Best Events
Supplement DECEMBER 2013/JANUARY 2014
best events Independent research conducted by micenet AUSTRALIA has found that readers love to find out what their counterparts have been up to. To that end we introduce our Best Events feature that will become a regular in the future. By Brad Foster You want inspiration. You want to read and see what your counterparts have been up to around the country and indeed internationally. You want the nitty gritty of an event program, and you want it in an easy-to-read format. Whether you’re seeking a little inspiration yourself for your own events, or want to know how a venue has performed under pressure, then you’ve come to the right place. Throughout the year micenet AUSTRALIA will feature some of the best events that we’ve come across in a special feature format that we hope will go a long way in demonstrating the sophistication of those working in the business events sector
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here and internationally. What we also hope is that it will inspire others to put their best events forward for other readers to pore over; helping to spread the good oil about the pleasures and pitfalls of meetings, incentives and event management. This first batch has been provided by a range of operators, with each having their own challenges. You will notice at the end of each we have added our own two cent’s worth and say why we like it. If you have an event that you think deserves a mention in our pages then contact our sales team.
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Steadfast at ATP NAME: 15th National Steadfast Group Convention TYPE: Gala dinner BY: All Occasions Events and Australian Technology Park Conference Centre VENUE: Australian Technology Park Exhibition Hall PAX: 1400 each night held over two nights NO. ON ORGANISING TEAM: 6
WHAT YOU DID: The 15th National Steadfast Convention brought a super-sized gala event to ATP in 2013 with 2800 guests dining in the Exhibition Hall over two nights. Event management company, All Occasions, coordinated the event and created two different experiences in the hall for the broking firm, Steadfast Group. With creative catering, stateof-the-art tech equipment, entertainment concepts, and a unique venue, guests experienced two very different evenings at the park. Unique features of both dinners included exciting live entertainment, an awards ceremony and a cocktail area for when people arrived. As a venue the Exhibition Hall at ATP has the ability to be transformed for all types of functions. No two events are the same and with the hall’s size and layout ATP was able to use partitions and equipment to change the look and feel of the venue. These two Steadfast Gala dinners where perfect examples of how with the right equipment, decorations and food ATP caters to clients’ needs and ensures each event is unique to the company. F&B: The first night saw the three course dinner delivered as a family-style meal encouraging conversation over sharing food. The production on the first night was rectangular tables, dressed using white and natural colours. The second night was a complete change in production with oval tables, black linen, table decoration, and an exclusive three course alternate-serve gala dinner catered by Laissez Faire. Each night the wines matched the food and on the first night staff wore all black, while on the second night they wore black and whites. Additionally, two very different entry points were created each night to match the style of the evening ahead. DIFFICULTIES: One of the main challenges the event team faced was coordinating and accommodating 60 coaches arriving onsite at the same time with only a service road for access. OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES: Ruby Chronis ensured her team worked through this challenge by closely communicating with the coach company and client to ensure the safe arrival of all guests in a timely manner. This was done by developing and implementing an extensive traffic management plan which was executed accordingly. CLIENT'S COMMENTS: “Thanks for doing a great job. The client was very happy and the room looked great. It was one of our best Steadfast events in 14 years with a maximum attendance of 2400 at the convention. Well done and we appreciated how it all came together in the end.” - All Occasions Events micenet Australia
WHY WE LIKE IT: The venue operator, event company, client and caterer could have taken the easy option and simply slightly tweaked almost everything they did on the first night’s event for the second night’s one. But they didn’t. Plenty was altered, ensuring each event was a fresh and surprising experience for guests.
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The Great Australian Dinner NAME: The Great Australian Dinner with Rene Redzepi, 27 October 2013. TYPE: As one of the leading sponsors of Good Food Month, The Star was host to a number of different events throughout the month. As one of the leading sponsors of Good Food Month, The Star was host to a number of different events throughout the month, including the definitive highlight, The Great Australian Dinner with Rene Redzepi, a landmark event that took place at The Star Event Centre. CLIENT: Fairfax Events for Good Food Month NO. ON ORGANISING TEAM: 65 PAX: 430 BUDGET: Top secret PURPOSE OF EVENT: Touted as the most important culinary event of the year, The Great Australian Dinner needed to provide a once in a lifetime experience. As the headline event of Good Food Month, the evening attracted high profile food lovers, keen to experience world class cuisine. With 11 of the world’s best chefs on hand to design, prepare and serve their own culinary interpretations of Australia.
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WHAT YOU DID: Attendees were taken on a journey of Australian flavours, a series of tastings from David Chang, Mark Best, Kylie Kwong, Ben Greeno, Brent Savage, Neil Perry, James Viles, Martin Benn, Peter Gilmore and Dan Hunter served in the foyer and on the deck of The Star Event Centre. Individual tasting stations manned by the chefs themselves provided guests with a very personal experience; many meeting their food idols for the first time. Rene Redzepi, executive chef of the world’s number two restaurant, Noma in Denmark, cooked the entree for all guests; a variation of his Alliums lightly cooked, an onion dish featured on the menu of Noma. Redzepi and his head research chef, Lars Williams, designed the dish to include ingredients and flavours discovered on trips to Australia including green ants, rosella buds, salt bush and riberries. Guests were treated to the innovation, creativity and flavour combinations from each of the renowned chefs. Mark Best from Marque cooked smoked native oysters with sea vegetables and Mary River rice accompanied with ale made from native Northern Territory honey; Brent Savage from Bentley created a dish of korobuta pork belly and wattle crumb; and David Chang of Momofuku Seiobo, The Star served up marron with seaweed butter in the shell, roasted cauliflower and fermented mushrooms, confit potatoes and parsons nose. CHALLENGES: Operationally, hosting Rene Redzepi and 10 world class chefs in one commercial kitchen was no small feat and was achieved only through a combination of effective communication, innovation, flair and the support of The Star’s event team. With 11 of the world’s best chefs all featured within one event, a major challenge for The Star and the Fairfax events team was how to best highlight each of their involvement. OVERCOMING CHALLENGES: A series of communications prior to the event ensured that all chefs were aware of how the evening would operate both front of house and back of house. With 11 celebrity chefs all operating in the one commercial kitchen, it was imperative that every member had a well-defined and understood purpose and carried out their duties efficiently. Back of house The operation of the Star Event Centre’s banquet kitchen in the lead up to and during the event was planned in precise detail to accommodate all the guest chefs’ needs including cooking equipment, plate ware and service areas. The Star’s team assisted in procuring some of the most unique Australian produce for the chefs, each preparing their own dishes. Throughout the event the logistical feat was phenomenal with 75 chefs working in the kitchen for the duration of service, only possible with the support of The Star team with 15 of The Star’s chefs involved, and over 100 of The Star’s kitchen staff on hand to assist. Front of house A strong and efficient front of house team was imperative for guaranteeing the perfect guest experience. An army of wait staff were on hand with 10 teams of five servers, each responsible for five tables, guaranteeing efficiency and accomplishing the service of 430 entrees in just over six minutes. In preparation for events of this scope, the food and beverage professionals of The Star undergo rigorous training programs to ensure speed, efficiency and accuracy.
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Chef’s involvement Highlighting the best of the world’s culinary scene within one event is an outright challenge. The Star and the Fairfax team created an event schedule that allowed each of the chefs the opportunity to showcase their talents via their own branded food station; specially assigned dishes designed and created by them; and the live cross interviews throughout the evening. SPECIAL TOUCHES: Live video-crosses To further enhance the experience for guests, live video crosses from the Event Centre to the main kitchen were conducted throughout the event giving attendees a glimpse into the food preparation process. One-on-one experience with the world’s best The event presented guests with the opportunity to interact closely with 11 of the world’s best chefs throughout the event. In what was only possible in a space such as The Star Event Centre, guests were able to speak directly with the headline chefs at manned food stations scattered throughout the Event Centre foyer to commence the evening. As guests took their seats in the main room they were treated to live interviews with the chefs in action whilst they prepared their meals. Once the meals were served each of the chefs made their way into the room and went to each respective tables to meet the guests. A stand out highlight of many of the attendees’ evenings. OUTCOME: This was the very first time that Fairfax had organised an event of this type and scale. Combining the talents of 11 of the world’s best chefs in one venue for high profile attendees was always going to prove challenging. It was an overwhelming success for all involved, in particular the chefs, who got to share their passion, and serve their own interpretations of Australian cuisine. Guests were delighted with the innovative cuisine, the event atmosphere and most importantly the ability to see and interact with their food idols. CLIENT’S COMMENT: “It was awesome to walk into a place so well set up and organised, big cheers to The Star team and thanks to all the amazing chefs that made it lots of fun. Nice to be part of such a wonderful event.” – Neil Perry AM, director “I just want to thank you personally so much for your time, generosity, creativity and allround collaborative spirit. A big thanks to the team at the Star for their amazing organisation and support.” – Joanna Savill, festival director, Fairfax Events micenet Australia
WHY WE LIKE IT: The logistics of running an event of this kind utilising 11 highprofile chefs was a challenging one to say the least. From all accounts, a highly strategic pre-event strategy worked extremely effectively to ensure that the night was a success for paying customers.
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Painting the conference red NAME OF EVENT: Inspirations Paint 14th National Conference CLIENT: Inspirations Paint VENUE: Sheraton on the Park, Sydney WHEN: August 21-24, 2013 PAX: 300 ORGANISER: Inspirations Paint NO. ON ORGANISING TEAM: 3 W: sheratonsydney.com
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WHAT YOU DID: Inspirations Paint is the largest network of 134 paint stores Australiawide, supplying one in every seven litres of paint in the Australian market. Its national conference is held every 18 months and is the only time when all the Inspirations Paint store owners (franchisees) come together with their suppliers (like Dulux, Selleys and Cabot’s) to celebrate the successes of the past 18 months and to hear future plans. The conference kicked off with a welcome lunch at the Sheraton on the Park before diving into the opening plenary session in the Grand Ballroom and then allowing delegates to settle into their rooms overlooking Hyde Park. That evening, delegates were treated to a welcome cocktail party at the Museum of Contemporary Art. A trade show was the main feature of day two with interactive workshops being held on day three and a free evening to explore Sydney. The final day included a range of activities in Sydney including sailing in the harbour and the famous BridgeClimb all before returning to the Sheraton for the shimmering Berger Ball & Awards Night, a glamorous finale including three course menu and live entertainment. F&B: The food served during the function was rated exceptionally high in the post-event delegate survey, especially the breakfasts in the signature restaurant Feast, and the working buffet lunches on the function floor. Additionally, a private coffee cart was provided, serving lattes around the clock. For all off-site activities, delegates were provided with gourmet takeaway lunchboxes. challenges: The conference itself had a complex array of plenary sessions (open and closed), some featuring live website feeds and with a myriad of staging arrangements. There were many different speakers and panels, an array of breakout rooms, live painting demonstrations, colour testing workshops, multiple venues around the city and an awards night with a very full program. The opportunity for things to go pear-shaped was, therefore, ever present. However, the event ran smoothly throughout with no difficulties whatsoever. OVERCOMING challenges: Turning around rooms quickly, changing configurations and ensuring a five-star finishing touch showcased Sheraton on the Park ‘s ability to manage large scale functions seamlessly. AV1, Inspirations Paint’s AV supplier since 2004, ran all events to perfection. Any operational threats were mitigated, giving the organisers full peace of mind and making the event flow effortlessly for delegates. SPECIAL TOUCHES: Sheraton on the Park has been awarded multiple times for its outstanding product and service. It is Hall of Fame recipient at the NSW Tourism Awards for “Best Luxury Accommodation” as well as “Function Venue of the Year” at the TAA Awards for Excellence, and from a MICE perspective it has also been named “Australia’s Best Meetings & Conference Property” at the 2013 and 2012 HM Awards. CLIENT’S COMMENTS: “The 14th national conference was the most successful event in our history, breaking all records, including: highest number of stores in attendance, highest number of suppliers in attendance, highest overall delegate numbers, highest trade show orders ($5M+ in four hours), and highest sponsorship revenue. Sydney’s providers were all exceptional from the initial bid process with Business Events Sydney through to the last minute additional furniture hire from Decorative Events & Exhibitions.” – Joel Goodsir – Inspirations Paint – head of marketing [and conference organiser]. WHY WE LIKE IT: When a conference is held every 18 months and delegates have a vested interest in the company or product, as is the case with this one, it is imperative to select a venue that is of the highest calibre, ensuring delegates are made to feel a valuable and important part of the company’s overall vision.
NAME: NSW Nurses & Midwives’ Association Conference TYPE: Conference BY: Mercure Sydney CLIENT: The NSW Nurses & Midwives’ Association VENUE(S): Mercure Sydney & Rosehill Gardens PAX: 400 NO. ON ORGANISING TEAM: 5
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All aboard the nurses’ express WHAT YOU DID: Mercure Sydney provided accommodation from August 7-9, 2013, for the 340 delegates from the NSW Nurses & Midwives’ Association for their annual conference at Rosehill Gardens. Mercure Sydney therefore, was faced with the issue of how to transport the group to an event venue 20 kilometres away. With the hotel right next to Central Station, the team at Mercure came up with an ‘express solution’ to the dilemma – arrange a NSW Nurses express train for the event. For each day of the three days of the conference, a dedicated train was organised via Sydney Trains to leave from Central at 7.35am, with stops at Redfern, Strathfield, Clyde and Lidcombe to gather up the city based delegates attending the conference who were not staying at the Mercure - in total 400 delegates were on the train. The train bypassed all of Sydney’s notorious traffic black spots to deliver the nurses to Rosehill Gardens at 8.05am in time for the full day conference. A train also picked up the group in the evening to deliver the majority back to the hotel, with stops on the way to enable other nurses to get home or return to their hospitals. F&B: • NSW Nurses launched its annual conference at the Mercure with ‘Welcome Drinks’ and a special 90th Birthday Cake for one of the delegates. • In order to provide the delegates with a satisfying and healthy start to their day, Mercure Sydney provided daily buffet breakfast for the 340 delegates staying in the hotel. This took place every morning in the restaurant and in one of the hotel’s large function rooms Grand Central. • For the convenience of the delegates, Mercure Sydney organised a special two-course set menu which was available in the restaurant and room service. This was received positively especially for those who had a long day and wanted something convenient and delicious to eat. DIFFICULTIES: How to physically move all 340 delegates from Mercure Sydney to the allocated platform in Central Station without causing too much disruption to the general public in peak hour foot traffic every morning. OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES: To overcome the logistics issue, the Mercure Sydney team allocated 10 of its team members to act as marshals for the conference delegates. Their task was to escort the nurse group from Mercure Sydney to Central Station swiftly and without disrupting the general public. The marshals were equipped with whistles and Mercure Sydney flags to help make them more visible in the crowd. SPECIAL TOUCHES: To make the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association event an innovative and unique experience, the Mercure Sydney team dressed up like conductors and travelled onto the train with the delegates to serve food and refreshments, as was once done on trains. They provided polaroid camera photos so that delegates could have a lasting memory of the experience long after the conference was over. CLIENT’S COMMENTS: “One of the best conferences in relation to accommodation, traveling (train was excellent), space and access.” “The ‘Hogwarts Express’ was wonderful and should definitely be kept for future conferences.”
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WHY WE LIKE IT: Mercure Sydney thought outside the box in terms of transport logistics and successfully enabled delegates to travel to and from the hotel to the meeting venue in style, comfort, and speed. Not only did it work effectively but no doubt left a lasting impression with delegates, one of whom dubbed the train the Hogwarts Express.
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Racing at Royal Randwick NAME: The Rise of Royal Randwick, the launch of the new Royal Randwick grandstand. TYPE: Gala dinner BY: Australian Turf Club, Rizer and Mint Partners VENUE: Royal Randwick PAX: 550 NO. ON ORGANISING TEAM: 12 BUDGET: Top Secret
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WHAT YOU DID: After entering via the day stalls, guests moved through an underground tunnel to the Theatre of the Horse - a new amphitheatre where racing’s best thoroughbreds normally parade pre-race - to enjoy champagne cocktails served from “muck-out” wheelbarrows. Leading events producer Rizer helped to unveil the biggest sporting investment in New South Wales since the 2000 Sydney Olympics. A team of more than 120 people worked behind the scenes to dazzle a guest list including the cream of Australian racing, government, business, events and social spectrums. The end of dinner signalled the commencement of even more festivities in the Royal Randwick Ballroom. The party of the season saw the Ballroom transformed into three distinct venues. These included: The Horse Shoe Bar + Stage: The night kicked off with DJ Steve Ferris spinning tunes as roaming ‘cigarette’ girls offer guests chocolate truffles and whiskey. Off The Rails: Things took a surreal turn as a series of kooky performers regaled guests, including a snake charmer, contortionists and fire-wielding burlesque dancer, alongside the Moet & Chandon bar and dessert table. The Spring Carnival: A circus atmosphere saw roving performers juggling and hula hooping through the crowd as they enjoyed Woofie’s hot dogs and fairy floss. F&B: Following the official opening formalities, a `Royal Feast’ showcased Royal Randwick’s gourmet catering. Tables spilling with turf and flowers created a grand setting for the 550-person banquet of champagne, seafood and braised wagyu beef. CHALLENGES: Due to the event utilizing the outdoor surrounds of the grandstand as well as the internal areas, the weather always plays a massive factor. OVERCOMING CHALLENGES: Contingency plans were put in place to ensure everything went smoothly. SPECIAL TOUCHES: A bespoke performance piece was created in the Theatre Of The Horse to celebrate some of the greatest horses to ever grace the world-famous Royal Randwick turf, including Phar Lap, Tulloch, Kingston Town, Gunsynd, Octagonal and the mighty Black Caviar. The performance, which included a “race’’ of horses at liberty (no riders), was a collaboration of artistic and design directors with such credits as Olympic opening and closing ceremonies. Performed without jockeys, the act was choreographed to an original musical composition before a spectacular digital backdrop projected onto the grandstand. The show culminated with a magnificent choral, lighting and fireshow. CLIENT’S COMMENTS: “Wow what an amazing spectacle you put on last night, one of the best events I have attended. The Rise Of Royal Randwick was well worth the wait! Everything from the drum rolls to the dessert bar was super impressive. Thank you and congratulations on a grand opening launch that will have us all talking up Royal Randwick for an age.” – Sandie Forrest, Suncorp. WHY WE LIKE IT: The opening of the new Royal Randwick grandstand - a multimillion dollar investment – was befitting of a spectacular event to launch it to key clients and industry. The Australian Turf Club and its partners delivered such an event.
NAME: 11th World Convention of the International Confederation of Principals TYPE: International convention VENUE: Cairns Convention Centre PAX: 1400 delegates DATE: July 1-4, 2013
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Sticking to their principals WHAT YOU DID: Around 1400 education leaders from almost 30 countries, including primary and secondary school principals, convened in Cairns in July 2013 for the 11th World Convention of the International Confederation of Principals (ICP2013). Mr Rob Nairn, conference convenor and deputy president of the Australian Secondary Principals Association, said he was delighted with the success of the convention, which put Australia’s education sector ‘front and centre’ on a global scale. “Encouraging this kind of cross-border dialogue and developing closer international relationships will ultimately contribute to advancing education for school children both here and around the world,” Mr Nairn said. Convened biennially since 1993 by the International Confederation of Principals, the event has been hosted in various cities across the Americas, Africa, Europe and Asia. In staying true to the aim to deliver an ‘unconventional convention’, Mr Nairn said the approach to ICP2013 stepped outside the usual bounds. The choice of speakers and selection of Cairns as the host destination were integral to achieving that, ensuring delegates were offered a truly engaging and memorable experience. “A clear highlight was the world-class quality and variety of the speakers,” he said. “We set out to include leaders outside the education sphere. The presentations were fantastic – they were about inspiring true leadership, offering attendees new ideas and thoughts that could be taken away and adapted within their own context.” Cairns played a big role in creating the right atmosphere, according to Mr Nairn. “We couldn’t have produced the same relaxed environment or offered the variety of extracurricular activities if we’d have chosen one of Australia’s capital cities.” The range of unique experiences enjoyed by delegates and their families included hiring jet skis, taking boats up-river looking for crocodiles, deep sea fishing, cruising the reefs, snorkelling, diving, tours to the Daintree Rainforest and beyond – all enjoyed with great outdoor temperatures despite being the middle of winter. Another terrific experience for the international visitors was the gala dinner, which broke the traditional confines of a formal dining event and took the form of a Great Outdoor Aussie BBQ with quintessential Australian produce, including locally sourced kangaroo, crocodile and seafood. Mr Nairn said the intimate size of Cairns along with the host venue – the Cairns Convention Centre – lent to the success of ICP2013. “Delegates could walk freely around the city and casually bump into each other, which really helped to build relationships in a relaxed way,” he said. “The Cairns Convention Centre was fantastic and the team outstanding – very supportive and willing to listen to what we wanted. They were extremely easy to work with. The venue offers an amazing space – not so big as to get lost, but big enough to cater to such a large scale international meeting. Everything ran like clockwork – there were no technical glitches – and the food was superb.” Mr Nairn said that overall, ICP2013 successfully celebrated the contribution Australia is making to education in the 21st century while showcasing Australia’s unique culture, heritage and regional geographic attractions.
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WHY WE LIKE IT: The destination and the venue were clear stand-outs to the success of this meeting. Combining a high-quality conference program with opportunities for experiences “beyond the ballroom” continues to see Cairns grow in popularity for high-profile international meetings.
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The CEO Magazine Executive Conference TYPE: Conference BY: Flying Ruby Events CLIENT: The CEO Magazine VENUES: Hamilton Island PAX: 50 NO. ON ORGANISING TEAM: 4
www.hamiltonisland.com.au
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WHAT YOU DID: Arrival day included a Buggy Rally so guests could get around and familiarise themselves with the island. A Welcome Dinner (with guest speaker Jon Burgess) was held at the Hamilton Island Golf Club on Dent Island, guests were transferred in style by motor launch. Conferencing at Hamilton Island Yacht Club included guest speakers The Hon. John Howard, Mr Mark Bouris and Ms Ita Buttrose. The second evening included sunset drinks and dinner at coca chu – Hamilton Island’s newest restaurant on the shores of Catseye Beach. Attendees were also spoilt with a cruise aboard the luxury MV Alani, before a farewell dinner at Bommie Deck at the Hamilton Island Yacht Club. F&B: With three group dinners planned, Flying Ruby Events wanted to have the right balance of fine dining and relaxed vibe with various locations including outdoor decks, a dinner on their own island and group dining at the island’s restaurants. Cuisine was varied between contemporary Australian, locally sourced seafood and the Modern South East Asian style of ‘coca chu’. Robert Oatley Wines were served as part of the beverage packages. DIFFICULTIES: The flight arrival timings meant the group had to arrive the day prior to do a full day of conferencing. However, most delegates commented that they preferred that to a long bus ride upon arrival at other destinations and meant they had more time to explore the island. The Hamilton Island airport is only five minutes drive from the resort, making transfers a breeze. OVERCOMING DIFFICULTIES: The arrival day became an activity in itself with registration and the Island Buggy Rally being hailed as one of the “most fun” parts of the program. The organisers were reluctant to do it with such high level executives and CEOs but they all thoroughly enjoyed the competitiveness of the activity. SPECIAL TOUCHES: Flying Ruby’s vision for this event was to create a prestigious conference for CEOs and high level executives where they could experience world-class speakers, stunning surrounds and intimate networking opportunities. The aim was to create bespoke experiences for the delegates which included exclusive private island sunset drinks, a welcome dinner with the Hon John Howard and Ita Buttrose, a Callaway putting competition with the resident golf professional, a Chivas Regal Luxury Cruising afternoon and a farewell dinner on Bommie Deck no delegate will forget! It was the inaugural event and Hamilton Island was selected as the destination as a relaxed yet business-focussed and easily accessible location taking these guests out of their busy CBD office environment. The variety of accommodation within walking distance from the dinner and conference venues also provided options for guests from the four-star Reef View Hotel to the boutique style of Beach Club to the ultimate luxury of qualia. All three of these properties hosted attendees. CLIENT’S COMMENTS: Hamilton Island is an amazing destination for a conference. The island’s relaxed atmosphere sets the mood the minute you walk off the plane. The staff are extremely accommodating and the island’s natural beauty provides a perfect backdrop to create the ultimate experience. Kelly Lewis, managing director Flying Ruby Events – www.flyingruby.com.au WHY WE LIKE IT: Hamilton Island has the ability to immerse delegates into an entire conference program because of its compact nature and the wide and varied opportunities for experiences and special events “beyond the ballroom”. It certainly exceeded expectation in this instance.
NAME: APPEA Conference and Exhibition 2013 TYPE: Conference & Exhibition BY: Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association CLIENT: Julie Hood, director of events for APPEA VENUE: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) PAX: 3575 registered attendees from 28 countries including China, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United States with strong representation from both Canada and New Zealand. NO. ON ORGANISING TEAM: Inhouse team of 4 with 90 at the commencement of the conference. DATE: May 26-29, 2013
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National conference, global perspective WHAT YOU DID: Julie Hood has been weaving her magic with the event now for 13 years. With her in-house team, she orchestrates a highly disciplined, professional event, attempting to raise the bar with each conference, striking a balance between delivering a platform for business and networking for the oil and gas industry, achieving commercial success and creating the buzz and glamour of a premier event. The format of the event is constantly reviewed and adjusted according to industry trends. The 2013 conference incorporated greater audience interaction and panel sessions and addressed a need to provide more detailed information for delegates prior to registration. The conference’s plenary and concurrent presentations covered a wide range of energy, policy and industry issues. This event featured federal and state government ministers, as well as influential experts and industry leaders from across Australia and around the world. It facilitated networking and the exchange of ideas and information in a fast-moving industry. It also conveyed news about company projects and highlighted APPEA’s advocacy to policy makers and media. A snapshot of the program – 12,500 square metres of exhibition space, 219 exhibitors, 900 companies representing 29 countries, 110 speakers, 33 poster presentations, 64 national and international media representatives, plenary and concurrent sessions, welcome cocktail event, gala dinner and farewell cocktails. F&B: The delegates at APPEA travel extensively attending many events, so the food and beverage has to be of the highest quality. The comfort derived from working with the BCEC where the consistent quality of the F&B can be guaranteed was significant. The centre delivered the variety and innovation the conference organiser required for the different social functions, however the standout was the conference dinner for 1730 pax where the chefs delivered a five-star, three course meal from satellite kitchens. CHALLENGES: One of the challenges in delivering a successful conference according to Julie is to create an element of surprise in the conference program. “You need to surprise and engage delegates, give them something they will enjoy and remember as some delegates have been attending the event for more than 20 years.” Among the menu of successful ‘surprises’ at the 2013 conference were: an appearance by singer Jessica Mauboy; a simulated live cross during the opening ceremony to schools and educational institutions across the country debating what oil and gas meant to them now and in the future; and the welcome cocktail party themed ‘All the fun of the fair’ featuring a traditional fairground organ and attractions and favourite fairground food. highlights: The APPEA team works hard behind the scenes to deliver an exciting and rewarding event for delegates. The highlight for organisers is experiencing the enjoyment of delegates – the buzz of the exhibition which is the heart of the show and the closing plenary session almost filled to capacity. CLIENT’S COMMENT: APPEA 2013 really did represent a great year for the conference. All participants gave positive feedback and moving into APPEA 2014 and beyond, this event continues to grow in size and complexity. As we look to future years, we are excited to work with venues such as the BCEC and Brisbane who facilitate and encourage the growth of our event.
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WHY WE LIKE IT: The BCEC and APPEA have forged a strong working relationship over many years that has both organisations thinking outside the square to top the previous event. And, it appears as if they are succeeding! This one returns to the BCEC in 2016.
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Go Harvey Go NAME: Harvey Norman Electrical Conference 2013 TYPE: Conference and expo BY: HI Events and International Productions CLIENT: Harvey Norman Electrical VENUE(S): Crown Hotels and Melbourne Show Ground PAX: 900
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WHAT YOU DID: The event got off to a successful start on the first evening with an informal welcome function in Mr Hive Kitchen & Bar at Crown Metropol Melbourne. The events team worked closely with Crown to create an amazing menu that added to the casual nature of the event. Because it was a casual function – i.e.: not compulsory to attend – catering was challenging, with numbers possible of anywhere between 300 and 700. The Mr Hive team worked with event organisers to create some fantastic solutions to this challenge including the abillity to quickly generate hot and cold canapes (including an oyster bar) dependent upon delegate numbers. The conference opened the following day in the Crown Promenade Room with keynote speaker Erin Brokovitch a real favourite. A buffet lunch was served in Mesh before more conference sessions followed in the afternoon. While delegates were in meetings and enjoying their own lunch, around 150 of their partners were entertained in a private lunch with Neil Perry in his fabulous Rockpool Bar and Grill. The official welcome function for 900 was held in the Regent Theatre followed by a post function bar held in Club 23 at Crown Towers. The cool sophistication of Club 23, with quality service, helped to end the day (or night) on a high for many delegates. Day two and three were at the Melbourne Showground with 100 suppliers of the Harvey Norman electrical division. The Thursday night gala awards dinner was held at the Crown Palladium. Hosted by Eddie McGuire, entertainment included The String Angels, the Umbilical Brothers and a ‘superband’ comprising Darryl Braithwaite, Jo Camalliri, James Reyne and Ross Wilson. The team at Crown Events helped to create a magical night, with the food, the service and the room all spectacular. The final days was full of activities for delegates including golf, rally car driving, clay pigeon shooting and a sportsman’s lunch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. CHALLENGES: The biggest challenge with the Harvey Norman conference was how to improve on the previous year while keeping each conference unique with its many varied components. OVERCOMING CHALLENGES: The organisers found that by having a vision of what and how each part of the conference will work and being able to clearly communicate that vision to other specialists in their own areas of expertise - chefs, theming companies, various venues, production, etc – that the creative – the magic – really happens. SPECIAL TOUCHES: Harvey Norman required all delegates to be scanned in and out of conference sessions and to ensure that each delegate took the time to visit each supplier. HI Events worked with Exposcan to achieve this. As soon as a delegate scanned his/her badge over the tablets provided to each exhibitor and by each conference session room, it was seen as a registered attendance immediately at the back end by the event organisers. As a result of this innovation there was a 100 per cent attendance at all sessions, and each delegate visited every stand at the exhibition. CLIENT’S COMMENTS: To date this has been our most successful conference. This is thanks to HI Events & International Productions, and the amazing venues such as Crown. WHY WE LIKE IT: Having Neil Perry cater for this group was a real WOW factor. With Perry and also Guillaume Brahini recently appointed culinary directors for Crown Events many more groups are sure to have an equally enjoyable experience.
WHAT YOU DID: For the first time, MCEC hosted one of the grand final gala dinners to mark the end of the Fremantle Dockers AFL season. The three course menu plus canapés designed by MCEC’s chefs was entirely Victorian. All wines were sponsored and MCEC facilitated these orders as requested by Fremantle. Beers and non-alcoholic drinks were provided by MCEC. Features included: Canapés – rice paper rolls with prawn and pork, peking duck pancakes with cucumber and hoisin, confit duck and Persian fetta toasties, and pork and pistachio lollipops Entrée – Taste of Victoria presented as a tasting plate to showcase the best seasonal Victorian produce Main - pan seared eye fillet with beef jus, sweet corn puree, fondant potato, watercress and shallot salad Desserts - selection of miniature desserts from MCEC’s pastry chefs CHALLENGES: There was a short lead time for this event as it was unknown which AFL football club would host its gala dinner at the MCEC. The dinner was booked six months in advance, but MCEC was notified two weeks prior to the event date whether it would host the Fremantle or Sydney club (dependent on which team played the grand final match). On the same evening, the MCEC was also hosting an Indian concert in the plenary for 5000 visitors and needed to manage security for both. OVERCOMING CHALLENGES: Due to the short turnaround time, forward planning was imperative, especially from a food and beverage perspective, to give local suppliers ample notice for orders. The MCEC’s executive chef created two different menus for the Sydney and Fremantle clubs so the team who hosted its dinner at MCEC could quickly sign this off once confirmed. The event planning and technology teams pre-empted many event requirements to ensure an easier sign off process in the week leading up to the event. The MCEC organised security for the client to ensure crowds were managed, especially with the large concert taking place in the venue. MCEC also facilitated a registration desk as requested by the client where guests received a wristband and Fremantle players entered through the loading dock. Double the security was required due to the players in attendance, VIP guests and entertainment on the night. SPECIAL TOUCHES: The MCEC supplied a tailored technology solution to meet the sound, lighting and vision requirements for the dinner. This included the needs of the media covering the event. MCEC’s technology team created a custom lighting design for the night which bathed the room in purple (Fremantle’s club colour). The venue’s new Clay Paky and Robe Robin intelligent lighting fixtures provided the visual impact required on the stage and dance floor to compliment the featured entertainment, Australian band Eskimo Joe. Live camera footage on the night and video presentations were displayed on four wide-screen projection screens suspended around the room using Christie HD 10K projectors. CLIENT’S COMMENTS: “As the key contact for the Fremantle Dockers, I experienced nothing other than superior professional service from staff while we held our event at MCEC. The food and catering were outstanding, security effective and managers more than willing to go out of their way to ensure we were provided a quality event. We would be more than willing to use MCEC again when the opportunity arises.” - Kellie Black, Fremantle Football Club event manager WHY WE LIKE IT: The short lead time of this event kept MCEC staff on their toes a week out from the delivery date. It was the focus on security and food however, that stand out at this event for us.
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Images courtesy of David Nicolson
NAME: 2013 AFL Grand Final Teams Dinner – Fremantle Dockers TYPE: Gala dinner BY: Fremantle Football Club VENUE: Melbourne Room, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre PAX: Almost 1400 NO. ON ORGANISING TEAM: Fremantle Football Club event manager Kellie Black, MCEC’s senior event planner Louise Fuster, and MCEC senior sales and production planner Jeffrey Harris.
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Fiji Excellence NAME: Excellence Program TYPE: Incentive and conference BY: Conference Complete VENUE(S): Sheraton Fiji Resort, Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa, Denarau Golf & Racquet Club, Fiji PAX: 120 NO. ON ORGANISING TEAM: 2
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WHAT YOU DID: Day 1 – Arrival: The group was warmly greeted at the airport by their locally selected DMC representative and traditional Fijian serenade. They received frangipani leis and Fiji Water before boarding their air-conditioned coaches to Denarau Island. While on the coach their Fiji escort regaled them with local traditions, stories and facts about Fiji to orient them for their visit. After 20 minutes they arrived at The Sheraton Fiji Resort and were greeted by the beating of the traditional lali drum and the management team of the resort. Their personalized group check-in enabled a swift and seamless process for the award winners, followed by some free time to settle in to their accommodation, unwind and explore the resort. Evening: The delegates immediately experienced the relaxing sea breeze by hosting their evening dinner on Sandypoint Beach where they enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the Pacific Ocean. As it became dark, things livened up with fire dancers selected from the many talented local entertainment groups. Day 2 – Morning: Everyone enjoyed at leisure their full hot buffet breakfast in the Feast restaurant or the Ocean Terrace (they could choose between breakfast at either the Sheraton or the Westin). Delegates then headed to their morning meeting in the Golden Ballroom, one of the eight meeting rooms available in the resorts. A private lunch was served in Feast restaurant where they enjoyed the sea breeze and looked out at the ocean during their meal. After lunch they had free time and headed off to a variety of activities including the Westin Heavenly Spa, the reviving Westin Workout Room and any one of the six refreshing swimming pools. Evening: The delegates received an invitation delivered by room drop while out relaxing around the resorts to meet in the lobby of the Sheraton at 6pm wearing the costumes provided for the Fijian evening ahead. There they were greeted by the Fiji Military Band who performed in the porte-cochere and then escorted the group to the side lawn of the Denarau Golf & Racquet Club. Once there the band performed to the group as cocktails and canapés were passed around the group. The evening was punctuated by live performances of local entertainment including a traditional Kava ceremony, and a delicious meal with produce from the resort’s own farm. Day 3 – Morning: The group again met for a morning meeting at Sheraton Fiji Resort and concluded by heading to the beachfront of the resort. Here they were surprised with a group activity hosted by the resorts’ executive chef, director of food & beverage and three kitchen staff. The group was broken into teams and a cooking competition, complete with
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comical but accurate judging by the food and beverage team took place. Each group created something unique from the limited ingredients given to them and the winners received cook books from celebrity chef Peter Kuruvita. Everyone then moved into Peter’s famous Flying Fish restaurant to enjoy lunch. Evening: The delegates headed to the Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa to enjoy a relaxing dinner in the Heavenly Spa gardens. They were greeted by a local children’s choir dressed in white singing traditional Fijian songs while the group lounged in the white veiled cabanas. Dinner was served in a variety of passed mini dishes and cooking stations throughout the garden. The evening finished in Chimes Bar at Sheraton Fiji, where late night partiers danced the night away with pina coladas made with Fiji rum and local beer in hand. Day 4 –Morning: After breakfast at leisure, delegates could take one last walk along the beach before group check-out and departure, accompanied by the traditional Fijian farewell song Isa Lei. F&B: Fresh local seafood from local fishermen, produce from the resort’s own farms, and quality beef and lamb from Australia and New Zealand were used throughout the group’s meals. Using the resort’s own co-op of fishermen ensures the property has a constant quality supply daily. Farming on property, under the supervision of resort chefs, ensures a variety of fresh produce that not only is five-star quality but also reduces green footprint by not having it shipped from overseas. SPECIAL TOUCHES: The cooking event that took place on the beach and with the Flying Fish restaurant, was a first for the resort and extremely successful. CLIENT’S COMMENT: “Everything worked out perfectly. The food and beverage team gave it the authentic touch with their feedback and even acted out their parts as chefs, making critical but comical comments here and there. The group really enjoyed the theatre of it all and the lunch was delicious!” - Andy Willis, Conference Complete
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WHY WE LIKE IT: An incentive reward, even when it includes some meetings, should be held in a location away from the worries of the world. Fiji is that kind of place. The combined facilities of the Sheraton Fiji Resort, Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa, and Denarau Golf & Racquet Club provided a quality mix of options throughout the three-day program that are hard to beat.
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