for sport watching, beer and wine are the beverages of choice. If you’re in the mood for a cocktail, walk a little to your left and check out the delightful selection at Cherry.

With The Darling set to open in a few short weeks, including the extremely fancy Nineteen at The Star rooftop bar, our casino is rapidly morphing into THE place to be.

Go them.

LOCATION: The Star Gold Coast, Casino Drive, Broadbeach
HOURS: Always open

Words and photos by Kirra Smith

8 of the best Sports Bars on the Coast

The Star Sports Bar (image supplied)
The Star Sports Bar (image supplied)

Picture the scene: it’s your team’s game night, and you and your crew are more than keen to catch the action in a location with full coverage, the coldest of beers, and a sprinkling of outstanding food options. Anything less would be a colossal failure, right? Seeking down such establishments that are solely devoted to delivering these things is not always the most straightforward task. But at the same time, neither is it impossible! Luckily for you, we’ve done our homework and compiled a list of the best sports bars on the Gold Coast to enjoy the action while adequately showing your support for your team. Shouting at screens may or may not be included.

The Star Sports Bar
Many would say this place is in pole position as the Gold Coast’s premier sports bar venue, and we think that’s rightly deserved. If the 23 large screens, private (pre-bookable) booths and a gigantic 10.5-metre screen aren’t impressive enough, you should be swayed by the coldest beer around and a multitude of nearby food outlets for you to fuel up pre-game or celebrate your team’s victory.
Where: The Star Gold Coast, Main Gaming Floor, 1 Casino Drive, Broadbeach

Crafty’s Sports Bar
Aptly positioned at the northern Gold Coast’s prime shopping outlet Harbour Town, Crafty’s gives you the option of mixing shopping with seeing whatever sporting event you might be into. Or, if it’s better suited, the chance for you or your partner to do so whilst the other takes their time with over 200 stores. Make plans to grab some essentials and then settle in with some fantastic food and craft beers. Score!
Where: Harbour Town Eats – 147/189 Brisbane Road, Biggera Waters

Crafty's Sport Bar (Image: © 2018 Inside Gold Coast)
Crafty's Sport Bar (Image: © 2018 Inside Gold Coast)

The Sporting Globe Bar and Grill
Part of a sizeable chain of sporting bars across the country, these guys certainly know how to look after sporting fans. Apart from expansive coverage of all the action, there are food specials every day of the week, and if you’re seeing the Gold Coast Titans game at the Cbus Stadium, come in beforehand for a drink, and these guys will even take you there and back. How good is that?
Where: Robina Town Centre, 19 Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina

Burleigh Town Hotel
This one is a real showstopper, boasting a zhuzhed up modern bistro and the sports bar to end all sports bars. The newly renovated Burleigh Town Hotel is the ideal destination to catch all of the sports action. Featuring a state-of-the-art 11-metre mega screen… It’s the biggest pub screen in the southern hemisphere and if you think that’s impressive, have a go of the suspended cylinder screen promising perfect viewing from every vantage point #jawdrop.
Where: Tsipura Drive, Burleigh Heads

Sports Bar, Burleigh Town Hotel (image provided)
Sports Bar, Burleigh Town Hotel (image provided)

The Avenue
This hotspot is more renowned as the place you head to take the night up a gear with vibrant music, entertainment, and drinks specials. And that’s a fair comment. However, should you want a great place to catch the next big fight with eating options and the ever so easy decision of sticking around and partying till the small hours, it’s a slam dunk!
Where: 3-15 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise

Coolangatta Hotel
On the southern end of the Coast, The Coolangatta Hotel is the prime location to catch any sporting activities and be assured of a buoyant and passionate atmosphere. Pair it with a splash and lounge on one of Coolangatta’s famous golden beaches, and then be sure to stick around for the post-game live music, and you are onto a hole in one.
Where: Marine Parade, Coolangatta

Fat Freddy's (Image: © 2019 Inside Gold Coast)
Fat Freddy's (Image: © 2019 Inside Gold Coast)

Fat Freddy’s
How does an American-style sports bar with a Gold Coast twist sound? Too good to be true, right? Wrong. Because you need to look no further than Fat Freddy’s on Broadbeach’s Surf Parade. Grab a highchair at the bar and enjoy unhampered views of seven screens overhead as bartenders look after you with libations galore and a polished bar snacks menu which should make getting up to leave your seat an arduous feat if you ask us!
Where: 50 Surf Parade, Broadbeach

Ashmore Tavern
If you’ve driven past the good ‘ole Ashmore Tavern recently, you’ll have noticed it’s looking anything but ‘ole these days. Undergoing an extreme makeover, we’re not just talking a lick of paint and a few trusty Kmart prints, but an epic $5 million reno sporting some serious a la mode flex. There are sleek new indoor and outdoor dining spaces and a large sports bar with an adjoining balcony. With big screens showing sports daily you’ll never miss a moment of the biggest sporting events at the Sports Bar.
Where: 161 Cotlew Street, Ashmore

Words by Alex Mitcheson & Belinda Symons.

Ashmore Tavern Sports Bar (image supplied)
Ashmore Tavern Sports Bar (image supplied)

Sip and learn at Black Hops’s new brewery tour

Over the last couple of years, the Gold Coast has become known as a (very pretty) city to watch in terms of our arts, culture and dining scenes. Which makes sense because as we all know, there are a lot of good things happening.

One of the most impressive (and exciting), are the local breweries that have opened and are now sending their goods across the country to be sipped and adored, as they deserve.

Black Hops Brewing is one of those local breweries and theirs is a success story that is not only extremely interesting but also makes you feel as though you too can do something absolutely epic with your life and make lots of people happy in the process.

Black Hops came about in 2014 when three Gold Coast mates decided they wanted to start brewing craft beer and so they set about to do exactly that.

Fast forward six years, Dan Norris, Eddie Oldfield and Michael ‘Govs’ McGovern are now the proud owners of a brewery and bar in Burleigh Heads and another much larger version in Biggera Waters that opened in 2019.

Which brings us to the point of this quite long tale.

You may now treat yourself to a tour of Black Hops second brewery, learning all about how the business came about while also drinking a very generous amount of the boys’ tasty brews.

The tour begins with a sample of Black Hops very first brew, Eggnog Stout, while hearing about how the lads created it and the process of upscaling to be where they are today.

The rest of the tour is made up of following the route the beer itself takes and learning about everything from the recipe (not the technical term) to the very end, at the packaging machine (again not the technical term).

Along the way, you get to sample many a Black Hops brew and once you’ve learned all the things, you can head to the bar to taste any sips you didn’t get to try along the way.

Our favourite is the Pink Mist which is a Raspberry Saison and the epitome of a girl beer if ever there was one, but it’s very delicious and refreshing and we love it a lot.

So if you enjoy learning about how local businesses became a big deal, while sampling the goodness that made them become a big deal, a Black Hops Brewery tour is the answer.

It’s only $50 per person (BARGAIN) and the perfect way to spend a few hours on a Saturday.

So gather the crew and get involved, it’s a very good time.

LOCATION: 14 / 665 Pine Ridge Road, Biggera Waters

Words and photos by Kirra Smith

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