Bernard Tomic, Jackson O’Doherty, Shammi: Gold Coast’s wildest party boys and their crazy exploits
From raging parties, to public controversies and brushes with the law – meet the athletes, Instagrammers and celebs considered the Glitter Strip’s biggest party animals.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Glitter Strip is known for its wild nights, raucous parties and raging night-life.
At the centre of the Coast’s glamorous party scene are several key figures – from athletes at the top of their game, to Instagrammers and internet celebrities.
Here are the Gold Coast’s biggest party boys and their wild exploits.
Bernard Tomic
Resurgent tennis star Bernard Tomic has faced a slew of public controversies since way back on Australia Day 2012 when he was fined three times for traffic infringements while driving his orange V8 BMW M3 on the Gold Coast.
Whether it was saying some outrageous incendiary things like he was busy “counting my millions” to a very public row with Lleyton Hewitt (Tomic has since apologised and hopes to break the ice again) to a lack of commitment, Tomic has often made headlines for the wrong reasons.
In 2015, the former world number 17 and a Wimbledon quarterfinalist at age 18 was arrested on trespassing and resisting arrest charges after noise complaints about a late-night party in a hotel penthouse in the United States. The charges were dropped.
But things appear to be on the turnaround for the former bad boy of tennis. A seemingly more mature version at 29, he been focusing more on sweating it out training these past few months and claims to have ditched his party boy ways.
In an exclusive interview with the Bulletin in December, Tomic revealed he was planning a tennis comeback, admitting it was his last chance to salvage his career, with four to five years left.
The man who infamously declared he was “a bit bored out there” during a first-round Wimbledon exit in 2019, now admits of the distractions outside of tennis: “I’m kind of bored of that too now to be honest.
“I’m feeling good. I’m going to try and turn this around and give myself the best chance in the next couple of years,” he said.
“I’ve got one more chance at this. I’ll try and do it for myself.”
Shammi Prasad
Last year the Australian online pranking sensation – who infamously turned off the Melbourne Cup mid-race in a packed pub – was forced to shut his own Gold Coast bar.
Memory Lane – launched in January 2021 by Shammi Prasad and his brothers in Broadbeach – announced its closure on Instagram saying it had gone “further than our control now”.
The controversial opening received mixed reviews with their fans loving it but a local resident questioning how the council could have approved such a venue for the restaurant strip.
A large crowd flocked to the bar to enjoying DJ sets, table top dancing and guest appearances by miniature horses, all shown on Memory Lane’s Instagram story that night.
The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulations (OLGR) confirmed to the Bulletin it had finalised an investigation since into the operations of The Vivid Lounge (trading as Memory Lane).
“Due to the confidentiality provisions of the Liquor Act 1992 (the Act), OLGR is not able to provide specific information about the investigation and its associated outcomes as they are not a matter of public record as happens, for example, when a matter is heard in court,” the OLGR spokesperson said.
“When issues of noncompliance are identified at a licensed venue generally, and where appropriate, OLGR will take an educative approach and support the licensee of a venue to meet the requirements of their licence and obligations under the Act.”
Jackson O’Doherty
A YouTube prankster turned adult content creator has thrown some legendary parties at his Gold Coast home, dubbed ‘Playboy Mansion 2.0’.
Jackson O’Doherty, 27, hosted Australia’s ‘wildest New Year’s Eve’ party last year, where guests were ‘greeted by dwarfs’, entertained by acrobats and given free tattoos.
The glamorous property on a 4232sq m block has a unique eight-sided floor plan and was sold fully furnished with designer pieces.
The resort-style grounds have a 47m tiled swimming pool with an entertaining pavilion and granite bar, while a footbridge leads to another pavilion with an outdoor kitchen.
Reece Walsh
NRL star Reece Walsh was placed on a good behaviour bond and fined after pleading guilty to possessing cocaine and contravening a police move-on direction after a wild night out on the Gold Coast.
The 19-year-old New Zealand Warriors sensation was arrested in the Surfers Paradise nightclub precinct on September 26 after allegedly disobeying a police direction to move on.
Southport Magistrates Court heard Walsh swore at police and acted in a disorderly manner, arguing and pushing his friends away as they tried to escort him home.
Officers found a small quantity of cocaine on Walsh after taking him back to Surfers Paradise police station.
A tearful Walsh admitted to the conduct at a media conference the following day.
“No one else is involved in this. This is solely on me. I should never have done it. It’s a mistake that I’ve made, and I’m aware of that. I’m remorseful and should never have done it,” Walsh said.
“I just want to say sorry to the sponsors, the fans, the Warriors.”
Walsh was fined $400 for the drug possession and placed on a $500 good behaviour bond.
No conviction was recorded.
Joshua Bell
An ex-police officer was filmed saying “oh f***, holy shit it burns” after snorting cocaine during a party at a penthouse suite in The Star Gold Coast’s Darling Hotel on June 27 last year.
The former Rapid Action Patrol police officer pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrate Court in June last year to possessing a dangerous drug and possessing a utensil related to a drug offence.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Lewis Butterfield told the court police from the Ethical Standards Command had begun investigating allegations against Bell when he was employed as Senior Constable with the Rapid Action Patrol on the Gold Coast.
“Intelligence provided was that Bell was regularly using cocaine,” Sen Const Butterfield said. Bell resigned from the police force in late 2019 – more than six months before the party at the Darling Hotel. He continued to receive long service leave payments into early 2020.
Sen Const Butterfield said police placed audio and video surveillance devices in the hotel room prior to the party.
The surveillance captured Bell cutting up cocaine on a plate in the kitchen.
After snorting a line, Bell said “oh f***, holy shit, it burns”.
He was seen consuming cocaine on multiple occasions including snorting cocaine from an adult entertainer’s buttocks.
Defence lawyer Jarrod Bell, of Bell Dore Lawyers, said his client was “extremely remorseful and quite embarrassed” about the party.
“It’s a night out with friends which ultimately got out of hand,” he said.
Bell has no criminal history.
Magistrate Joan White – who placed Bell on a $300 good behaviour bond for three months and recorded no conviction – said she accepted Bell was “in a bad place” and did something “very stupid”.
The Candyman aka Travers Beynon
He rose to fame for his internet exploits showing off his wealth, extravagant lifestyle and the many women that are a part of his life.
Travers Beynon was a talented Aussie Rules player in his youth before taking up modelling when his football career came to an end due to an injury. He now oversees an extensive property portfolio and a tobacconist shops empire.
He is now known as “The Candyman” and posts pictures and videos across internet platforms displaying his wild parties and living with multiple women.
Two neighbours living near Mr Beynon’s mansion in Helensvale put their homes up for sale last year.
Troy Kenneth Williams
The man known as Candyman 2.0 claims he was “encouraged by hundreds of cheering people” when he did a burnout in a public car park at a Gold Coast car show.
Troy Kenneth Williams, who styles himself on Instagram as Troy Candy, was fined $2000 for the burnout when he faced Southport Magistrates Court in June last year.
No conviction was recorded. He will keep his licence.
He had pleaded guilty to making unnecessary noise and smoke and driving without due care and attention.
Prosecutor Donn Reid said Williams was at a car show held by Black Diamond Tinting on Siganto Rd, Helensvale on November 10, 2019.
He said a crowd of about 50 people were around his Holden Commodore in the car park when Williams began to spin his wheels, causing smoke and the tyres to screech.
Williams then moved slowly forward for a short distance before doing another burnout, leaving tyre marks for about 40m.
The 31-year-old was not arrested until early 2020 after he relocated from Melbourne to the Gold Coast.
Defence lawyer Blake Fraser, of Fraser Lawyers, said Williams performed the burnout after others had done the same thing.
“He was encouraged by hundreds of cheering people to do the same thing,” he said.
“He accepts the smoke caused a disturbance to other road users.”
Brayden Crossley
Former Gold Coast Suns ruckman Brayden Crossley found himself in strife when he was cast out of the AFL due to a drug ban.
Crossley tested positive in a match-day urine test to a cocaine metabolite before the May 25 NEAFL game against Sydney in 2019 and was delisted by the Gold Coast Suns at the end of that year.
He staunchly denied he deliberately using cocaine and went on to accept a 12-month suspension for an unintentional anti-doping violation.
Under then ASADA rules, testing positive for cocaine during a season was graded as performance-enhancing.
He returned to training in mid-2020 and played for Palm Beach Currumbin in the QAFL and has since become one of the most respected leaders with Victorian Football League club Southport Sharks, with many at the club crediting Crossley for its elite culture.
More Coverage
Police respond to protest on Gold Coast M1
Protesters have taken to an overpass on the Gold Coast M1 hanging banners and forcing police to respond. Read the latest.
The rizz of Dutton: Why Miles isn’t fazed by Albo’s no-show
Steven Miles says he doesn’t need Anthony Albanese on the campaign trail like David Crisafulli needs “Peter Dutton’s rizz to rub off on him”.