Friday, September 22, 2017
Special Feature – The Business 15
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MEETINGS • INCENTIVES • CONVENTIONS • EVENTS
The thrill of the new There’s always a thrill in discovering something new - a little restaurant tucked down a side street, a glam rooftop bar or a revamped hotel that just screams style. Even more so when these gems are only a threehour flight away. As more and more New Zealand organisations are finding, Sydney’s landscape is changing – and the new hotspots have a range of venues that are perfect for business events planners to incorporate into their incentive program. THE STREETS OF BARANGAROO On the harbour shores at the western edge of Sydney’s CBD, the former Port Botany has been transformed into the new living, working and playground precinct of Barangaroo. Planned and built over more than a decade, the city’s new, 21st century western face has 6ha of walks and parks as well as a unique portfolio of event spaces set against the natural beauty of the waterfront. At Barangaroo Reserve, Nawi Cove boasts a foreshore amphitheatre that can accommodate up to 2500 people; the tree-lined Stargazer Lawn and Walumil Lawns can each cater for up to 3000 people, with stunning, up-close views of the Harbour Bridge. Indoor venues include the Cutaway, an expansive, below-ground space for larger-scale gatherings of up to 5000. It’s ideal for corporate functions and gala dinners. Next door there’s a smaller space, the Waranara Room, with internal views to the Cutaway and coveted views over Nawi Cove. Barangaroo also has a range of foodie venues available, including the highly anticipated Barangaroo House from world-acclaimed Australian chef and restaurateur Matt Moran, opening in December. Green by look – the innovative design resembles with three stacked bowls of salad – and by nature, given Moran’s sustainable credentials, this will be the flagship
Sydney’s booming and is the perfect place for your next business incentive or event. By Ewan Mc Donald.
of the recently formed Solotel Group. A merger of Moran’s five restaurants with other venues and an events company, it will guarantee corporate guests a truly Australian gourmet experience. DARLING HARBOUR Opening next month, Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is the precinct’s first five-star hotel and features 590 luxury rooms over 35 storeys. The property features nine flexible spaces for small board meetings, a ballroom which can host up to 450 people in banquet-style configuration, and a Champagne Bar which is perfect for predinner drinks. The hotel is also located in close proximity to a truly unique venue, Australian National Maritime Museum, which has 12 venue options ranging from the 210-seat theatre to the stunning Waterfront Room (300 guests for cocktails, 190 for banquet). The wow factor? How about a banquet or cocktails on the helipad of the Australian Navy destroyer, HMAS Vampire; cocktails for 70 on the quarterdeck of the meticulous replica of the Endeavour – or dinner for 12 in Captain Cook’s Great Cabin? HARBOURSIDE DEVELOPMENTS If planning well ahead, why not consider an event in one of Australia’s iconic structures? The Sydney Opera House is getting an AUD202 million upgrade, as well as a new function centre. With construction expected to start next year, the flexible, all-weather centre will feature floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of those harbour views. It will accommodate up to 500 for cocktail functions or 190 seated. Meanwhile, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney has unveiled its refurbished Grand Ballroom with a new cinema-style LED screen for costeffective visual, theming and transformative opportunities for events. The pillarless space
seats up to 550 banquet-style and can be divided into two smaller ballrooms. CHIPPENDALE On the southern edge of the CBD, Chippendale has become a happening area of converted warehouses and boasts a cutting-edge creative scene. The shops and eateries of sleek Central Park Mall, and the contemporary galleries around Abercrombie St are popular attractions, while Kensington St has cool cafes and Asian eateries. Stretched across two heritage-listed buildings, the Old Clare Hotel is a 62-room boutique lodge with two restaurants, two bars and a meeting room accommodating up to 16. While the large carved wooden boardroom table harks back to the hotel’s heritage, the mod cons are all up-to-date for the grandest of multimedia presentations. The hotel promises anything from pop-up markets to tastings over inspiring talks, to art exhibitions and live music – perfect for creating customised events. Fancy staging a street festival for your team? The whole of Spice Alley, an open-air courtyard serving up hawker-style food from around the globe, can be taken over for a function. Located adjacent to the Old Clare Hotel, Spice Alley also has three upstairs rooms adorned with Asian street art that can accommodate smaller groups between 10 and 25 people for a fun yet informal dining experience. Other venues located close by include the Private Kitchen, a naturally lit indoor space with a large wrap-around balcony and modern industrial interior which hosts a variety of internationally renowned chefs; the Eastside Grill (American style, Japanese menu); Olio (Italian); Mekong (East Asian fusion). Capacities vary, but the venues can cater for up to 120 people.
The former Port Botany has been transformed into the playground precinct of Barangaroo place for events and festivals. Picture / BARANGAROO DELIVERY AUTHORITY
Friday, September 22, 2017
16 The Business – Special Feature
In association with
AUSTRALIA’S RISING STARS FOR BUSINESS EVENTS
Elements of Byron’s spectacular location and facilities leave a lasting impression on events planners and guests. Picture / ELEMENTS OF BYRON
BYRON BAY SHINES The once sleepy surfing town of Byron Bay has come a long way from its humble origins; and while it still retains its laid-back charm, new luxury properties and event venues, innovative restaurants and a host of ‘uniquely Byron’ experiences have seen the region come of age. More elements in Byron Byron Bay’s showcase resort, Elements of Byron, filled a need for a high-calibre resort in the region when it opened almost two years ago. In October this year, the 20-hectare resort, which is located on a private beachfront and surrounded by rainforest, will complete a major expansion, adding 99 new villas to its existing 94 villas, including 68 two-bedroom deluxe beach houses featuring outdoor rooms with fireplaces and veranda bathhouses. Elements of Byron has successfully hosted many intimate and large-scale events in its relatively short lifetime, and its spectacular location and facilities have left a lasting impression on business events planners and their guests. Outdoor event spaces take
full advantage of Byron Bay’s year-round sub-tropical climate and stunning natural environment, such as the Heart of the Bay Beachfront Marquee, with its 360-degree views across the ocean to the Byron Lighthouse, which can host up to 300 guests banquetstyle or 450 cocktail-style. The Greens, a lush expanse bordered by the Pacific Ocean and natural forest can host events for up to 3,000 people. Byron Bay has also long been regarded as a centre of wellness and rejuvenation, and the resort has also expanded its wellness activities with guided rainforest, birdwatching, horseriding along the beach, and history tours. Complimentary activities include daily yoga classes, tennis, an outdoor fitness circuit and indoor gym. www.elementsofbyron.com.au On the menu The Byron Bay region produces an abundance of exceptional fresh produce and has become a champion of farm-to-fork trends, as well as producing some of the best cooking schools in Australia.
menu or degustation experience based on your event type. The Three Blue Ducks restaurant seats up to 90 guests; and provides catering for all other event spaces on site at The Farm, such as The Barn, which can accommodate up to 180 guests banquet-style or 250 cocktail-style. www.threeblueducks.com
Three Blue Ducks restaurant focuses on connecting people with the land. Pic Three Blue Ducks. Picture / DESTINATION NSW.
Three Blue Ducks restaurant at The Farm is an impressive location for an event with a difference, where the focus is on connecting people with the land. Set on 80 acres of pristine farmland amongst a community of growers who share a passion for growing 100 per cent organic produce. Three Blue Ducks head chefs Darren Robertson and Mark LaBrooy are renowned for their ‘real food’ philosophy, sourcing ingredients directly from the farm and surrounding areas, and can design a specialty
Taste Byron Bay will guide your group on a gourmet voyage of discovery around Byron Bay and the surrounding hinterland. Picture / TASTE BYRON BAY.
Owner-chef of Taste Byron Bay, Terase Davidson, followed her dream of running her own food based business, combining her love of
Friday, September 22, 2017
The Business – Special Feature 17
In association with
banquet-style or 125 cocktail-style. www.mayfairhotel.com.au
Adelaide and Byron Bay are attracting the attention of New Zealand business events planners seeking new and innovative incentive experiences. By Kris Madden. Groups can get up close and personal with the watery wonderland on a group kayaking tour. Picture / GO SEA BYRON BAY.
One of the best ways for your group to get up close and personal with the watery wonderland is on a group kayaking tour. Go Sea Kayak Byron Bay will help your group feel the excitement of paddling with the bottlenose dolphins, turtles and whales (in season) that call the Cape Byron Marine Park home. Go Sea Kayak can host groups of up to 34 people at a time. www.goseakayakbyronbay.com.au With its sweeping surf beaches, superb scenery, ancient rainforests, and year-round mild climate, Byron Bay is an inspiring destination to reward, rejuvenate and re-motivate your team.
Consuming passions South Australia is spoiled for choice when it comes to superb local produce and fine dining experiences, and Adelaide boasts more restaurants per capita than any other city in Australia. One restaurant that has built an enviable reputation for both its delicious and beautifully crafted food and its innovative use of native ingredients is Orana, named Australia’s Restaurant of the Year in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards 2018. Sit down at a table at Orana (an Aboriginal word that means ‘welcome’) and your guests will embark on an immersive dining experience featuring exotic native Australian ingredients, such as quandong, lemon myrtle and zig zag wattle, the result of chef Jock Zonfrillo’s years of research of Australia’s land, produce, people and history. The cuisine here is based around the seasons, not just the traditional four, but the six-season calendar recognised by Australian Aboriginal cultures. The intimate restaurant seats just 25 guests and offers a tasting menu of up to 20 courses. Downstairs, sister restaurant, Blackwood, applies similar ideas to its Australianinfluenced menu. www.restaurantorana.com
GETTING THERE Most flights to the Byron Bay region arrive at the Gold Coast International Airport, approximately 40 minutes from Byron Bay. Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia fly direct to the Gold Coast from Auckland. Private jet, helicopter and limousine transfers are also available from Gold Coast airport.
ADELAIDE’S BUSINESS EVENTS BOOM
cooking with more than 20 years of experience in corporate event management. Terase has exclusive access to some of Byron Bay’s premiere private venues and offers a range of services including team building events, private dining, food tours, and cooking classes, showcasing the region’s outstanding produce. She will guide your group on a gourmet voyage of discovery around Byron Bay and the surrounding hinterland, meeting producers, farmers and chefs and providing a unique insight into the region’s many culinary gems. Taste Byron Bay can cater for groups from 10 to 120 people. www.tastebyronbay.com A natural star The first place in Australia to see the sun each day, natural beauty abounds wherever you are in Byron Bay. Groups can walk the one of the many walking trails or join a scenic joy flight above the magnificent coastline. For the ultimate adrenaline rush, try a mountain bike tour through subtropical rainforests and ancient volcanic terrain; or learn to surf with an international surf coach.
Rich in arts and culture, culturally diverse, easily accessible, and relaxed, these are the most common phrases used to describe Adelaide, South Australia’s capital, but one could also add fun to the list, as Adelaide is recognised as one of the best festival cities in the world, with major events almost every month that can be integrated into an incentive program, such as the Santos Tour Down Under cycling race or Barossa Vintage Food and Wine Festival. One of the most exciting new developments is the multi-million-dollar Riverbank Events and Entertainment precinct near the city centre, with walkways connecting venues including the Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide Oval, Festival Centre and Adelaide Casino, along with a host of riverside restaurants and bars. The project is slated for completion by the end of this year. A spate of new hotels has already opened or are scheduled to come online in the next 12 months. New life for grand old dame Linking to the Riverbank Entertainment Precinct, the beautifully renovated 170-room Mayfair Hotel, housed in a former 1930s heritage-listed building, is the city’s newest five-star boutique hotel. The ‘Romanesque’ style building is complemented by what the architects call a ‘jewel box’ addition, which includes two restaurants showcasing South Australia’s innovative food and wine, and an exclusive rooftop Hennessy Lounge. Other event spaces include the Diamond Room (a combination of the smaller Pearl and Ruby rooms) which can accommodate 100 guests
Orana has built an enviable reputation for its delicious, beautifully crafted food. Picture / ORANA.
Life is a Cabernet Adelaide is the wine capital of Australia and is internationally recognised as one of the nine Great Wine Capitals of the World, boasting more than 200 cellar doors within an hours’ drive from the city centre. One of the most famous is Penfolds Magill Estate, just ten kilometres from the city. It is one of two of Penfold’s wine estates in South Australia, and the home of Penfold’s Grange, widely regarded as Australia’s finest wine. For the ultimate incentive, guests can walk in the footsteps of winemaking legends on a guided tour of the vineyard and its history, including visiting the underground cellars and
the place where Grange Hermitage creator, Max Schubert, kept his secret stash; and tastings of an exclusive selection of the estate’s most coveted wines. To complete the experience, your group could end the day with a sevencourse degustation of South Australian produce at the award-winning Magill Estate Restaurant, with each course matched with a wine carefully selected by the estate’s sommelier www.penfolds.com
Taste your birth year at one of Australia’s oldest vineyards, Seppeltsfield. Picture / SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TOURISM COMMISSION.
About an hour from Adelaide lies the Barossa Valley, one of Australia’s oldest and finest wine growing regions. One of the country’s oldest vineyards, Seppeltsfield, is famous for its Centennial Collection - an unbroken lineage of tawny port dating from 1878 to the current year. Accommodating groups of 10 in their 100-yearold cellar, the winery offers a Taste Your Birth Year experience, providing members of your group the rare opportunity to taste a tawny port from the year they were born. Heritage-listed function rooms with seating from 12 up to 500 and spacious outdoor areas offer the perfect venue for an event with a focus on superb food and wine. The winery offers groups numerous unique experiences, like the Seppeltsfield Segway tour which takes your group around the property’s stunning gardens and heritage listed buildings, ww.seppeltsfield.com.au At Penfold’s Barossa Valley estate, groups can become part of the famous wine-making team at the Winemaker’s Laboratory and make their own blend from shiraz, grenache and mourvedre, adorned with a personalised label with their name and the title of ‘Assistant WineMaker’. Adelaide’s small-town charm, unparalleled food and wine, and diverse range of one-of-akind experiences make it the ideal destination for an inspiring incentive program.
MORE TO DO Adelaide is the gateway to a host of experiences from wildlife-rich Kangaroo Island to scenic flights or 4WD tours to the Flinders Ranges and Outback.
Friday, September 22, 2017
18 The Business – Special Feature
In association with
BRISBANE’S
TIME IN THE SUN
Boasting an award-winning Convention Bureau, a great climate, expanding infrastructure and lots to see and do little wonder Brisbane’s incentive, events and conference sector is booming. By Venue editor Greg Fleming.
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hen an invitation to visit Brisbane arrived in my inbox I realised how little I knew about the Queensland capital. That changed after a trip there earlier this year. I now know why this young, exciting city is punching well above its weight in the incentive and events sector. Whether it’s an intimate fine-dining dinner for eight at award-winning Esquire restaurant, a product launch, a sporting event (this year the city hosted both the Pacquiao/Horn fight and the inaugural rugby 10s at Suncorp stadium), or a five-star incentive trip for top performers, Brisbane ticks all the boxes good and growing infrastructure, a fantastic restaurant and food scene and a forwardthinking marketing team who can tailor events to suit your needs. Recently Lonely Planet dubbed Brisbane “Australia’s most under rated city” and that’s something Brisbane Convention Bureau general manager, Rob Nelson, agrees with. “Visit Brisbane today and you’ll be greeted with a city bursting with riverside restaurants, eclectic markets, laneway cafes, microbreweries and funky rooftop bars. Cultural landmarks such as the architecturally acclaimed Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) ensure visitors are spoilt for choice for entertainment and attractions.” And people don’t just choose Brisbane for its leisure offerings. The city is also a knowledge hub housing world-leading research institutions in health and life sciences, energy and resources, food and agribusiness, and the creative and digital industries. “Brisbane has long been highly regarded as a destination for conferences of all sizes, but certainly our successful hosting of the 2014 G20 Leaders’ Summit cemented our city’s international reputation for delivering world class events.
Brisbane’s experience with staging major events along with its welcoming vibe, growing infrastructure and enviable climate is attracting c onference and incentive business. Picture / TOURISM AUSTRALIA
“The World Science Festival Brisbane was hugely successful. 2017 was the second year this prestigious science and arts event was staged outside of New York, with Brisbane being the festival’s Asia Pacific headquarters – offering a unique alignment opportunity for conference and incentive organisers.” In 2016 the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre was named ‘best in the world’ by the International Association of Congress Centres (AIPC), while its global award-winning tourism infrastructure and hotel investment strategy has contributed to a 45% growth in hotel supply since 2013, giving rise to a swathe of diverse venues catering to groups of all sizes and occasions. And there’s more on the horizon with around $10 billion in new major infrastructure works in the pipeline to 2022. Mr Nelson says that the $1.3 billion Brisbane Airport runway project will deliver the best runway system in the country when complete in 2020. “We’ll be hosting Routes Asia in 2018 to maximise this opportunity and over the next two years expect at least 10 new hotels, ranging from three to five star, to open and deliver more than 2000 additional rooms. In 2018 Howard Smith Wharves precinct will come to life on 2.4 hectare of riverfront land underneath the city’s iconic Story Bridge. This 1880s era redevelopment will house an exhibition and events centre, boutique Art Series hotel, craft brewery and multiple restaurants.” Construction is also underway on the $3 billion Queens Wharf development – which will be a true game-changer for Brisbane. By 2022 Queens Wharf will boast five new hotels including Brisbane’s first 6-star hotel, the Ritz Carlton; three residential towers; 50 bars and restaurants; new retail offerings and public event space accommodating up to 60,000 people. It’s Brisbane’s increasing experience with staging of major events along with its welcoming vibe, affordability, enviable climate and proximity to stunning natural attractions that’s bringing visitors for both business and pleasure. And if you want to set up a conference, business event or incentive programme the Brisbane Convention Bureau is your one-stop shop. “We’re continuously collaborating with other business units that include Investment
Attraction; Major Events; Leisure Tourism; and Innovation, Talent and Skills, to give our clients unrivalled access to local expertise and knowledge,” says Mr Nelson. “In addition, the bureau works with our partners and stakeholders such as hotels, venues, service providers and institutions across the city in what we’re proud to call a ‘Team Brisbane’ approach.” ABOVE: The city boasts a fantastic restaurant and food scene which can cater to a wide range of business events.
ABOVE: An event at the new Howard Smith Wharves precinct.
That ability to collaborate has established the city’s reputation as a place that delivers conferences and events seamlessly. Incentive business is up too. “Our approach to incentive programs is to showcase our ‘big ticket’ attractions while also uncovering hidden experiences within Brisbane and the surrounding region. “In 2016 we partnered with Business Events Australia on an incentive familiarisation for buyers from China. Our guests experienced a mix of adventure and leisure activities such as a bespoke breakfast in the City Botanic Gardens, a Story Bridge Adventure Climb, a private high-end shopping experience, and a visit to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary – one of the few places
where guests can still hold a koala. “They also explored the natural wonders on Brisbane’s doorstep with a helicopter tour to Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island. There, our guests raced quad bikes on the sand dunes and indulged in a banquet of fresh seafood. With the resort operating the world’s leading provisional dolphin feeding program, our guests were treated to a truly memorable encounter with wild bottlenose dolphins.” Mr Nelson says the feedback was overwhelmingly positive - with all attendees saying they were more likely to recommend Brisbane as a destination for an incentive or corporate meetings. And the wins keep coming with Brisbane chosen to host Tourism Australia’s biennial Dreamtime event for incentive buyers in December. As part of the Dreamtime program, Australian industry will have the opportunity to meet and do business with qualified buyers from key markets including Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, New Zealand, USA and the United Kingdom during business sessions – helping to secure future incentive business for Australia.
Friday, September 22, 2017
The Business – Special Feature 19
A CITY OF OPPORTUNITY The Christchurch Centre - will be a world-class boutique facility of major architectural significance for 200 to 2000 delegates Picture / CHRISTCHURCHNZ
Christchurch is a city of ribbon-cutting, as New Zealand’s oldest city becomes its newest, six years into a NZD40 billion regeneration programme. By Venue editor Greg Fleming.
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hristchurch is open and ready for business . There’s a renewed downtown area - new restaurants and bars open along the Avon - and a swathe of quality infrastructure under construction. There’s even been a decision made regards rebuilding the iconic Cathedral – it’s a go. That’s not to discount the enormity of the tragedy in 2011 - the 185 victims of the quake are movingly commemorated in Peter Majendie’s empty chair sculpture on the corner of Cashel and Madras Street and on the Memorial Wall on the banks of the Avon River - just that the accelerated recovery is revealing a renewed city of business growth and opportunity. The CBD is now home to new green spaces with the Otakaro/Avon River precinct as its centrepiece, while a state of-the-art conference centre is due for completion in 2020. A new Crowne Plaza hotel opened in July adding another 204 4 star hotel rooms to the already new and refurbished hotel stock. Indeed there’re four new hotel projects underway and another three about to start construction, giving the city plenty of hotel accommodation stock to bid for large conferences. Christchurch Councillor Deon Swiggs, who
represents the Central Ward, says designers have taken inspiration from cities like Melbourne and Copenhagen.
ABOVE LEFT: Caroline Blanchfield, ChristchurchNZ Convention Bureau Manager ABOVE RIGHT: Deon Swiggs, Christchurch City Councillor.
As the shipping containers - which were used for retail outlets post-quake - go new tenants are moving into purpose built buildings and the convention industry is gearing up for an exciting future, concentrating on Australia as an area of growth. “Tourism NZ Business Events has been very supportive of Christchurch as we re-emerge as a major NZ conference destination once again,” says Mr Swiggs.
“The strategy was to incrementally increase our exposure to this market as capacity improved and we are now at a point where we are back as a contender in the Australasian conference market and being considered for the Australian conference rotation cycle once again. They tell us that they have missed Christchurch as a destination. “Not a lot of people know that Christchurch held 24% of all conferencing in NZ and could boast 42% of Australian conference business. We intend to exceed that in coming years.” ChristchurchNZ Convention Bureau Manager Caroline Blanchfield says new venues, shops, restaurants, restored heritage and generous green spaces are opening every month. “We are unveiling an impressive new built environment around our river, parks and gardens, drawing on the city’s rich cultural and natural heritage and designed with people at its heart,” she says. Openings in the last year include The Terraces waterfront promenade, the heritage neo-Gothic Arts Centre restoration, The Piano – Centre for Music and Arts, the $26 million Christchurch Adventure Park, and Christchurch’s Innovation Precinct. Major banks and many government departments have all moved back into the city centre
bringing thousands of their staff to smart, new offices. International retail giants are moving into Christchurch too, creating sophisticated shopping along the Cashel Mall pedestrian area, with plenty of excellent laneway dining and cafes. This year will see completion of major new retail, office, health and hotel and apartment complexes, bringing a real buzz to the central city. She says that the focus is on pedestrianfriendly shopping, dining, arts and entertainment. In the heart of the CBD on a prime riverfront site, Christchurch’s convention centre - to be called simply The Christchurch Centre - will be a world-class boutique facility of major architectural significance for 200 to 2000 delegates. Designed by international firm Woods Bagot its central, walkable location, cultural and heritage references, and flexible design layout are key features. Stories of local Maori interwoven through every aspect of the design. “With its expansive auditorium and significant exhibition space the Convention Centre will open Christchurch up to an array of large domestic, Australasian and international conferences. Our analysis puts its direct economic benefit to the local economy at over $90m a year.”
Looking for something a little different? Talk to us before planning your next conference or event. +64 27 535 2253 christchurchconventions.com ChristchurchNZ Convention Bureau Local knowledge. Better outcomes.