Channel 9's The TODAY Show program is broadcasting live daily from the Gold Coast from the 6-10 December. It's part of a joint promotion between the TODAY Show and Gold Coast Tourism featuring their new Summer Tourism campaign.
The TODAY Show's Brisbane reporter - the classically attractive Alison Fletcher - was recording sessions on popular Tamborine Mountain tourist attractions last week. They have been incorporated into a 4 minute video to be shown during this week.
Queensland based Today Show reporter Alison Fletcher
Alison was having lunch at the award winning Songbirds Restaurant in Eagle Heights when we caught up with her. She was also filming at the same time - such is the glamour of the TV presenter's life. Alison and cameraman Wayne Hylard had just come from the Queensland Wine Centre located on the Cedar Creek Winery which had been recently opened by the Premier Anna Bligh.
We asked Alison if she had been to Tamborine Mountain before and she said, "Oh yes. Many times." 
What place did she like the most? "Songbirds!" she said looking down at a wonderful plate of food from the award winning kitchen.
Songbirds is set in a unique part of the Tamborine Mountain hinterland and Alison and her crew spent around 6 hours (including lunch!) filming for The Today Show special.
The TODAY crew filmed other well known icons of the mountain including Mount Tamborine Brewery and Witches Chase, Mount Tamborine Distillery as well as the Queensland Wine Centre.
Alison is not new to the Hinterland as she used to live on the Gold Coast. "I love Tamborine Mountain . . . I just need to come up here more on a non-work basis!"
"It's a tranquil getaway - a place where you can indulge and feel like you're on holidays, even if you're only there for a day. The locals are incredibly friendly, it has untouched beauty . . . and did I mention the great food and wine?!"
If you want to meet the TODAY team while they are on the Gold Coast you'll have get up early. The cast and crew arrive at 0430 begin and go through to 0800 each day this week at Queen Elizabeth Park, Coolangatta.
"We hope that all will enjoy meeting our TODAY team of presenters this week," said Alison, "They'll include Karl Stefanovic, Lisa Wilkinson, Georgie Gardner, Richard Wilkins, Tim Gilbert and I'll be there as well."
As an added incentive to get up early, the TODAY Show will be putting on a free BBQ breakfast along with coffee, tea and muffins. Get creative and bring your best sign (it has to relate to the TODAY Show) and then you'll have a chance to win a whopping $500. Now that's worth getting up for.
The TODAY Show will also be featuring amazing live performances everyday this week:
- Monday 6th – Guy Sebastian winner of the Australia Idol Competition
- Tuesday 7th – Jessica Mauboy with five top fifteen singles on the ARIA Singles Chart
- Wednesday 8th – Little Red playing some old-fashioned rock and roll
- Thursday 9th – Hoodoo Gurus who were inducted into the 2007 ARIA Hall of Fame
- Friday 10th – Short Stack who have just released their second album, This Is Bat Country, with the hit single "Planets" included on the album
Come down to Coolangatta and say gidday! Alison told the Daily Star that "There will also be competitions with a cash giveaway so everyone is welcome to join in and enjoy themselves."
Now that she has returned to Tamborine Mountain after a little time away, we asked Alison if there was anything about Tamborine Mountain she would change if she could, "No nothing," she said "It's just perfect as it is."
ABOUT THIS GOLD COAST TOURISM INITIATIVE
John Kaarsber from the Gold Coast Tourism Corporation said "This initiative has been instigated by Gold Coast Tourism in order to showcase to an Australia-wide audience, the fun and feel good opportunities for friends and family that exist throughout the region."
Kaarsber was keen to get the message out that the Gold Coast is already "Famous for Fun", provides the perfect summer holiday destination for all Australians" and that "Summer fun is what makes the Gold Coast Australia’s favourite playground."