Whole town flies to the Gold Coast for free trip from Waratah, Tasmania

Residents from the coldest town in Australia were given an ultimatum this morning — stay and brave the bitter cold, or board an immediate plane to the Gold Coast. Here’s what happened next.

Sunrise weather man Sam Mac announces to Waratah residents they will all be flying to the Gold Coast on an all expenses paid trip. Picture: Chris Kidd.

IT is nearly lunchtime and the temperature in the small town of Waratah, in the northwest of Tasmania, has just crawled over 7C.

The cold is biting and drizzling rain has painted the small town a dreary grey.

Snow at Waratah. Picture: Cobi Landry

Waratah is one of the coldest and wettest places in Australia, notching up an average winter temperature of just 4.9C.

This morning the entire town — with a population of 227 in the last census — were offered the chance to drop everything for an all expenses paid weekend on the sunny Gold Coast.

Waratah residents are told they've just won an all expenses paid trip to the Gold Coast. Picture: AccorHotels

Hotel chain AccorHotels announced to the shocked residents they had chartered a private flight to take families straight to the airport for a “wintervention”.

Cheers went up as the crowd was told everyone would be going, provided they could drop everything and go immediately.

.@MrSamMac just surprised residents in one of Australia's coldest towns with an @AccorHotels wintervention to the Gold Coast! pic.twitter.com/Z84pYcu2zx

— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) May 30, 2019

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The plane packed with thrilled Tasmanians was en route to Coolangatta Airport by midday on Friday.

Accor’s Bridie Commerford said the “bold” stunt would deliver memories of a lifetime for the families.

Forget the rain, come to the Gold Coast instead. Picture: AccorHotels

“We’re inviting one of Australia’s coldest towns to one of its sunniest cities for a weekend Wintervention to break the winter routine,” she said.

“From sport to shopping, bars to beaches, we have it all.

Waratah resident Natalie Deacon, 14, boards a bus for the airport Gold Coast bound. Picture: Chris Kidd.

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“They’ll soak up the warmth and enjoy some fantastic activities on the Gold Coast, staying at Novotel Surfers Paradise.”

The families will be treated to a range of dinners and attractions as they bask in the 22C heat, before flying home to chilly Tasmania on Sunday.