Welcome to Melbourne

I have great pleasure in welcoming you to Melbourne. Whether you're planning a small conference or a large multi-day event, I hope that you will enjoy your visit as much as Melburnians love living here.

As Australia's events capital, Melbourne has an excellent record of staging successful international sporting, cultural and large scale events. Melbourne is internationally recognised as a leading events destination and offers conference organisers expertise and proven experience in hosting high-quality and memorable business events.

Melbourne often scores highly on international 'liveability' surveys and the features that make it such a great place to live also make Melbourne a fantastic place to visit. The city's public transport system, including our iconic trams, is easy to use and will take visitors almost anywhere they'd like to go. The CBD is a sophisticated blend of galleries, cafés, restaurants and theatres, some large and well-known, with others hidden down Melbourne's famous, atmospheric laneways. The CBD's surrounding precincts offer a range of unique experiences where visitors can sample the local flavour of the area, dine at an international café or restaurant, see the sights or perhaps indulge in a spot of shopping.

Not only is Melbourne a cultural and vibrant city that delegates love to visit, but it also offers world-class facilities to host your event.

As you will find as you read through this Guide, Melbourne is well equipped to host a range of conferences and events. Whether you're organising a cocktail party for 100 people or a conference for over 10,000; Melbourne caters for all visitors in style.

In addition to the hundreds of conference venues across the city, 2009 saw the opening of Australia's largest and most comprehensive Convention Centre, right in the heart of Melbourne. The new Centre features a 5,000-seat plenary hall, 32 meeting rooms and a foyer that can easily accommodate 8,000 guests for cocktails, all housed within a six star, green star rated building. This exciting and versatile new complex adds to Melbourne's existing Exhibition Centre, which has 30,000 m² of exhibition space. Together, these facilities position Melbourne as a premier destination for your event.

Melbourne is easily accessible for delegates from Australia or overseas with thousands of international and domestic flights arriving and departing from Melbourne Airport each week. The airport is a short trip to the city via a range of transport options and the international and domestic terminals are conveniently located under one roof.

Melbourne is the ideal gateway to some of the most beautiful landscapes and stunning natural attractions in Australia. From the world famous Great Ocean Road to the dramatic Grampians Ranges, there are so many options for a relaxing addition to a trip to Melbourne, all within a few hours of the capital. Add that to the renowned spa and food and wine regions on Melbourne's doorstep and it's easy to see why so many conference and event organisers choose this city as their destination.

In this Guide you will find more information on the city of Melbourne and our outstanding conference and events facilities. The Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau has dedicated staff with the knowledge and expertise to assist you with planning your next business event, from finding the right venue, to assisting with pre and post tours of Melbourne and regional Victoria.

I hope that you find this Guide useful in planning your event and I look forward to welcoming you and your delegates to Melbourne.

Tim Holding MP

Minister for Tourism and Major Events