Located at Sydney’s waterfront within walking distance of the city, Darling Harbour provides a range of state-of-the-art venues, including purpose built conference and exhibition facilities, in addition to restaurants and hotels for gatherings from 20 to 20,000 people. Darling Harbour’s proximity to parking, transport, excellent accommodation and dining means it has everything to make any meeting or conference a success.
The superb Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre is located at Darling Harbour, and continues to offer world-class conference, exhibition and event spaces of all sizes. It is the venue of choice for many international conference groups while it continues to attract a great share of corporate events business, and of course is the pre-eminent venue for large-scale exhibitions in the greater Sydney area.
“Our visitors love Darling Harbour’s fantastic position, right next to Sydney’s central business district, as well as the fact that it offers so many hotels, restaurants and attractions,” explains Amanda Anker, the Centre’s director of marketing and sales.
The Rocks’ spectacular setting on Sydney Harbour, its heritage buildings, unique function venues and wide selection of hotels offer exciting options for meetings and conferences of all sizes.
With the advantage of being just minutes walk from the central business district (CBD) and surrounded by Sydney’s best restaurants, shopping, attractions and transport, The Rocks is an ideal location for meetings and conferences. For meetings from 10 to 1000 people, The Rocks has a venue to suit your needs.
Darling Harbour and The Rocks deliver the perfect experience including spectacular accommodation, meetings and events space, and dining options for groups in a range and style befitting of a world-class city such as Sydney.
PICTURED ABOVE: Darling Harbour at night.
 When you hold meetings or events in Darling Harbour and The Rocks finding a suitable venue or a unique experience is easy.
What is perhaps a little harder for most is deciding out of the many options available what is right for you and your group.
From the stunning and state-of-the-art Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre to unique facilities such as the Chinese Gardens, there is literally something for everyone.
mice.net provides readers over the following pages with some of the more popular venues for meetings, events and group experiences:
Australian National Maritime Museum
The Australian National Maritime Museum’s venues offer companies not only a magnificent setting in which to host unique events but versatile spaces, just minutes to the central business district.
Located beside the dazzling Darling Harbour with its flotilla of interesting vessels and activity on the water, event planners would be hard-pressed to find a more innovative and versatile venue. The museum is well-versed in a range of events including cocktail parties, dinners, business seminars in the 200 seat theatre, and meetings and workshop-style events.
 According to the museum, venue hire revenue assists in the funding of exhibitions and cultural activities, meaning that as well as choosing a fabulous venue, you’re also supporting the museum. As an interesting touch to any event, the museum will arrange guided tours onboard the vessels or a private and exclusive open gallery viewing. Visit www.anmm.gov.au for further details.
Argyle Venues
Argyle Venues is located in the heart of the fashionable and historic Rocks, and is set within a restored backdrop of 18th century convict-hewn sandstone walls and lanolin-enriched timber pillars.
There are a total of five unique spaces to choose from for a variety of special events such as product launches, cocktail parties, meetings, balls and dinners.
Red’s Room is a restored and converted 19th century wool store. The space has a sleek bar, high ceilings, wooden floorboards and lanoline-enriched heritage timber pillars throughout. This room is described as being anything but ordinary and is sure to create a dramatic impact at your next event.
The Rum Rooms is nestled within the attics of Argyle Venues, and is said to possess its very own magical atmosphere overlooking the charm of leafy Argyle Street with its many fairy lights. The dance floor and bar areas are separated from the formal dining room by one of the many signature sandstone walls.
Argyle Cellars was recently renovated and is a private, stylish function room. Entering from Argyle Street through huge cellar doors, the cool design is softened by the warmth of softly lit heritage wooden pillars and wide floorboards.
The Bier Hall can seat up to 240 guests who will feel as if they have been transported to a bier hall in Munich. The venue is available for exclusive hire, or smaller groups can join in the fun with other guests. Überbar is a heritage venue with a distinctive modern European interior. Lustrous red chairs and casual bar stools are enhanced by rows of chandeliers hung from the rustic ceiling. Überbar is said to be a great venue for a stylish cocktail party or after-conference wind-down sessions. Visit www.argyleevents.com.au for further details.
Chinese Garden of Friendship
If your delegates have been conferencing all day in one of Darling Harbour’s venues, then why not get them into the great outdoors for an event with a difference at the nearby Chinese Garden of Friendship.
The Chinese Garden is said to be one of the few authentic Chinese gardens outside of Asia. Initiated by the local Chinese community to celebrate Australia’s 1988 Bicentenary and share their rich cultural heritage, the Chinese Garden is the result of a close bond of friendship and cooperation between the sister cities of Sydney and Guangzhou in Guangdong Province in China.
Guests can immerse themselves in the stunning landscape featuring waterfalls, lakes, exotic plants and hidden stone pathways.
Sheltered pavilions, graceful bridges and enchanting landscapes provide an elegant setting to enhance any event. Book a sheltered pavilion for a seated function for 30 guests, or the entire garden to cater for a gathering of 300.
The lower levels of the Chinese Garden are available exclusively from 5.30pm until midnight. Catering can be provided by a preferred supplier or from the Chinese Garden’s list of caterers familiar with the venue (gold list caterers only).
For day time functions, the Blue Room can cater for meetings or small conferences of up to 50 people, utilising the upstairs Teahouse area.
The Chinese Garden of Friendship is located in the heart of the city, just minutes from downtown Sydney and the entertainment pulse of Darling Harbour, providing an ideal location for guests to get to and from your function. Visit www.darlingharbour.com.
Harbours Edge Events Centre
Sydney has another welcome addition to unique event spaces with the opening of Harbours Edge Events Centre offering spectacular water and city skyline views, close proximity to all forms of transport, and an unrivalled central Sydney location in Harbourside at Darling Harbour.
Owned and operated by premier catering and events company, The Cuisine Group, the world-class venue is purpose-built with state-of-the-art facilities to cater to the corporate events and weddings markets.
General manager of The Cuisine Group, Lennie Huntly, said the company was thrilled that the venue had exceeded expectations in terms of design and style.
The Harbours Edge Events Centre offers a number of spaces with the ability to cater for between 50 guests for a cocktail function up to 1200. For further details visit www.thecuisinegroup.com.au
Sydney Monorail branding opportunities
The Sydney Monorail which snakes through the Sydney CBD and Darling Harbour recently announced that it is now offering branding opportunities for conference sponsors and industry bodies.
The monorail is like a travelling billboard which can be seen throughout the city and Darling Harbour, and can be tailored to meet the needs of convention, tradeshow and meeting organisers and sponsors.
As well as wrapping a monorail vehicle, there are opportunities for theming and branding monorail stations.
“The possibilities are limited only by imagination,” explains Sydney Monorail’s marketing director, Michelle Silberman.
Taking only seven minutes from the CBD to the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, the monorail is a conduit between the city centre and Darling Harbour, and is a hugely popular means of transport for delegates attending a conference at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre and staying in the Sydney CBD.
The monorail has for many years offered delegate travel passes making daily travel between hotels and conference, exhibition and dinner venues fast and simple.
Unlimited travel delegate passes are available for between one and seven days and start at just $6.05 per delegate per day. A minimum purchase of 20 tickets applies for this price. For further details email michelle.silberman@metrotransport.com.au or visit
www.metrotransport.com.au
Sydney Wildlife World
Great for an after-conference tour, partners’ programs, or simply a team-building experience with a difference, one of the newest attractions at Darling Harbour is Sydney Wildlife World, right beside Sydney Aquarium.
Visitors can enjoy an authentic Australian wildlife experience at Sydney Wildlife World where there are more than 100 different species of Australian animals. International delegates (and the odd local no doubt) will love the opportunity to have their photograph taken with Australia’s most famous native animal, the koala, in-between exploring the three levels of the venue, full-to-the-brim with more than 60 exhibits.
Sydney Wildlife World offers a number of great team-building experiences that are tailor-made to a company’s goals and objectives.
For further details visit www.sydneywildlifeworld.com.au or email Geoff Tiver on gtiver@sydneyattractions.com.au.
Sydney Aquarium
Sydney Aquarium, located right beside Sydney Wildlife World is also a great place for team-building-style events with a difference, special events and breaks away from the conference room.
For functions groups can experience an open-air event on the deck of the Seal Oceanarium with great city views, or below the sea in the Open Ocean Oceanarium, where guests can watch grey nurse sharks and giant stingrays glide just inches above their heads.
Also available is the Reef Theatre where fish dart and weave through the floor to ceiling display. The Reef Theatre caters for sit-down breakfast events as well as cocktail or launch functions for a maximum of 70 guests for banquets and 110 for cocktails. The Great Barrier Reef Oceanarium can cater for 300 for cocktails and 220 for buffet dinners.
Sydney Aquarium can also provide guided tours for groups, or can tailor-make experiences in conjunction with clients. Visit www.sydneyaquarium.com.au for further details.
The Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre
The Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre is a world-class venue, when it comes to conferencing and events, playing host to more than 600 events annually.
The precinct’s central location means the Centre’s guests can arrive at the venue by car, monorail, and ferry, with thousands of hotel rooms located in the Darling Harbour area. The venue’s waterfront setting also provides endless opportunities for memorable meetings.
During the past two years the Centre has been implementing a $50 million major refurbishment program, introducing new design elements and increasing the flexibility and versatility of its meeting spaces, as well as the latest in audio visual technology.
The Centre has also introduced a range of environmentally-conscious initiatives, from water-saving devices to low-energy lighting, which have seen it become one of the first convention centres in the world – and the first in Australia – to achieve the prestigious Green Globe benchmark accreditation.
Possibly the most dramatic change has been the opening of the Bayside Lounge. This stylish multi-purpose restaurant, business lounge and meeting place provides a wonderful location for the Centre’s guests to chill before, during or after meetings.
As a dedicated convention venue, the Centre offers a team of highly professional staff, who are focussed solely on helping clients deliver a successful event.
The Centre Video Production (CVP) is an on-site state-of-the-art digital media production and outside broadcast facility ready to create corporate and event videos, web casting and television commercials and an audio-visual team accomplished in delivering special effects that make a difference! Visit www.scec.com.au for further details.
The all-new Argyle
The Argyle is being described as Sydney’s all-new destination, housed in one of Australia’s oldest surviving commercial buildings, the Argyle Stores, at The Rocks.
It is an unique venue comprising a casual cobble-stoned courtyard and five diverse bars, including a sophisticated private lounge, the Reibey Room.
The surroundings are comfortable, rustic and relaxed with a mix of old and new. The variety of bars and spaces can be booked from Monday to Thursday for events, cocktail parties and functions.
As an evening venue The Argyle is said to be “smooth and refined”. The blend of rustic and modern styles, mouth-watering cocktail and food menus, and a world-class entertainment line up ensure that The Argyle is an ideal destination for lunch, after-work drinks and events.
Visit www.theargyle.biz for further information.
Novotel completes multi-million dollar refub
Late 2006 the well-positioned Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour completed the final stage of its $14 million refurbishment, launching eight new Loft Suites that offer guests a prime location within the Darling Harbour precinct and spectacular city views.
Available in both one- and two-bedroom configurations, each suite boasts stylish décor, a separate downstairs living area complete with a daybed, bar area, guest bathroom, three flat screen LCD TVs, and a desk (to seat three and perfect for small meetings). Upstairs a second living area awaits featuring a Panasonic CD stereo, dedicated work desk and ergonomic office chair.
Novotel’s one-bedroom Loft Suites include a separate bedroom and king bed, a second work desk, walk-in wardrobe plus an adjoining ensuite with twin vanity, spa bath and separate shower. Two-bedroom Loft Suites offer the convenience of an additional bedroom adjoining the living area and featuring its own LCD TV, spa bath and shower. Visit www.novoteldarlingharbour.com.au for further details.
FAST FACTS
DARLING HARBOUR
44 Restaurants, 32 Bars, 18 Cafes, 3 Museums, 1 Chinese Garden, 1 Aquarium, 1 IMAX Theatre, 1 Wildlife World… Darling Harbour, Expect Everything.
EAT
www.ksw.com.au
www.cocklebaywharf.com.au
www.harbourside.com.au
www.icecubeseafood.com.au
SHOP
www.harbourside.com.au
PLAY
www.kingpinbowling.com.au
www.sydneyattractions.com.au
SLEEP
www.accorhotels.com.au
More information - darlingharbour.com
THE ROCKS
40 Restaurants, 12 Pubs, 10 Bars, 22 Museums and Galleries, Sydney’s Premier Weekend Market. The Rocks – A story around every corner.
EAT
www.italianvillage.com.au
www.belmondo.com.au
www.watersedge.com.au
www.harbourkitchen.com.au
www.rockpool.com
SHOP
www.therocks.com
SLEEP
www.fourseasons.com
www.sydney.park.hyatt.com
www.mirvachotels.com.au/quay-west/sydney
www.shangri-la.com
www.sebelpierone.com.au
More information – therocks.com
Ibis unveils facelift
The Hotel Ibis at Darling Harbour unveiled its refurbished interior design including public areas and rooms in late 2007.
The multimillion dollar project involved refurbishment of accommodation rooms, designed with ergonomics, comfort and functionality in mind. The property now includes the very latest in fixtures and fittings including:
• LCD screens - creating more space in the room;
• Black out blinds - a discrete, clean crisp style;
• New bathrooms - combined modern design with functionality;
• New furnishings - creating more space and storage; and
• New plush carpets
Hotel Ibis offers 256 accommodation rooms together with iBistro restaurant, iBar and overlooks Darling Harbour and the Sydney city skyline. It is categorised as a three-and-a-half star venue, and is located between the Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour and the Grand Mercure Apartments Darling Harbour. Visit www.hotelibisdarlingharbour.com.au
Keep on climbing
BridgeClimb is undoubtedly one of Sydney’s most popular experiences for tourists, team-building and conference groups.
Climbers can choose between two three-and-a-half hour guided experiences - The Bridge Climb or The Discovery Climb, both available at dawn, day, twilight or night.
The Bridge Climb is the original experience, taking guests along catwalks, up ladders and steadily to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The Discovery Climb is a newer experience. This climb takes participants inside the workings of the bridge for a behind-the-scenes look at this Australian icon. On this climb, climbers are led to the summit on the suspension arm of the bridge, winding around structural elements and climbing on steep staircases that join the two arches. A great way to give delegates, groups and individuals an exciting experience of their time in the harbour city, this is one event not to be missed. Visit www.bridgeclimb.com for further details.
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