Gold Coast company aims for stars at Pimpama

THE Gold Coast’s northern frontier is turning its focus to the final frontier as a pair of entrepreneurs plan to build rockets in the city and aim for the stars.

Adam Gilmour at the Gilmour Space Technologies space academy. The centre have various command and space craft displays. Picture: Scott Fletcher

THE Gold Coast’s northern frontier is turning its focus to the final frontier as a pair of entrepreneurs plan to build rockets and aim for the stars.

The region’s first space museum and academy is set to open later this year near the old Pimpama Strawberry Farm site but its operators are already building their own rockets, with plans to send a Gold Coast-made missile soaring to suborbital heights.

And leading business figures, including Central Chamber of Commerce president Peter Yared say more innovative ventures which merge tourism with research and development like it are needed for the city.

The plan has been put forward by the Gilmour Space Corporation and Gilmour Space Technologies which hope to begin operating the museum out of a neighbouring building while it plans a $5 million facility.

Adam Gilmour at the Gilmour Space Technologies space academy. The centre have various command and space craft displays. Picture: Scott Fletcher

Exhibits are already in place and company director Adam Gilmour said he had high hopes for educating and entertaining people about exploration beyond Earth.

“The plan is to use the existing building to get the students in and see the space academy and we have already had a few groups in and they have come away positive,” he said.

“We have a separate company that makes rockets and we are currently designing suborbital and orbital rockets which would be built at a Yatala factory which works in the industry.

“Our goal is to open the academy at the Strawberry Farm and then move the rocket production to the existing building.

Adam Gilmour at the Gilmour Space Technologies space academy. The centre have various command and space craft displays. Picture: Scott Fletcher

“To be able to see space exhibits and then cross to road to see rockets being made is something you cannot do anywhere else in the world.”

Initial rockets, expected to be around three metres tall and 16cm wide would be able to gain an altitude of up to 8km while future models could reach up to 100km — a suborbital flight.

Any launches would occur from already approved locations operated by existing amateur rocket clubs, though none are expected to be on the Gold Coast.

Mr Yared said the Gilmour projects were the kind of business the Gold Coast needed to expand its economy.

“Anything that creates more business and brings new industries to the Gold Coast is something I can get behind,” he said.

Adam Gilmour at the Gilmour Space Technologies space academy. The centre have various command and space craft displays. Picture: Scott Fletcher

“We need to secure investment from these industries which have not previously been tapped into by the Gold Coast and look at the financial benefits they could have for the city.”

The Gold Coast City Council last year approved the tourist facility.

A new application lodged early this month would allow it to begin showing off its exhibits which include simulators and replica command modules in the existing building.

Once ticked off by the council, the museum will begin taking tours and officially open for business.

Area councillor and Deputy Mayor Donna Gates said the new application would be assessed.

“The application is to allow for the shed to be used as the initial base of operations but council officers will have to go through it and see what can be done,” she said.

The major project planned for the Strawberry Farm site is expected to cost $5 million.

They had originally planned to take their business to Singapore but decided to instead invest in the Gold Coast.

The Gilmour companies bought the Strawberry Farm site in 2014 for more than $1.9 million.

It comes after the Palaszczuk Government this week unveiled a $40 million Industry Attraction Fund as part of the state budget in a bid to boost advanced manufacturing, defence, aerospace and mining equipment industries.

Gold Coast Combined Chamber of Commerce president Martin Brady said the city’s north had the potential to become a major area of innovative new businesses.

“There is an opportunity at the top end and we are already seeing marine industry business which look at the technological side looking to open their doors,” he said.