Fair History

Rotary Club of Palm Beach Inc

The Story Behind the Rotary Antiques Fair and Gold Coast Book Fair.

ANTIQUES FAIR HELD AT JUPITERS CASINO JANUARY EACH YEAR. The Rotary Club of Palm Beach was chartered in 1976 and the need for an ongoing fund-raising project was uppermost in the minds of members.

A number of avenues was explored - with 2 major efforts, the Gold Coast Lifestyle Expo at Burleigh Heads Primary School in 1983 and the running of the Currumbin Gift in 1985 both resulting in financial gain and an enormous amount of satisfying club involvement.

However, the search continued for that “special project” that would generate enthusiasm and involve club members and their families, while showing the Club to be acting for the good of the Community with regard to the raising of funds for worthwhile charities.

The original concept for an Antique Fair was the brainchild of Rotary Club of Palm Beach member Arthur Harris (with much support and encouragement from his wife Pam). In 1987 Arthur (a charter member) visited several Antique Fairs throughout Queensland, and he proposed that the Club look into running such an event.

There was already an annual Antique Fair established on the Gold Coast - held each June - and after consultation with several local Antique dealers it was decided that another Fair could be successfully run in the early part of the year.

The Convention Room at the recently opened Hotel Conrad-Jupiters Casino, the most prestigious venue available on the Gold Coast at that time, was chosen as an ideal location. Following much discussion at Club level, and with other interested parties, it was finally agreed in principle, to proceed.

Of the 147 dealers contacted, 51 booked to participate. The inaugural fair, held from 9th - 11th January 1988, got off to a great start with the Gold Coast Bulletin supplying free advertising, and Radio 97 advertising at reduced rates. The fair was a resounding success and a unanimous decision was made to continue holding it as an annual event during the early part of January - the time of year when multitudes of visitors flock to the Gold Coast.

In 1996 the Gold Coast Book Fair was incorporated as an added attraction and through the years it has proved very popular.

Since the first Fair in 1988 the Rotary Antiques Fair has become the major fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Palm Beach Inc, a wildly successful annual event that manages to combine all the desired goals which were originally targeted. The Fair benefits a wide cross section of the Community, while involving the different aspects of Rotary, both on a Club level and “out there” creating interest and employment opportunities in the larger arena

The organising of the Fair begins almost immediately after the current Fair concludes and continues throughout the year. As a general rule most club members are involved in some way, with activity stepping up as the end of the year and the date of the fair approaches. This network of Rotarians and their spouses, partners and families has contributed greatly to the fellowship within the Club. A high level of community awareness is achieved, while the Fair provides an extremely significant contribution to the Club's fund raising.

Between the years 1988 and 2005 over $650,000 has been raised and donated to worthwhile causes, both in Australia and overseas.

Profit from the Fair is sometimes allocated to one major beneficiary while other years a number of various generous donations are made. For some idea of how the funds raised are distributed have a look at the “WHO BENEFITS?” page.

The many dealers who travel from all over Australia each year to participate in the Fair continue to vote it the friendliest and best fair of all they attend. The combination of magnificent venue, well planned organisation and wide ranging promotion added to the stunning array of quality articles on offer all go towards making the Rotary Antiques Fair an event of great interest on the Gold Coast calendar.

Throughout the years the Fair has been sponsored by the Gold Coast City Council (which considers it a significant tourist attraction), a wide range of local media and Hotel Conrad-Jupiters Casino.

Firmly established as an annual “must-see”, the ‘Rotary Antiques Fair and Gold Coast Book Fair’ is one of a very few events advertised in the Conrad-Jupiters brochures. We are one of their long standing clients, and are going from strength to strength!

For information on past and future Fairs please contact -

John Goulding - Chairman, Antiques Fair Committee.
Telephone (61) (7) 5598 8188 or E-mail: rivergl@bigpond.net.au