Sand, Sea & Sport

Rene young joins a Guinness Book of World record attempt in sunny Surfers Paradise.

There’s excitement in the air and sand between our toes as we join 1200 people on sundrenched Surfers Paradise Beach to smash the Guinness World Record™ for most sandcastles built in one hour. It’s a scorching 35 degrees, and while Cyclone Gita has blown in a cooling breeze that takes the edge off, the blustery conditions are not ideal to beat Germany’s title of 2230 sandcastles.

In true Aussie spirit, we aren’t going to let a little wind shake us. Kids with castle moulds in hand eagerly edge towards the firmer sand, tasked with the important job of placing the topper on our sand mounds as we dig, making it an official sandcastle. When the whistle blows, we jump to work, enveloped by the wonderful feeling of coming together.

The world record attempt is part of the annual 17-day Sand Safari Arts Festival celebrated at Surfers Paradise, which offers a host of fun and free family things to do.

Fun on the foreshore Big, bobbing, inflatable jellyfish line lively Cavill Avenue, leading the way to Surfers Paradise Beach where cephalopods float in the breeze.

Giant, colourful squid cast long shadows on the soft golden sand and provide a shady refuge for parents with prams and kids cooling off with ice-creams.