There is nothing more appealing when you travel than going to a place you’ve never been before and it being more – better – than you imagined. This is certainly the case with first-time visitors to central Australia, and particularly Alice Springs and Uluru (Ayers Rock).
The destination is a breath of fresh air and truly like nowhere else on the planet.
As harsh as it must have been for its early European settlers, the Alice Springs of today is now a destination that blends its historic past with the modern day, creating in the process a place where innovation and state-of-the-art function and form intertwine. And it is through these elements that the “can do” attitude has obviously evolved.
Manager of the Northern Territory Convention Bureau, Lynn Fairbrass, agrees wholeheartedly with this assessment.
“It is the cohesion and the can-do attitude of the operators that really helps to set Alice Spring apart,” she says.
“We often get feedback on how well venues, accommodation, attractions, and off-site venues all work together to cater for each individual event. And, if a request is made for something out of the ordinary, generally the response is ‘let’s see how we can make that work’.”
For the convention and incentive market, much of the appeal stems from the exceptional range of outdoor and off-site venues available.
“You can be having dinner under the stars in a pub film set on a real working cattle station just 20 minutes from town with hosts who have worked the land for generations and are as interesting as the landscape,” explains Ms Fairbrass when she talks of Ooraminna Homestead and the Hayes family.
The Mbantua Gallery in the centre of Alice, the Nocturnal House at the Alice Springs Desert Park, the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, and dinner under the stars beside the dry Todd River bed are a handful of other options, each with their own character and style, and each well-versed in catering to the group market.
Access to the Northern Territory continues to improve, which is also great news for the convention and incentive travel market. Tiger Airways now offers three flights a week from Melbourne, and Qantas is adding more than 3000 seats each week to its current flight schedule from June 2008.
For Alice Springs Qantas is adding three additional Sydney-Alice Springs services, and an additional Brisbane-Alice Springs service, taking the total to 65 return services from Alice Springs to eight destinations weekly.
Once in Alice and central Australia the temptation to extend your stay will be pretty strong. Thankfully, there is plenty of accommodation to choose from, details of which can be found over the following pages. ABOVE: Ballooning the outback, Alice Springs. Image courtesy of Tourism NT.
While CEO of MEA, Linda Gaunt, acknowledges the decision to host the MEA National Conference was through a competitive tender process, it was the passion of those behind the tender who helped win the day.
“The local business events community and the Northern Territory Convention Bureau presented a very competitive bid and ensured that the bid committee truly believed what a terrific conference destination Alice Springs is,” Ms Gaunt said.
“The passion and commitment of this group shone through and they successfully won the tender.”
Part of Alice Spring’s success in hosting this high-profile event was due to the quality and expertise of the Alice Springs Convention Centre which will play host to business sessions as well as the awards night on the final evening.
But far from simply staying in the one place throughout the three-day program, delegates will get to experience much more of Alice Springs, especially during the social program.
The welcome reception will be held at the Telegraph Station with a casual dinner at Ooraminna Homestead, while the MEA Accredited Member Meeting and cocktail reception will be held at the Alice Springs Desert Park.
The official conference will be opened by the Federal Minister for Resources, Energy and Tourism, Martin Ferguson. Keynote speaker, Michael Luehrs of the MCI Group will be a feature with local Territorian identities such as Ted Egan, Fiona O’Loughlin, and Terry Underwood adding real flavour to this very Australian event experience.
There is no greater example of vast, remote beauty than at Uluru and the surrounding region. With a perfect year-round climate the destination is a feast for the senses, and offers so many options for convention and incentive travel groups that often the hardest part for planners is having to decide what not to do because of limited time constraints.
The big player in these parts is Voyages Ayers Rock Resort which provides a modern range of conference facilities equipped with state-of-the-art audio-visual and lighting technology and telecommunication services.
Voyages Ayers Rock Resort provides a wide variety of accommodation options, from the five-star Sails in the Desert to the award-winning Desert Gardens Hotel, to the Emu Walk Apartments and the modern Lost Camel right through to the authentic Outback Pioneer Hotel. Voyages also manages the exclusive luxury wilderness camp Longitude 131, which only caters for 30 guests. Below are a few examples of things to see and do besides walking around Uluru:
 Roar around Uluru or Kata Tjuta on the back of a Harley. For a group the experience can include a mock “hijack” with the company boss or CEO captured by the gang, only to meet up again at the final destination.
For those who have less of a “need for speed”, why not climb aboard a camel for a relaxing ride through the desert landscape. Participants can watch the awesome colour changes of Uluru at sunrise or sunset, away from the crowds, and from the best seat in the house.
The best way to experience Uluru is with Anangu Tours, which offers Aboriginal guides from the local community who take groups on a tour around the base of Uluru.
For a team-building experience with a difference why not get your group to take a dot painting workshop with local Aboriginal artists. These local artists introduce participants to western desert dot concepts before breaking into smaller groups where they can complete their own canvas. Afterwards, the group explains the story of their work to the entire group. This is a rare opportunity for delegates to learn directly from Aboriginal people about their cultural and western desert dot painting. The completed paintings are shipped to the group when dry.
Experience the mysterious rock domes of Kata Tjuta. Travel through the great formations to discover the secrets of plant and animal survival in the desert on a two-hour walk with AAT Kings.
Any visit and overnight stay at Uluru would not be complete without experiencing the Sounds of Silence dinner, run by Voyages Hotels & Resorts.
Participants sip champagne as the sun sets and then move to a flat area where they dine under the canopy of the desert night while their very own storyteller shares tales as told in the stars.
There are plenty more options to get the most out of your Uluru experience. Contact the Northern Territory Convention Bureau for more itinerary ideas by visiting www.ntconventions.com.au
Director of Synchron, Don Trapnell, and managing director of The Management Group, Suzanne Mooney, have nothing but praise for Alice Springs as a conference destination following the Synchron Conference held in late March.
“Alice Springs is a unique destination – set in some of the most beautiful scenery seen anywhere in the world. The colours of the McDonnell Ranges would impress even the most jaded traveller – the kaleidoscope of reds, earth oranges and purple hues is the perfect setting for an awe inspiring conference. The WOW factor is there the minute you land in Alice Springs.”
What they have also been impressed with is the “can do” attitude of those working in the destination, which they say sets it apart from many others.
“The answer is always ‘YES’. The variables sometimes had to be the question but the answer was always ‘yes’,” Mr Trapnell said.
“From our first dealings with the NT Convention Bureau through to our dealings with all of the venues and suppliers the answer was always ‘YES’.”
Ms Mooney said the value add of the destination is that Alice Springs goes the extra mile.
“There are no limitations – the staff at the Alice Springs Convention Centre provided the answer to all of our queries – from sourcing entertainers to choc-top ice creams,” she said.
“The attention to detail, along with the friendly and professional attitude really made it a pleasure to deal with them from interstate. Everybody genuinely cared about our event and everyone we dealt with – from the bus company, convention centre, Alice Springs Desert Park, Staging Connections and Ooraminna to name a few, all pulled together to make our job a lot easier.
“As a regional destination, everyone knows each other and that really shows in their desire to make our event work.”
After a frantic two days at AIME, I was eager to hit the outback trail for a true blue Aussie experience into what I was told was one of the best backyards in the world. Departing from Melbourne, our Qantas flight was comfortable and remarkably quick. In fact, only three hours and the same time from every major city in Australia. We touched down at Alice Springs Airport where the heat and the stunning rugged scenery of the region immediately embrace you. In this place the pesky business jacket was quickly discarded.
 Day 1
Transfers were organised by local company Down Under Tours who have been looking after a diverse range of groups here in the outback for many years. They were a superb choice, offering luxurious hi-tech vehicles and professional service.
We freshen up at Lasseter’s Hotel Casino - our home away from home for the next two days – then stroll next door to the Alice Springs Convention Centre for a sumptuous lunch with all dishes inspired by the unique location. Succulent crocodile vol-au-vents, camel, roo, emu fillets, delicious lamb, and barramundi savored with fine wines. Crikey, the list went on and the food and wine kept coming.
Of course, persuading the client with accommodation and convention facilities can’t work alone. There needs to be a WOW factor to make a conference or event memorable. Alice is indeed exceptional in being able to provide a wide range of off-site experiences that are both exciting and distinctively Australian and will fulfill delegates’ expectations of a great Aussie outback experience.
Adorned with sunglasses, sunscreen, mozzie repellant and hat we met up with the team of Action Enterprises, a local DMC who have sound knowledge based on the needs associated with operations in remote areas and can handle any group size. We spent the afternoon discovering the many event options available.
First stop was the historic Telegraph Station just a few kilometres out of Alice and the original site of the Alice Springs township. Built in 1872, here you’ll find a collection of wonderfully restored Victorian heritage buildings overlooking the dry Todd River, which is a great option for a nostalgic bush evening for up to several hundred guests inside and out.
They say the best things in life are free and Simpsons Gap is definitely on the list. Located at one of the most prominent gaps in the ranges, the mammoth cliffs are a sight to see and will leave you breathless - as was the crowd’s response when The Darwin Symphony Orchestra recently performed here for an outdoor concert.
We then headed off-road in a very red high-tech 4WD bus and arrived half an hour later to Ooraminna Homestead & Bush Camp. This vast homestead owned by the legendary sixth generation station owners Jan and Bill Hayes has its own ghost town originally built for a movie with an outback pub, which at first glance was looking like the Pub with no Beer. Jan and Bill’s outlaw son Sally greets us all and our thirsty palates with plenty of ice cold beer and champagne. The pub was built in 1920’s style. It also has shops and a main street and a vast rustic-looking open-walled shearing shed which can house several hundred guests and a full stage for outback entertainment.
Outback themed events are, of course, popular here. Awards, gala nights and large functions are ideal around the old pub and township, catering up to 1000 delegates while the homestead is great for small functions of up to 150 delegates. This is certainly a place where you can let your hair down, have a wild night and not have to worry about waking up the neighbors.
The team from Alice Springs Helicopters were there to provide all of us with a surprise helicopter ride. The view over the MacDonnell Ranges and beyond is superb and gives you a different perspective and a wonderful opportunity to take in the extraordinary depth and beauty of central Australia and the diversity of this landscape. With limited time this is a great option and they can handle groups for the conference and incentive market. Your delegates will be raving about it for years.
Back down to earth and we checked out the luxury bush cabins at the homestead. They also have swag accommodation for sleeping under the stars, cattle station tours, and team-building. We roamed the homestead leaving a trail of superlatives.
After swatting a few Nellie Blighs we all watched the sun set over the desert and soaked in the silence. It makes a stark contrast to what we usually see and hear every day in the “big smoke”.
We then enjoyed a hearty home-cooked station meal under the stars, and were entertained by The Hayes family who were eager to share their personal experiences. We listened to the outlaw son’s jokes - what a character he is - and listened to a very funny and well-known poem called Turbulence, which was written about Bill Hayes.
Day 2
The next morning it was onto the award-winning Alice Springs Desert Park. Set in the foothills of the Macdonnell Ranges, it’s a destination in itself and superbly well-equipped for groups. We enjoyed a lovely breakfast at Madigan’s while watching the sun rise over the ranges. Located within the park Madigan’s can cater for any event large or small.
We then enjoyed a cinematic experience of the creation of the desert in the exhibition centre cinema. At the end of the movie the screen comes down with the amazing Macdonnell Ranges in the background. Wow! Expectations of a desert being flat are quickly dispelled.
Afterwards, we tour the park. It’s a great intro to the outback. It’s amazing how a desert can be so full of life. We saw the fantastic nature theatre presentation featuring free-flying birds of prey and witnessed the endangered animals like the dingoes showing their survival skills.
Accommodation in Alice is all within a few minutes’ walk or taxi from the convention centre. One hotel of particular interest was the Crowne Plaza. Here we enjoyed a gorgeous lunch.
Following lunch we headed to one of the region’s many fine art galleries, Mbantua Gallery and Cultural Museum which was beautifully decorated with canvasses and sculptures from local Aboriginal artists. It’s a great addition to a social program for delegates and can also cater for small to medium-sized groups for dinners.
Eight kilometres out of Alice we dropped into The National Road Transport Hall of Fame which has the largest truck museum and vintage car collection in Australia and includes the old Ghan Train museum which tells the story of the transport heritage of this outback town. After an amazing two days it was time to bid farewell to this magical town. Along with the beauty of this region what mostly struck me and many other participants was the people and their genuine Aussie hospitality.
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