Opening in 2024, the 100m-high Sky Deck features a rooftop runway of restaurants and bars with views of the Brisbane River.
From event wins to novel experiences, destinations across Australia have plenty to celebrate when it comes to MICE.
Perth has recently celebrated a big win, with the city being chosen
to host the World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) 2026, marking
the event’s return to Australia after 15 years. This gathering will
bring together exchange ideas and strategies for addressing pressing
environmental challenges, testament to Perth’s commitment to
environmental conservation and education.
Not to be outdone, Sydney has confirmed that it will be hosting the
5th World Conference of Women’s Shelters 2025 in September 2025, marking
the first time the conference will be hosted in the Southern
Hemisphere. Organised by Women’s Services Network Inc (Wesnet) and the
Global Network of Women’s Shelters (GNWS), the event will be the world’s
largest gathering dedicated to the cause of women’s shelters and ending
gender-based violence, and will bring in over 1000 attendees from over
100 countries.
Unique experiences
With all these events coming
up, planners and organisers will be pleased to know about the array of
new offerings to be introduced.
Experience Gold Coast has launched the first of
three videos designed to attract international MICE travel programmes to
the city; The video takes the viewer into the imagination of a meeting
planner who pictures a destination with an extensive range of business
event infrastructure and experiences, framed by the Gold Coast’s
spectacular coastline and tropical rainforest. Two other videos are set
to be released in the coming weeks, focusing on the association and
incentive travel markets.
Meanwhile, New South Wales has introduced the state’s first wheelchair-accessible balloon flight in Hunter Valley,
two hours north of Sydney. This will allow guests in wheelchairs to
experience the joy of a hot air balloon flight, an activity previously
out of reach – now, passengers will be able to access the basket via a
specially designed door, from which guests can transfer to the seating
using a grab handle. Designed by Australian ballooning manufacturer,
Kavanagh Balloons, the basket also offers customised seating and
harnesses for passengers with higher accessibility needs.
Australia’s premier sustainable luxury hotels and resorts operator,
Crystalbrook Collection, will manage the A$130 million (US $83 million)
newly-built luxury hotel Crystalbrook Sam in Adelaide
city centre when it opens in 2026. Spanning 13 levels, it will feature
200 guest rooms, a lobby with communal space throughout, meetings
spaces, and the rooftop Eleme Spa and Bath House boasting stunning views
of the city skyline.
Good eats
New restaurant and hotel experiences can be enjoyed in Re’emYarra Valley, opened by
award-winning winery, Helen & Joey Estate. Located just over an
hour’s drive from the Melbourne CBD, the restaurant can be hired out
exclusively for up to 100 guests, with the downstairs private dining
room and wine cellar equipped for smaller events and business meetings
for up to 16 guests, and serves as an ideal setting for corporate
events. Set within the 81-hectare estate, the entire 16-room hotel can
also be booked exclusively for a corporate retreat.
The A$3.6 billion (US $2.3 billion) Queen’s Wharf development in Brisbane,
has announced three distinct dining venues situated on the 100m-high
Skydeck: The Star’s signature restaurant Aloria, with dry-aged beef and
Queensland’s world-class seafood; Babblers, a relaxed dining experience
that blends bold flavour with handcrafted epicurean curation; and Cicada
Blu, an open-air bar for pre-dinner aperitifs or post-dinner events.
Queen’s Wharf is set to commence a staged opening from August 2024.
Visit booth: C20