Geelong Conference Centre
Surrounded by 80 hectares of parkland, the Geelong Conference Centre (GCC) feels a world away from the hustle and bustle, yet it is conveniently located less than an hour from Melbourne and just minutes from the Geelong CBD and waterfront.
This live-in conference centre caters for all business and private function needs including meetings, networking events, exhibitions, workshops, conventions, training sessions and conferences.
The centre’s unique position also makes it the ideal venue for church and school retreats, allowing guests to enjoy the retreat-style setting and ensuring a tranquil peaceful experience.
“Clients come for the excellent facilities and location, and return for the personalised service, friendly staff and attention to detail,” says GCC’s Glenn Jones.
Owned and operated by the Salvation Army who uses the venue regularly for training, GCC is also used frequently for by church groups, schools, sports groups and for business training and major events.
The Australian Lifesaving team stayed at the centre for the RESCUE 06 World Championships and is full of praise for the centre.
“Our winning of the competition was in no small way due to the fantastic facilities and friendly manner of the staff that were on offer during our time in Geelong. We will certainly have no hesitation in recommending the Conference Centre and the area to anyone considering visiting the area and look forward to staying there again in the future.”
The venue has five conference rooms and can accommodate from 10–200 guests. All rooms have views of the gardens and full AV equipment included in the package prices. In addition to this there are 46 accommodation rooms on site.
GCC offers great rates for not-for-profits, and as GCC is owned by the Salvation Army, all surplus profit made by the centre is directed back to community and social programs run by the Salvation Army.
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC)
The Gold Coast is a colourful, vibrant destination, welcoming visitors from around the globe and the $167 million Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC), officially opened in 2004, continues to be one of the most sophisticated venues in Australia.
Through extensive industry consultation the building was custom-built to provide a maximum flexibility and is equipped with the most advanced technological infrastructure to ensure maximum flexibility and seamless flow in conferencing and meetings.
The GCCEC has played host to a number of not-for-profit events, including the recent QLD Bridge Association’s Congress which saw over 2,000 competitors play seven days of Bridge and conclude the event with a dinner dance.
Griffith University has held a number of events at the centre including the Griffith University School of Medicine Students Hope4Health major charity event, Out of Africa Jazz Dinner Dance, raising over $70,000 for a medical centre in Ghana.
Speaking about the GCCEC, Lyn Greenfield of Event Planners Australia said she found it a pleasure to work with such professionals. She said the service and assistance provided was exceptional, and that the feedback she had received from her clients was extremely positive.
Couran Cove
Couran Cove Island Resort is a tranquil paradise located on South Stradbroke Island, which has embraced world-class environmental preservation practices and in the process has earned its reputation as Queensland’s premier eco-sensitive and environmentally aware resort.
Suitable for conferences, meetings, seminars, retreats, trade shows and product launches, Couran Cove Island Resort caters for groups of between 10–300 delegates, utilising a wider variety of indoor and outdoor function spaces.
All venues within Couran Cove aim to capture the surrounds of the natural environment and provide spaces, which are conducive to productive learning and networking. The resort has a total of 220 accommodation rooms ranging from waterfront Marine Deluxe Rooms & Suites, to more self-contained Lodges and Villas.
Numerous ecotourism awards won in recent years are testament to Couran Cove’s commitment to a sustainable environment. Adding to the resort’s award list, it most recently won Restaurant & Catering Queensland’s ‘Best Corporate Caterer 2008’.
From water efficient devices and solar water heaters, to the use of LPG generators, which saves greenhouse gas emissions, the resort’s rooms use 25 per cent of the energy of a standard hotel room and as a result its power demand is significantly less than that of a similar sized resort.
When it comes to conferences and events, Couran Cove is quite unique. Guests can step out of a conference and within minutes have the sand between their toes. The resort compliments a relaxed way of networking in a natural setting, with relief from the hustle and bustle of CBD locations. Conference delegates can unwind after the meeting in one of the many restaurants, cafes, pools, day spa and other relaxing facilities.
Not-For-Profit Network CEO Forum & Executive Update was held at Couran Cove in 2006. The event was attended by approximately 30 CEOs and Executives from various not-for-profit associations and organisations throughout Australia with concurrent sessions covering a wide variety of topics including good governance practices, human resources, time management, and income generation.
Couran Cove has also been the chosen venue in the past for a number of organisations and community support groups including charities, school groups, church groups and fundraising organisations.