hq32 - melbourne supplement

HEADQUARTERS

MELBOURNEin Full Swing

Destination Report Melbourne is a special edition of HeadQuarters Magazine - April 2009, published by Meeting Media Company (Belgium) - www.hqmagazine.eu - [email protected]

4775_MMC_Melbourne_HQ32.indd 14775_MMC_Melbourne_HQ32.indd 1 01-04-2009 14:59:4101-04-2009 14:59:41

HEADQUARTERS 2

MELBOURNELIVING THE GOOD LIFE

At the kind invitation of the Melbourne Con-

vention + Visitors Bureau (MCVB), Marcel and

I embarked last February on our very fi rst

trip to Australia, let alone Melbourne. Right

before and a little bit after the AIME fair, we

discovered a city that was voted ‘one of the

most livable cities in the world’. We could

easily understand why: in addition to being

on the seaside, with four distinct, beautiful

seasons, this cosmopolitan city - one of the

best examples of Victorian architecture in

the world - is bustling with cultural activi-

ties. In Melbourne, there are more artists,

designers, painters, actors, singers, etc., than

anywhere in Australia. This is just to give you

an idea of what you can expect.

As a meetings destination, Melbourne is on

the map as never before. Within a fi ve square

kilometre area, the city offers fi ve - really

soon six - major convention hotels, a diverse

range of multi-purpose venues and the

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

(MCEC), whose brand new extension will

open in July making it the largest facility of

this kind in Australia. And of course there are

the people working at the convention bureau

who will do everything they can to make your

event run smoothly. The MCVB is indeed part

of the BestCities Global Alliance, a conven-

tion bureaux network dedicated to the deliv-

ery of the world’s best service experience for

the meetings industry.

As Tim Holding, Minister for Tourism in

Victoria, puts it: ‘All this reinforces Melbourne

as a creative city, where ideas are exchanged,

where the latest thinking sees light of day.’

And isn’t that precisely what the meetings

industry is about? Let’s fi nd out what

Melbourne has to offer!

HQ> I N T R O D U C T I O N

LET’S BE HONEST. THE VICTORIAN CAPITAL DOESN’T REALLY NEED PROMOTION. YOU

SIMPLY HAVE TO GO THERE AND THE WORK IS DONE. IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO

BE ENTHRALLED WITH THE WAY SHE IS, A BUSTLING, VIBRANT CITY WITH A RELAXED

FEEL OF FRIENDLINESS TO IT. AS A CONGRESS DESTINATION, MELBOURNE’S GOT ALL

THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE MEETING PLANNER CAN WISH FOR, FROM SPACIOUS CON-

FERENCE HOTELS TO STUNNING, VERY SPECIAL VENUES. AND FOR THOSE WHO ALREADY

COMMENT ON THE FACT THAT AUSTRALIA IS TOO FAR, YOU’RE COMPLETELY MISTAKEN. IT’S

ONLY TWO MEALS, TWO MOVIES, ONE MAGAZINE… AND A LITTLE BIT OF SLEEP AWAY.

REPORT RÉMI DÉVÉ AND MARCEL A.M. VISSERS


HEADQUARTERS 3

SANDRA CHIPCHASETHE DRIVING FORCEOF THE MCVB

HQ: AIME has just finished. Has the fair

made you happy?

Sandra Chipchase: I’m always happy because

I live in Melbourne! Right now I’m delighted

because the feedback has been so positive:

people had a good time here in Melbourne,

they obviously did good business, we had lots

of comments on the quality of the hosted

buyers, and on the professionalism of the

media. From the buyers’ perspective, I was

told they were impressed by the exhibitors’

efforts to do business differently in this

delicate time of crisis. Which makes us really

optimistic about the future.

HQ: We understand the MCVB has a very spe-

cial relationship with Melbourne Exhibition

and Convention Centre…

Sandra Chipchase: The MCVB and the MCEC

have a partnership which I think is unlike

any other in the world. Usually conven-

tion centres and convention bureaus can

have a kind of elder brother/younger sister

relationship: one has the money, while the

other has the marketing strategy. Here

we’re equals: our two boards, our chairmen

are very open to new ways of doing things.

When you get that, you can build the trust,

let each other know everything: with trans-

parent information, you can deliver results

and build a portfolio of activities that will be

successful.

HQ: The MCVB is quite a big convention

bureau.

Sandra Chipchase: We have a staff of 38

individuals, two of them are based overseas

in Singapore and Hong Kong. They’re all spe-

cialists in their roles. All of them are in love

with the destination they promote and are

> M C V B : I N T E R V I E W

WE’RE NOW GAINING A WORLDWIDE REPUTATION AS A GREAT CONVENTION DESTINATION WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROFESSIONAL PROVIDERS IN AN EXCITING CITY FULL OF ACTIVITIES

SANDRA CHIPCHASE IS INSPIRING. NOT ONLY WHEN SHE’S DANCING BOLLYWOOD-STYLE

AT THE AIME WELCOME PARTY, BUT ALSO WHEN SHE’S TALKING ABOUT HER ROLE AS

THE CEO OF THE MELBOURNE CONVENTION + VISITORS BUREAU. WE MET HER RIGHT

AFTER THE END OF AIME AND, WITHOUT SHOWING THE SLIGHTEST SYMPTOM OF FATIGUE

AND WITH A COLORFUL SENSE OF HUMOR, SHE EXPLAINED WHY MELBOURNE IS SUCH A

GREAT CITY AS AN ASSOCIATION CONGRESS DESTINATION.

UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES IN MELBOURNEWorld Congress in Internal Medicine 2010 (WCIM) - 4,000 delegates - Global Conference of the Interna-

tional Federation on Ageing - IFA 2010 - 2,000 delegates - Worldcon - World Science Fiction Convention

(WSFC) 2010 - 3,000 delegates - International Conference of the International Union of Biochemistry

and Molecular Biology - IUBMB - 2,000 delegates - World Congress of the World Society for Pediatric

Infectious Diseases (WSPID) 2011 - 3,000 delegates - International Council of Nurses (ICN) 25th Quadrennial

Congress 2013 - 6,000 delegates - International Congress of Pediatrics (ICP) 2013 - 5,000 delegates - 22nd

World Diabetes Congress 2013 - 12,500 delegates


HEADQUARTERS 4

committed to being a part of a high-perform-

ance team. With very different personalities,

they’re still all focused on success. I person-

ally like to think that we’re a team of what I

call ‘relaxed professionals’.

HQ: In many cities, we sometimes feel there

is a discrepancy between the local or nation-

al authorities and the aspirations of the con-

vention bureau. It doesn’t seem to be the

case here.

Sandra Chipchase: There is indeed a very

specifi c plan of working closely with the gov-

ernment: they need to understand what we do

because we can help them achieve their policy

objectives. If we understand that, for example,

they have a focus of environment, we can

focus our activities on bidding for environ-

mental conferences and bring world experts

here. What we try to do is look at government

policies and what the government wishes

to achieve to help them make that happen,

through all sorts of events and through bring-

ing strategic partners to the table.

HQ: Australia - and Melbourne - seem closer

than before. How has this happened?

Sandra Chipchase: We’ve managed to secure

some of the largest and most prestigious

conferences in the world. The fact that we

have raised our profi le and successfully run

and staged major events in the past helps

word of mouth to work in a positive way.

We’re now gaining a worldwide reputation

as a great convention destination with state-

of-the-art infrastructure and professional

providers in an exciting city full of activity.

HQ: Could you tell us a little bit about your

marketing strategy?

Sandra Chipchase: We have a number of

programmes in place, especially in the digital

area. But in the end everything is about build-

ing the brand of the destination, case study

information and getting it out to the market.

The research we do is extensive: we measure

everything, we do surveys so we can improve

our product and services, identify market

needs, boost delegate attendance. It really is

business to business marketing: we invest in

research so our marketing message matches

the needs of our customers. The idea is to

make people excited about the destination

and the conference to be held here. We

basically try to get more messages to more

people through more channels more often.

HQ: Is there something that you are particu-

larly proud of?

Sandra Chipchase: I’m very proud of the fact

that the convention centre cost 370 million

dollars and we have won over 400 million

dollars worth of business to date and we

still have 3 months before it opens! We have

increased the economic impact per staff

member from 5,1 million three years ago to

7,1 million today.

HQ: In what way does the MCVB cater to

associations?

Sandra Chipchase: Although 80% of as-

sociations are headquartered in Europe,

their members travel from all over the world.

Everybody has a different perception of

Melbourne: you really need to profi le each

association, where they have been and what

they like to do. That takes time and expertise,

and we’re constantly building a marketing

message to match that.

HQ: So the future of Melbourne as a con-

gress destination is bright!

Sandra Chipchase: Defi nitely. In Melbourne,

our offer is unlike any other in Australia,

but also in the Southern hemisphere. Every

survey proves it: people love it here, it’s an

interesting, vibrant, very seasonal city that

works really well for all contingencies, with

great government support, wonderful prod-

ucts and services, and a extraordinary team

at the MCVB!

> M C V B : I N T E R V I E W

AIME, the Asia-Pacifi c Incentives & Meetings Expo,

is organised by Reed Travel Exhibitions on behalf

of the Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau,

the owner of the show. Last February at AIME 09,

exhibitor numbers rose to 868. Attendance fi gures

were up by 9.6% on last year, with a record 3,584

trade visitors, including 467 hosted buyers, visiting

the two-day event. Exhibiting companies represented

50 countries with 43% of exhibitors from Australia,

9% from New Zealand/Pacifi c, 32% from Asia and

16% international. Hosted buyers represented 25

countries, with more than 340 from Australasia, 70

from Asia and around 40 from other international

destinations.

In Australia: Melbourne Convention +

Visitors Bureau - Head Offi ce

tel : +61 3 9693 3333

[email protected]

www.mcvb.com.au

In Europe: Janet Sealy Partnership

Tel: +44 1 753 481 540

[email protected] or

[email protected]


HEADQUARTERS 5

According to CEO of the Melbourne Conven-

tion + Visitors Bureau, Sandra Chipchase, a

commitment to going green by Melbourne’s

hotels, transport providers, venues, and

caterers is seeing the city lead Australia on

the environmentally responsible front: ‘One

of Melbourne’s biggest challenges from a

national and international perspective over

the last year has been to meet and exceed

the Business Events industry’s rightful

demand for greener events.’

To do this, MCVB has created a series of tools

to assist in booking events with a low carbon

impact. These have included the Melbourne’s

‘Green Credentials’ Report, which lists the

environmentally friendly initiatives of leading

Business Events suppliers. From hotel and

transport providers, to venues and caterers,

the ‘Green Credentials’ Report provides those

booking an event in Melbourne with informa-

tion on the Business Events suppliers which

are leading on the green front.

MCVB is also about to launch an Events

Carbon Calculator - an online tool which will

allow event planners to calculate and offset

the emissions of events held in Melbourne.

And as if this was not enough, in 2008 it set

a new benchmark for exhibitions in Australia

by running AIME 2008 as a Climate Neutral™

event. This initiative contributed to AIME

being awarded Exhibition of the Year for two

years running at the Victorian Meetings &

Events Australia (MEA) Awards. And because

an award doesn’t like to be on its own, MCVB

also got a Corporate Social Responsibility

Award at the Victorian MEA Awards!

Last but not least is the new Melbourne

Convention Centre which has also been

awarded for its environmental achievements

and on which I write extensively in the

following pages.

FROM WORLD-FIRST SIX STAR GREEN STAR ENERGY RATINGS FOR ITS LEADING

VENUES AND FACILITIES TO AWARD-WINNING CSR PROGRAMS, FROM DIVERSE GREEN

EXPERIENCES, TO PROVIDING ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO BOOK AN ENVIRON-

MENTALLY RESPONSIBLE EVENT, MELBOURNE REALLY IS THE DESTINATION TO DELIVER

A GREEN EVENT. IN FACT PLANNING A GREEN EVENT IN MELBOURNE SEEMS TO BE

SIMPLE. BUT HOW SHOULD YOU DO IT? HERE ARE A FEW TIPS.

GOING ‘GREEN’ IN MELBOURNEEASIER THAN EVER

> G R E E N M E L B O U R N E

GREEN MELBOURNE HIGHLIGHTS✓ Green Hotels: The City of Melbourne’s “Savings in the City” Program which helps hotels cut energy, water and

waste, has resulted in many green ‘savings’.

✓ Green Transport: Melbourne has an excellent transport network which includes low carbon impact transporta-

tion such as wind-powered trams and the Skybus Super Shuttle - Melbourne’s airport/city shuttle.

✓ Green Venues: Melbourne’s new Convention Centre is leading the world on the environmental front; it is the

fi rst and only Convention Centre in the world to be awarded a Six Star Green Star Environmental energy rating.

✓ Green Leisure: Victoria’s diverse natural attractions range from desert, mountain, alpine and coastal to riverine

and rainforest landscapes. Victoria also has the greatest biodiversity, relative to land size in Australia.

HOW TO PLAN A GREEN EVENT IN MELBOURNE

✓ Consult MCVB’s Melbourne’s ‘Green

Credentials’ Report for green Business

Events suppliers:

www.mcvb.com.au

✓ Look for the green logo on the ‘Find a

Supplier’ section of the MCVB website

- this identifi es contributors to MCVB’s

Melbourne ‘Green Credentials’ Report

✓ Consult the ‘Green Check-list for Busi-

ness Events’ in the Melbourne Planner’s

Guide:

www.mcvb.com.au/plannersguide

Yarra River Melbourne Royal Botanic Garden


HEADQUARTERS 6

Ideally located right in the heart of

Melbourne, the new Melbourne Convention

Centre majestically rises on the edge of the

Yarra River. Thanks to its stunning 18-metre

tall glass façade, you can basically see the

city from any place inside the building - a

personal favorite of MCEC Chief Executive

Leigh Harry. Also striking is the fact that the

facility is accessible from pretty much every

direction by foot, car or public transport,

not to mention the close proximity of Mel-

bourne’s fi ne restaurants, shops and hotels

- the new Hilton Melbourne South Wharf is

literally right next door.

As the only convention and exhibition venue

in Australia with both Green Globe and Waste

Wise accreditation and with its now famous

‘6 Star’ Green Star’ accreditation, the MCEC

is committed to sustainability like no other. A

team of dedicated employees - aptly named

the ‘M Green team’ - has even been created:

their task is to come up with fresh initiatives

and new strategies to continue to benchmark

and progress MCEC’s environmental per-

formance. To assist clients in greening their

events at the MCEC, the M Green team ac-

tively work with them recommending waste

management, green power and sustainable

food menu options and solutions.

As for technology, the MCEC has nothing to

blush about. As Frank Mohren, MCEC director

of operations, puts it: ‘We have the opportuni-

ty to go two steps ahead, so we do!’ The most

sophisticated but simple to use audio visual,

communications and information technol-

ogy available has been installed into every

meeting room of the new convention centre:

everything has literally been built in and ‘it’s

almost as easy as to play a DVD in the comfort

of your home,’ comments Frank Mohren.

The MCEC seems to have achieved the right

balance between leading edge design and

functionality. It is defi nitely the place to be:

congress delegates who have the opportuni-

ty to attend an event there will feel they have

experienced something really special. And, to

end on a personal note, the venue boasts the

most comfortable chairs ever!

> M C E C

THE MELBOURNE CONVENTIONAND EXHIBITION CENTREIS ONE OF A KIND

MCEC - THE HARD FACTS✓ 32 meeting rooms of various sizes

✓ one grand banquet room

✓ an entry level foyer for 8,400 guests

✓ a state-of-the-art 5,000 seat plenary hall

that can be divided into three self-

contained, acoustically separate theatres

✓ 30,000m2 of exhibiting space

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

Tel: +61 3 9235 8000

[email protected]

www.mcec.com.au

COLORS, WOW, SPACE, WOW, DAYLIGHT: THESE ARE THE FIRST WORDS THAT COME TO

MIND WHEN YOU VISIT THE NEW MELBOURNE CONVENTION CENTRE, DUE TO OPEN FOR

BUSINESS IN JULY. IF YOU THOUGHT CONVENTION CENTRES CAN ONLY LOOK LIKE SHOE

BOXES, THINK OUTSIDE THE SQUARE. WITH ITS SPANISH ORANGE, ITS SPITFIRE RED, ITS

SPACIOUS VOLUMES, ITS IMPRESSIVE PLENARY HALL - AND THE GREENEST COMMIT-

MENT EVER WITH ITS RIGHTFULLY NAMED M GREEN TEAM, THE MELBOURNE CONVEN-

TION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE (MCEC) IS DEFINITELY ONE OF A KIND.


HEADQUARTERS 7

> M C E C : I N T E R V I E W

HQ: We understand you’re a 6-star conven-

tion centre. How did that happen?

Leigh Harry: The Melbourne Convention

Centre is the fi rst and only convention in the

world to have been awarded a ‘6 Star Green

Star’ environmental rating by the Green

Building Council of Australia. It’s an inde-

pendent organisation that guarantees the

objectivity of the results. The achievement

of a ‘6 Star Green Star’ environmental rating

is based on a mix of initiatives that create

a natural environment, reducing overall

energy use and using minimal non-renewable

resources.

HQ: Where does that strong environment-

friendly conscience come from?

Leigh Harry: It’s a focus of both the state

government and the City of Melbourne. The

state government has been progressively

implementing environmental considera-

tions into all the things they do. The City of

Melbourne also wanted to set an example of

what could be done in terms of green build-

ings. The developers need to get some credit

as well: they were given a fi ve-star goal, as a

minimum, and they achieved six! So we have

made a lot of progress in the congress indus-

try, but of course, nothing is set in stone and

there’s still room for improvement.

HQ: Australia - and Melbourne - seem to

become more and more popular as congress

destinations. How do you explain that?

Leigh Harry: The perception of Australia has

changed. We’re not any closer of course, but

we make up for it by being better value for

money than other regions in the world. The

ability to get here has also become much

easier, with new airlines, new air routes and

improved frequency of fl ights from all over

the world. And once delegates are on site, we

can offer them great return on investment,

with our special carbon reduction footprint

programmes and such.

I think Melbourne has been really good at

identifying the best practices around the

world and adding an Australian character to

them. When it comes to the meetings indus-

try, there is an expert service culture but it’s

not formal, it’s more engaging and friendly

than anywhere else in the world. And it’s also

a much more multicultural environment than

people expect.

HQ: What’s your relationship with the

MCVB?

Leigh Harry: The relationship between the

convention centre and the MCVB is both

strong and unique. The bureau is responsible

for all the international marketing activi-

ties on a contractual basis, with only one

performance criteria: delegate numbers.

We work closely together, our different

services communicate in the most effi cient

way, and we of course don’t get in the way

of the MCVB. It’s not a matter of who’s more

important than whom. It’s about getting the

job done.

HQ: Could you describe what personal feel-

ings this convention centre gives you?

Leigh Harry: A huge amount of pride. We’ve

tried really hard to develop a centre that we

think will best meet the needs of the people

that are going to use it. It has allowed Mel-

bourne to stand proudly in the spotlight but

that is not the end. Sometimes people make

the mistake of building something and stop

right there. Here at the convention centre

we’re already thinking about the next step

we should take in our facility development to

ensure that Melbourne continues to be one

of the best convention cities in the world.

GETTING THE WORK DONEA MEETING WITHLEIGH HARRYWE MET MCEC CHIEF EXECUTIVE LEIGH HARRY AT THE CAFÉ OF HIS BELOVED CENTRE.

BETWEEN TWO CAPPUCCINOS AND THE SOUND OF DRILLING MACHINES - FINISHING

TOUCHES WERE STILL IN PROGRESS! - HE EXPLAINED WHAT MADE THE MCEC SO GREAT.

I THINK MELBOURNE HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD AT IDENTIFYING THE BEST PRACTICES AROUND THE WORLD AND ADDING AN AUSTRALIAN CHARACTER TO THEM


HEADQUARTERS 8

According to to World Psychiatric Association

(WPA) President, Professor Juan Mezzich

Melbourne was a major draw card in attract-

ing WPA members to the Congress. ‘The

number of Congress participants exceeded

our expectations, and all objectives of the

Congress were fully met. But it was not

simply the comprehensive programme which

attracted the largest ever psychiatry event

to Melbourne - the city itself was of great

appeal, and proved to be a very attractive

setting in which all participants felt welcomed

in a friendly, warm and safe manner.’

THE EVENTThe Congress included two outstanding plena-

ry sessions, 28 key lectures by opinion leaders

in 14 streams, eight forums of global signifi -

cance, 71 high quality symposia, 45 workshops,

77 oral paper sessions and 261 posters. It also

featured the largest psychiatric and mental

health-related exhibition in Australia, with 45

exhibitors showcasing the latest developments,

products and technologies in the Exhibition

Hall, therein capitalising on delegates taking

refreshment breaks and attending social func-

tions in the exhibition space.

The offi cial opening and welcome reception

offered a taste of Outback Australia, com-

plete with the sights, sounds and cuisine of

the bush, and included stockmen, sheep dogs

and an opportunity to be photographed with

a koala. Social programs were a key feature

of the Congress, with activities including a

Gala Dinner at the National Gallery of Vic-

toria’s Great Hall and dinner on the Colonial

Tramcar Restaurant.

Accompanying persons enjoyed an array of

leisure options, such as a Gardens and Gal-

leries Tour on the Aboriginal Heritage Walk,

a tour of Majestic Melbourne’s 19th Century

Architecture and Iconic Buildings, including

the MCG, a Laneways and Arcade Shopping

tour, a trip to see the Phillip Island penguin

parade and a Yarra Valley winery tour.

LEGACYThe mandate for the World Psychiatric Associa-

tion International Congress is to provide oppor-

tunities for discussion and the global exchange

of information relating to mental health policy,

practice and service delivery. The Congress

boosts collaborative research and provides a

forum for the strengthening of partnerships

between all involved in the mental health arena

including psychiatrists, general practitioners,

mental health nurses, psychologists, patients,

their families and the wider community.

Holding the congress in Australia helped

strengthen networks between WPA members,

particularly in the Asia Pacifi c, and helped to

make mental health issues and service de-

velopment requirements more visible within

Australia and the Asia Pacifi c region.

CASE STUDY

THE WORLD PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS

> W P A

ADOPTING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH

TO TREATING MENTAL DISORDERS WAS

AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE MELBOURNE-

HELD WORLD PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS 2007 - THE

LARGEST PSYCHIATRY EVENT EVER OR-

GANIZED. THE EVENT, WHICH WAS BID FOR

AND WON BY THE MELBOURNE CONVEN-

TION + VISITORS BUREAU (MCVB), WAS

HELD AT THE MELBOURNE CONVENTION

AND EXHIBITION CENTRE (MCEC) FROM

28 NOVEMBER TO 1 DECEMBER 2007. THE

EVENT WAS ATTENDED BY 2,900 DEL-

EGATES FROM 107 COUNTRIES.

MELBOURE WAS OF GREAT APPEAL, AND PROVED TO BE A VERY ATTRACTIVE SETTING IN WHICH ALL PARTICI-PANTS FELT WELCOMED IN A FRIENDLY, WARM AND SAFE MANNER


HEADQUARTERS 9

MELBOURNE HOTELSLUXURY PAR EXCELLENCE

Positioned directly opposite the Melbourne

Convention and Exhibition Centre, the lavish

Crown Entertainment Complex offers a

world of dining and entertainment options,

with refi ned bars, great restaurants, numer-

ous shops, a casino… and two world-class ho-

tels, the 5-star Crown Towers and the 4-star

Crown Promenade. The former, where Marcel

stayed, boasts 482 luxuriously appointed

guestrooms, which all have spectacular views

of the city or Port Phillip Bay. Its biggest

meeting room accommodates up to 2,500

people. In addition to its spacious 465 rooms,

the latter, where I stayed, takes pride in Mel-

bourne’s only purpose-built conference centre

in a hotel, hosting more than 600 people.

Crown has also started construction on a

new 658-room, 4.5 star hotel, which will

bring the total number of hotel rooms avail-

able at the Crown Entertainment Complex

to more than 1,600 in 2010. The new hotel

site is only a short walk away from the

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Another interesting development is defi nitely

the Hilton South Wharf, which I already

mentioned earlier. Due to open in April, it

will be fully integrated with the MCEC and

comprise 396 guest rooms. With spectacular

city skyline and river views, the guest rooms

will feature soft tones, striking wood interiors

and the latest technology available. Take my

word for it: I visited the premises!

Grand Hyatt Melbourne, which has just been

transformed, deserves to be pointed out. On

top of its lavish 547 rooms, Melbourne’s new

centre of luxury includes spectacular new

upper and lower lobbies, the opening of Col-

lins Kitchen, the new restaurant, and new bar,

RU-CO. Grand Hyatt Melbourne’s dynamic

function area comprises over 1,600 m2 of

meeting and conference facilities over two

levels and 15 function rooms, the biggest one

accommodating up to 1,200 people.

Last but not least are The Langham

Melbourne and Intercontinental at Rialto.

Situated in the exclusive Southbank pre-

cinct, close to the MCEC, the former is one

of the most exclusive locations in the city.

With 387 rooms and meeting capacity of up

to 400 people, The Langham, Melbourne,

takes pride in a rare and exceptionally

personalized high level of service delivery.

Re-opened last December, Melbourne the

Rialto is a modern day monument of luxury

that pays homage to its status as a heritage-

listed building in the heart of the fi nancial

district. It boasts 253 rooms and 7 meeting

rooms, the biggest of which accommodates

up to 450 people.

> H O T E L S

Crown Towers

Hilton Melbourne South Wharf

Grand Hyatt Melbourne

Intercontinental at Rialto - Atrium

OF COURSE THE MCEC IS NOT THE ONLY

PLACE WHERE YOU CAN HOLD MEETINGS.

WHEN IT COMES TO LUXURIOUS ACCOM-

MODATION AND CONFERENCE HOTELS,

MELBOURNE IS THE RINGLEADER.

MOST OF THEM ARE IDEALLY LOCATED,

IN THE HEART OF THE CENTRAL BUSINESS

DISTRICT: AS IT IS EASY TO GET AROUND

IN THE VICTORIAN CAPITAL, THIS WILL

ALLOW YOU TO DO EVERYTHING BY

FOOT IF YOU FEEL LIKE IT! HERE’S A

FINE SELECTION.


HEADQUARTERS 10

BEING A CULTURAL, YOUNG BUT HISTORICAL CITY, MELBOURNE IS FULL OF EXCITING PLACES IN WHICH TO HOLD SPECIAL EVENTS.

WHETHER IT BE ARCHITECTURAL ICONS, GREAT MUSEUMS OR DESIGN WAREHOUSES THAT WERE REFURBISHED WITH THE MOST RE-

FINED TASTE, YOU ARE SURE TO FIND SOMETHING THAT WILL SUIT YOUR NEEDS.

THE ICONSMy visit started with Eureka

89, the tallest residential

building in the Southern Hem-

isphere. At a staggering 300

meters above sea level the

360° panoramic view of the

city from up there is stunning.

Whether you are planning a

glamorous cocktail event for

450 or an intimate dinner for

30, Eureka 89’s people will be

happy to help you!

Federation Square, the city’s meeting point par

excellence, is an inspirational precinct which

features community, cultural and commercial

activities, as well as a number of venues suit-

able for a wide range of events. This includes

an impressive glass walled amphitheatre, BMW

Edge, for seminars or conferences for up to al-

most 500 people, two superb function centres,

the indoor Atrium for small cocktail parties and

a variety of lounges, bars and restaurants.

I personally liked Champions, within the

Racing Museum and Hall of Fame, with its

abundant natural light and its chic minimalist

furnishings. It accommodates 200 pax for

a dinner party and 350 cocktail style. And

of course Zinc, which combines prominent

Yarra river frontage with sweeping views

of the Botanic Gardens and heritage listed

boatsheds, for up to 500 people.

CULTURE-DRIVENOn the edge of the city’s CBD lies Melbourne

Museum, which offers many different envi-

ronments with many different capabilities.

Treetops combines contemporary style and

light. Ideal for larger events, the Main Foyer

has a backdrop of the Living Forest Gallery.

With glass walls, an outdoor courtyard and

city skyline, the Touring Hall and Foyer areas

boast spacious volumes and inspirational

architecture. All in all, Melbourne Museum

welcomes events for 50 up to 1,400 guests.

Other landmark venues include the Mel-

bourne Recital Centre (MRC) and the new

MTC Theatre, which offi cially opened in

February. A fi ne collaboration between design

architects and acoustics experts, the MRC is

one of the fi nest acoustically designed halls

in the world. The centre features two auditori-

ums, the organic Elizabeth Murdoch Hall, and

a smaller venue, the Salon, hosting from 150

to 1,000 people. There are four spaces within

the new MTC Theatre that are available for

hire - the 500-seat Sumner Theatre, the

Lawler Studio which has a 150 seat capacity,

and two VIP rooms with great views.

ON THE WATERFRONTIn the heart of Melbourne’s Docklands lies

Central Pier, owned by AtlanticGroup[V].

The premises, old boat sheds which have

been delicately refurbished, comprises of 4

different venues, all with a distinctive style.

The Peninsula, one of the largest venues in

Victoria, boasts chic, modern lines and sleek

fi nishes. It accommodates up to 1,500 people.

A gentle union of the modern and the historic,

Atlantic has a more industrial, raw feel. Its

cocktail capacity is for 500 pax. Sumac will

add a defi nite, exclusive character to your

event: with its spicy color, it’s been designed

for 230 people. Finally Sketch is Melbourne’s

answer to society-style functions. For a cock-

tail, it can host about 400 people.

AtlanticGroup[V] has recently launched on-

site catering, which can be taken anywhere,

including on the one-of-a-kind luxury yacht

Platinum, consisting of fi ve double cabins,

each with their own ensuite, plus three

entertaining levels with impeccable décor,

accommodating up to 120 guests.

MELBOURNE’S SPECIAL VENUESSTUNNING BY DESIGN

> S P E C I A L V E N U E S

Melbourne Museum

Federation Square© Andrew Hobbs

Eureka 89

Platinum Luxury Yacht

Gala event in Peninsula at Central Pier


HEADQUARTERS 11

MELBOURNE AND REGIONAL VICTORIA ARE LANDS OF ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES. OF COURSE, DURING OUR STAY OVER THERE, MARCEL

AND I WERE ONLY ABLE TO TASTE FLAVORS OF THEM. THANKS TO A NICELY-ORGANIZED PROGRAMME PUT TOGETHER BY THE MCVB, I

DISCOVERED - AMONG OTHER THINGS - THE HIDDEN PLACES OF MELBOURNE AND TOOK A RIDE TO BALLARAT, THE CITY WHERE IT ALL

BEGAN. MARCEL’S AIME PRETOUR INCLUDED AN OUTING IN NORTH-EAST VICTORIA.

IN AND AROUND MELBOURNEURBAN EXPERIENCES AND COUNTRYSIDE EXPERIMENTS

> I N & A R O U N D

WILD BALLARATFor those longing to feed kangaroos or wom-

bats, there is the unique Ballarat Wildlife

Park, which also owns an impressive reptile

collection. Needless to say the crocodile feed-

ing show is quite memorable as well. Only the

name conjures up images that would make

the most courageous men tremble…

JOYS OF MELBOURNE ANDBALLARATText Rémi Dévé

Melbourne is bustling, Melbourne is vibrant,

Melbourne is shining. Of course it helped that

we were there in summertime, but still, there

are plenty of things to do, galleries to visit,

musicals to see, countless restaurants to eat

at - I personally enjoyed Donovans on the

seaside and Comme in the theater district -

and, evidently, you can shop until you drop.

I was lucky enough to take part in a ‘Hidden

lanes of Melbourne’ tour and I discovered a

side of the city that I bet some Melbournians

don’t even know. Though some of these lanes

may be well known, not all their wonders are

easy to fi nd, with their exotic local designers

and specialty retailers.

For my pre-AIME tour, I bus-rode to Ballarat,

part of the Goldfi elds region and Victoria’s

largest inland city, only an hour away from

Melbourne. With its leafy boulevards and herit-

age buildings, the city has a historical feel, but

with a contemporary heart. It’s a place where

you can sip a coffee in a hip café, and minutes

later, walk a bushland trail on the wild side.

Conferencing in Ballarat is also possible: it

boasts places for groups from 10 to 1,000 peo-

ple. I personally liked Ballarat Fine Art Gal-

lery and its impressive arts collection, Novotel

Forest Resort Creswick with its ‘village’ spirit,

and of course Craig’s Royal Hotel, one of

early Victoria’s most renowned hotels that will

add value to any important gathering.

But the main highlight of my Ballarat week-

end was Sovereign Hill, famous for its gold

digging and confectionary shops. For a pre-

or post-congress programme, it’s defi nitely

a must-do. Sovereign Hill is a recreated

1850s Goldfi elds Township, where you learn

about Australia’s gold mining history. A liv-

ing museum with an underground mine, the

recreation is stunning, with people wearing

IT HELPED WE WERE IN MELBOURNE INSUMMERTIME, BUT STILL, THERE ARE PLENTY OF THINGS TO DO, GALLERIES TO VISIT, MUSICALS TO SEE, COUNTLESS RESTAURANTS TO EAT AT

Melbourne - Shopping in Degraves Street

Mercure Ballarat Hotel & Convention CentreMelbourne - CBD

Sovereign Hill


HEADQUARTERS 12

costumes of that time and real gold fl owing

in the creek: if you fi nd some, it’s yours - but

don’t expect the big nugget, confetti of gold

will be more like what you can fi nd! And since

it’s quite big, many places can be hired for

special functions - the biggest of which, the

New York Bakery, accommodates 200 people

cocktail style, and will add a very special

character to any event.

DIVERSE AND SECURE PLACES TO LIVE IN NORTH-EAST VICTORIAText Marcel A.M. Vissers

When I heard that the Melbourne Convention

+ Visitors Bureau promotes the countryside

around Melbourne, I thought that was a

wonderful idea. Suiting the action to the

word, our lively group of sightseers left the

sensual city of Melbourne for a post-AIME

tour to north-east Victoria. It was a bus ride

of exactly two and a half hours. Our MCVB

host said: ‘For two days I’ll let you discover

a valley with small villages and afterwards

you’ll say: for sheer beauty, the King Valley is

hard to beat.’

A taste of what was in store for us was given

in the Gateway Hotel, an excellent 4.5-star

conference hotel in Wangaratta. We then

visited the Wangaratta Performing Arts

Centre. Penny Hargrave, the venue manager,

convinced me to come back when it was fi n-

ished - that’s how much it appealed to me. I’d

call it nothing less than an ‘iconic’ building in

a rural city, a new alternative regional venue

for conferences of up to 500 delegates. The

opening is scheduled for September 2009, so

unfortunately I won’t be able to make it... We

were laid down to sleep very quietly in a re-

ally nicely located hotel amid the vineyards:

the Lindenwarrah Hotel.

The Milawa region is an outstanding example

of a gourmet region with the accent on the Ital-

ian cuisine because they say ‘Ciao’ quite a lot

here. I know a very good address for a social

dinner: Rinaldo’s. According to me, a must-do

is a lunch with selected wines with the Brown

Brothers, who I always fi nd under the ‘Top Aus-

tralian Wines’. We were pampered with their

latest acquisition: the Zibibbo Rosa, a refi ned

dry pink sparkling wine. Now I’m in doubt if I

shouldn’t return in September nonetheless...

> I N & A R O U N D

MY LIVELY GROUP OF SIGHTSEERS LEFT THE SENSUAL CITY OF MELBOURNE FOR A POST-AIME TOUR TO NORTH-EAST VICTORIA: FOR SHEER BEAUTY, THE KING VALLEY IS HARD TO BEAT

ME AND MY FRIEND THE BULLHave a look at my blog because during the

pre-tour I deviated from the straight course

and I ended up with a wonderful farmer’s

family who are taking care of 400 Welsh

black cows and bulls. It was with Winnie and

Mal that I became friends with a bull.

Marcelsblog.HQmagazine.eu

PEDAL TO PRODUCENestled between snowfi elds and the Mur-

ray River, Victoria’s north east showcases

dramatic mountains, valleys, and rivers - a

perfect backdrop for an inspirational food

and wine experience. Try a self-cycle

gourmet ‘Pedal to Produce’ tour, visiting

the renowned Milawa Cheese Factory

Bakery Restaurant, Milawa Mustards and

stunning wineries.

King Valley

Wangaratta Church Yarra Valley Rinaldo’s RestaurantBrown Brothers Winery


hq32 - melbourne supplement

Documents

melbourne convention

cosmopolitan city

vibrant city

creative city

convention bureau

meetings industry

meetings destination

major convention hotels