Going for gold

In recent years, the reputation of Melbourne as a convention capital has steadily increased its international appeal.

The 2006 Commonwealth Games proved once again that Melbourne is more than capable of hosting large-scale events. Over 21 days, 4,500 athletes from 71 countries were watched by 90,000 Australian and international visitors. The games even dwarfed Melbourne’s hosting of the 1956 Olympics. Along with the Formula One Grand Prix, Australian International Airshow and Melbourne International Arts Festival, the city lays claim to be the events capital of Australia.

The Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau secured an estimated $192 million worth of business events during 2004/2005, bringing in some 48,000 delegates, who spent more than 133,000 nights in the city’s hotels. Major events won during the year include The World Psychiatric Association International Congress and the World Congress of Neuroscience, both being held in 2007; the 30th International Congress of Internal Medicine in 2010; and the International Botanical Congress in 2011. These four events have a combined economic impact of more than $77 million.

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The International Congress & Convention Association, based in Amsterdam, rated Melbourne 22nd in the world for the 48 international associations meetings held in the city in 2005.

Precincts of choice
The biggest news for the conference industry is the expansion of the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre (MECC), due to be operational in 2009. The new facilities will bring the convention centre across the Yarra River from its present location to adjoin the exhibition centre. Included will be a plenary hall seating 5,000 delegates, meetings rooms, a ballroom and extensive pre-function spaces.

Adjoining this will be a 5 star hotel, office and residential accommodation, and retail space. The new facilities will link Southbank with the Docklands area. The Victorian government is contributing $370 million to the project. MECC will continue to be home to AIME, the Asia-Pacific region’s premier annual tradeshow for the conference and incentive industries.



Southbank has been the success story of the city, turning a previously rundown area into a mix of hotel and serviced apartment accommodation, upmarket dining and enter-tainment, and the MECC. It is frequented by locals and visitors seven days a week. Docklands, extending further down the Yarra River, with its residential and office mix, sports stadiums and movie studios, has provided a vital spark in bringing Melbourne alive.

Points to remember
Melbourne Airport, 25 kilometres and a leisurely 30 minute drive from the CBD, operates 24 hours a day, with 530 direct international flights from major destinations. Getting around the city is easy, with trams, buses and trains to all major parts of the city.

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One of the great factors in Melbourne’s favour as a conference destination is its supply of accommodation, with more than 20,000 rooms within a 15 kilometre radius of the CBD and 12,000 rooms in the greater city area.
Delegates tend to cite the multicultural nature of Melbourne, which has influenced its wide dining choices, as one of its greatest pleasures. With a population of 3.5 million people, Melbourne shares more than 200 different nationalities. Most of the world’s celebrated cuisines are represented, and Melbourne itself has some 3,000 restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars. There’s really something for everyone.

Doing the numbers
There are many large-scale venues for special events, including Federation Square, which in itself has such attractions as the Ian Potter – NGV Australia devoted to Australian art, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, and the Australian Racing Museum and Hall of Fame.

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