TTGassociations Publications January 2019 | Page 24

at NCCC will include participation from
many of Australia’s national institutions,
thus drawing national and international
attendees from the museum and gallery
communities.
“This is a perfect example of a content-
rich event which appeals to both domestic
and international delegates,” said Stephen
Wood, NCCC general manager.
NCCC’s two levels of event spaces,
comprising the Royal Theatre, four the-
atrettes, ballroom, 15 meeting rooms and
exhibition hall, cater to meetings of 30 to
2,500 delegates.
Some small conferences may prefer ho-
tels and universities instead. Hyatt’s two
ballrooms take 350 to 600 guests for cock-
tails, while Crowne Plaza has capacity for
150 guests. The largest hotel ballroom, in
QT Canberra, seats 1,000 people theatre-
style or 400 in classroom layout.
Also popular are the Australian Na-
tional University and UNSW Canberra.
Non-profit research organisation Honeynet
Project chose the latter for its annual con-
ference in November 2017 that drew more
than 70 volunteers from 20 countries,
besides Australia.
“Canberra was an ideal destination. We
have a strong cyber security and IT sector
here, and the vibrant start-up culture in
Canberra, supported by the ACT Govern-
ment, is really developing the high-skill
jobs of the future,” said Ben Whitham,
Australian lead for the Honeynet Project
and cyber security entrepreneur.
One of Canberra’s advantages – for
meeting planners – is its compactness;
airport, accommodation, venues and
attractions are within easy reach. F&B
options abound, with many after-hours
hospitality possibilities in New Acton,
Braddon and Kingston Foreshore.
Museums, galleries and gardens also
double up as event venues.
CCB’s Dissanayake cited 12 that host
events and gala dinners, some with
capacities ranging from 400 people for
banquets to 600-1,000 people for cocktail
receptions. “These unique venues pro-
vide insightful glimpses of what it means
to be Australian and of our place in the
world,” he added.
Imagine dining beside a WWII Lancas-
ter Bomber at the Australian War Memo-
rial, one of Australia’s top attractions, or
a gala event in the Great Hall at Parlia-
ment House, one of few such buildings
in the world available for private events.
For jaded conference planners, Can-
berra may not be on the back-burner
much longer.
{ Need to know }
1 Avoid peak season
The annual, month-long Floriade is prob-
ably Canberra’s top tourism event. But air
travel and accommodation prices are high
then. Holding the conference between June
1 and September 1 allows attendees to en-
joy the Truffle Festival. Hunt for fresh, black
winter truffles with truffle dogs, or savour
special menus with wine pairings.
2 Talk to the airlines
Negotiate partnership agreements for
bigger conferences: Qantas with Jetstar,
and Singapore Airlines-SilkAir. SIA’s com-
mercial considerations include alignment
with brand objectives, and if the partner-
ship helps to develop tourism and expand
its network presence. Depending on ticket
T&C, attendees may be able to stopover
in Sydney on the Singapore-Canberra
routing.
3 Hotel accommodation
Choices range from five-star to budget,
global brands to Australian chains and in-
dependent hotels, and luxurious to quirky.
New hotels and serviced apartments have
opened in the past three years in the city
and precincts. But individual hotel room
inventories are fairly small, often between
100 and 200-plus rooms.
{ Pre/Post }
Get back to nature
Just 10 minutes’ drive from the
CBD, Australia’s only combined zoo
and aquarium – National Zoo &
Aquarium – also offers all-inclusive
luxury accommodation with animal
encounters at the Jamala Wildlife
Lodge. Choose from six Giraffe
Treehouses, five Jungle Bungalows
or seven rooms in the Shaka Lodge.
Feed a giraffe from the verandah or
watch sharks swim past at dinner.
Further natural encounters can
be found at Tidbinbilla Nature
Reserve, located 40 minutes from
the CBD. Drive through, bike or walk
the trails at Tidbinbilla to see koalas,
kangaroos, platypus and wombats
in their natural setting.
Explore the weekend markets
Mountains and beaches –
in two hours
The Snowy Mountains provide year-
around activities like sightseeing,
walking, hiking, mountain biking and
skiing. Thredbo is a pretty alpine village
in Kosciuszko National Park, where
Australia’s highest mountain stands.
Alternatively, head to New South
Wales’ South Coast to sunbathe, swim,
surf or do some kayaking or dolphin
and whale watching. Shoalhaven is the
shortest drive, the reward being white-
sand beaches and seafood, or bush-
walking and rock climbing.
While the long-running Old Bus Depot Mar-
kets in Kingston draw locals and visitors alike
every Sunday, Capital Region Farmers Market
is a social enterprise at Exhibition Park on
Saturday mornings. Besides fresh produce,
stock up on seafood, meats, cheese and pas-
tries. Go early – 07.30 for the best choice – or
just before closing time at noon for bargains.
Do bring your own bags.
Do more than appreciate wine in
the Canberra Wine Region
Some 140 vineyards and 33 wineries are
within 35 minutes’ drive from Canberra.
Pialligo Estate is a working farm built on a
quality, paddock-to-plate philosophy. The
estate includes an orchard, vineyard, olive
grove, smokehouse, market and herb gardens
and function facilities in the Glasshouse and
four Garden Pavilions. Academy classes teach
participants to bake, cook, mix whiskies and
make handicraft. Advance booking required.