RACV Royal Pines Resort is serving up the magic with two Christmas events.
RACV Royal Pines Resort is serving up the magic with two Christmas events.
When it comes to Christmas and holiday cheer, RACV Royal Pines Resort knows how to deck the halls better than Mrs Claus herself (yeah, we said it). They are rolling out not one, but two unforgettable festive events this year, perfect for letting your hair down or indulging in a luxurious Christmas feast. Whether it’s cocktails with colleagues or a Christmas feast with family you’re after, RACV is sleighing both this year.
Corporate Christmas Party
Get that ‘out-of-office’ reply rolling for RACV Royal Pines’ ‘Let It Glow’ Christmas event. From 6:30pm on November 22, the Royal Benowa Ballroom will transform into a dazzling neon spectacle; think bubbles, electrifying live performances, cocktail attire, sets to keep the dance floor alive, and a feast big enough to fill Santa’s belly!
Guests will enjoy a sumptuous 3-course dinner paired with a 4.5-hour drinks package #score. Think Mooloolaba prawns with kombu cream, Humpty Doo barramundi and beef tenderloin with gingerbread-spiced carrots– finished with a family-style dessert spread of eggnog cheesecake, peach melba pavlova and sugar-crusted mince pies. It’s the perfect way to celebrate smashing those KPI’s (or not), and do a little festive networking without the awkward office small talk (again, or not). Purchase an Individual Seat ($199 + BF), or book your group of 10 ($1,990 + BF) with a Spirits Upgrade option ($2,290 + BF).
When: 6.30pm- 11pm, November 22
Christmas Day Lunch
For those who prefer their festivities with a side of sweet indulgence, RACV’s ‘Christmas Day on Candy Cane Lane’ is the only ticket you need this festive season. This Christmas Day, the Royal Benowa Ballroom will be transformed into a show-stopping, whimsical wonderland of red and white delights and sparkling decor.
Guests will feast on a luxurious buffet (like, the biggest you’ve ever seen) featuring the freshest Australian seafood including prawns, oysters and Moreton Bay Bugs, traditional glazed ham and roasted turkey with all the festive trimmings, a grazing table, a deli counter and decadent desserts that are almost too pretty to eat- almost! Live music and a premium 3-hour beverage package will set the vibes to jolly joy, and a special appearance from Santa ensures kiddos leave with their spirits high (and wish lists full). It’s Christmas made easy, festive, and oh-so-memorable. Tickets are available now for $319 + BF per adult, $219 + BF per teen (13-17 years), $99 + BF per child (5-12 years), and $49 + BF per infant (2-4 years), with babies under 2 years old free.
When: 12pm- 3pm, December 25
From dazzling corporate celebrations to indulgent holiday lunches, RACV Royal Pines Resort makes it easy to feel spoiled this Christmas. Whether you’re in it for the champagne or the candy canes, one thing’s for sure- you’ll be jingling all the way.
Tickets for both events are available here.
Where: RACV Royal Pines Resort, Ross Street, Benowa
Website:racvroyalpinesgoldcoast.com.au
Instagram:@racvroyalpines
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
STORY SPONSORED BY RACV ROYAL PINES
Get ready to sleigh your festive season - 230 metres off the ground!
If you thought your Christmas party plans were looking up this year, you’re absolutely right. SkyPoint’s Christmas in the Clouds is quite literally taking celebrations to new heights, because why settle for ground-level festivities when you can jingle all the way to 230 metres above the Gold Coast?
On Friday 12th December, the SkyPoint Observation Deck is transforming into a twinkling, tinsel-draped Euro-style Winter Wonderland, complete with snow and a healthy sprinkle of Aussie sparkle. The perfect Christmas party destination, you’ll be surrounded by the city’s glittering skyline, roving winter performers, and a live band bringing the vibes faster than you can say “pass the prosecco.”
Forget fighting over who’s in charge of booking the karaoke machine or trying to coordinate a potluck lunch that somehow ends up being 80% dips. SkyPoint’s Christmas in the Clouds is a stress-free celebration designed for small teams, friends, or anyone who wants to kick back and toast the year that was – without lifting a finger. You just show up, sip something sparkling, and let the magic (and mistletoe) do the rest.
The night kicks off with an indulgent four-course festive feast that’s as extra as a Kardashian Christmas card. We’re talking fresh seafood straight from Aussie shores, seasonal produce worthy of a cooking show close-up, and mains that feel like a warm hug from Mrs. Claus herself. And it just wouldn’t be Christmas without decadent desserts plus a final flourish of farmhouse cheeses to share at the table. It’s fancy, it’s festive, and it’s definitely not your standard “chicken or beef” situation.
Keeping your spirits bright (and your glasses full), you’ll enjoy a premium 4.5-hour beverage package so whether you’re partial to wine, bubbles, or something a little more spirited, there’ll be plenty to jingle your bells. Add in roving entertainers and a live band that’ll have you out of your seat faster than you can say “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” and you’ve got a night that’s part party, part performance, and entirely unforgettable.
And yes, the rumours are true – Santa himself is dusting off his summer boardies to make a special appearance. So, if you’ve been more nice than naughty this year (or at least faked it convincingly), you might even score a selfie with the big man in red.
The best part? You get to enjoy all of this while gazing out over the glittering lights of the Gold Coast – 230 metres in the air. With 360-degree panoramic views from Coolangatta to Brisbane, it’s the most spectacular setting to toast to the year that’s been and manifest some serious good vibes for the one ahead.
But here’s the thing – tickets are limited, and once they’re gone, that’s it. So if you want to secure your spot in this sky-high celebration, don’t leave it to the last minute (Santa’s not the only one making a list this year).
So rally your colleagues, round up your mates, or just treat yourself to the ultimate festive soirée. Because SkyPoint’s Christmas in the Clouds is where the vibes are merry, the drinks are many, and the altitude is absolutely right.
Book your tickets here.
Where: Q1 Building, Level 77, 9 Hamilton Avenue, Surfers Paradise
When: 7pm Friday 12 December
Words by Belinda Symons
STORY SPONSORED BY SKYPOINT
Sip into the spirit of the season with Familiar Spirits.
Ready to jingle and mingle? Tis the season… for Christmas cocktails!
Familiar Spirits, the wizards behind the spirits in Burleigh, are here to sleigh your holiday with a couple of seriously tasty Christmas concoctions.
Christmas Moscow Mule
A festive twist doing the tango with a classic Mule.
Ingredients:
Method
Add Pudding Gin, lime slice and a seeded cherry to a tall chilled glass filled with ice. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a cherry.
Raspberry Gin Sour
The perfect balance between sweet and sour with a focus on raspberries which are plentiful during summer.
Ingredients
Method
Add the gin, raspberries, lemon juice and egg white to a cocktail shaker. Shake for 15 seconds without ice (this emulsifies the egg). Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with raspberries.
Recipes provided by Familiar Spirits
Ready, set, stirrup some fun!
If there’s one thing Gold Coasters know how to do, it’s celebrate in style. Of course, Melbourne Cup Day is no exception.
Whether you’re in it for the bubbles, the frocks, or the thrill of the big race, the Gold Coast is serving up long lunches, flowing champagne, and more sweepstakes than you can shake a fascinator at.
Whether you’re after something opulent, glamorous, or more relaxed, here is a list of Gold Coast venues (listed North to South) inviting you to partake in some horseplay on Tuesday 4th November 2025. Place your bets: these are the hot tickets in town.
The Club at Parkwood Village
The Club at Parkwood Village is turning Melbourne Cup Day into a garden party to remember. From 12pm, enjoy live music, a drinks package, and canapés or grazing stations for a casual cocktail-style experience, or opt for a sit-down VIP dining package with a three-course meal. Watch the races live on big screens, join sweepstakes and Fashions on the Field competitions, and soak up all the spring racing spirit. VIP guests can enjoy spirits and cocktails, while every guest will be surrounded by a stylish, festive crowd ready to celebrate.
Where: 76/104 Napper Road, Arundel
Crafty’s
Casual, fun, and always buzzing, Crafty’s is the go-to for a laid-back Melbourne Cup Day. From 11:30am, enjoy a 3-course menu paired with a 3-hour beverage package featuring Crafty’s favourite pours, while live race screenings, lucky door prizes, and the Best Dressed competition keep the excitement high. After the races, stick around for live music, entertainment, and an unforgettable afterparty. It’s the perfect mix of good vibes, great food, and flowing drinks with your mates.
Where: Harbour Town Shopping Centre, 147 Brisbane Road, Biggera Waters
Aviary Rooftop Bar
For skyline views and race-day flair, Aviary Rooftop Bar is the place to be this Melbourne Cup. From 11:30am, guests are welcomed with a Four Pillars cocktail before enjoying a 3-hour beverage package and grazing on roving woodfired pizzas, premium hot and cold canapés, a seafood bar with Coffin Bay oysters and Mooloolaba prawn rolls, and a design-your-own cannoli dessert station. DJs, live sax, Fashions on the Field with prizes, lucky door draws, sweepstakes, and champagne tower moments keep the rooftop buzzing. Packages start from $119 per person, with optional premium drinks upgrades for those feeling lucky.
Where: Aviary Rooftop Bar, Melia Court, Southport
JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa
Prepare to dial up the glamour at JW Marriott, where Citrique is laying on the ultimate Cup Day Seafood & Grill buffet, stacked high with freshly shucked oysters and other delicious delicacies. Your glass of Moët & Chandon on arrival sets the tone, before a three-hour premium beverage package keeps the good times flowing. Entertainment, sweepstakes and raffles (supporting Gold Coast Hospital Foundation) ensure there’s more than one way to score big. And if you’re dressed to impress, you might even win an overnight stay in a lux ocean-view king suite at JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa (breakfast at Citrique included), valued at $878. Tickets are $199pp, with the option to upgrade to a Moët & Chandon package.
Where: 158 Ferny Avenue, Surfers Paradise
QT Gold Coast
If the Melbourne Cup were a cocktail, it would taste exactly like QT Gold Coast’s party. qtQT will be buzzing with live music, Fashions on the Field, and the glamour crowd sipping a welcome glass of G.H. Mumm Champagne. Guests can enjoy an oyster shucking station, roaming canapés, and sunlit soirées with tables dressed to the nines, all from the qtQT Level Two Rooftop. General admission starts at $69, and for an extra $79 per person, you can upgrade to a three-hour beverage package featuring flowing Mumm Champagne, lychee mojitos, refreshing spritz, and house spirits.
Where: QT Gold Coast, qtQT Level Two Rooftop, 7 Staghorn Ave, Surfers Paradise
Palette
Cup Day gets an artistic twist at Palette inside HOTA. Expect a refined three-course menu matched with a three-hour beverage package, plus all the excitement of the race streamed live. With sweepstakes, entertainment and fashion, this is a chic choice for those who like their Melbourne Cup with a side of culture. Tickets are $200pp and worth every penny for an elegant afternoon surrounded by art and indulgence.
Where: HOTA, Home of the Arts, 135 Bundall Road, Surfers Paradise
Juju
Celebrate Melbourne Cup Day Juju-style with food, fashion, and fizz from 12pm at Mermaid Beach. Choose your vibe: a refined long lunch downstairs with champagne, oysters, sashimi, king prawns, tenderloin, and chocolate mousse Bézier, complete with a live MC, Fashions on the Field, and Best Dressed prizes ($149 per person), or a lively rooftop party with roaming canapés, bubbles, and a premium drinks package. Booths include reserved seating and share platters, with the same MC and fashion fun keeping energy high (GA $179, Premium GA $199).
Where: 2235 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach
Robina Pavilion
If you’re after a waterfront vibe, Robina Pavilion is rolling out a Melbourne Cup Day celebration that’s equal parts luxe and lively. From 12pm, enjoy a three-hour premium drinks package featuring wine, beer, tap RTDs, bubbles, and a cheeky spritz on arrival, paired with a moving feast of hot and cold chef-curated canapés and a decadent dessert station. Take in the races on mega screens, groove to live music, strike a pose in lux photo booths, and join in sweepstakes and prize competitions. Whole table bookings are available, making it perfect for groups wanting a stylish, fun-filled race day. Tickets are $155 per person + booking fee.
Where: 229 Ron Penhaligon Way, Robina
Robina Events Centre
Over at Robina Events Centre, the Melbourne Cup luncheon is taking things sky-high on their rooftop terrace. Kick off with a cocktail on arrival before indulging in a three-course lunch paired with a generous three-hour drinks package. Olympian Leisel Jones will be the MC, while live tunes, sweepstakes and a photo booth keep the vibe lively between races. Tickets are $170pp, or if you’ve got a full stable of friends, grab the early bird table of 10 for $1,500.
Where: Robina Events Centre & Green Fields Bar + Restaurant, Level 4, 94 Laver Drive, Robina
Kirra Beach House
With its dreamy beachfront backdrop, Kirra Beach House is shaping up as one of the most coveted tickets this Melbourne Cup Day. From 11:30am, arrive to a sparkling glass of Mumm Marlborough Brut before enjoying a 3-hour canapé and drinks package, including Aperol Spritz and Hugo Spritz, an oyster bar, and a chef’s selection of canapés.
DJs and Fashions on the Field crank up the party vibe, while live Melbourne Cup coverage keeps the excitement high. VIP cabanas offer private service, seafood towers, and Perrier-Jouët Champagne for the ultimate A-list experience. The afternoon also features sweepstakes supporting the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation and access to the Southern Gold Coast’s largest afterparty from 2:30pm onwards. General tickets start at $169 per person.
Where: Level 1, 2 Marine Parade, Coolangatta
So whether you’re chasing oysters and Moët, woodfired pizza on a rooftop, or simply a cold beer and a punt with friends, the Gold Coast has you sorted this Melbourne Cup. Book early, though, these tickets gallop out the gate fast.
Words by Chelsea Ipsen
