G'day Jim,
Not sure what avicon knows about Air Gold Coast but doesn't sound like the outfit I know. Maybe he's thinking of Wings Academy.
Definitely not a "sausage factory"; owned and operated by a pair of motivated brothers who care about their customers and run by a young chief pilot who sets very good standards.
The school is attached to a maintenance business and all work is carried out in their shop. They have some of the best kept training aircraft in Australia on line.
IMHO definitely worth a look during your decision process.