Athletes Julian Wilson, Tino Fa‘asuamaleaui, Eric Hipwood and Ryan Williams are some of the top athletes earning big money.
The Sunshine Coast has been a breeding ground for rising stars over the years with many now living their dreams and earning some hefty coin while they do it. SEE THE BIG EARNERS.
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The Sunshine Coast has been a proud stepping stone for a number of talented athletes aiming to make it to the elite level from a young age.
With so many top tier athletes making it to the top, there’s a good reason behind how much their earning each year.
We’ve taken a look at some of the top Sunshine Coast superstars who are bringing home the most bacon.
Eric Hipwood – $2m
The 24-year-old debuted for the Brisbane Lions in the AFL in 2016 and has gone on to play 110 games since.
The Caloundra Panthers product signed a long-term three-year contract extension with the club in 2019, estimated to be worth around $2 million.
It locked the 203cm forward in until the end of 2023.
Julian Wilson – $2m plus
Coolum product Julian Wilson has been a regular on the World Surf League’s Championship Tour for the past decade.
He even donned the green and gold this year as surfing debuted on the Olympic stage in Tokyo.
The five-time event winner announced he was taking an “indefinite break” from the WSL after the Olympics.
Stab Magazine reported Wilson’s earnings, including endorsements and prize money, as $2.84m in 2018.
He finished runner-up on the tour that year, with $430,000 in prizemoney.
He earned $164,000 purely in prizemoney in 2019 before Covid-19 impacted the 2020 season.
Red Bull, Mercedes and Oakley are some of his main sponsors.
The surfing superstar was caught up in a contractual dispute, worth $1.5m, with long-time sponsor Hurley last year.
Ryan Williams aka R-Willy – $1m plus
The 27-year-old is a renowned action sport star, hitting big jumps and pulling big tricks in both BMX and Scooter.
R-Willy was the first rider to win three straight X Games BMX Big Air contests with gold medals at Minneapolis 2019, Shanghai 2019 and Sydney 2018.
He’s also a member of Nitro Circus.
In 2016, the Courier Mail reported Williams had signed a $1m contract with Nitro Circus Live to tour the world for the three years.
He recently built a private action sports compound at his property on the Coast with his own ramps and airbags.
Earnings outside of the sport are unknown but the talented rider has 1.6 million subscribers on YouTube with more than 249 million views on his videos.
Tino Fa‘asuamaleaui – $2m
The 21-year-old premiership winning prop inked a $2m deal in December 2019, announcing his acquisition as a three-year contract from 2021 to the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL.
The former Gympie Devils and Sunshine Coast Falcons product has been a standout forward in the competition representing Queensland six times.
The damaging ball runner has a player option for the 2023 season and reportedly earns $700,000 per year.
Reed Mahoney – $550,000
The current Parramatta Eels player is contracted with the club until 2022 and reportedly earning $550,000 per year.
The Kawana Dolphins junior debuted for the Eels in 2018 and was selected in the Queensland Maroons origin squad before being ruled out with injury.
The 23-year-old, born in Nambour and averaged 44.9 tackles in 17 games this season before being ruled out indefinitely with a shoulder injury.
Moses Mbye – $800,000
The 28-year-old has played 138 NRL games, debuting for the Bulldogs in 2014 before leaving Canterbury four years later.
The former Noosa Pirates Junior reportedly earns $800,000 per year but has recently signed on with the St. George Illawarra Dragons for the 2022 season.
Mbye played a starring role in Queensland Game 1 victory in 2019 State of Origin series and has played a further two origin matches since.
Kaylee McKeown – $70,000
Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown struck gold both in and out of the pool at this year’s Tokyo Olympic Games bringing home three golds, a bronze and $70,000 in prize money.
The 20-year-old was able to take out the 100m and 200m backstroke as well as the 4x100m medley events in what was her first ever Olympic Games.
Jett Lawrence – $1m plus
The 18-year-old Sunshine Coast star became the first Australian to win the American Motorcycle Association Pro Motocross 250MX championship this year.
His brother, Hunter, finished third.
Along with prize money winnings, the Landsborough product is rumoured to be earning north of $1m a year according to PulpMX thanks to lucrative new deals with Honda Racing and Red Bull.
Isabella Nichols – $118,000 plus
The Coolum product enjoyed a solid rookie season on the World Surf League’s Championship Tour, finishing eighth.
In prize money alone, the 24-year-old earned $118,000 this year.
She has plenty of sponsors including Billabong and DHD Surf.
She was also Blake Lively’s stunt double for the movie The Shallows, which came out in 2016.
Tate McDermott
Although the overall figure is unknown it‘s fair to assume that Wallabies and Queensland Reds scrum-half is earning his fair share of elite athlete level money.
The 23-year-old former Sunshine Coast Grammar student made his starting debut for the Wallabies on July 17 this year after taking out the Australian Rugby Championship with the Reds.
McDermott started his rugby career through the Australian 7s side before making the permanent switch to the 15 a side game in 2018.
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