Suns coach Damien Hardwick took centre stage at a Colliers event on the Gold Coast

Away from the field three-time AFL premier coach Damien Hardwick – who is set to take the Suns to their first finals series this year – also has another passion – property.

Damien Hardwick and Simon Beirne at Colliers Gold Coast office.

Gold Coast Suns coach Damien Hardwick took centre stage at a Colliers event on the tourist strip this week which attracted more than 100 business leaders who explored the future of the region’s thriving property market.

With the Suns currently in third place on the ladder and seemingly finals bound for the first time, the three-time premiership coach took part in a keynote conversation with Colliers Queensland chief executive Simon Beirne.

The pair discussed leadership, building high-performance cultures, embracing change, and Hardwick’s move from Melbourne up north to the Gold Coast - where property records show he’s purchased his own slice of Burleigh with partner Alexandra Crow.

Damien Hardwick at the Colliers Gold Coast office.

Later, a panel of experts took the stage to dive deeper into what’s next for the region’s property market. Among them were Colliers Gold Coast boss Steven King and former Tasmanian premier — and current chair of Invest Gold Coast – Will Hodgman.

The consensus? I’m told the future is looking bright for the Gold Coast property market.

Lux jewellery

Brisbane-based high-end jewellery designer Margot McKinney has a fan – Dame Helen Mirren.

Her spectacular Marina collier was showcased overnight at the prestigious 2025 Cannes Film Festival by Mirren, who walked the red carpet for the premiere of the film Colours of Time.

The collier features over 400 carats of gemstones at its heart, including a 241.14 carat sea foam aquamarine, a 109.48 carat green beryl, and a 65.72 carat aquamarine. These are set amid an array of precious stones such as green tourmalines, sapphires, diamonds, Paraiba tourmalines, and tsavorites, all united by 18-carat yellow gold.

The piece is further enhanced by a double strand of 24 rare Australian South Sea baroque pearls measuring 17-22mm, while a single, particularly large example measuring 26 x

30mm is placed at the focal point beneath the hero aquamarine.

We’re told that McKinney’s design was inspired by the play of light on the shallows of the Great Barrier Reef.

Dame Helen Mirren on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival with her spectacular Marina collier.

Breakfast

London founded and Queensland APAC headquartered generative AI company AutogenAI is hosting an intimate breakfast with the Minister for Finance, Trade and Employment and Training Ros Bates and Training British Counsel General For Trade and Investment Richard Cowin at the W in Brisbane on Friday.

The panel including News Corp’s Laura Maxwell, University of Queenslands’s Tom Court, Robyn Saranah Exec General Manager Australia & New Zealand Good Shepherd and Christopher Dale from MEGT.

Our spies tell us there weer about 30 people there and they explored the impact of the AI revolution and the strong trade and business connections between Queensland and the UK in a world coping with the Trump tsunami.

Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates speaks during question time in Queensland parliament.

Conference

The 2025 Noosa Mining Investor Conference is two months away but Equity Events boss and conference convener Phil Dickinson is champing at the bit.

Dickinsion (illustrated) says the conference is shaping up to be their biggest and best yet.

The 2025 event will be held at Peppers Noosa Resort from July 23 to 25 and will feature 70 ASX listed companies in a powerhouse line-up.

He says there will be 10 companies boasting market caps over $500m with five in the Noosa Blues session on Day 2 surpassing the $1bn mark.

They include Catalyst Metals, Pantoro, Predictive Discovery, Ramelius Resources, Regis Resources, Southern Cross Gold and Westgold Resources.

Originally published as Suns coach Damien Hardwick took centre stage at a Colliers event on the Gold Coast