That quote (above) was a reference to the 1854 Eureka Stockade where gold miners armed themselves and gathered in protest against Victorian Government taxes.
In Australia’s relatively short history it is comforting to know not much has changed in Ballarat, which encourages gatherings and actively celebrates the seeds of democratic protest, in the process offering PCOs a rich tapestry on which to stage events.
Ballarat is sometimes spelled Ballaarat, an amalgam of two aboriginal words meaning a resting place: “Balla” elbow or resting on an elbow and “Arat” place.
Just over one hour from Melbourne – even less from Tullamarine – Ballarat combines excellent meetings and event facilities, new multi-million dollar resorts and its colourful history, to offer a serious alternative to Melbourne CBD gatherings.
The region is blessed not only with one of the most impressive streetscapes of colonial architecture in the country, but it has long drawn visitors in search of its excellent cool climate wines and to sample the healing waters in nearby mineral spa country.
While Ballarat offers up to 4000 delegate beds and major venues including the University of Ballarat (512 bedrooms, 40 meeting spaces with capacity for between 20 and 670) or Doherty Ballarat Lodge (71 rooms, 19 meeting/function rooms with capacity for between five and 300), the region is often chosen for its intimate retreats which can house and host meetings for less than 20, or up to 50.
Sovereign Hill brings the gold rush days to life allowing organisers to seamlessly integrate pre and post conference activities into an on-site event. For example, the “Blood on the Southern Cross” sound and light show runs in the 64-acre park every night.
Sovereign Hill has 60 motel-style rooms and six meeting spaces for up to 180.
Incentive organisers are well accommodated in Ballarat with properties such as The Ansonia, an 1860s boutique property in the heart of Ballarat offering 20 rooms and two meeting spaces for 12 to 24 delegates. It features a glass-roofed atrium which runs the length of the building, and a cosy library with an open fireplace.
Sharing the Lydiard Street streetscape with Ansonia is Craig’s Royal Hotel. Rich with history it has been a goldfields icon since 1862 and was the venue for the Royal Commission into the Eureka uprising. Craig’s has just emerged from a multi-million dollar renovation that included removal of previous re-modelling to raise ceilings, restored handmade brickwork and uncovering beautiful archways and marble fireplaces.
Craig’s 41 suites and rooms may have antique décor, but inside that old cabinet are 21st century needs including plasma televisions, internet connectivity, even air conditioning has been incorporated without compromising the colonial design.
Melba once sang on the balcony, so it is no surprise she’s honoured with a suite in her name boasting a regal mahogany bed; the Tower Suite features views over Lydiard Street’s colonial architecture; while the chance to try a 600-year-old intricately carved Chinese wedding bed awaits in the Oriental Suite.
Its three meeting spaces on the first floor, accessed via a classical Victorian staircase and lift access, tell of the affluent gold era and can host from 10 to 150.
Across the street is a working live theatre - Her Majesty’s - with plenary seating capacity for 959: 481 in the stalls, 224 in the dress circle and 254 in the balcony. It also has a Long Room that seats up to 100 for private functions.
Providing a massive boost to Ballarat’s business event capability when it opens in March is Novotel Forest Resort Creswick. Billed as provincial Victoria’s most sophisticated resort this $200 million complex features a 144-room hotel including seven penthouses and conferencing for up to 1000.
The resort, set on 150 acres, includes a championship Robert Allenby and Tony Cashmore-designed golf course with fairways carved cathedral-like through forests for an “Augusta”-style experience.
Novotel Forest’s sales and marketing manager, Janice King Smith, said the resort features seven state-of-the-art meeting rooms to cater for intimate groups of 10 to 50 people, or sophisticated functions for up to 1000 guests. No stone has been left unturned in relation to its state-of-the-art facilities, multi-purpose function spaces and plentiful options for themed events and team-building activities.
Expected to influence city-bound PCOs to try the new Novotel Forest event destination are the fact that it has an in-house audio visual supplier and 24 hour technical support, its three separate foyer spaces, three dedicated business centres, executive boardroom, library themed function room, plus more than 600 complimentary car parks and additional undercover valet parking.
“Natural light, cutting edge technology, wireless and broadband internet, two business centres and in-house audio visual technicians, ensure the resort will be the most sophisticated new venue in Provincial Victoria,” she said.
Apart from golf, post conferencing is also taken care of with a signature restaurant and bars, an extensive library, swimming pool, spa, steam room, gymnasium and tennis courts or any one of a number of treatments available at the health and wellness centre…even a wedding chapel.
Surrounding Ballarat is some of the best territory for a range of winemaking styles, including chardonnay and sauvignon blanc from the Pyrenees while the Grampians region is renowned for sparkling wines from Great Western plus premium pinots and some of the country’s oldest shiraz vines.
About an hour from Ballarat there’s conferencing in the quiet and solitude of the Pyrenees at Warrenmang Vineyard and Resort. The 250-acre venue includes four styles of accommodation in 38 rooms, including The Lodge and The Grange, which are perfect for groups willing to share adjoining accommodation and communal recreational facilities such as the 10-person outdoor hot spa. Its conferencing facilities cater for up to 100 and include break-out rooms, team-building activities and award-winning food and wine.
Capitals of Spa Country, Daylesford and Hepburn Springs offer a range of boutique conferencing options including Peppers’ popular art deco Springs Retreat. It has 25 stylish rooms and spa suites accommodating 51 in its main building and recently restored Villa Parma an adjacent Italianate villa with topiary gardens. It suits four to eight guests.
Its purpose-built conference centre has three naturally-lit spaces for up to 100 plus a wide range of break-out areas and on-site team-building options including corporate kendo. Peppers is a post-conference sanctuary of calm – its mineral spa with three open air mineral pools, a sauna, steam room and eight treatment rooms reinvigorate even the most jaded delegate.
Regional Victoria’s popularity for events is growing year on year, and increasingly attracting a larger number of interstate and international visitors because of its spectacular scenery, quality accommodation, and of course exceptional cuisine and wines. The destination is broken into so many regions, all within a short drive from the Melbourne central business district, and each offering something completely different. And its event calendar continues to grow.
In Geelong, for example, the region each year plays host to the Skandia Geelong Week. Dubbed the “Melbourne Cup” of sailing, Skandia Geelong Week goes above and beyond sailing, with seriously fast racing, a gala-like atmosphere and an abundance of waterfront activities and entertainment.
First held in 1844 and officially established in 1859, Skandia Geelong Week is Victoria’s oldest sporting event. It attracts more than 100,000 visitors and boasts in excess of 450 competing yachts with 5000 sailors taking part. The shore-side program is a free access community based event, which offers a diverse range of colourful entertainment. There are in excess of 60 live performances across two stages, the Geelong Art Society art exhibition, aerobatic displays, a gourmet food and wine expo, a marine trade expo and a super screen TV with all the on-water action situated in a traditional beer garden setting. The event has been sponsored by Skandia since 2002, and the company recently announced an extension of its sponsorship until at least 2011, with a further option right up until 2015. The event is a great tie-in for companies looking to hold their conferences or own events in Geelong during Skandia Geelong Week. Or why not start planning now for The Australian International Airshow 2009, being held from March 19-24 in 2009. This event also incorporates an aerospace and defence exposition. A great experience for those with a “need for speed”.
We suggest you contact the Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau for further details on events in regional Victoria. The bureau can be contacted by visiting www.mcvb.com.au.
The much-awarded business events destination region is still pushing for its own purpose-built 1500 seat convention centre, but is not waiting for state or federal government action, continuing to refurbish existing meetings offerings and erecting brand new facilities to entice PCOs to meet out of Melbourne.
City of Greater Geelong Mayor, Cr Bruce Harwood, said “investors continue to display strong confidence in the Geelong region with an unprecedented $310.7m worth of non-residential building activity generated over the past year”.
The region extends from the state’s second city Geelong, along the famous Great Ocean Road through Barwon Heads, Torquay, Lorne and Apollo Bay. As one of Victoria’s best-known international attractions it has long been a popular leisure and sea change destination, but its focus on major events and meetings facilities matched by professional services, is set to pay dividends.
Avalon airport’s 16 Jetstar flights a day, from Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth are disgorging business tourists and soon a Geelong roadway bypass will speed the trip for Melbourne delegates.
A major new venue has been created with one of Geelong’s historic buildings, The Wool Exchange, reopened as a corporate and entertainment venue. The art deco design with a barrel-vaulted roof over what was the main wool sales room will comfortably accommodate up to 400 (theatre), while downstairs a private room fits up to 200 (banquet).
Geelong’s event accommodation, boosted last year by Quest Apartment’s 35 one, two and three bedroom apartments with meeting space, was bolstered further with re-development of Chifley on the Esplanade’s 66-rooms into new one and two bedroom apartments with conferencing for up to 50. It will all be in strong demand come February 2009 when the city hosts Australia’s largest multisport festival, The Australian Masters Games 2009 for 10,000 participants competing in 60 sports. Geelong previously hosted the 2006 World Lifesaving Championships and part of Melbourne’s 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Geelong Otway Tourism’s BDO for business tourism, Carine Bourcier, said the city and its coastal towns have access to high level professional services with more than 1000 business members covering every aspect of the tourism, meeting, incentive, exhibition and travel industries.
The region is also being helped by the appearance of some big brand names on venues – Sofitel, Hyatt, Sebel and Crowne Plaza.
At the region’s gateway, halfway between Melbourne and Geelong, is Sofitel Mansion & Spa at Werribee Park, fresh from a million dollar upgrade. The five-star hotel, once a seminary, has 91 rooms and conferencing for groups from 10 to 180 in purpose-designed meetings spaces, while an adjacent winery and polo-field provides more event options.
A new global marque for Barwon Heads is 13th Beach Hawthorn Suites, a Hyatt brand. This new 4.5 star resort of 60 condominiums has conference facilities for up to 250 and delegate accommodation in one, two and three bedroom self-contained condos. With 181 hectares of sand, surf, wildlife and golf on two championship courses, Hawthorn Suites is pitching squarely at the corporate golf meetings market.
Not that there’s any shortage of stay and play competitors along this coast.
Torquay, gateway to the Great Ocean Road, has seen the largest business events investment with the recent opening of the $25 million 96-room Sebel at The Sands residential golf development. It has a Stuart Appleby-designed golf course, clubhouse, heated indoor lap pool, gymnasium, day spa and seven meetings spaces from a ballroom for 800 (cocktails) or 400 (dinner) to a boardroom for 16.
Nearby is the just-opened $80 million Crowne Plaza Torquay, with 164 hotel rooms including 82 one-bedroom apartments. The first-floor conference area features 180 degree Bass Strait views while at ground level there’s a bar, pool, gym and day spa.
Lorne has always been a popular conference destination, particularly for medical meetings, accommodating 1000 delegates. Cumberland Lorne sales and marketing manager Tish Black says ongoing success reflects its experienced staff and dedicated conference facilities. Cumberland boasts eight meeting rooms including the area’s only 350-seat tiered auditorium, plus dedicated foyer/registration areas and business centre/secretarial services.
Along the beach Mantra Erskine Beach Resort, also a long-established Lorne venue, has opened a 500-seat conference centre following a $20 million refurbishment.
Meanwhile Apollo Bay further along the Great Ocean Road now boasts a 28 room, 4.5 star conference venue catering for up to 80 delegates. Apollo 169 has a large foyer / registration area, latest A/V, wireless broadband, projectors and large LCD screens.
The only competition for the bird calls is the intermittent “whoosh” of flame keeping our hot air balloon aloft. These are blissful moments. Vines and balloons have a natural affinity but happily our pilot knows just how to keep that relationship well in balance. In the distance the skyscrapers of Melbourne jut tooth-like into the skyline, as if emphasising just how easy it is to switch from one world to another. The three balloons manoeuvre themselves in the gentlest of breezes into a paddock adjoining Chateau Yering, the most upmarket of the Yarra Valley hostelries. The Yarra River takes one of its many loops right by the chateau.
The pace in the Yarra Valley, a little more than an hour from downtown Melbourne, is worlds away from that of the metropolis, yet the proximity to the city and the very evident affluence of the area means the quality of venues and service standards are on par with any of Australia’s state capitals.
Recent developments in the positioning of the Yarra Valley and the adjacent Dandenong Ranges has led to a co-ordinated promotion of the area’s tourism, wine, food and agribusiness, providing the meeting and event planner with a one stop shop to plan and deliver an event.
The Yarra Valley was the first of the Victorian cool climate regions and was indeed exporting its wines to England and Europe from the 1840s. Wine production ceased around the turn of the 20th century and it wasn’t until the 1960s when a number of Melbourne businesspeople started buying up the mainly dairy properties and re-introduced viticulture to the valley.
Many household names in Australian wine originate in the valley – Yarra Ridge, De Bortoli, Coldstream, Domain Chandon and Tarrawarra are just some of the 70 wineries located in this exquisite region.
It seems the corporate sector has taken the Yarra Valley to heart with Matt Noble of the Australian Wine Tour Co reporting some 80 corporate wine tours in the past 12 months.
“I would say the one thing that the Yarra Valley has over any other wine region in Victoria is its ability to cater for larger groups’ corporate entertaining,” he says.
“Companies using our educational and entertaining tour service to the Yarra Valley include Luis Vuitton, Shell, Universal Pictures, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, all the major banks, insurance companies, accounting firms, major retailers and government departments and event management companies.”
The Australian Wine Tour Co also provides a multi-day package for those with the time and budget to make the most of all the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges have to offer. There’s plenty of accommodation in the villages and amongst the vines of the region. For international visitors Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary is a must, with its green open spaces housing a wide range of Australian native wildlife.
Marylands Country House is an award-winning deluxe small resort for meetings and business events in the village of Marysville and offers quality meeting space across a range of venues for up to 200 participants. There are 62 accommodation rooms and suites and 22 self-contained apartments. Total accommodation capacity is available for up to 200 delegates.
 The Yarra Valley Conference Centre with Marylands Country House offers a completed one-stop-shop for the event planner, with a complete package covering accommodation, venue hire, food and beverage.
Also in Marysville, the Cumberland Marysville is an accredited member of the International Association of Conference Centres (IACC).
The Cumberland has organised conferences for well over 40 years and has one point of contact in the form of a dedicated conference manager.
The Cumberland has five dedicated conference rooms that can host from 10 to 150 delegates - equipped with data projectors, electronic whiteboards, video, DVDs, public address systems and overhead projectors and screens. All rooms have natural lighting. The Cumberland Marysville also offers wireless internet connectivity and any additional break-out rooms at no additional charge
Chateau Yering, part of the French based Relais & Chateaux group, is one of Australia’s most historic properties, with white occupation since 1837 and the site of the first vintage of wine in Victoria eight years later. The fortunes of the grand estate waxed and waned over the decades, but in 1997 after a meticulous restoration Chateau Yering was launched as a deluxe country retreat.
It has substantial meetings space and 32 individually decorated suites, many with their own fireplaces and private balconies. The kitchen is regarded as one of Australia’s best and the newly appointed head chef, Mathew Macartney hails from the equally celebrated Lake House at Daylesford.
Events in the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges
April: Vintage Pickers Lunch and Italian Fiesta, De Bortoli Winery & Restaurant
May: Duck Crawl Convention, Marylands Country House
June: Warburton Winterfest
October: Shedfest at various wineries along the Warburton Highway.
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