Connecting Southern Gold Coast Ltd (CSGC) is encouraging creative industry participants, businesses and community to join with it to explore the possibility of Currumbin Waters Industrial Estate becoming a hub for creative industries and artisans.
Mr Jim Wilson, General Manager of CSGC said, “Our aim is to engage with the community to see what new industries we can encourage to develop in this area. This would boost the local economy with potential new investment and job creation and new products and skills. This would have a real flow-on benefit to other businesses in the Southern Gold Coast region. We see creative industries as having real potential, as the creative industry sector in Qld contributes $3.4billion to the economy, annually.”
Given the current economic climate, Currumbin Waters Industrial Estate, like many others, has its share of empty buildings.
“CSGC is looking to locate innovators, designers, thinkers and leaders who want to identify opportunities that can be created by changes to historical thinking about Industrial Estates,” Mr Wilson said.
Mr Wilson went on to say, “We want to talk with people from divergent backgrounds who have a passion for cross-pollinating ideas for projects that can be given effect to in Currumbin Waters Industrial Estate. Einstein was reported to have said that ‘imagination is more important than knowledge’, and ‘imagination’ is what we are looking to tap into.”
“CSGC will support the initiative by calling a meeting of interested parties with the objective of identifying the types of projects that can employ artists and artisans, benefit business and employment, and fully engage the community. The key element to the success of this idea is community collaboration, vision and leadership.” Mr Wilson said.
Historically, there has been a strong creative industry in the Currumbin Waters Industrial Estate precinct. Much of the original fashion design and screen printing has moved away, for whatever reason and the plan is to engage with the wider community on ideas to see if this can be replaced, over time.
Mr Wilson went on to say “We have appointed Thrive, a Currumbin-based business with creative industries expertise, to assist us with arranging meetings and garnering ideas from the community. Anyone who is interested in expressing their ideas is welcome to do so by contacting Audra Hosking of Thrive on 0468815871 or at [email protected]“.