Spice Issue 93 Winter 2021

Issue 93 – Winter – 2021

HOT 100 issue !

The best event venues in Australia revealed

FRONT& CENTRE

A strong, regionally inspired food philosophy is a key ingredient in bringing CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park to life.

FOOD & BEVERAGE Discover the latest trends, innovations and catering concepts DESTINATIONS Sydney, Canberra, Central Coast

Now’s a great time to take your business event to the tropics!

The award-winning Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre is the largest venue between Cairns and Brisbane. With a 1000 + seat plenary auditorium and 12 versatile spaces backed by state-of-the-art technical capability. The vibrant, tropical Mackay Region also offers stunning off-site locations for event functions and activities.

www.themecc.com.au themecc.com.au

SEE YOU SOON!

Come and meet us at the ‘Get Local’ trade show in Sydney (29-30 July) or take a virtual reality tour of the MECC on our website.

Contents

25 Winter 2021

REGULARS 5 6 8

Going up, going down New and noteworthy Cover story: CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park

6

42

FEATURES 14 Hot 100: Hotels & Venues Our annual list of the leading event venues across Australia, as voted by Spice readers.

25 Food & beverage A deep dive into the latest trends and innovations in event catering.

38 Associations Exploring the value of association events in a post-pandemic world

8

44

and how the industry has evolved.

DESTINATIONS 42 Canberra Discover what’s new in the nation’s capital.

44 Sydney Reacquaint yourself with Sydney through new and revamped venues and exciting group experiences.

48 Central Coast

14

48

The NSW Central Coast is teeming with opportunities to bring corporate groups together again. spicenews.com.au 3

Editor’s letter

Back in business

A

Brittney Levinson Editor Managing Director Simon Grover Publisher Paul Wootton pwootton@intermedia.com.au Editor Brittney Levinson blevinson@intermedia.com.au

s we head into the second half of 2021, things are looking considerably more positive for the business events industry. In-person events are returning with force, so much so we might soon be able to simply refer to them as ‘events’ again. In March, the Australian Healthcare Week expo attracted Scan to subscribe to 4,500 attendees to ICC Sydney, while in April, some 900 people Spice’s free newsletter! gathered in Melbourne for the Victorian Tourism Conference.

Sadly, Victoria has entered another lockdown as this issue goes to print. Our thoughts are with all our Victorian readers and we hope to see events back up and running again swiftly.

Spice’s own business events showcase, Events Uncovered, is also taking place this year at Sydney’s SMC Conference & Function Centre on 15 July. The event will be fully ‘in-person’ this year to give attendees a chance to make meaningful connections with event suppliers and venues (and to have some fun like the good old days!). Head to eventsuncovered.com.au to register your attendance, we’d love to see you there.

In this issue of Spice Magazine, our annualfood and beverage feature is back, rounding up the latest culinary trends across restaurants, conference venues and hotels. In a postCOVID world, a resurgence of sustainability and conscious dining talks to the renewed focus consumers have on their own health and wellbeing, and that of the environment.

From page 25, we deconstruct the latest trends and chat to leaders in the field, including Ovolo Hotel’s creative food and beverage director Vincent Lombino and Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre executive chef Peter Haycroft.

Our annual Hot 100 is also back, showcasing the leading event venues and hotels across the nation, as voted by you. Head to page 14 for this year’s list. Don’t miss our association feature on page 38, which looks at the critical role of in-person gatherings and how to add value through hybrid events. Plus, we have three exciting destination features for you to dive into, including Canberra (page 42), Sydney (page 44) and the New South Wales Central Coast (page 48). We hope you enjoy the issue.

National Sales Team Katherine Ross, Charlotte Marshall Production Manager Jacqui Cooper jacqui@intermedia.com.au Production Assistant Natasha Jara njara@intermedia.com.au Graphic Designer Alyssa Coundouris Prepress Tony Willson Subscriptions

Spice Magazine Team Group sales and marketing manager Katherine Ross

Sales and marketing manager

Graphic designer

Charlotte Marshall

Alyssa Coundouris

+ 61 2 8586 6176

+61 2 8586 6216

+61 2 8586 6152

kross@intermedia.com.au

cmarshall@intermedia.com.au

alyssac@intermedia.com.au

Visit SpiceNews.com.au for the latest industry news as it happens.

Our twice-weekly updates cover venues, suppliers, destinations and technology, as well as inspiration and tips to help you plan stand-out events. @SpiceNews

@SpiceNewsMag

@SpiceNewsMag

Spice Magazine

subscriptions@intermedia.com.au Spice Magazine and spicenews.com.au are proud media partners of: The opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers in SPICE magazine are not necessarily those of Food and Beverage Media's management or staff.

All material contained in SPICE is copyright.

Spice Magazine is published by Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd (ABN 81 163 792 292) 41 Bridge Road, Glebe NSW 2037 ph: 02 9660 2113, fax: 02 9660 4419 ISSN 1832-7176 4 Spice Winter 2021

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected

by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

Copyright © 2021 - Food and Beverage Media Pty Ltd.

Travel bubbles We’re so excited to once again be able to travel across the ditch, thanks to the recent reopening of Australia-New Zealand travel. We can’t wait to see which countries join the bubble next!

Sustainable luxury Luxury Champagne house Maison Ruinart have spent more than three years developing a 100 per cent recyclable, ecodesigned casing to replace single bottle gift boxes. Made with light-weight paper from

Virtual events with a personal touch The virtual events that come to mind from the past 18 months are

sustainably managed European forests, the elegant Second Skin packaging reduces the brand’s carbon footprint by 60 per cent.

the ones with a personal touch.

Take Canberra Convention Bureau for example, who delivered local Lake Pukaki, New Zealand Credit: Casey Horner

produce boxes to delegates prior to their virtual showcase, inviting them to take part in a live food masterclass with Pialligo Estate.

Weak attempts at sustainability

Going up, going down

We’re all for hotels and venues having a strong sustainability

Hotels with no USB ports

mission, but it’s no use claiming to be environmentally friendly

Easy-to-reach USB ports, or at

and then having plastic water

least power sockets, are a non-

bottles on the table or by the bed.

negotiable for hotel guests in 2021.

Venues need to think about all

Older hotels can solve the issue by

aspects of sustainability before

installing alarm clocks fitted with

making any grand statements.

USB ports or bedside lamps with built-in wireless chargers.

Cocktail events with limited tables When hosting a cocktail-style lunch or dinner, think about where guests will be eating their meals – have you provided enough space for guests to rest their plates and drinks? While it might seem obvious, this one happens a lot.

spicenews.com.au 5

Upfront

Artist’s impression of Oncore by Clare Smyth

New + noteworthy A quick glance at some of the latest news, openings and insights.

Acclaimed chef arrives in Sydney for an Oncore Crown Sydney will add another world-class dining experience to its line up, with Oncore by Clare Smyth opening in July 2021.

It’s the first restaurant outside of the UK for the acclaimed chef, following the success of her London restaurant Core by Clare Smyth, which was recently awarded three Michelin stars.

Oncore by Clare Smyth will overlook Sydney Harbour from level 26 and will offer the same sustainable, gastronomical experience Smyth is renowned for, but with an Aussie twist.

Diners can expect her signature dish, Potato and Roe, however the Aussie iteration will feature potatoes produced by fourthgeneration family farmers from the Southern Highlands who use developed methods to work with and support nature.

Event industry famils return across the country Convention bureaux across Australia are eager to showcase their events expertise to the industry, with a number of familiarisation trips back on the calendar for 2021. Among the most recent travels for the Spice Magazine team were trips to the New South Wales Central Coast (read about it on page 48), Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Albury, NSW and Daylesford in regional Victoria. Expect to see more inspiring destination content in our upcoming issues!

Delegates and organisers on the Albury famil. Credit: Matt Beaver

6 Spice Winter 2021

Upfront

WHAT’S ON MEA Evolve 1 July 2021 Melbourne, Victoria evolve2021.com.au

Events Uncovered 15 July 2021 Sydney, New South Wales eventsuncovered.com.au

PCOA Conference & Exhibition TechnologyOne conference

Brisbane events roar back to life People are returning in droves to Brisbane events, with a number of large-scale exhibitions and conferences taking place over recent months. More than 30,000 people gathered at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) in May for the Brisbane Truck Show, the biggest automotive exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere. Three levels of the centre were used, including the exhibition halls which saw 1,100 truck movements through the doors.

Meanwhile, Brisbane Showgrounds is welcoming the busy events calendar, with more than 30 events taking place in May alone. Some 5,000 budding bakers descended

5-7 December 2021 Hobart, Tasmania pcoaconference.com.au

on the venue for the International Cake Show Australia, while more than 3,000 people were on site for music festival Good Life Lost City.

Meanwhile, Brisbane Showgrounds’ Royal International Convention Centre recently hosted 900 people for a TechnologyOne conferencs.

Brisbane Showgrounds’ Jago Coyle said it was fantastic to see the events sector rebounding.

“Last year with the impacts of COVID-19, we were only able to host 97 events, down 65 per cent on the 278 staged in 2019,” he said.

“We’ve had a great start to the year and we’re pleased to have more than 100 events scheduled for the remainder of 2021.”

Moxy brand set to expand Marriott International has announced its playful Moxy brand will come to Sydney in 2023. The new-build Moxy Sydney Airport will feature 301 guestrooms and the lively Moxy Bar which doubles as the reception desk.

The hotel will also feature a café with an industrial vibe and a range of meeting and event spaces to service the corporate market. Moxy Sydney Airport is Marriott’s fifth signing for the brand in Australia and New Zealand, making it one of the group’s fastest growing brands in the region.

Artist’s impression of Moxy Sydney Airport

spicenews.com.au 7

Cover story

When doors open in just a few months, CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park will serve up a Victoria-first food philosophy, giving visitors a sense of place in the heart of the city’s event precinct.

CENTREPIECE:

Bringing sustainability and provenance to the table

T

here are many things to love about Melbourne, but high on the list are the city’s events program and, of course, its inimitable culinary offering. It’s therefore no surprise Melbourne’s newest event venue, CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park, is combining the two and garnering strong interest even before doors have officially opened.

Come September, CENTREPIECE will offer purpose-built event spaces and stunning interior design inspired by its natural surroundings, all accompanied by a thoughtfully curated food and beverage program that celebrates all things local, sustainable and seasonal.

Above: CENTREPIECE will bring a Victoria-first food philosophy to the table Top middle: A taste of the upcoming CENTREPIECE menu Top right: Aerial render of CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park Right: Menus will be tailored to each group

8 Spice Winter 2021

Drawing from the surrounds Provenance and transparency around where produce comes from is expected to be of high priority for diners, whether in a restaurant or an event venue, as gatherings return. It’s one of the key considerations for the culinary team at CENTREPIECE, as their menu planning gets underway.

Guests at the venue can expect to see a strong focus on local and native ingredients, taking them on

a culinary journey throughout Victoria and Australia.

The venue is also partnering with local growers and farmers, small batch distilleries, plus local Victorian craft breweries, coffee producers and winemakers to create a true sense of place for visitors.

But the food is even closer to home than that. A team of more than 40 culinary professionals will be led by executive chef Asif Mamun, whose passion for local and seasonal food drives him to push the boundaries of event catering.

“CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park is paving the way for a true paddock-to-plate event experience, from collaborating with local producers and growers that hero our Victoria-first philosophy to producing house-made products within our state-of-the-art production kitchen,” he says.

CENTREPIECE will feature an in-house bakery and boning room, where meat will be dry-aged on site, as part of its 1,280-square-metre production kitchen. An on-site kitchen garden will support CENTREPIECE’s commitment to working direct with producers and highlight the focus on the traceability of ingredients.

Cover story

“The development of the CENTREPIECE menu has been heavily inspired by our cultural connection to the city, but our approach to the dining experience is also transformative.”

– Lara Burnes

Sustainability at the core Sustainable practices are at the heart of CENTREPIECE and have been a strong consideration throughout the construction and design process. The venue is connected to the precinct’s underground 4.5-megalitre stormwater retention tank, a system that recycles water for amenities and to irrigate green spaces.

“Our approach to sustainability extends to the kitchen, where we strive to use the whole animal in our menus, even down to the bones which are turned into stock and jus,” says Mamun.

“Our onsite kitchen garden enables us to grow global produce year-round – grown, cultivated and harvested in one place. It’s just another way that we are reducing our carbon footprint.”

Immersive experiences When it opens in September, CENTREPIECE will feature a 2,000-square-metre pillarless Grand Hall, alongside 800 square metres of pre-function space and 15 breakout rooms. The vast, open spaces will give the culinary team a unique opportunity to offer immersive catering experiences, tailored to each client.

CENTREPIECE general manager Lara Burnes says versatility will be part of the venue’s culinary allure.

“The development of the CENTREPIECE menu has been heavily inspired by our cultural connection to the city, but our approach to the dining experience is also transformative,” she says.

“The team is thrilled at the prospect of working with our clients to create tailored, expertly curated menus that are dynamically independent for any event type.”

Excellence in food and beverage and a genuine connection to the growers and makers is paramount to elevating the event experience at CENTREPIECE. Organisers and their delegates can expect to be immersed in Melbourne from the moment they arrive at the venue to what is presented on the plate and poured into the glass.

For more information on CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park, check out centrepiecemelbourne.com. n spicenews.com.au 9

Opinion

The never-ending doctorate for meetings and events Meetings & Events Australia (MEA) chair Nigel Collin pens a column on the opportunities that come from constant learning.

O “Professional development is not a project but a process.”

10 Spice Winter 2021

ne of the things I’ve learned over the years, having worked with and interviewed hundreds of successful people, is that they never stop learning. Whether it is formal or informal education, successful people and organisations are constantly soaking up new ideas, perspectives and best practices. Which makes sense because it is when we constantly learn that we see things differently, we innovate better, find ingenious ways to overcome challenges and break new ground. It also helps us attract and retain good people.

However, like many things, it is easy to get complacent when it comes to constant learning. When times are good, we are too busy and don’t think we need it. When times are hard, professional development is one of the first things placed on the backburner while we deal with immediate challenges and tighten spending. Neither is a viable strategy.

In terms of meetings and events, the last 12 months has proven that we need to constantly adapt and adjust. More importantly, as we’ve seen momentum build over the past few months and more in-person events take place, learning new skills, improving existing ones and driving best practice will be more important than ever.

Then of course there is the skill shortage our sector is facing. MEA conducted several skill shortage surveys prior to the pandemic and in 2019, 58 per cent of participants said the skill shortage was already affecting organisations’ abilities to recruit. COVID exasperated this.

At the EEAA Information Exchange on Skills and Operational Capability in March, which I was delighted to be part of, the question of staff retention also raised its head. One way for each of us to combat this is through personal and professional development.

When MEA surveyed its members in December 2020, professional development was cited as one of the main areas needed to support our industry through recovery.

As a result, MEA will continue to ramp up its education programs to drive best practice through 2021.

MEA is the only Australian industry association that is a Registered Training Organisation, which means we offer a Diploma of Event Management (SIT50316) in addition to a range of other industry specific programs. This year we continue our free member webinars, professional development sessions, our Evolve conference, mentoring program and continue to create bespoke programs for industry members.

Of course, we also learn from each other.

It is by hearing stories of successful events taking place and how they were managed that we build confidence. It is through those incidental conversations with industry peers that spark new ideas. It is when we connect and have real conversations that we also learn.

Professional development is not a project but a process. I like to think of constant learning as a never-ending doctorate because you never get the final piece of paper. For the meetings and events sector, it is this hankering for best practice and constant learning that will be a major weapon in riding the wave of recovery. n

th

7

ANNUAL

15 JULY 2021 • SYDNEY MASONIC CENTRE

Exciting, Engaging, Extraordinary.

Registration open now!

Events Uncovered is not your average exhibition and conference. Whether you’re an EA, PA, conference organiser, meeting planner or industry professional, this is your opportunity to meet face-to-face with leading suppliers and venue operators and seek inspiration for your next events.

The Breakfast Club

Free exhibition

Network and learn ahead of the show. More details on the website.

A free-to-attend expo.

(Spaces filling up quick).

Spice Knowledge Sessions Curated educational sessions.

The Wrap Party Finish the day with food, drinks and entertainment.

SCAN THE QR CODE AND BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW! eventsuncovered.com.au • #EventsUncovered21 Brought to you by the team behind A LIST Guide and Spice

Opinion

COSPAR 2021 virtual exhibition designed

by ICMS Australasia

Why we mustn’t forget what business we’re in The delivery mechanisms for events may have changed over the past 12 months, but the outcomes remain the same, writes Emma Bowyer, managing director and owner of event management company ICMS Australasia.

E “Our challenge since March 2020 has been to remind our clients that we are in the communication business.”

12 Spice Winter 2021

ver since I completed my business degree, I have often heard the adage that change is constant and how we must continually adapt to change to remain ahead of the game.

The impact of COVID-19 on our industry is, for all intents and purposes, yet another change in a constantly evolving world. I agree it’s a big one, but I would argue it is a change we were better equipped to handle as organisers.

What COVID-19 has demonstrated to me is that we have to be willing and open to change when big shifts occur. In the world of business, you only have to look back a little way to understand what happens if you don’t have that mindset.

I’m talking things like the impact on taxis when ridesharing was introduced or when Kodak failed to recognise the effect digital photo sharing was going to have on its printing business – filing for bankruptcy protection in 2012 when a few short years before it had been a billion-dollar company.

Our challenge since March 2020 has been to remind our clients that we are in the communication business. Yes, prior to then we worked in a traditional live environment for communicating. Now, on the whole, we are orchestrating and managing events virtually.

These are two different delivery methods, but both share the same required outcome: for groups of people to communicate together for a particular purpose and outcome.

Having now run seven virtual meetings I can confidently say that we understand what it takes to run an event online. And, equally as important to many of our clients, we have been able to monetise these events.

The largest of these was in late January this year for the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) 43rd Scientific Assembly in which we had over 2,000 paying delegates beaming in from all over the globe.

At the assembly’s conclusion ICMS Australasia recorded 5,283 downloads of presentations, 99.8 per cent online engagement, over 1,500 individual delegate interactions and 1,088 interactions between sponsors and attendees. As this event is on demand, these numbers continue to grow.

Equally as pleasing was that we had created a communication platform that allowed space scientists and researchers to collaborate with one another for the benefit of the industry as a whole. If you’ve read anything about Elon Musk’s ambitions in space it’s not hard to understand that this sector is one of the new darlings of industry globally with the potential to generate jobs and investment everywhere, including Australia.

COSPAR 2021 and the other virtual meetings we have run and managed in the last 12 months have led to us developing a white paper, which outlines our recommendations on running online events successfully, including returning a financial surplus.

Moving forward, we currently have over 40 meetings in our forward calendar out to 2024.

Certainly not all of these are virtual but are rather a mix of virtual and live and sometimes a combination of both, or hybrid as we know it.

I anticipate this will be the way forward for our international meetings for at least the next two years and perhaps even longer. We should remain open to the opportunities this disruption has created for us all. n

www.adelaidecc.com.au

Hot 100

HOT 100 HOTELS & VENUES

14 Spice Winter 2021

Hot 100 Leeuwin Estate, Western Australia

Take some inspiration from Australia’s leading hotels and event venues, big and small. In this annual feature, we’re rounding up 100 of the best spaces to host a business event, as voted by our readers. spicenews.com.au 15

Hot 100

“

SPICE READERS LOVE: Hilton Sydney

“Great staff, food and executive lounge.”

Best business hotel Como The Treasury

COMO THE TREASURY Perth, WA | @comotreasury HILTON SYDNEY Sydney, NSW | @hiltonsydney JW MARRIOTT GOLD COAST RESORT & SPA Gold Coast, QLD | @jwmarriottgoldcoastresort PAN PACIFIC PERTH Perth, WA | @panpacificperth THE WESTIN BRISBANE Brisbane, QLD | @westinbrisbane

Best boutique hotel THE CULLEN Melbourne, VIC | @artserieshotels DE RUSSIE BOUTIQUE HOTEL Orange, NSW | @derussieboutiquehotel Emporium Hotel South Bank

EMPORIUM HOTEL SOUTH BANK Brisbane, QLD | @emporiumhotels THE INCHCOLM BY OVOLO Brisbane, QLD | @theinchcolm THE OLD CLARE HOTEL Sydney, NSW | @theoldclare

Best convention centre hotel OAKS ADELAIDE HORIZONS SUITES Adelaide, SA | @oaks_hotels PAN PACIFIC MELBOURNE Melbourne, VIC | @panpacificmelbourne QT PERTH Perth, WA | @qt_perth SOFITEL SYDNEY DARLING HARBOUR Sydney, NSW | @sofiteldarlingharbour QT Perth

16 Spice Winter 2021

THE STAR GOLD COAST Gold Coast, QLD | @thestargoldcoast

studio@bigpicture.com

www.bigpicture.com

Hot 100

On Air, SMC Conference & Function Centre

Jackalope

Best venue or studio for virtual/hybrid events

Best regional hotel

AV1 CONTROLROOM AT MCA Sydney, NSW | @av1_australia

CHÂTEAU ÉLAN AT THE VINTAGE Hunter Valley, NSW | @chateauelanhuntervalley

BIG PICTURE AUSTRALIA Sydney, NSW | @bigpictureau

CROWNE PLAZA HUNTER VALLEY Hunter Valley, NSW | @crowneplaza_huntervalley

ENCORE STUDIO Various | @encoreapac

HOTEL SORRENTO Sorrento, VIC | @hotelsorrento_

ON AIR, SMC CONFERENCE & FUNCTION CENTRE Sydney, NSW | @onairstudio2020 REDBACK CONNECT Various | @redbackconnect

“

JACKALOPE Mornington Peninsula, VIC | @jackalopehotels OAKS CABLE BEACH RESORT Broome, WA | @oaks_hotels

SPICE READERS LOVE:

Higher Mark, GMHBA Stadium

Hilton Auckland

Big Picture Australia

“Highly skilled staff who focus on professional delivery of events.”

Best regional conference venue GLENWORTH VALLEY EVENTS CENTRE Central Coast, NSW | @glenworthvalley HIGHER MARK, GMHBA STADIUM Geelong, VIC | @higher.mark HOPE ESTATE Hunter Valley, NSW | @hopeestate RACV CAPE SCHANCK RESORT Mornington Peninsula, VIC | @racvcapeschanckresort WILLINGA PARK CONFERENCE CENTRE South Coast, NSW | @willingapark 18 Spice Winter 2021

Best MICE hotel in New Zealand HILTON AUCKLAND Auckland, NZ | @hiltonauckland OAKS WELLINGTON HOTEL Wellington, NZ | @oaks_hotels QT QUEENSTOWN Queenstown, NZ | @qtqueenstown RYDGES LATIMER CHRISTCHURCH Christchurch, NZ | @rydgeshotels SOFITEL QUEENSTOWN HOTEL & SPA Queenstown, NZ | @sofitelqueenstown

Best Venue for a Gala Dinner

Best Sustainable Venue

Best In-House Catering at a Convention Centre

Take a look inside Australia’s award-winning Centre: 8

sun-filled foyers

22

meeting rooms

6,000

seat arena

4

exhibition halls

6

outdoor terraces

2,000m2

parkland space

s cover more with Dihttps://www.gccec.com.au/discover-the-centre-in-360.html

Hot 100

Best resort DAYDREAM ISLAND RESORT Great Barrier Reef, QLD | @daydreamislandresort LAKE CRACKENBACK RESORT & SPA Snowy Mountains, NSW | @lakecrackenback QUALIA Whitsundays, QLD | @qualiaresort

Daydream Island Resort

“

SPICE READERS LOVE Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat

“Serene and beautiful environment.”

RACV ROYAL PINES RESORT Gold Coast, QLD | @racvroyalpines SPICERS SANGOMA RETREAT Blue Mountains, NSW | @spicerssangomaretreat

Most sustainable hotel or venue ELEMENTS OF BYRON Byron Bay, NSW | @elementsofbyron GOLD COAST CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE Gold Coast, QLD | @gccec LADY ELLIOT ISLAND ECO RESORT Great Barrier Reef, QLD | @ladyelliotislandecoresort

Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre

OVOLO NISHI Canberra, ACT | @ovolohotels SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE Sydney, NSW | @sydneyoperahouse

Best wellness hotel or resort ARAJILLA RETREAT Lord Howe Island, NSW | @arajillaretreat EMIRATES ONE&ONLY WOLGAN VALLEY Wolgan Valley, NSW | @wolganv ELYSIA WELLNESS RETREAT Hunter Valley, NSW | @elysiawellnessretreat GAIA RETREAT & SPA Byron Bay, NSW | @gaiaretreat Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley

GWINGANNA LIFESTYLE RETREAT Tallebudgera Valley, QLD | @gwinganna

Best private dining venue 1889 ENOTECA Brisbane, QLD | @1889enoteca BLACK BAR & GRILL Sydney, NSW | @blackbargrill FRASER’S RESTAURANT KINGS PARK Perth, WA | @fraserseventscatering HARRISONS RESTAURANT Port Douglas, QLD | @harrisonspd Quay Restaurant

20 Spice Winter 2021

QUAY RESTAURANT Sydney, NSW | @quayrestaurant

INSPIRED EVENTS. THOUGHTFULLY CRAFTED. JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa is the leading Gold Coast luxury resort, offering a redefined coastal venue for memorable occasions. With our dedicated Event Planners, feel and experience more impactful and inspiring meetings and events.

The conference level located on level two is a haven for large conferences, private celebrations, corporate gatherings and everything in between. With 2,000 square metres of event space, featuring 11 scalable spaces catering for all event requirements. We relish in creating opportunities and delivering unexpected journeys of discovery providing the perfect mix of business and pleasure. Accommodating a total of 223 rooms and suites, designed to inspire the natural surrounds, reflecting the beauty and relaxed ambience of coastal Queensland. Starting from a generous 42 square metres in size, boasting uninterrupted views of the hinterland and ocean, a short walk from the famous Gold Coast white sandy beaches.

+61 7 5592 9800 sales.goldcoast@jwmarriott.com www.jwmarriotgoldcoast.com jwmarriottgoldcoast.com

Hot 100 Best venue for a product launch THE CALYX Sydney, NSW | @thecalyxexperience DOLTONE HOUSE DARLING ISLAND Sydney, NSW | @doltonehousebe THE PERTH MINT Perth, WA | @theperthmintaustralia SKY VIEW LOUNGE, OPTUS STADIUM Perth, WA | @optusstadium THE WILLIAM INGLIS HOTEL - MGALLERY BY SOFITEL Warwick Farm, NSW | @thewilliaminglis

The William Inglis Hotel - MGallery by Sofitel

Best hotel bar HYDE HACIENDA, PULLMAN QUAY GRAND SYDNEY HARBOUR Sydney, NSW | @hydehaciendasydney LORD LYGON WINE SHOP, ZAGAMES HOUSE Melbourne, VIC | @lord_lygon SONGBIRD BAR & LOUNGE Perth, WA | @ritzcarltonperth THE STORY BAR, MACQ 01 Hobart, TAS | @macq01 TWO 88 BAR, CROWNE PLAZA SYDNEY DARLING HARBOUR Sydney, NSW | @two88bar

“

SPICE READERS LOVE: Songbird Bar & Lounge

Two 88 Bar

“Best decor, lovely drinks, good menu and quick service.”

Best hotel restaurant THE DINING ROOM, PARK HYATT SYDNEY Sydney, NSW | @thediningroomsydney HELLENIKA, THE CALILE HOTEL Brisbane, QLD | @hellenika KIYOMI, THE STAR GOLD COAST Gold Coast, QLD | @kiyomi_gc NOBU, CROWN MELBOURNE Melbourne, VIC | @nobuaustralia

Nobu, Crown Melbourne

22 Spice Winter 2021

VIEW BY MATT GOLINSKI, PEPPERS NOOSA RESORT Noosa, QLD | @viewrestaurantnoosa

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Hyatt Regency Sydney

Best convention centre catering

Best venue for a gala dinner

ADELAIDE CONVENTION CENTRE Adelaide, SA | @adelaidecc

GOLD COAST CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE Gold Coast, QLD | @gccec

BRISBANE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE Brisbane, QLD | @bcec_brisbane

HAMILTON ISLAND RESORT CONFERENCE CENTRE Whitsundays, QLD | @hamiltonisland

GOLD COAST CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE Gold Coast, QLD | @gccec

HYATT REGENCY SYDNEY Sydney, NSW | @hyattregencysydney

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE SYDNEY Sydney, NSW | @iccsyd

METROPOLIS EVENTS Melbourne, VIC | @metropolisevents

MELBOURNE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE Melbourne, VIC | @mcec

WARNER BROS. MOVIE WORLD Gold Coast, QLD | @movieworldaus

the award-winning château élan in the hunter valley is one of australia’s finest resorts, offers luxury accommodation, a premium golf club, a full-service spa and four event spaces - all in the heart of a world-famous food and wine region.

SPICE HOT 100 FINALIST +61 2 4998 2603 events@thevintage.com.au www.chateauelan.com.au

spicenews.com.au 23

Hot 100

Donna Chang

Hamptons Sydney

Best mid-sized venue in Australia (51-150 pax)

Best small venue in Australia (1-50 pax)

FOUR PILLARS LABORATORY Sydney, NSW | @fourpillarslab

APOTECA BAR & RESTAURANT Adelaide, SA | @apoteca__ DONNA CHANG Brisbane, QLD | @_donnachang

HAMPTONS SYDNEY Sydney, NSW | @hamptonssydney

FIREDOOR RESTAURANT Sydney, NSW | @firedoor_surryhills

TREETOPS, MELBOURNE MUSEUM Melbourne, VIC | @melbournemuseum

OVOLO THE VALLEY Brisbane, QLD | @ovolohotels

WILDFLOWER Perth, WA | @wildflowerrestaurant

THE SHERRY, THE FLOUR FACTORY Perth, WA | @theflourfactory

“

ZONZO ESTATE Yarra Valley, VIC | @zonzoestate

SPICE READERS LOVE: Qudos Bank Arena

“Great space, good loading docks and back of house.”

Australian War Memorial

Best large venue in Australia (151-500 pax)

Optus Stadium

Best mega venue in Australia (501-5000+)

AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL Canberra, ACT | @awmemorial

CARRIAGEWORKS Sydney, NSW | @carriageworks

LEEUWIN ESTATE WINERY Margaret River, WA | @leeuwinestate

THE CUTAWAY Sydney, NSW | @thecutaway

QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY AND GALLERY OF MODERN ART Brisbane, QLD | @qagoma ROYAL EXHIBITION BUILDING Melbourne, VIC | @royalexhibitionbuilding SYDNEY TOWN HALL Sydney, NSW | @cityofsydney 24 Spice Winter 2021

OPTUS STADIUM Perth, WA | @optusstadium QUDOS BANK ARENA Sydney, NSW | @qudosbankarena SMC CONFERENCE & FUNCTION CENTRE Sydney, NSW | @smcfc.com.au

Our annual food and beverage edition delves into the delicious trends making their way into the events industry, from conscious dining and the reignited war on waste to a more personal approach to foodservice.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

26 ON THE MAP How venues are showcasing their destination through food

30 TRENDS Five food and beverage movements to watch

32 CATERING FOR TOMORROW How plant-based dining has evolved beyond a trend

Lona Misa, Ovolo South Yarra

Food & beverage

“[...we] love to showcase the fresh and full flavours the Tropical North has to offer in the field of fine dining.”

– Janet Hamilton

ON THE MAP 26 Spice Winter 2021

Food & beverage

For venues across Australia and New Zealand, the food and beverage offering is more than simply feeding hungry delegates, it’s a way to showcase the producers and culinary expertise of the region, writes Brittney Levinson.

A

ustralia and New Zealand are spoiled with an abundance of delicious and diverse produce, grown and farmed in all corners of our lands.

While restaurants are often the vessel that connects these world-class producers with everyday consumers, convention centres, hotels and event venues also play a vital role in showcasing the culinary credentials of their surrounding region to visitors.

Here, we check in with three event venues to find out how their food offering is helping to put them and their destinations on the map for delegates near and far to discover.

Celebrating the region

Harvest Newrybar

In the lead up to its opening, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre in New Zealand has been busy promoting the venue to clients. But given the venue has been under construction, the team has sought creative ways to entice planners and offer a sneak peek of what’s to come with the Taste of Te Pae pop-up.

Managed by executive chef Desmond Davies, the 10-week-long pop-up served a number of dishes from the venue’s upcoming menus.

Diners could choose from a regular snack menu, with dishes such as beef rendang croquettes and wild mushroom arancini balls, alongside weekly rotating options from the centre’s full-day menus.

While the pop-up offered an exciting new dining option for the local community, it also provided an opportunity to showcase the venue and the region to current and prospective clients ahead of its opening in the latter half of 2021, with a virtual reality experience and information area alongside the food van.

Te Pae general manager Ross Steele says while food is an essential part of the event experience, it also plays a major role in showcasing the region on which a centre is built.

“Our clients want their delegates to be immersed in the things that make Christchurch a great place to host a conference,” he says.

“Food plays such a large role in the overall event experience, which is why it is so vital for us to provide a real taste of Canterbury to our guests.”

In a bid to show off the region, Te Pae’s menus will focus heavily on fresh ingredients sourced directly from Canterbury-based food and beverage suppliers.

“Most of Te Pae Christchurch’s food and beverage needs are sourced from within Canterbury, reducing food miles and ensuring a menu that is highly flexible, with options to cater for all dietary requirements and event needs,” says Steele.

Respecting your roots Another region that has cemented itself as a culinary haven is Byron Bay in northern New South Wales. A 20-minute drive south of the beaches and the bustling main town, you’ll find the historic village of Newrybar, where a rustic restaurant, bakehouse, deli and event venue draws travellers off the motorway.

Harvest Newrybar is known for its fresh, seasonal menus and its commitment to showcasing the diversity of the region’s farmers and producers, alongside produce grown in the restaurant’s own gardens.

Partnerships with local producers go beyond what’s on the menu; the venue also hosts talks and workshops to highlight and educate customers on sustainable food practices. ➤ spicenews.com.au 27

Food & beverage

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre’s foodie pop-up Below: Menu items from the Taste of Te Pae pop-up

Harvest Newrybar is also a leader in sustainability, with a range of initiatives in place from using 100 per cent recycled paper menus and napkins, and a robust compost and recycling program, through to on-site beehives to help stimulate pollination in the community and support the declining bee population.

This passion for local produce and sustainability also extends to the venue’s corporate group offering, which includes on-site events and off-site catering.

“Our kitchen team is deeply passionate about sourcing produce in a mindful manner, taking care to safeguard and celebrate the environment, community and those who will enjoy the food,”says Harvest Newrybar head of community and sustainability Blair Beattie.

“Our delivery of this to our corporate audience can include farm tours, foraging and local guest speakers to enhance the event experience.”

Supporting local In Queensland, the state government’s Buy Queensland procurement policy requires government-owned facilities to source locally wherever possible.

It’s a policy welcomed by venues such as the Cairns Convention Centre, whose culinary team works closely with local farmers and producers to put the region on the map.

28 Spice Winter 2021

“We are very fortunate here in Cairns to have an abundance of local and unique produce to serve to our delegates and the feedback we get from our clients is always very positive,” says executive chef Ben Boudaud.

In the recently refurbished centre’s latest menus, the seafood is sourced from ISP Fish Market, a local supplier renowned for employing local workers and supporting local fishing vessels and micro-enterprises in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Cairns Convention Centre general manager Janet Hamilton says the procurement policy has positive flowon effects that extend far beyond the local tourism and events sector.

“The centre not only brings delegates to the region who stay in hotels, eat in restaurants and enjoy all our attractions, we also love to showcase the fresh and full flavours the Tropical North has to offer in the field of fine dining,” she says.

“Sourcing our menu ingredients locally means we are also supporting local farmers, providing additional jobs and money back into the local economy.”

By supporting local, showcasing sustainable producers and embracing regional ingredients, venues and hotels can play a crucial role in putting their destination on the map, in both the culinary and event worlds. n

W E LC O M E TO

HARVEST NEWRYBAR

https://harvest.com.au

Food & beverage

A SOPHISTICATED TAKE ON ALCOHOL-FREE DRINKS With alcohol consumption across Australia on the decline (Roy Morgan, 2020), non-alcoholic spirits continue to gain popularity. So much so, Australian-born, non-alcoholic spirits brand Lyre’s was recently valued at over $179 million after just two years of trading. In further proof the trend is soaring, Melbourne-based distillery Brunswick Aces has launched a permanent bar catering to nondrinkers, serving up alcohol-free beers, wines and cocktails, using their signature non-alcohol gin alternative, Brunswick Aces Sapiir.

CEO and co-founder Stephen Lawrence says the team is turning the traditional bar on its head and assures there’ll be “not a fruit juice mocktail in sight”. Located in Brunswick East, the bar will also be available to hire for events of up to 150 guests.

Brunswick Aces adds a sophisticated touch to alcohol-free drinks

PLATE UP:

Top 5 trends to watch in food and beverage

REIGNITING THE WAR ON WASTE

WOSUP’s reusable cups

30 Spice Winter 2021

After some major setbacks due to the pandemic, the war on waste is back on the agenda. One business keen to make a change in the events space is WOSUP, which stands for ‘war on single use plastic’, a start-up out of Byron Bay, NSW. The idea came after co-founders Karl Page and Martin Salter attended an AFL game and noticed thousands of plastic cups littered throughout the venue. With a sleek range of reusable cups that can be custom branded, WOSUP is hoping to reduce single-use plastics in large scale events, festivals and conferences, while helping venue operators enhance operational performance through data capture.

Food & beverage INCLUSIVE COOKING EXPERIENCES Many embraced their time at home during 2020 by learning to bake or making pasta, and now the focus on hands-on food experiences has extended to events. Corporate groups are looking for ways to bring teams together and foster connection in a fun, engaging environment, paving the way for an influx in cooking masterclasses and food workshops both in-person or online.

In NSW, the catering team at Doltone House now offer a range of virtual food experiences for groups, including pizza making workshops, gingerbread house decorating and gin tastings. Similarly, Melbournebased Urban Foodies has seen growing interest in its MasterChefesque team cooking activities held in their kitchen studio. Owner and director Ben Vile says the camaraderie and inclusivity of these events is appealing to corporates.

“It’s a good way to bring staff together with a fun activity,” he says.

"Yes they’re learning skills, but they’re really here to have fun more than anything else, regardless of nationalities, ages or genders – it’s very inclusive in that way.”

Pizza making boxes

by Doltone House

Three-tier seafood tower at Hyatt Regency Sydney

RETURN OF THE HIGH TEA Amid the changing nature of foodservice and catering, a classic dining style is having a resurgence. Enter, the humble high tea, with a modern twist. With its tiered stands and individual portions, high tea has become an elegant way to serve canapés, lunches and even dinners while reducing contact points and allowing for social distancing.

Hyatt Regency Sydney’s Sailmaker Restaurant has swapped their beloved seafood buffet for a three-tier seafood table, while high tea-style catering has become a popular choice for their corporate events. Meanwhile, the traditional high tea has been elevated at Hotel Chadstone Melbourne, where dishes like Blue Swimmer crab sandwiches with fennel slaw, yuzu, native lime and salmon roe, and mushroom and cheese pie with bush tomato relish are paired with tea or Champagne.

MEET THE CHEF COVID-safe restrictions have forced venues and caterers to rethink how they prepare and serve food and beverages to guests. At Adelaide Convention Centre, the team has focussed on personalised, individual service, with all catering now served by team members, whether via staff-serviced buffets, trayed or table service. But the silver lining, says executive chef Gavin Robertson, is the greater interaction between staff and guests.

“Our current ‘COVID-safe’ serving style has provided an increased opportunity for our staff to educate guests and share details about our Honest Goodness menu philosophy, specifically its focus on house-made, local flavours and minimal intervention foods,” he says.

“Food plays such a critical role in the event experience, and we’re very keen to continue this heightened interaction between staff and guests, along with our commitment to sustainability and supporting local growers and producers.”

Adelaide Convention Centre executive chef Gavin Robertson

spicenews.com.au 31

Food & beverage Monster Kitchen and Bar Credit: Zachary Griffith

Catering for tomorrow Plant-based dining has had a sophisticated makeover, paving the way for a more conscious type of diner. By Brittney Levinson.

N

o longer a buzz word or a fad, plant-based dining has a solid place in Australia’s food scene and has continued to evolve on the back of the pandemic, thanks to a heightened focus on the health of the planet and ourselves.

Conference venues, hotels and restaurants are not just embracing vegetarian options, but also focussing on sustainable producers, locally grown ingredients and embracing indigenous plants too.

Taking the leap

Hay-smoked beetroot tartare at Monster Kitchen and Bar Credit: Zachary Griffith

32 Spice Winter 2021

In mid-2020, the executive team at Ovolo Hotels had a bold idea: to convert all its restaurants and bars to fully vegetarian for a 12-month, ‘Year of the Veg’ concept.

When creative food and beverage director Vincent Lombino was asked his thoughts, he said,“It’s big, it’s bold, it’s bad ass and it’s what Ovolo is known for: being a disruptor.”

Lombino also said, if they were going to do it, they had to do it really, really well. So the team went on a worldwide hunt for the best chefs, reworked the menus and embarked on months of staff training.

On 1 October 2020, World Vegetarian Day, all restaurants across the group’s Australia and Hong Kong properties relaunched to reveal their new vego vibe.

Among the innovative dishes are oyster mushroom ceviche at Lona Misa, Ovolo South Yarra, hay-smoked beetroot tartare at Monster Kitchen and Bar at Canberra’s Ovolo Nishi and jackfruit, leek and thyme dumplings at Za Za Ta, Ovolo Fortitude Valley in Brisbane.

For conferences and events held across the Ovolo Hotels properties, while there is still an option to include meat dishes, Lombino says many delegates are embracing vegetarian options when given the choice.

“We’ve seen a lot more take-up in that area where we didn’t have that before, and organisers are at least doing a hybrid menu where they might do 99 per cent vegetarian, with one meat protein option for a main,”he says.

Now, over eight months in, the initiative has been “overwhelmingly successful”, with restaurants in Brisbane and Canberra in particular often booked out.

“It’s been really exciting and now it’s about keeping it fresh and evolving the menu,”he says. ➤

www.melbournecb.com.au/plan-event

Food & beverage “To enable us to feature these ingredients on our menu year-round, we’ve engaged with local growers to plant and grow specific quantities of these ingredients for us.”

The way forward

Roasted Hokkaido pumpkin at Monster Kitchen and Bar Credit: Zachary Griffith

“I think coming out of COVID, people’s self awareness, environmental care and passion for the fellow man [is growing], so it just seemed like a really great time to take a chance.”

A balanced, honest offering Peter Haycroft, executive chef at Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre (MCEC), has also noticed a shift in consumers’ dining preferences since COVID-19 began.

“During the pandemic there was a big focus on the earth, waste and the environmental impacts around menus and the produce that you use,” he says.

“Moving forward, those sorts of things are going to be high on everyone’s agenda; there’s more of a focus on wellbeing and eating sustainably.”

This heightened focus on sustainability and the environment has an influence on the menus at MCEC, where more delegates are opting for plant-based meals.

And while the venue has previously dabbled in meat alternatives, the focus is now on “good old vegetables, grown locally from Mother Earth”, says Haycroft.

“Vegetarian and vegan meals aren’t necessarily new; vegetarianism has been a big part of many cultures for a long time,” he says.

“We’re just focussing on those traditional elements and bringing them into a conference setting.”

A traditional, honest approach to food is something Adelaide Convention Centre (ACC) also operates by.

The centre’s Honest Goodness menu philosophy, developed alongside nutritional experts from the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute and CSIRO, sees 97 per cent of ingredients sourced from local, sustainable environments.

The latest iteration of the menus has an emphasis on house-made and minimal intervention foods, a new range of plant-based dishes, plus more native Australian ingredients, giving delegates the chance to experience and preserve one of the world’s oldest living cultures.

“While [native Australian] ingredients have been utilised by smaller restaurants for some time, the challenge for large-scale venues such as ours was related to volume and consistency of supply,” says ACC executive chef Gavin Robertson.

34 Spice Winter 2021

While Ovolo Hotels initially embarked on 365 days of vegetarian dining, which Lombino says gave them an exit option if the concept wasn’t successful, the group is now looking to continue its plant-based menus into the future.

“The work and investment we put into it, the success we’re seeing and the enjoyment people are having from it – I don’t see us ever going back, I think we’ll stay pretty steady on this path,” he says.

Meanwhile, MCEC will continue to grow vegetables and herbs in its on-site kitchen gardens, adding to its sustainability mission by reducing overall food miles.

Looking to the future, the venue has embarked on a joint project to transform a nearby 2,000-square-metre rooftop car park into an urban farm and sustainable dining and event space.

Once complete, Melbourne Skyfarm will aim to grow more than five tonnes of fresh produce each year, to be donated to Melbourne food charities and used at MCEC. “Urban gardens and vertical gardens – I think that’s what the future holds,” says Haycroft.

Consumers are increasingly looking for dining options that tick the boxes of sustainability, locality and, of course, taste. Venues that embrace plant-based menu options and are transparent about their ingredients will attract a new wave of conscious diners and delegates. n

“Vegetarian and vegan meals aren’t necessarily new; vegetarianism has been a big part of many cultures for a long time.”

– Peter Haycroft

Yemenite butter bread, oxheart tomato, zhug chili at Za Za Ta

SYDNEY’S NEWEST EVENT SPACE THE WINX STAND TURN YOUR EVENT INTO AN OCCASION

Named after the legendary mare who captivated the racing world, the Winx Stand is Sydney’s newest major large-scale function centre. It opens at Royal Randwick for raceday guests this Spring, and for functions and events in early 2022.

It will boast a multitude of flexible lightfilled spaces that offer seamless indoor and outdoor flow, ideal for conferences, galas and parties. The open-air rooftop space will offer breaktaking views towards the Eastern beaches, ideal for conference breakouts or a pre-dinner cocktail party.

We are taking enquiries for 2022, and it is the perfect new space for your next event.

To speak with one of our event specialists please contact: P 1300 729 668 E meetingsandevents@australianturfclub.com.au W australianturfclub.com.au www.australianturfclub.com.au

Advertorial ICC Sydney’s 2021 menu collection

ICC Sydney:

Plating up world-class cuisine The menu isn’t the only thing evolving at International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) this year; the culinary team is going through some exciting changes of its own.

W

e’re now well into the year and it’s exciting to see a glimpse of the way things were, as restrictions on events continue to ease. While there is still a long way to go towards recovery, one thing is certain: ICC Sydney is more than ready to welcome and deliver events to a world-class standard.

This couldn’t be truer for our culinary team, with 2021 giving us plenty to look forward to. Earlier this year we launched our 2021 menu collection, showcasing the best of emerging trends and from May we will welcome a new executive chef and executive sous chef to deliver extraordinary culinary services. We’re also ready to ramp up our services to hold more and larger in-person events.

A commitment to flavour With a new year comes a new menu. Our 2021 menu collection showcases our commitment to flavour with the very best of New South Wales, highlighting emerging culinary trends, as well iconic ICC Sydney favourites.

Created to meet the evolving tastes of clients and their guests, our new menu features a diverse range of native ingredients, sustainable protein plant-based options and 36 Spice Winter 2021

superfoods, catering to the variety and flexibility required in today’s events. To complement our food menu, the wine collection is a celebration of local producers across NSW and marks the venue’s ongoing commitment to its partnership with these world-class suppliers.

Leading the culinary philosophy Leading the charge in delivering our new menu will be Dylan Sanding. Previously in the role of executive sous chef, Sanding is taking the reins from Tony Panetta as executive chef as he leaves to take up an opportunity in his home state of Victoria. Sanding will be joined by Rakesh Pillai who is stepping up from the position of chef de cuisine to executive sous chef.

Having worked with ICC Sydney since 2016, Sanding aims to hone into and further showcase the talents and diversity of the kitchen team while highlighting quality, farm-fresh local produce. Drawing on his passion for ICC Sydney’s Feeding Your Performance philosophy, which Sanding was a key part of establishing, he plans to continue taking guests on a gastronomic tour of the venue’s surrounding regions, believing that seasonal, locally sourced produce is key.

ICC Sydney executive chef Dylan Sanding

“…our new menu features a diverse range of native ingredients, sustainable protein plant-based options and superfoods, catering to the variety and flexibility required in today’s events.”

With a view to continue ICC Sydney traditions by valuing and extending the existing relationships with suppliers, the culinary team understand the importance of the continued support our suppliers need at this time and remain committed to regional suppliers and growers in light of the impact of recent environmental disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Driving impact and supporting NSW

ICC Sydney continues its Feeding Your Performance philosophy

We are proud of the role our award-winning culinary team plays in not only providing clients with the most enriching experiences on every level, but in generating positive economic benefits for regional NSW farming communities. This in turn positively impacts job creation, business growth and market stability. While this has been unavoidably impacted by the pandemic, as more events return so too can the extent of support for the state’s food and wine suppliers.

Managed by the best in the business, ICC Sydney continues to deliver a unique combination of services, features, partners and people, all of which make it a symbol of global industry excellence, and more than a venue – before, during and as we manage our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The menus will focus on high-quality, seasonal produce

To find out more about how we deliver world class culinary experiences in a COVID-safe way visit iccsydney.com. n spicenews.com.au 37

Associations

Stronger together Associations are built on the ability to bring people together, so the past year has presented enormous challenges and forced the industry to rethink the way they meet, writes Brittney Levinson.

C

onferences and events are an integral part of associations, no matter the industry. They facilitate education, deliver information and generate networking opportunities for members. In fact, national association events are one of the most recognised and valued services for members, says Fatima Sunderji, general manager of Associations Forum, a member-based network of 500 associations.

“Events are really the core of most associations,” she says.

“In our recent membership survey, the most popular member benefit was conferencing and it was one of the best attended services for members.”

Events are also a key revenue stream for associations, generated through registrations and sponsorships, so the halt on in-person events that began in March 2020 had a serious impact on the industry.

As Nell Harrison, managing director of association and event management company The Association Specialists, explains, groups often rely on the income of their conferences and events to “make or break” the organisation.

“It’s not a case of just running with it and hoping for the best, it’s running with it with a very clear, targeted goal in terms of a budget, and usually that budget is predicted by the number of registrations by a particular date.”

The arrival of hybrid The Association Specialists represent more than 70 organisations across a broad spectrum of industries. Of those, Harrison says up to 90 per cent are going ahead with a face-to-face event this year and every one of them has a contingency plan that includes a virtual component. But for some industries, the risk simply outweighs the benefits.

38 Spice Winter 2021

“We have some associations where we have to weigh up the risk – even though we might be able to meet face to face, if we don’t hit targets in terms of delegate numbers or sponsorship income it will cripple their association,”she says.

“So in some cases we’ve had to say we can’t go ahead with a face-to-face event, deliver it virtually and wait until 2022.”

Think Business Events, a conference management company specialising in association events, has also delivered a number of successful virtual gatherings since the COVID-19 pandemic began, including the Australasian Diabetes Congress, which would usually attract some 1,400 in-person attendees.

“A lot of virtual events have been truncated because people are saying there is online fatigue,” says co-director Denise Broeren.

“But for this event, we actually kept the same format – it was still a three-day event with seven concurrent sessions.”

Despite some concerns of lower attendance, the event saw 1,100 registrations, with approximately 800 in attendance on opening day and a solid 600 on the final day of the congress. The key to its success, says Broeren, was how the event and its content was positioned to delegates.

“We really promoted the fact they were getting access to all the content and not just the sessions they were attending, but the entire program for 12 months after the congress,” she says.

“So it’s an ongoing value to them and the program was as high quality as it would have been face to face.”

The ability to open the event up to a wider audience was also a key benefit.

“We had new attendees from rural and remote areas that hadn’t attended the congress before,” says Broeren. ➤

Associations

“For associations to thrive, they need connection and engagement with their members and so they will, at some point, have to face the reality of getting back together.”

– Nell Harrison

Thinking about a hybrid conference? Talk to us...

There is a good reason why our association clients stay with us for the long term, and why you can rely on our experienced team to deliver the best conference outcome.

We’re focussed on productive partnerships – a collaboration of your conference and your ideas, teamed with our experience, recommendations, innovation, guidance and execution.

As the needs of association conferences have changed, we too have evolved and innovated, leading us to become masters of new virtual and hybrid conference formats.

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We are excited about evolving Conferences to make connections, communications and networking even more impactful than before.

Call us today to find out about some of the innovations our clients have loved in our hybrid conferences.

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Associations

Sponsors are becoming more creative with how they engage with members online, to ensure they get the most value out of their partnership.

“Sponsors are learning new ways of interacting with delegates, whether that’s virtual networking, virtual social functions or wine tastings,”says Sunderji.

“Whatever it is, sponsors need to come up with something new and innovative to capture the audience.”

The future of association events

“That’s one of the reasons why we’re continuing with a virtual element again this year, so we can keep them engaged as well.”

Advice for planners Both The Association Specialists and Think Business Events are encouraging clients to adopt a hybrid model for their events this year, highlighting the importance of a strong face-to-face component.

“People are tired of digital, so while we are doing a couple of virtual-only conferences this year, our recommendation for clients is to include a live component because people are hanging out to meet face-to-face,” says Think Business Events co-director Kim Stevenson.

Both companies agree a strong risk management plan is a must.

“We’ve put risk models in place, so the budgets are based on lower numbers and lower sponsorship income and they will have a back-up virtual component,” says Harrison.

“It’s important to keep clients informed of what’s happening and give them confidence to go ahead with a hybrid conference knowing we’re on top of the risk management and really planning for different scenarios, for example a state lockdown,” says Stevenson.

“That’s another reason we’re recommending to our clients they all go hybrid this year, so if for any reason they have to go fully virtual we’re set up.”

Finding additional revenue With so much riding on association conferences, organisers have become savvy in generating additional revenue where they can.

Increasing virtual registrations is the first place to start, which can be done by highlighting the value of the event to those who may not normally attend due to the costs and time associated with travel.

Broeren says there are also ways to increase sponsorship revenue through virtual opportunities.

“While online-only sponsorship is not considered high engagement for sponsors, as an added bonus online sponsorship can add value and actually increase the package prices,” she says.

40 Spice Winter 2021

Above and below: Think Business Events’ virtual event platform Credit: Cvent

As we head into the second half of the year, highquality hybrid events are the path most associations are choosing.

“A lot of people did virtual last year and now this year people are more comfortable with face-to-face events thanks to the vaccine starting up, so they’re coming around to hybrid or purely face to face,” says Sunderji.

“Others are running satellite hubs, so they might stream the conference but have viewing platforms in major cities, which is another way to bring members together to network and learn from each other, while including your key sponsors.”

When it comes to fully in-person events, Harrison says it’s not a case of if, but when.

“People want to travel and engage with likeminded individuals, at the end of the day humans like to meet,” she says.

“Online engagement, while it’s become a back-up and it’s certainly here to stay, it doesn’t provide that quality interaction that members value so highly.

“For associations to thrive, they need connection and engagement with their members and so they will, at some point, have to face the reality of getting back together.

“It may look very different – it may not be the big bash annual conference, maybe it’s going to be smaller but more frequent events – but there’s definitely a push to get there, it’s just the ‘when’.” n

www.cairnsconvention.com.au

Destination

INSIDER’S GUIDE:

Canberra

Pialligo Fields at Pialligo Estate

With new product on offer and premium group experiences at hand, there’s more reasons than ever to take your groups to the ACT.

T

he first half of 2021 has shown positive signs of recovery for Canberra, Ngunnawal country, with locals out and about and interstate travel returning.

As the final autumn leaves fall and the colder months arrive, the city’s vibrancy remains, with a plethora of new and exciting opportunities for meetings and events.

New and noteworthy hotels In February, TFE Hotels launched a new, upscale hotel brand, debuting with a luxury property in the ACT. A by Adina Canberra features 130 luxury apartments and is conveniently located within the $300 million Constitution Place precinct, just a short walk to the National Convention Centre Canberra (NCCC).

After opening its doors in 2019, Midnight Hotel, part of Marriott International’s Autograph Collection, has added some final touches to complement its 199 guest rooms and dedicated meeting spaces. The hotel now boasts a sophisticated bar area that can be booked for events of up to 300 guests, while its signature restaurant, Braddon Merchant, has revamped its lunch and dinner offering with a focus on local produce, under new executive chef Bernd Brademann.

Premium experiences One of Canberra’s most loved food and wine destinations for both locals and visitors alike, Pialligo Estate, has an array of unique group offerings alongside its stunning event spaces. The team can tailor corporate experiences for all types of groups, from chef masterclasses and farm tours showcasing their house-smoked meats and other delicious produce, to team building activities within the expansive property. The venue recently hosted 450 delegates for 42 Spice Winter 2021

The Australian Hotels Association’s ACT Hospitality and Tourism Awards, utilising the vast outdoor areas for the seated dinner event.

Meanwhile for Shaw Wines, after a challenging 2020 which saw its vineyards wiped out by bushfire smoke taint right before the pandemic ensued, the winery is forging ahead with enticing experiences for groups. Their most premium offering, Shaw Escapes, sees small VIP groups fly from Sydney to Canberra on board a private aircraft, before stepping onto a helicopter for a scenic flight and landing at the winery. After a private tasting of Shaw’s Estate Range Wines, the group then makes its way down to the private cellar for a three-course lunch experience. It’s an impressive way to see the region, even for the most welltravelled delegates.

Flexible venues The NCCC has been hosting large-scale events for many months now, which general manager Stephen Wood says is a “real show of confidence” for the business events sector. Set over two floors with natural light streaming in, the centre offers large spaces such as the 2,000-squaremetre exhibition hall and the 762-square-metre pillarless ballroom. NCCC have virtual and hybrid events covered too, with a dedicated production suite located on site.

Perhaps one of Canberra’s biggest draw cards is the vast opportunities for unique events in some of the most iconic venues. National landmarks such as the National Arboretum, the National Gallery and the Australian War Memorial can all be booked for corporate events, offering a memorable backdrop for meetings and conferences through to cocktail events and gala dinners. n

CCAANNBBEERRRRA’ A’SS NNEEW WEESSTT HHOT OTEELL Whether Whetheryou’re you’retravelling travellingfor forbusiness businessoror leisure, leisure,relax relaxand andenjoy enjoythe themodern modernfacilities facilities atatMercure MercureCanberra CanberraBelconnen Belconnenwith with superior superiorcomfort comfortsuited suitedfor forallallguests. guests. . .125 125rooms rooms . .Enjoy Enjoypremium premiumspacious spaciousrooms roomsallallwith withmodern modern technology technologyand andhigh-speed high-speedWi-Fi Wi-Fi . .Perfectly Perfectlylocated located1010minutes minutesfrom fromthe theCBD, CBD, walkingdistance distancefrom fromWestfield WestfieldBelconnen Belconnen& & walking UniversityofofCanberra.

Canberra.

University . .5 5minute minutedrive drivetotoAustralian AustralianInstitute InstituteofofSport, Sport, GIOStadium Stadium& &Calvary CalvaryPublic Public& &Private Privatehospitals. hospitals.

GIO . .8kms 8kmsaway awayfrom fromThe TheNational NationalZoo Zoo& &Aquarium Aquarium andCanberra CanberraAboretrum Aboretrumoffering offeringa fun a funday dayout. out. and . .Entertainment Entertainmenthub, hub,adjoining adjoiningthe the CanberraLabour LabourClub Clubprecinct precinct Canberra

Destination The ever-changing Harbour City is re-emerging from the challenges of 2020 with so much to entice visitors and locals alike.

Rediscovering

Sydney

Kayaking on Sydney Harbour Credit: Destination NSW

N

ot even a year like 2020 could dampen Sydney’s spirits, and now the city, home to the Gadigal of the Eora nation, has come alive again with a renewed sense of vigour and vitality. Venues have been transformed, hotels are getting makeovers and new experiences are on offer, creating the perfect backdrop for upcoming conferences and events in the New South Wales capital.

New and refreshed product While 2020 may have been an utterly challenging year for a hotel to open, for some it gave them a chance to pull back the curtain quietly and settle into their new digs. Little National Hotel was one of those, opening in November last year, right above Wynyard station.

Entering via an unassuming lobby on Clarence Street, hotel guests can expect compact yet thoughtfully planned rooms, with luxury essentials like T2 tea and Nespresso coffee, super king beds and unlimited free Wi-Fi. The real showstopper is the communal Lounge and Library on the rooftop, complete with an outdoor terrace and indoor fireplace. Available exclusively to hotel guests, the rooftop is reason alone to book your delegates into this property.

For high-end groups looking for a conference venue and accommodation all in one, the newly opened Crown at Barangaroo should be on your list. The 573-square-metre Pearl Ballroom is an intricately styled space for galas, award ceremonies and conferences, and can be divided in three private spaces for smaller 44 Spice Winter 2021

events. For intimate dinners or product launches with a difference, the 178-square-metre Opal Suite offers breathtaking views over Darling Harbour and sophisticated interiors.

A number of long-standing hotels across the city have undergone refurbishments in the past year, including Hilton Sydney, which saw a $25 million accommodation makeover, and Hyatt Regency Sydney, which refreshed the remaining three quarters of its rooms and suites. Meanwhile, a $95 million redevelopment of InterContinental Sydney is currently underway.

Nightlife reignited Thanks to the removal of the controversial lockout laws, Sydney is on a mission to reignite its nightlife and reposition its night time economy. In a bid to regain what was lost in the six years of the lockout laws, the NSW Government has appointed a 24-hour economy commissioner, former managing director of Time Out Australia Michael Rodrigues, who was a strong advocate for the removal of the restrictions.

After a year of little after-dark activity, Sydney’s bar scene is roaring back to life. A host of new venues have also emerged over the past 18 months, including the Four Pillars Laboratory in Surry Hills, with exclusive hire options for up to 100 guests, TWR at Crown Sydney, with its luxe styling by New York design firm Meyer Davis, and Dean & Nancy on 22, a sophisticated cocktail bar atop the brand new A by Adina Sydney. ➤

Destination

Pick your

POISON ...we’ll match the venue Pearl Ballroom at Crown Sydney

Whisky Housed underground in a heritage site dating back to the 1840s, The Doss House in The Rocks has one of the city’s most extensive collections of whiskies, plus event spaces for up to 100 people.

Gin A working barbershop by day, The Barber Shop on York Street is a cocktail bar by night with an impressive 700-strong list of gins from all corners of the globe and holds the title of Australia’s best gin bar, four years running.

Wine

Dear Saint Eloise is highly awarded for good reason; its 40-page wine list with witty explainers is a wine lover’s dream. If you order the mystery wine and guess the grape and country correctly, it’s on the house.

Opal Suite at Crown Sydney

George Street, Sydney CBD Credit: Destination NSW

Beer

At Tap Rooms in the heart of The Rocks, customers can sample the rotating beers, made in the venue’s 600-litre brewhouse.

Several event spaces are also on offer for team meetings and private functions.

Tap Rooms, The Rocks Credit: Destination NSW

spicenews.com.au 45

Destination

Destination dining The next time a client asks, ‘Where should we go to eat?’, you’ll have a few insider tips up your sleeve.

Hinchcliff House Taking over the historic Hinchcliff Wool Stores in Circular Quay, Hinchcliff House is a new four-level dining, drinking and event destination in the heart of Sydney. Two of the four venues opened in May, unveiling Grana, an Italian eatery with an in-house bakery, pasta room and pastry kitchen on show for guests and Apollonia, a dramatic bar slinging spritzes, negronis and other Italian cocktails. Soon to follow will be a premium-casual restaurant, Lana, on the ground floor, while a 170-seat event space will occupy the sandstone building’s top level.

Ikaria

Burrawa Climb at BridgeClimb Sydney

Truly Sydney experiences Tried and tested Sydney attraction BridgeClimb has seen an influx of Sydneysiders returning to complete the climb since the pandemic began, and are now welcoming corporate teams back for meetings and events. For newcomers or those who’ve conquered the bridge before, BridgeClimb now offers the Burrawa Climb, a cultural experience conceptualised by artistic director Wesley Enoch that invites climbers to see the city through the eyes of Australia’s First Nations people. Groups are guided by Aboriginal storytellers, who lead climbers along the three-hour Summit Climb route, across the upper arch of the bridge. Event planners will be pleased (and perhaps surprised) to know BridgeClimb offers complimentary use of its dedicated event space, which can host up to 100 people, for groups pre- or post-climb. It’s fitted with AV equipment, a large screen and a lectern, which are all free of charge to organisers.

Perhaps one of the best ways to see Sydney is on its stunning harbour, whether by boat, flying over on board a seaplane or even in a kayak. Local operator Sydney by Kayak shows groups a calm, serene side of the city in its ‘sunrise kayak and coffee’ tour. Groups paddle out into the flat harbour waters before the rest of the city wakes up to see the sun rising over the horizon and lighting up the CBD. However you choose to see and experience Sydney, the city is ready to host business events again with a fresh new offering for those who visit. n 46 Spice Winter 2021

While we can’t venture beyond Australia right now, diners can get their European fix at Bondi’s new Greek-inspired restaurant, Ikaria. Husband and wife team Joaquin Saez and Emily Abay set out to bring the small community feel of the Greek island which the restaurant was named after, alongside a menu of simple, share plates such as saganaki cheese, calamari with fermented chilli and octopus with Greek sausage. You’ll find Ikaria on Campbell Parade, where you can sit back and join Ikaria’s ‘Aperitif Time’ amid all the action of bustling Bondi.

Beckett’s Bar and Dining Beckett’s Bar and Dining describes itself as “an ode to the glamour of mid-century New York and Parisian brasseries”. Led by veteran chef Jeff Schroeter, the new restaurant has taken over the former Darling Mills site on Glebe Point Road that pioneered farm-to-table dining in Sydney. Staying true to the building’s roots, the menu is all about championing quality produce, with Appellation Oysters, Mount Cook salmon and wild-caught Queensland lobster on the menu. The venue has a range of event spaces too, such as the Playwrights Lounge for up to 22 guests and a 10-seat private dining room.

Ikaria, Bondi

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Enjoy a session of painting as our expert Pinot and Picasso hosts deliver each session with comprehensive step by step instruction with plenty room left for your inner-Picasso to express creativity.

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Destination

The Coast is calling Where vast green wilderness meets crashing ocean waves, the New South Wales Central Coast beckons corporate groups, writes Brittney Levinson.

Above: Bouddi National Park, Central Coast

T

he Central Coast, located on Darkinjung land, is a truly invigorating destination, seamlessly blending coastal cool with the rustic charm of the hinterland. Spanning from Lake Haven in the north to the Hawkesbury River in the south, the region covers a vast area of land and an array of event venues, activities and food and beverage experiences.

Given its proximity to Sydney (an easy 90-minute drive away), it’s a great escape for corporate teams that often meet in the city, or groups flying in from elsewhere in the country looking for respite. While there’s enough to see and do on the Central Coast to fill an entire magazine, two venues in particular stand out to serve as the ultimate examples of how well the region caters to business events.

Coastal charm Among the plethora of venue options on the Central Coast, Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific appeals not just for its impressive location right on Terrigal Esplanade or its Instagrammable pool deck, but also for its large, flexible event offering. Having undergone a $3 million refurbishment in September 2019, and given the quiet year that was 2020, the hotel’s dedicated conference and event spaces still boast a modern, freshly updated look. The classic yet contemporary grey and white colour palette gives the space a timeless look, complemented by wooden accents and loads of natural light through large windows.

48 Spice Winter 2021

The New Grand Ballroom is among the largest and most modern in the region with normal capacity for up to 450 guests and the ability to divide into two smaller ballrooms, or five more intimate spaces.

There are myriad options for breakout spaces too, with some of the lower level courtyard rooms having been converted into the smaller Haven meeting spaces, opening out onto a quiet, private courtyard, perfect for cocktail events.

In the heart of the hotel, a grand staircase floats between the public floors, where a trifecta of bars and restaurants awaits guests. The Lord Ashley Bar is a highlight, with its charming cocktail bar vibes and cosy marble fireplace room, which can be hired for meetings and events for up to 70 guests. With external arches framing the windows, Sea Salt is another great space, serving up breakfast in the morning and making for a popular breakout venue for lunch.

On the ground level overlooking the beach and the esplanade, Terrigal Beach House is a relaxed, yet vibrant space for casual post-event drinks or larger private gatherings. The venue recently underwent a $4 million refurbishment, revealing a bright, coastal look and a fresh, seasonal menu.

In addition to 13 event spaces, Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific features 199 spacious guest rooms and suites, each with loads of natural light and many with unobstructed ocean views.

Destination Wide open spaces

On the menu at Terrigal Beach House

Glamping at Glenworth Valley

What began 50 years ago as a humble horse-riding facility, Glenworth Valley is now a multi-faceted, family run business spanning 3,000 acres of rugged wilderness and the perfect backdrop for bringing groups together in an inspiring natural setting. The property features luxury eco-cabin accommodation, an array of open spaces for glamping tents and endless team-building activities such as horse riding, quad biking, kayaking and abseiling, just to name a few. Glenworth Valley is well-versed in hosting exceptional events; the likes of Shell, Google, Amazon, Uber and Amway have been on site for incentive programs, team building, conferences, product launches and film shoots.

The jewel in the vast, green crown is Glenworth Valley’s newly added $5 million Events Centre. After seeing it for yourself, you’ll agree it’s worth every dollar. With Australian hardwood accents and polished concrete floors, the two-level venue is the perfect blend of rustic and contemporary that requires little styling to really create an impact.

On the upper level, the 192-squaremetre Wilderness Room invites guests in with its sandstone fireplace and expansive balcony with sweeping

views of Popran Creek. Downstairs, the larger Rainforest Room is ideal for conferences, thanks to its optional blackout blinds and audio visual facilities. The space also opens out onto a grand lawn area, immersing groups into nature between conference sessions. Beyond the centre, organisers can utilise the lawns for open-air or marquee events, comfortably hosting groups of up to 500 people.

On-site catering is in the capable hands of Michelin-trained head chef Mario Schwallie, whose experience in world-class restaurants such as Gleneagles in Scotland and Brasserie in London has seen him develop a passion for local, organic produce which is prominent in his menus. The real showstopper for delegates is Glenworth Valley’s iconic running of the horses, where some 200 horses are mustered out of the yards every afternoon, creating a spectacle to end the day.

Whether a hinterland team-building retreat or a coastal conference is in order, the Central Coast has a wealth of opportunities to support groups, big or small. The fresh sea breeze and stillness of the wilderness will leave your delegates reinvigorated and ready to tackle any challenges that lay ahead. n

Why we love the Central Coast

A cruisy 90-minute drive north from Sydney, the Central Coast is easily accessible for groups travelling locally and interstate.

The region’s natural scenery will have your groups instantly relaxed. If not, a coastal walk or spot of group yoga by the beach will do just the trick.

Lord Ashley Bar and Lounge at Crowne Plaza Terrigal Pacific

There’s no shortage of great bars, restaurants and cafes to suit all budgets and group sizes.

spicenews.com.au 49

Destination

FIRESCREEK WINES

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PARK

REEF RESTAURANT

Located in the leafy town of Holgate, Firescreek Wines produces a range of botanical wines that capture the natural flavours of fruits, flowers and herbs

Australian Reptile Park is home to a vast collection of Australian wildlife that is sure to impress international visitors and locals alike. Corporate groups can opt for the VIP

Located in The Haven, a protected cove nestled into the Skillion, Reef Restaurant is an established dining venue overlooking the crashing ocean waves

through regenerative organic farming techniques. Set among lush vines and gardens, Firescreek Wines offers wine and chocolate pairing, bush tucker workshops, foraging and mixology. Creative types will enjoy discovering this unique style of drink, with the likes of pineapple wine and chilli citrus wine on the menu.

treatment, with private animal encounters and behind-the-scenes experiences, such as an up-close look at the fascinating funnel-web spider venom milking program.

The park can also take their resident animals to off-site venues, bringing photoworthy moments to private corporate events across the Central Coast region.

below. From á la carte or degustation to tastings and canapé menus, the culinary offering is all about high quality produce, with a healthy dose of local seafood.

The venue itself can be configured for a variety of group sizes, from intimate seated dinners through to 200 people for cocktail events.

SADDLES

TREETOP ADVENTURE PARK

BROKEN BAY PEARL FARM

Saddles at Mount White is an absolute must-visit when heading to the Central Coast, and given it’s just an hour’s drive from Sydney, it’s the perfect pit-stop on the way to or from the coast. Run by local restaurateurs Hayley and Cameron Cansdell, Saddles is a bakehouse eatery set amongst 28 acres of quintessential Australian bush landscape. Complete with horse saddles for bar stools, a cosy fireplace and a covered deck overlooking the tranquil dam, the venue is an impressive space for private events or simply a spot of lunch.

At first glance, some may be hesitant to get stuck into the high ropes and flying foxes at Treetop Adventure Park, but rest assured it’s well worth the challenge.

A fantastic team-building option, the attraction can be tailored to include anything from group challenges to meetings suspended 20 metres above the Ourimbah State Forest floor. Among the highlights is the TreeTop Crazy Rider, a combination of rollercoaster and flying fox and the fastest of its kind in the world, that has groups zooming through 360-degree loops at adrenaline-pumping speed.

In an unassuming shed by the water’s edge, Broken Bay Pearl Farm’s new Shellar Door experience is an immersive activity that leaves guests with a deeper appreciation for the art of cultured pearls.

An experienced and passionate skipper takes groups on a boat ride along the Hawkesbury River to the longlines, where some of the world’s finest Akoya pearls are grown. Back on land, the Pearls of Australia team leads a private pearlgrading workshop to equip visitors with a true understanding of what constitutes a high quality pearl.

50 Spice Winter 2021

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MORE THAN A V EN U E

Create an extraordinary dining experience overlooking Sydney harbour, enjoying some of the finest seasonal produce, sourced directly from local farmers. ICC Sydney also brings the best of the region’s wine to attendees with a 100% NSW wine list. Choose to host your next event at ICC Sydney. sales@iccsydney.com | +61 2 9215 7100 |www.iccsydney.com iccsydney.com