All Stars showcase dinner at Headricks Lane, styled by Lilly & Lotus
Destination
Expect the unexpected
As a first-time visitor to Rockhampton, it’s best to leave your assumptions at the gate lounge because, as a group of business events planners recently discovered, the city will deliver the unexpected at every turn. By Brittney Levinson.
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here’s a few things that often spring to mind when you think of Rockhampton, the unofficial capital of Central Queensland. While ‘beef and barra’ are certainly a large part of its identity, Rockhampton, home of the Darumbal people, is coming into its own as a creative, forward-thinking region with loads of event expertise. On the recent business events famil organised by Advance Rockhampton, a select group of organsiers were given the chance to experience the region first-hand and see the possibilities on offer for events. As one of the locals told the group, Rockhampton “punches above its weight”, and after spending just three days in the region, the entire group could attest to the fact that Rockhampton delivers beyond expectations, on many fronts.
Views over the city from Mount Archer
A traditional welcome from the Darumbal Dancers
A collaborative approach to events The region showcases its event capabilities with a calendar of major public and business events throughout the year. Most notably, the cattle industry’s national exhibition Beef Australia, or Beef Week, takes over the city every three years, transforming event venues and blank canvas spaces into a week-long program of events. The event sees venue operators and suppliers across the city come together in collaboration, as some 100,000 people pass through the gates throughout the week. The famil group saw the city’s collaborative nature in action at the annual Pop-Up Polo, a day of entertainment, hospitality and sporting. The event was a testament to the region’s creative and highly professional suppliers who come together to deliver events, covering everything from styling through to audio visual. Another prime example of this was during Advance Rockhampton’s All Stars dinner held at Headricks Lane, a sophisticated brewery, restaurant and event venue in the CBD. With its dramatic arched windows and exposed brick walls, the upstairs event space was transformed into a progressive dinner showcasing three caterers, Headricks Lane, Olive Catering and ➤ spicenews.com.au 23