Kirrasurf Apartments
Lloyd and Jackie Collingwood are the managers of Coolangatta’s newest luxury holiday resort, Kirrasurf Apartments. After going into negotiations to purchase the property’s management rights off the plan in 2007, the Collingwoods secured their dream a few months later and hit the ground running in early 2008.
In the past year, Lloyd and Jackie have been busy marketing the property far and wide with industry operators in both Australia and New Zealand such as Sunlover and Infinity in Australia and Go Holidays in NZ, who are enthusiastic to include Kirrasurf Apartments in their portfolio of resorts. They have also been doing what they do best, customer service.
Lloyd and Jackie believe that their most important function is the way they treat their guests and their major emphasis is on customer service and looking after people well. They are passionate about this including great attention to detail.
Before getting into management rights, both Lloyd and Jackie worked within the realms of the customer service industry. Lloyd – after 10 years as state sales manager for a large clothing company – started up his own chain of retail fashion stores. Lloyd retained ownership of this company for 20 years, during which time it grew to five fashion outlets employing some 24 staff. Four of the stores marketed high fashion women’s apparel and the fifth was a full on unisex concept store marketing jeans and street wear apparel and accessories.
“Throughout my business career, the main area of my experience has been in sales, marketing, advertising and promotions. This included television, radio, print and database. At Kirrasurf, I manage the back room of the business – utilising these skills plus business development and liaison with owners/investors – while Jackie, who has great people skills, is the face of our customer service.”
Jackie spent 15 years working as senior cabin crew for Air New Zealand. She first applied with the airline in 1977 and her desire to make more of the job than just the in-flight service saw Jackie quickly attain the rank of senior cabin crew entailing the management of the cabin crew operation on each flight she crewed. Jackie’s other activities with the airline included representing Air New Zealand at vocational guidance seminars held at high schools for senior students; a member on the selection panel for the recruitment of new cabin crew and trainer for these personnel; she also fronted the in-house staff information video and was appointed to the standards committee for the in flight service and uniforms.
“After the airline, due mainly to growth and that she shared ownership of our fashion business, we decided that Jackie would take up the position of general manager for the day-to-day operation of the business. This involved hiring, firing, training and motivation of the employees and she also took responsibility of most of the buying while I developed our advertising, marketing and financial management of our company. During the 10 years Jackie worked in our business she also did all the voiceovers for our radio ads and became a minor celebrity having a fashion feature after the news segment at 7am every Wednesday morning for about five years.”
After the fashion business and before Kirrasurf, the Collingwoods had their first dabble in management rights with a property in Noosa. After purchasing the property in 2004, Lloyd and Jackie spent four years working with the body corporate to develop multiple aspects of both the building and grounds, culminating in what is now a very good complex.
Lloyd said, “With my business background and Jackie’s people skills, we managed to turn what was quite a run down property around, in terms of income quite substantially. Before we left, this resort had much improved returns for the owners and was a complex in which we are experiencing a desirability of ownership. The management of this resort supplied us with invaluable knowledge on all aspects of resort management. We developed a strong relationship with the travel and tourism industry and gained experience in marketing successfully via the Internet.”
Lloyd and Jackie manage Kirrasurf with the assistance of two staff members. Jackie and Rebecca run the front office and Lloyd handles the business management role with help from Ian who is responsible for body corporate cleaning and maintenance.
It was while the Collingwoods were holidaying at Kirra Beach that they came into contact with the new development.
“Right then and there we saw so much potential in Kirra. It was our goal to manage a new and high quality product and that is exactly what we discovered at Kirrasurf Apartments. We got going in earnest in December 2008.
“We have a great group of owners and investors and a lovely community spirit within the building.”
Lloyd said one of the motivators for them to purchase Kirrasurf was that they strongly believe there is a major potential for substantial growth in the Kirra area. The planned new complexes to be completed over the next two-year period will completely change the entire demographic in the vicinity.
“In the stretch between Kirrasurf Apartments and Kirra Beach Hotel (about 1km) there are a range of new developments – about five including ourselves – with apartments ranging in price from $700,000 to $5 million – we see this changing the whole income level of the area and we believe it will become a real hot spot for the Coolangatta area. In keeping with this the council have already invested in the complete rearrangement of the beach front, there is a new walkway, with new showers, barbeques and with the planned work to “return the Kirra Break” it is all very positive. All ready the area has a number of very good restaurants but in a few years we will see a multitude of more restaurants, delis and cafés established.”
Eye Catching Luxury
Standing 12 storeys tall and of a unique architectural design, Kirrasurf Apartments certainly is the most eye catching new development along the Kirra Beach strip.
Kirrasurf Apartments manager, Lloyd Collingwood said, “This is a new and exciting building absolutely striking in its architecture. A building that we, the developers and the architects, are very proud of.
Kirrasurf Apartments has been entered into an architectural award and residential building competition. With presence – located at the entrance to the famous Kirra Beach – Kirrasurf is quickly become a major landmark.”
Developed by Macquarie Bank and built by Park View, Kirrasurf Apartments offer 91 brand new apartments as well as a plethora of high quality leisure facilities.
Lloyd said, “We have a very attractive horizon edge heated pool, a decent sized gymnasium that is well equipped and a good sized sauna.”
The 91 apartments are a combination on one-, two- and three-bedroom units. Each one is stylishly appointed with European appliances, contemporary furniture, Internet access, free cable television and large private spa baths.
Lloyd said, “The apartments are all priced between $700 and $2.9 million and are of superior quality with ocean views from every apartment in the complex.”
After the property’s official opening in December 2008, it was quickly rated by AAA Tourism shortly after, attaining a high 4½ star rating.
“Kirrasurf Apartments is also home to a substantial business area on the ground floor. Iconic surf shop, Kirra Surf now owned by Billabong and restaurant, Le Monde Café Restaurant and Bar, are located within the complex.”
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