Find your incentive inspiration in Melbourne, Australia

Adding on an incentive itinerary to any conference is a major bonus for your delegates and the destination. Not only does it showcase the best the destination has to offer, and in Melbourne’s case it’s a lot, but it also resets delegates and provides different perspectives.

There is an abundance of reasons to hold an event in Melbourne, from its ever-evolving venue options, to its storied culture that incorporates innovative thinking while respecting the rich tapestry of stories that ensures the region continues to showcase its ancient heritage. And, of course, Melbourne’s accessibility to nature is a huge draw. From botanical gardens, a surf park, wildlife reserves and penguin spotting on Phillip Island, Melbourne offers diverse nature experiences within the city centre and within a short distance from the CBD.

The accessible, compact city is full of hidden gems, discoverable on foot, tram or bike, and the wider regions oozes adventure and luxury in equal measure. The multiheritage of Melbourne seeps into everything from its architecture to its dining scene and there’s much to be explored in this historical, yet vibrant city.

I explored the city from Crowne Plaza Melbourne, a 432-room hotel situated on the Yarra River, overlooking the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Crowne Plaza Melbourne went through a significant refurbishment in July 2021. Boasting 10 meeting rooms across 1,270 sqm of space. All meeting rooms are wheelchair accessible and offer asthma allergy-sensitive features.

From Crowne Plaza Melbourne, we headed out to Melbourne Docklands to hop on one of the Port Phillip Ferries which took us over to Portarlington, around an hour’s boat ride from Melbourne.

Port Phillip Ferries operate two purpose-built, 400-seat Australian-made 35m catamaran ferries. Their experienced crew and hospitality staff ensure passengers have a premium guest experience. Onboard you’ll find a cafe serving fresh barista-brewed coffee, snacks, and a fully licensed bar.

As Melbourne disappeared into the distance, Portarlington appeared in front of us and shortly after docking, we made our way up the hill to the Jack Rabbit Vineyard – a ‘must do’ destination of The Bellarine peninsula – home to Portarlington.

The full delegate package at Jack Rabbit includes a ‘Wine Wheels' transfer up to the vineyard, a guided wine tasting of the vineyard’s acclaimed and sophisticated cool climate wines, proceeded by a delicious dining experience in a choice of onsite restaurants.

Delegates are encouraged to sit back, savour sips of Jack Rabbit’s finest vintages and enjoy the mesmerising views across Port Phillip bay.

Adding to the already indulgent experience, we were treated to a Microflite helicopter experience back to the city. Victoria’s premier helicopter operator, Microflite offers a premium range of tours and charter flights.

For an unforgettable incentive experience or corporate event, event planners can choose from a variety of Microflite packages and charters, including venues and attractions such as Jack Rabbit Vineyard, Levantine Hill, Yering Station, Zonzo, Port Phillip Estate, Jackalope, Healesville Sanctuary, Phillip Island’s Penguin Parade, Great Ocean Road’s 12 Apostles and Peninsula Hot Springs.

Landing back in Melbourne on a pontoon on a Yarra River was a superstar moment until we watched the helicopter take off again – no amount of hairspray will keep your hair from waltzing in the rotary-created wind.

Hair sufficiently patted down, we made our way to Flinders Street Station Ballroom.

Designed in 1899 by James Fawcett and HPC Ashworth, Flinders Street Station opened in 1910 as a lecture and concert hall and quickly became a respected venue in Melbourne. The 1930s to the 1960s saw the venue used greatly for public dances, with revellers timing their trip to catch the last train home. But its decline in use meant many of the spaces were eventually closed to the public. In 2021, the ballroom was reopened to the public, launching with Australian visual artist Patricia Piccinini’s exhibition entitled ‘A Miracle Constantly Repeated’, as part of Melbourne’s Rising winter arts festival.

While it’s not strictly a hireable meeting space, it is a truly unique experience that showcases the history and creativity of Melbourne.

From sea to air and all the delights Melbourne has to offer in between, it’s clear to see why Melbourne is continually voted as one of the world’s most liveable cities – it’s hard not to have the time of your life there.

A message from Melbourne Convention Bureau

Melbourne is set for a bumper 2023 with its calendar of business events set to attract more than 65,000 international and national delegates across 92 confirmed events, including 10 hero Association events across the year.

Julia Swanson, CEO of the Melbourne Convention Bureau, “It’s going to be a big year for us. Obviously, with the industry reopening, last year was a transition year for everyone, but this year is shaping up to be really good. We’ve got a really strong calendar of both domestic and international events and we’re working hard to support them. We’ve got some phenomenal events coming including the World Rotary Congress which is about 14,000 delegates and not long after we’ve got the World Congress on Genetics.

“We’ve just welcomed the Ritz Carlton to Melbourne and just having that ultra-premium product in Melbourne is fantastic – the reception is up on the 80^th floor. We’ve also just welcomed the InterContinental Sorrento at the tip of the Mornington Peninsula which has a coastal outlook and that’s another five-star, boutique product out on the peninsula. The Alba Thermal Springs and Spa on the Mornington Peninsula is a wonderful experience."

Case study

Australia and India are synonymous with their love of cricket, so back in 2022 when a group of 700 participants travelled from India to Melbourne as part of an incentive trip, it made absolute sense to visit the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The visit to MCG was a key component of their programme and for many of the cricket-loving participants, was akin to taking a pilgrimage to the holy grail.

Participants on the recognition trip for top-performing advisors and family members subsequently voted their MCG tour and dinner to be the highlight of their entire five-day trip to Australia.

MCG is regarded as one of Australia’s premier sporting stadiums. It plays host to international cricket, Australian Football, and many other sporting events annually and is also the home of the Australian Sports Museum. It also one of the 19 members of the Cultural Attractions of Australia group.

The insurance professionals’ itinerary at MCG incorporated a walk on the hallowed arena turf, as well as a tour of the onsite Australian Sports Museum, player change rooms, the Viewing Deck, Members Reserve and the MCG’s Long Room.

Special touches included having the MCG scoreboards and signage lit up to provide maximum photo opportunities for group photos and ‘selfies’ taken by guests.

A special highlight showcasing the way in which the MCG can deliver an outstanding experience was when former Australian cricket captain, Adam Gilchrist, made a special guest appearance and participated in an interview in front of his awe-struck fans.

“We chose the sporting capital of the world, Melbourne, as our destination with a culmination evening hosted exclusively at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground,” said the life insurance groups spokeperson.

“The MCG brought to life cricketing fever, evoking the very same passion for which Indians are well known. A patriotic moment captured the hearts of all when the national anthem of India was played, echoing across the 100,000-seat stadium with the national flag symbolically flown on MCG’s larger than life digital scoreboards.