[ON LOCATION] WENDY HELFENBAUM
Formerly known as Dreamtime, the Land Down Under’s signature incentive showcase debuted a fresh identity—Australia Next—along with memorable options for groups.
“Our signature incentive showcase has traditionally been held every two years, but we brought it back in 2024 to turbocharge our efforts to build a strong pipeline of international business events,” says Tourism Australia Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison.
Taking place “where the rainforest meets the reef” in the northern Queensland city of Cairns/Gimuy, the 5-day program—presented in partnership with Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, Singapore Airlines and Qantas—reminded delegates why Australia tops everyone’s bucket list. The country’s natural beauty, upscale lodging and a thriving culinary scene, plus its wealth of experiences and infrastructure investment makes it an easy sell, notes Robin Mack, Tourism Australia’s Executive General Manager of Commercial & Business Events Australia.
“We’ve had 236 hotels open since 2020 across the country, with new precincts being developed,” he says, citing Brisbane’s Queen’s Wharf, which features a 340-room Star Brisbane, the 285-room Marriott Adelaide and three properties—1 Hotel Melbourne, Hyde Perth and Waldorf Astoria Sydney—slated to launch soon. There’s also the redeveloped Sydney Fish Market and the Melbourne Arts Precinct, set to be Australia’s largest cultural infrastructure project when it opens in 2028.
With last year’s showcase in Adelaide/Tarntanya generating 212 business leads worth $192 million—one U.S. planner booked an event during the post-FAM trip for several hundred people—organizers were eager to present Tropical North Queensland’s world-class venues. The region aims to grow its international overnight visitor expenditure to $11 billion by 2032, noted Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Patricia O’Callaghan.
Delegates met at the Cairns Convention Centre, where a recent $176 million expansion added 113,000 sf of event and exhibit space, including a 410-seater plenary, a 500-person ballroom and an outdoor terrace. The CCC’s new carbon offset program, Reforest, calculates an event’s carbon footprint and plants trees to offset it. Tourism Tropical North Queensland CEO Mark Olsen noted that 280 trees were planted to offset Australia Next.
At our host hotel, the 311-room Crystalbrook Riley, the property’s Responsible Luxury program includes recycled cardboard coat hangers, refillable water bottles and menus listing “climate calories” that calculate food miles and sustainable sourcing.
Following a “Welcome to Country” ceremony by Indigenous performers Minjil that honored the cultural heritage of the Yidinji First Nations People, potential buyers and media from 10 global markets met with 96 Australian industry partners.
Tara Bennett, General Manager of Partnerships and Events at Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, cited many opportunities for groups to immerse themselves in nature, from interpretive walks, bush food and medicine tours to hands-on conservation projects and adrenaline-pumping adventures like treetop ziplining, white-water rafting or hot air ballooning that can be integrated into any bespoke program.
“We have American incentive groups returning year after year, because this destination delivers an incredible array of Australian experiences,” says Bennett. “When you couple the Great Barrier Reef with World Heritage-listed rainforests, you’re bringing Australia’s exotic wildlife, Indigenous cultures and a fabulous food scene together in one place. Cairns has access to a broad array of accommodations so it’s very well-positioned.”
Post-networking, we’re whisked 20 minutes north to Trinity Beach Palace, a swanky 5-bedroom private beachfront estate that sleeps 10 and offers indoor/outdoor space. Sweet harmonies from the quartet Sounds of AustraNesia, representing cultures from the four regions of Oceania, greeted us. After a traditional smoking ceremony, we lunched al fresco amid the fragrant tropical gardens. Renowned local chef Nick Holloway of Nu Nu Palm Grove and “the Bush Tukka Woman,” Samantha Martin curated a modern Australian meal starring the area’s fresh, local ingredients.
“Our connections to our First Nations are vast and deep all across Australia, and their connection to land, sea and community is just incredible. It’s great that we’re celebrating it today through food,” says Harrison.
Nibbles included fried green banana, spiced quail, grilled slipper lobsters and Hervey Bay raw scallop, followed by local reef fish with lemon myrtle and paperbark roasted coral trout with desert lime. DIY ice cream and honeycomb sundaes served in fresh coconut halves were a huge hit. Capping off day one, a sunset supper featured barbecue bites, craft beer and live music at The Sugar Shed at Yorkeys Knob Cane Farm. This working farm can accommodate indoor or outdoor banquet events for 250 or 1,000 for cocktails.
After breakfast in the historic Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal, which hosts up to 600, we enjoyed a traditional Torres Strait Islander dance performed by the Boigu Island Dancers. A 90-minute private charter took us to the Reef Magic Pontoon at Moore Reef. Here, groups up to 250 can take a guided snorkel safari along the outer edge of the reef, go helmet diving, wander through an underwater observatory detailing the reef’s history or join a coral reef tour aboard a glass-bottomed boat. A major pinch-me moment: Seeing the breadth and colors of the Great Barrier Reef from the air on a scenic helicopter ride with Nautilus Aviation.
Before our trip to the reef, Olsen noted his team’s commitment that guests feel connected to this place. “We’re the only place in the world where two UNESCO World Heritage sites meet, and we try to ensure that every visitor is not only learning about it but contributing to conservation,” says Olsen, noting that Tourism Australia, with the support of the Australian government, just introduced Guardian of the Reef, a reward platform promoting reef-positive travel choices.
Planners eager to incorporate teambuilding or CSR activities into their business event program discovered the onboard Reef Recovery project: Marine biologists helped us tie pieces of coral onto steel hexagon frames coated in crushed limestone, which are then installed on coral rubble fields in the ocean.
“I was pleased to learn about reef restoration projects, which can be built into a day’s outing. Groups can enjoy the reef at their own pace, and work with local teams to build coral restoration structures that will help renew and reinvigorate the health of the reef system,” says Josh Adams, Industry Relations Strategist with streamlinevents in Emeryville, CA.
Snorkeling the reef was unforgettable for Julie Ann Schmidt CMP, CMM, Founder and CEO at Lithium Logistics Group in Minneapolis. “A day at the reef is great for an incentive group, with activities for every level of adventure,” she says.
Dinner took place among centuries-old fig trees at the Tanks Arts Centre in the Cairns Botanic Gardens. Housed in three converted WWII naval oil storage tanks the facility can accommodate up to 800 attendees.
Our post-event FAM took us to the Gold Coast, where 35 miles of sun-swept coastline, 240,000 acres of natural rainforest and world-class dining offer groups more than 160 water- or land-based experiences, reports Brooke Campbell, Experience Gold Coast’s Director of Business Events.
“We have the best of everything; we’re a hidden gem in Queensland,” she says, citing the convention and exhibition center for 5,000 and several new luxury hotels including a 200-room Mondrian in Burleigh Beach opening in 2025.
We met Australia’s furry ambassadors at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Since opening in 1947, the 27-hectare property has built a leading research center and the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, where 15,000 animals from more than 270 native Australian species are treated each year. Health or pharma groups can get special behind-the-scenes tours or presentations.
The sanctuary also offers Aboriginal storytelling dances or native plant and wildlife education for groups as well as teambuilding or CSR activities like making bee hotels, planting trees, building shelters and more.
We lunched at the sanctuary’s new event venue, Homestead, for up to 200 seated or 400 for cocktails.
Our home base, the 311-room Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast, is perfectly located along a gorgeous 35-mile stretch of Main Beach. That evening, we boarded one of the luxurious YOT Club’s vessels for a relaxing dinner cruise. Ours accommodates 50, while others in the fleet can host up to 400.
“The Gold Coast is Australia’s capital of fun where guests get a fully rounded experience,” announces Alex Baker, Director of Marketing Experiences at Kiff & Culture, as we began a 55-minute scenic ride to the Hinterland in Southeast Queensland. Here, we enjoyed a multi-level Skywalk Rainforest hike through Tamborine Mountain, the northern slope of the ancient Tweed Volcano.
Wine tasting at Witches Falls Winery—which can host up to 90 for sit-down wine, cider and beer tastings—was followed by lunch at the 100-year-old High Garden Estate, a 25-acre property with show-stopping mountain-top views. This venue can seat 150 or host 200 for receptions. A surprise lift back to the hotel with Gold Coast Heli Tours Australia left delegates with an unforgettable vantage point of the magnificent landscape.
For dinner, colorful vintage Volkswagen vans from Kool Kombis dropped us at Miami Marketta, an eclectic indoor street-food market venue and concert space that can host groups of 100 to 1,000. Our casual meal was served in Mona Lisa’s Lair, a colorful private space that seats 50.
Located in Coolangatta at the southern end of the Gold Coast, about five minutes from the airport, the recently opened Kirra Beach House hosted us for a sumptuous breakfast in its Coastal Room, which holds 80 to 100. The elegant property can host up to 750 throughout its indoor/outdoor event space, which features panoramic views of the sea. Owner Dave Galvin plans to further develop the site with a 6-level hotel, rooftop restaurant, bar and pool, plus a residential tower.
We then toured the family-owned Husk Farm Distillery, makers of award-winning Ink Gin and small-batch Husk Rum. Rum tasting was followed by a hearty lunch in The Barrel House, which can feed 60 seated guests.
“We know we’re an aspirational destination for any type of business incentive group or leisure. For us, it’s all about getting them to overcome the barrier, which is often the distance, but as we say, a movie and a snooze, and you’re here,” says Mack.
Kelly Stahl, Sr. Experience Designer at BCD Meetings & Events in Chicago, agrees Australia is worth the journey. “Australia has distinctive offerings for any type of traveler,” she says. “Invest in comfortable travel, curate your agenda to work for your audience and partner with the extremely collaborative network of supplier partners in Australia to design an incredible adventure for your clients.”
Australia Next 2025 will be held December 2025 in Melbourne.
businessevents.australia.com/en; businesseventscairns.org.au; teq.queensland.com/au/en/industry; crystalbrookcollection.com/riley; experiencegoldcoast.com/business-events; marriott.com/en-us/hotels/oolgs-sheraton-grand-mirage-resort-gold-coast/overview