LOCAL STORIES &
PEOPLE OF THE GOLD COASTGenerally speaking the people who live on the
Gold Coast are very relaxed and friendly. It is as though the great
climate with plenty of sunshine has permeated into the very core of the
people who live here.
 Where
else in the world can you find beautiful gold bikini clad girls,
[Meter
Maids], who will top up your parking meter so that you won't get a
parking fine? Introduced by local businessman Bernie Elsey in 1965, the
Meter Maids are still walking their beat around Surfers Paradise
streets in 2009.
In the 60's they used to insert
sixpence
into the parking meters. Nowadays they have to insert 20cents and are
as popular with tourists and locals as they ever were.
The
money they use to pay your expired parking meter is supplied by local
business people and magazines.
Over
the years the role of the Meter Maid has grown to be a mobile
information source and an ambassador for tourism on the Gold Coast
streets.
In 1987 the Mayor, Sir Bruce Small went on a
promotional
campaign with the Meter Maids, after a destructive cyclone had hit the
coast.
The campaign was a great success and is reputed
to be
the
most successful Public Relations campaign for the Gold Coast to this
day.
So when you want some local information on
the Gold Coast, ask a Meter Maid.
 The
Surf Lifesaver An Australian Icon.
Usually
Volunteering two days a week
these
heroes of the beaches on the Gold Coast keep close watch on our safety
in the water. Trained to rescue and resuscitate they keep a close watch
on people swimming between the yellow flags on beaches of the Gold
Coast.
They are also great ambassadors for
Australia as keen competitors at surfing events.
The
pinnacle of surf life saving competition is the LightIce Australian
Surf Life Saving Championships. Held over four days on the Gold Coast
in Queensland, the championships attract more than 7,500 competitors
ranging from veteran greats of the surf to young champions in the
making, as well as established stars like Olympic kayaking gold
medallist Clint Robinson.
An embodiment of
Aussie mate-ship, Surf lifesavers have become an Australian icon.
A
democratic community which accepts anybody over the age of 18 who has
qualified the training criterea into their ranks.
These
men and woman often put their own lives at risk to accomplish a rescue.
Please
make their job a little easier by heeding their
warnings and only swim between the safety flags.
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