Choosing the Perfect Conference Venue in Brisbane: A Planner's Guide

• Location & accessibility: You want a venue near the Brisbane CBD with great transport links.
• Capacity & space flexibility: You want plenty of space, but also the opportunity to break out or move around.
• On-site accommodation & amenities: A good venue has a convenient hotel and restaurant options nearby.
• Technical & operational capabilities: In-house audio-visual technology, a ceiling grid system, and on-site catering are handy to have.
• Sustainability standards: Venues that recycle and save energy will go down well with your attendees.

 

When you’re choosing a conference venue, there’s so much to think about. Of course, capacity is your main concern. Then there’s transport access to think about. The venue’s tech capabilities are another plus - you could showcase a truly stunning presentation, or even demonstrate a product. You might want a massive hub, or something more, like a business-oriented hotel space. At the Brisbane Showgrounds, we do it all. We offer a range of unique venues, plus outdoor green spaces, so you can do what you like. The Royal International Convention Centre is equally flexible, suitable for exhibitions and conferences, and just 1.5km from the CBD.

 

Location & accessibility

For your international and interstate delegates, you need a venue with convenient transport links, as well as the venue itself having the accessible features it needs for your guests to take full advantage of it. A good conference venue ought to be within a short drive of Brisbane’s major airports and a short walk to bus stops and taxi ranks.

A venue near the CBD gives your guests the perfect balance of Brisbane. Attendees don’t have to deal with the city centre’s high parking rates and gridlock, but are still close enough to travel back and forth easily if they are city-based.

Many of your attendees might choose to drive to your event. So, a venue with a dedicated parking partnership or multi-level parking will put these delegates at ease about attending your event.

 

Capacity & space flexibility

Your chosen venue also needs to be flexible enough to host different event styles as your program evolves. A venue with an operable wall system will transform the massive gathering room that you started your event in into small breakout suites, ideal for 30 to 100 people, should your event call for it.

Alternatively, if your event is more of a trade show, you’ll need a hall with high-clearance ceilings. Think over 6 metres. You’ll also need access to freight loading bays, alongside floor-recessed utility pits for the power and data a corporate trade show needs.

Breakout rooms are ok. But a really unique venue has an open-air terrace or plaza, where you can host everything from small fresh-air breaks to outdoor networking events with drinks. Your guests get a breath of fresh air and a cool place to hang out afterwards without having to venture away from the venue and search for an outdoor bar.

 

On-site accommodation & amenities

For multi-day programs, some attendees need somewhere to stay during your event, as well as somewhere nearby to eat. 

For lodging, a convenient venue setup has a well-rated hotel directly adjacent to or even connected to the venue. This means no need to organise extra morning shuttle buses for your guests.

A venue that borders a major dining or retail centre is equally accessible for your guests. Cafes, bars, and restaurants in the vicinity mean your delegates have a good space to network among themselves when your official itinerary finishes.

 

Technical & operational capabilities

To put on a presentation that will stick with your guests, you need the technology that can get your message across in a way that stays with people.

Advanced overhead infrastructure like operable or automated ceiling grid systems is a great way to cut your setup times and labour costs. Your audiovisual team will be able to rig up sound and lighting equipment safely from the floor, lifting it mechanically.

In-house audio-visual technology and comprehensive, high-density Wi-Fi networks will deliver crystal-clear presentations and stable streaming. You need a network that can support hundreds of simultaneous device connections, supporting live-streaming and hybrid-event broadcasting with zero lag.

And then there’s the catering. Venues with dedicated commercial kitchens are very handy. Choose a venue that can give you local regional produce or farm-to-table menus, instead of frozen banquet food.

 

Sustainability standards

Though we think things like a good audio-visual system and catering are quite important for your event, we all want to keep doing what we’re doing. That’s why choosing a sustainable venue is so important to many people too.

Global benchmarks like the Green Globe Certification or other standards for a green building guarantee that your prospective venue truly keeps a close eye on its footprint.

A venue that actively prioritises green initiatives like solar arrays, rainwater harvesting systems, or smart waste management programs, like teaming up with local food rescue charities or apps to prevent food waste from their events, is a venue that you can rely on to protect the planet.

 

How we can help

Want to know more about our venue? Check out the Brisbane Showgrounds venue pages to find the right rooms and areas for you, and contact us to find out how we can help you get your show on the road. With our range of venues and outdoor spaces, you’re sure to find the space that suits you here.

At the Brisbane Showgrounds, we’re a world-class multi-purpose events and lifestyle precinct, just 1.5 km from the CBD. We host more than 250 events every year and can accommodate crowds of over 25,000 people. Whatever you’re planning, book your event with us today!