Community Display | Southport Qld

Tuesday: 9 September

Australia Fair Shopping Centre: A Marathon Day with Bubsie

Dawn Start for Prime Position
The alarm went off early for our 45-minute journey to Southport, arriving at the Australia Fair Shopping Centre by 7 am. Bubsie found her perfect spot outside Priceline and Just Jeans, right in front of the escalators – prime real estate for maximum visibility!

Heart Foundation Walkers Lead the Charge
While retail stores remained closed until 9 am, the supermarkets and food court buzzed with activity. The Heart Foundation Australia Fair walking group provided our first wave of visitors, creating a steady stream of interest as they completed their circuit and headed for post-walk refreshments. We distributed books at a record pace!

Tag Team Approach and Kevin’s Marathon
Shopping centre regulations limited us to two team members near the display, so we rotated throughout the day. Kevin earned his fitness tracker’s respect, clocking 16,600 steps as he trekked the 1.5 kilometres to move our parked car and trailer every two hours – now that’s dedication!

Behind-the-Scenes Heroes Visit
The fantastic OrangeFin media team surprised us at lunchtime! These are the unsung heroes working tirelessly behind the scenes, coordinating media alerts and arranging venues for our journey. Their stellar work with Channel 9 has delivered outstanding news coverage, and our photo session with them drew even more curious onlookers.

Local Media Spotlight
The afternoon brought NBN Gold Coast for a photo shoot and news interview covering our local area story. Brian, Bella, and Aaron delivered professional coverage while Louise, Australia Fair’s Marketing Manager, stopped by to see what all the excitement was about.

Security Escort and Unexpected Delays
As retail stores closed around 5:30 pm, Kevin retrieved the car and trailer for loading. Security personnel needed to escort Bubsie out and unlock the bollards, but a medical emergency delayed our departure by 40 minutes. Sometimes real life takes priority – we finally rolled out just before 6:30 pm.

Homeward Bound After Success
The drive back across the border to Kingscliff felt well-earned after such an intensive but successful day. With thousands of people meeting Bubsie and countless stories shared, we’re hoping for solid rest before tomorrow’s 6 am start for Murwillumbah Farmers’ Markets.

Some days test your endurance, but when you’re sharing something special with the community, every step is worth it!