From Canada to Coolangatta
Coolangatta is a long way from Canada but it now has a very solid link, as the former home of the latest managers of Coolangatta’s Ocean Plaza Resort!
Coolangatta’s actual neighbour is Greenmount Beach and it sits at the end of Queensland’s Gold Coast. Rainbow Bay and Snapper Rocks are just around the corner but technically that is New South Wales. Visitors flock to this fantastic border town. It is a welcome change of pace from the frenetic Gold Coast, where you can take a step back from the reverberation and look towards the incredible skyline of Surfers Paradise, feeling relaxed in such a calm haven, not far from the hullabaloo.
Ocean Plaza Resort is superbly located in coveted Coolangatta, built in 1988 it is a landmark high-rise building; one of only a few Gold Coast buildings that can boast stunning ocean views from every one of its luxurious apartments. It sits across the street from Coolangatta Beach, one of the best beaches on the Gold Coast. In the heart of Coolangatta, Ocean Plaza Resort is close to an array of appealing restaurants, curious cafés and entertainment can be found at the local surf club and Twin Towns. The apartments offered here are self contained one, two and three bedroom suites.
This fantastic resort features a choice of recreational facilities including heated pool and spa, children’s wading pool, two full size tennis courts, a games room, gymnasium, golf driving nets and it has secured underground parking. This resort is perfect for a family holiday or visitors wanting to enjoy a longer stay in spacious surroundings.
Larry Seburn and Bronwyn Brown purchased the management rights here at Ocean Plaza Resort on January 16, 2013. It has been just over a year, and what a year! Larry says, “Formally a Mint resort, it has been an extremely busy year for the two of us.”
Larry Seburn, a Canadian, and Bronwyn Brown, a returning Australian citizen who, after living in Canada for over 28 years, decided to make their move to Australia three years ago. They took up their first position for a short time in Townsville as resident managers in a 48-room motel, Waters Edge Motel, before moving to the Gold Coast where they happily settled themselves at Ocean Plaza Resort.
Larry met Bronwyn in Calgary 12 years ago, Bronwyn with an extensive background as a corporate/leisure travel consultant in Calgary and hotel experience on Vancouver Island has an abundance of skills to offer the industry. Larry also has a diverse and interesting career history that has led him perfectly to managing this remarkable property, “I was an outbound tour operator for over 11 years, heads in beds and bums in seats were the goals.” He adds, “I managed the province of Alberta with two gateways, in Edmonton and in Calgary, running charters to Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Hawaii.”
Then they moved to Vancouver Island, and Larry was the general manager of a hotel and spa where he had his first experience of property management.
Then they met their current business partners. Larry explains, “They wanted to invest in a larger property with the right couple, so on January 16, 2013 we purchased the management rights from Mint Resorts.”
Within the first two weeks of them purchasing the management rights they experienced the tail end of a cyclone that struck Australian Day weekend, 20 days of rain followed and Larry says, “I sure got to know our tradies very well in a very short time!”
Larry and Bronwyn sound as though they were quite literally thrown into the deep end at Ocean Plaza Resort! Through this experience Larry realised very early on how important the relationship is between good trades people and the property manager. He says, “Good tradies, who care about your property and are honest and have integrity are to be treasured.”
During this period they were both faced with their biggest challenge, Larry adds, “The learning curve was certainly having an understanding of this complex building, as it was built in 1988, expansion joints leak, roof top fans to basement pumping systems was all new to myself on this large scale.”
A good relationship with the body corporate is also an important one and in the past 18 months Larry and Bronwyn have worked closely with their body corporate and committee to clean up the property, remove old trees and shrubs and update the landscaping. They have replaced the roof over the BBQ area, replaced all the pool furniture and are presently upgrading their gym with the latest equipment. They have been very proactive in investigating some cost saving ventures like replacing some of the lighting with low wattage 36watt led lights.
Larry admits, “Our biggest achievement has not just been cleaning up the property but also working with our incredible loyal staff members. Our staff is the core of our business and I’ve always believed that your staff are a team, and nobody ever lets the other team members down.” But every property has its challenges and this couple has seemed to always come through theirs with smiles. “A positive attitude towards the business is simply rewarding.”
They adore living in Coolangatta, a stones throw from the best beaches on the Gold Coast with year round sunshine. Larry says, “We are both golfers and now we are able to golf 12 months of the year, rather than back in Canada where we only got in seven months!”
They are very sociable and enjoy meeting the wide-ranging and far flung guests who stay at Ocean Plaza Resort. Larry says, “They are the most fun and we have a very high number of returning guests. Some have been returning here since early as 1989.”
Ocean Plaza Resort is a special place but it is also proof that it is a very small world! Larry explains that when he and Bronwyn have guests arrive from Canada, they always give them a good Canadian welcome. They were surprised to find that one Canadian guest turned out to be from Larry’s hometown, Ontario. Then they realised that a Canadian couple who have stayed at Ocean Plaza every year for the last 15 years, lived on Vancouver Island, only a short ferry ride from where Larry and Bronwyn had lived in Courtenay, BC. These are the remarkable coincidences that have brought joy and laughter to this hard working couple.
Larry and Bronwyn are exactly the sort of new managers this industry needs and not because of their amazing array of skills but because in this challenging and testing profession, they keep their wonderful sense of humour and optimistic perspective in tact. They look at the countless positives in their life: the wonderful people they have met along the way, their loyal staff team, the fabulous beach location they have chosen, the finest golf playing weather they could wish for and they even appreciate the noisy and very un-Canadian!
Lorikeets that, like clockwork wake them every morning with their Coolangatta serenade!
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