Conference Solutions - E-news Volume 29

NEWSLETTER Vol 29, 08/2006

Hello,

Winter is still well and truly with us here in Melbourne – it’s good to have some rain at last, as we do need plenty of it right across the country to fill up our dams. Thanks to those who kindly pointed out my wayward use of “barometer” in the last newsletter in referring to temperature – “thermometer” is the word I should have used.

For those in Melbourne on Wednesday 9 August come in and say hello at our stand at the QNT Trade Show at the RACV Club Bourke Street. Also at the show ICMI Speakers & Entertainers will have one of their inspirational speakers’ showcase featuring Australia's first ever Winter Olympic Gold Medalist, Steve Bradbury and professional actress Madeleine West. More information and registration details below in the Happenings section of our newsletter.

To keep our knowledge up to date members of our team have been travelling far and wide through Australia and New Zealand in June and July conducting venue inspections and familiarisation programs at destinations such as Cairns and Christchurch – some of the venues visited are featured below. It looks like we’ll all be home for at least the next few months to refresh ourselves.

We have been very busy in the office – our thanks go to you all who continue to refer your colleagues to our conference venue finding service. Our venue familiarisation visits started in July with a visit to Peppers Moonah Links Resort. If you would like to join in our next venue visit just send me an email headed “Famil” and we’ll start the qualifying process.

This time last year I was packing my shorts to head up to the Whitsundays for a bit of sailing at the Airlie Beach Regatta and to spend some time at the beach with a good book, but not to be this year. August is a busy home month in 2006 starting next weekend with my daughter Kate celebrating her 21st - it only seems a few years ago we were celebrating her arrival – how time flies by.

Regards,

Jim Conway

P.S. There are still plenty of options at a wide variety of venues for your end of year events; contact Pam Conway at our office for assistance in finding the right venue for these important occasions.

POSTCARDS FROM CAIRNS

HAPPENINGS

OUT AND ABOUT

SHARING THE KNOWLEDGE

JOIN AUSTRALIA'S TOP COMPANIES

YOUR SAY

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POSTCARDS from CAIRNS

HILTON CAIRNS

Nestled in the heart of Cairns, the recently refurbished 264-room Hilton Cairns is the perfect base from which to explore the world's most diversely beautiful tropical region. Experience the magical underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef and the fascinating Daintree World Heritage Rainforest.

Among its many attractions, the hotel features Breezes Restaurant with its panoramic water views, the Mondo Café Bar and Grill, directly on the Cairns waterfront, and Caffè Cino, located in the hotel lobby. Enjoy the heated 50-metre outdoor swimming pool and health club complete with sauna, gym and plunge pool.

Find out more from Lisa Moloney + 61 3 9870 4611.

SHANGRI-LA HOTEL

Ideally located in the heart of Cairns, Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns, gently frames the city's foreshore, overlooking the Marlin Marina, Trinity Bay and surrounding mountain ranges.

In keeping with Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts' renowned level of service and luxury facilities world-wide, Shangri-La Hotel, The Marina, Cairns has completed an award-winning refurbishment program to the tune of A$35 million.

This program saw the upgrade of existing facilities and the construction of exciting new additions such as TIDES BLD + BAR and the Horizon Club Floor. New revitalisations to the property include the recent upgrades to the hotel suites and level 2 meeting and banquet rooms and in mid 2006 a purpose built Events Centre will be launched.

Find out more from Lisa Moloney + 61 3 9870 4611.

SEA TEMPLE PALM COVE

Experience the delights of meeting in a prestigious, tropical paradise. The Sea Temple Resort & Spa Palm Cove caters for conferences, meetings, seminars and fabulous occasions from 12 guests in the Boardroom to 135 delegates theatre-style.

Choose from 3 elegant, variable space meeting areas, all with natural light and complemented by a vast array of fantastic pre and post meeting activities for delegates and partners.

Find out more from Lisa-Maree Roberts + 61 3 9870 4611.

CAIRNS INTERNATIONAL HOTEL

From the moment you walk into the Cairns International Hotel, colonial ambience and a casual charm descend upon you. Before you dine, you can sip award winning cocktails in the Lobby Bar. On any night of the week, you will find locals and visitors alike soaking up the atmosphere, enjoying a drink with music playing gently in the background. Feast your senses – the restaurants of the Cairns International Hotel let you traverse the world with your taste buds without leaving the property.

The Cairns International Hotel offers some of the region’s most flexible meeting facilities, catering from small business meetings in heritage style boardrooms to a gala dinner for 400 in the Grand Ballroom.

Find out more from Lisa-Maree Roberts + 61 3 9870 4611.

OUTRIGGER BEACH CLUB PALM COVE

The Outrigger Beach Club & Spa Palm Cove offers the best of the best - a spectacular and accessible destination complemented by exceptional five-star resort facilities. Their unique conference centre can be configured to accommodate a range of function types and group sizes. The meeting room can be utilized as a single 150-square-metre room, or as two smaller rooms separated by a soundproof operable wall. The adjoining landscaped, terraced garden provides a refreshing outlook for the dual meeting rooms or for the entire multi-purpose space.

Outrigger Beach Club & Spa's friendly, professional service, top quality food and beverage, fantastic facilities and tropical location create the perfect venue for your next conference. A variety of impressive group dining options ensure exciting events your delegates will never forget.

Find out more from Lisa Moloney + 61 3 9870 4611.

"What you don't see with your eyes, don't invent with your mouth."

- Jewish Proverb

SHARING THE KNOWLEDGE

Our ongoing schedule of briefing sessions and venue inspections ensures our product knowledge is extensive and current which allows us to offer you professional, authoritative and independent advice on the conference and meeting venue scene Australia-wide.

Been in to see us include:
Sandy Popple & Andrew Oster - Crown Towers and Crown Promenade Hotel, Robert Oakes & Lachlan McLachlan – Lindenderry at Red Hill, Nikki Carter & Michael McDonald - St Kilda Rd Park View Hotel, Narelle Burns & David Bosse – Hilton on the Park – Melbourne, Mary Helen Farrell - MHF Marketing, Julie Anderson – InterContinental Hotels Group, Mario Cugliandro – Tourism Hotels & Leisure Ltd., Suzie Jones – Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, Nicole Woolfe & Candice Smith-Frowd – The Sebel Heritage Yarra Valley, Sophie van Woerkom – The Bentinck of Woodend and Jane Tanti – Millennium Hotels and Resorts.

"Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't."

- Erica Jong

YOUR SAY

"It's a fantastic service and I will definitely utilise your service again."
Danielle Fairlie

"Extremely helpful and professional service."
Sarah Wise

"All deadlines were met and information provided by Key Conference Solutions was always excellent."
Cara Dennis

"As usual – you delivered the goods!! Saves me a lot of time and effort!"
Jenny Keamy

"Always accurate and professional. Key Conference Solutions understood our conference needs."
Diana Perrotta

"I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."

- Bertrand Russell

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HAPPENINGS

REBRANDING

As of 16 October 2006, Rydges will no longer operate the Rydges Jamison Sydney and Rydges Riverwalk Melbourne. The hotels will be operated by their owners The Amora Group and be re-branded Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney and Amora Hotel Riverwalk Melbourne.

QNT ON SHOW

You can experience the Best of Queensland and the Northern Territory's Meetings, Incentive, Conference & Event venues and services @ QNT on Show 2006 at the RACV Centre, Melbourne on the 9th August 2006. The show will give you the inspiration and resources to turn your next event in Queensland or the Northern Territory into a dazzling success. All major conference venues, tourism bodies along with event service providers will be on hand to show you why "Up North" should be the number 1 spot for your next event.

REFURBISHMENT

A multimillion dollar upgrade of Novotel Brighton Beach's expansive conference centre is now underway, with an expected completion date of 21st August 2006. Encompassing all major meeting, event and pre-function spaces on level two, the extensive conference centre upgrade includes 'next generation' soundproofing, new carpeting, furnishings, wall coverings and ambient and directed lighting. Incorporating warm woods and neutral tones together with shades of blue to reflect the hotel’s waterfront location, the comprehensive upgrade will create a more contemporary ambience for guests.

GRAND TIMES AHEAD

Not only has Novotel Twin Waters Resort just launched the upmarket Grand Mercure North Shore Apartments adjacent to its facilities, but the resort has also announced a $20 million refurbishment due to commence in August. The Grand Mercure North Shore Apartments consists of 42 self-contained apartments, villas and beach houses, with all guests having access to the full facilities of the Novotel Twin Waters Resort.

OPEN AGAIN

The Amberoom Bar at the Royce Hotel in St Kilda Road Melbourne has reopened after being completely refurbished. It is indeed spectacular, particularly at night when the ultra modern backlighting creates a glow like the gemstone from which the bar takes its name.

MERCURE SYDNEY AIRPORT

The Mercure Hotel Sydney Airport has just completed a multi-million dollar refurbishment to its rooms, public areas, ballroom and function rooms. The Mercure now offers the newest meeting facilities in the area for conferences and events.

The conference rooms have been brightened with new lighting, new carpets and wallpaper, modern ergonomic furnishings, state-of-the-art sound systems and a new ceiling. The new lighting and sound proofing will enable the hotel to host a range of function styles simultaneously and cater for anything from a board meeting for 12 to a ball for 400. Season’s Restaurant and Bradley's Bar have also been completely updated recently with a modern, casual atmosphere and the bar now boasts a large plasma screen, which can be used for presentations. Bradley’s Bar is ideal for pre- or post-conference drinks and the restaurant provides a stylish setting for intimate dinners or conference banquets.

"If you go in for argument, take care of your temper. Your logic, if you have any, will take care of itself."

- Joseph Farrell

OUT AND ABOUT

Members of our team have been out and about in July and August personally visiting…

MELBOURNE

The Sebel Melbourne, Royce on St Kilda Road, Melbourne Town Hall, Flowerdale Estate Retreat, Crown Towers, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Peppers Moonah Links Resort, Langham Hotel Melbourne, Oaks-On-Collins Melbourne, Hilton on the Park – Melbourne, Melbourne Marriott Hotel, Rydges Melbourne, Ramada Encore Dandenong, Grand Hyatt Melbourne, Zinc at Federation Square, The Lake House, The Sebel Heritage Yarra Valley, The Carousel, The Boulevard and Pacific International Suites Melbourne.

QUEENSLAND

Hilton Cairns, Shangri-La Hotel - The Marina Cairns, Sea Temple Palm Cove, Angsana Resort & Spa Palm Cove, Novotel Rockford Palm Cove, Mango Lagoon Resort & Spa Palm Cove, Sea Temple Port Douglas, Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas Outrigger Palm Cove, Radisson Treetops Port Douglas, Cairns International Hotel, Rydges Cairns, Whitfield House, Oasis Resort Cairns and The Stamford Plaza Brisbane.

SYDNEY

Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour, Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Sir Stamford Circular Quay, Dockside and The InterContinental Sydney.

NEW ZEALAND

Millennium Hotel Christchurch, Outrigger at Clearwater Resort and Christchurch Convention Centre

"Actions lie louder than words."

- Carolyn Wells

JOIN AUSTRALIA’S LEADING COMPANIES

Join Australia 's leading companies that are taking advantage of the free venue-finding service Key Conference Solutions offers.

Sales & Service Momentum, Victorian Workcover Authority, Adshel Street Furniture Pty Ltd, Grange Securities, IDC Technologies, BHP Billiton, ANZ, GlaxoSmithKline Australia, Global Leaders Network, Australian Taxation Office, Red Bull, Reed Information, Guild Insurance, Orica Australia Pty Ltd, Pilkington Australia Ltd, GE Infrastructure, Penfold Audi, NAB, Medibank Private, CSIRO, Coles Myer, Novartis Consumer Health, Pioneer Road Services, ACI Worldwide (Pacific) Pty Ltd and Flight Centre are just some of the organisations who have chosen Key Conference Solutions to source venues throughout Australia, New Zealand and overseas for their upcoming meetings and conferences.

"Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed."

- Don Wood

Phone: +61 3 9870 4611 - Fax: +61 3 9870 4622

Lisa Moloney: National Business Development Manager
lmoloney@conferencesolutions.com.au

Sue Wall: Sales Consultant
swall@conferencesolutions.com.au

Lisa-Maree Roberts: Sales Consultant
lmroberts@conferencesolutions.com.au

Emily Kirkpatrick: Sales Support
ekirkpatrick@conferencesolutions.com.au

Pam Conway: Industry Consultant
pconway@conferencesolutions.com.au