 The Cheeky Food Group has successfully launched its team-building program into the Melbourne market with two events held at the Carlton Brewhouse.
More than 60 people experienced a Cheeky Food Group cook-up during the two events. Individuals from conference and event companies, industry suppliers and corporations chopped, cooked and sizzled together and then sat down to a delicious meal. The dishes included prawns flambéed with Hawaiian rum and coconut cream, Banoffi pies and asparagus with spicy pecans and blue cheese. Events Edge proprietor, Debbie Skewes, said the dinner her group produced was “sensational”. “The presentation and flavours were fabulous. Cooking together is fun and when the food is finally spread out on the table it looks amazing”.
Pictured at the Cheeky Food Group event is from left to right: Claire Nelson, Harry the Hirer, Danielle Hayman, St Kilda Football Club, and Debbie Skewes from Events Edge.
Eleven professional conference organisers and event planners recently got to experience the best that Townsville has to offer on the Townsville Buyer Famil, with many leaving with a new appreciation of the destination. Kathy Bourbon from the Australian Water Association said she was most impressed with several of the venues that the group saw, vowing that she “will definitely be coming to Townsville with events.” Venue Management Services’ Saxon Mitchell said he had a great time and “am now totally educated and enthused about Townsville.” CVBS’s Anthony Jepson said he “came away with a lot more knowledge of the area which will certainly help to promote the region to our clients.” Highlights included watching the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander dancers at The Cultural Centre, a guided tour of Reef HQ Aquarium - the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium, and being wined and dined on the progressive dinner at Rydges Southbank.
Unique Venues, the hotels, resorts and venues division of DMS Destination Marketing Services, recently announced its appointment as the Sydney sales representative in the corporate conference and incentive markets for Melbourne’s Atlantic Group (V). Atlantic Group (V) offers four stunning event venues on the newly developed Central Pier at Docklands, located just minutes from Melbourne’s CBD, and can cater for all event needs - from small lunchtime meetings to conferences and product launches with guest numbers extending into the thousands.
A gigantic worm farm has been delivered to the Adelaide Convention Centre, ready to chomp its way through up to 350kg of organic waste each week. The “organic digester” – solar powered and able to hold up to 800,000 worms - is one of a raft of measures the centre has implemented to establish its green credentials to international and national clients as part of its “Gold Service, Green Attitude” philosophy. Meanwhile, the centre is planting a drought-tolerant garden and is hosting its first “Go for Green” conference package, an Australian first allowing convention organisers to both reduce and offset carbon emissions created by their event.
Geelong and The Bellarine hosted Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Foundation for a tour of the region’s famous local produce recently. The new in-take of Fifteen’s trainee chefs toured the region sampling the finest local gourmet delights including olive oil, cheese and chocolate. The group visited Clyde Park Vineyard in the Moorabool Valley, where owner Terry Jongebloed gave an overview of his business. Winemaker Darren Burke shared some insights into the winemaking process with the group.
The Perth Convention Bureau has engaged marketing agency Marketforce to develop a business events brand for Western Australia. Marketforce is one of the largest and most established marketing communications companies in Western Australia. Having worked on Tourism WA’s “The Real Thing” campaign and a new brand identity for the City of Perth, they are well placed to undertake the project. The business events brand will promote and position Western Australia’s unique selling propositions as a national and international business events destination.
 A group of pirates recently descended on Sydney harbour on a hunt for some hidden treasure. The buccaneers were the first group to experience the Pirates on Sydney Harbour package which was launched last month by The Observatory Hotel and EastSail. The pirates kicked-off their treasure hunt at EastSail D’Albora Marinas in Rushcutters Bay and boarded their vessels for an afternoon of sea shanty stories and adventure. After sailing the seas of Sydney Harbour to find the clues to locate the missing treasure of Captain Blackbeard, it was time for weary sailors to rest their shaky sea legs and enjoy a pirate feast at The Observatory Hotel.
ABOVE: Pirate crew with Julian Bowker, EastSail’s Pirate Skipper. Photo courtesy of Oneill Photographics.
Chairman of the Adelaide Convention Tourism Authority (ACTA), Phil Paker, recently announced that Damien Kitto has been appointed as the company’s new chief executive. Mr Kitto previously headed up business development in the major events arm of the South Australian Tourism Commission and has an impressive background in senior management, sales, marketing and outstanding success in promoting South Australia as an events destination.
The Meeting Planners (TMP) launched its new branding strategy at a function for their clients co-hosted by the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) and the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB) at the MCEC recently. The strategy reflects the culture of TMP and, introducing the new logo, Karine Bulger emphasised the TMP commitment to “providing clients with creative, inspiring solutions to exceed their goals”. Following a company purchase two years ago, Karine Bulger has focused on rebuilding the team and streamlining processes to deliver a successful new formula for conference management with a user-friendly approach. The new branding was devised to highlight the new management style which has the strength of tried and tested systems and processes behind a flexible attitude to achieve client goals.
Jetstar is set to launch its third international route from Perth with daily services to Singapore from December 2008. This follows the announcement by Jetstar to establish a base at Perth airport and launch flights to Bali and Jakarta. Jetstar said the Singapore route would further strengthen its links with sister carriers.
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