Howard & Sons Pyrotechnics, one of the world’s most creative producers of fireworks, celebrated its 85th birthday in April with a cocktail party at the Sydney Opera House and a dazzling large scale fireworks display fired from barges on Sydney Harbour. The company was founded in 1922 by Sydney Howard Snr who, working as an engineer with BHP in Newcastle had a keen interest in pyrotechnics. He pursued his interests by presenting small-scale fireworks displays for his local community and as word quickly spread of Mr Howard’s rare talent, demand for his services grew across Australia and he established the company on a permanent basis.
Directions CEO, Jayson Westbury, recently announced that Hancock Events has been amalgamated under the Directions brand, joining Directions DMC and Directions CIM. The Directions brand now incorporates the events, destination management, travel, conference and incentive arms of the business. Sydney Props Specialists will continue as a subsidiary company under its present name. “Over the past 17 years Hancock Events has become known as the leading producer of themed events,” Mr Westbury said. “Recently though the company has undergone a metamorphosis to emerge as an exciting, contemporary event company, serving a wide variety of clients.” Directions current projects include product and brand launches, strategic marketing, road shows, awards and gala events, corporate identity programs, exhibition stand design, conferences, incentives and the management of inbound business events. “Our event producers operate alongside the Directions travel and conference teams throughout Australia and around the world, so we believe this re-branding more accurately reflects what we do.”
South Africa-based Conference Speakers International has joined the Saxton Group. Most importantly, Lynne Duncan and Robyn Wadge will continue to head the Conference Speakers International team that has become such a successful and well respected player in the region. CSI and Saxton have worked closely together for a number of years and over that time have built up significant synergies. The group sees the new arrangement maximizing the strengths of the two organisations with significant benefits to the most important people, their speakers and clients.
Meeting and event managers Australia-wide will be thrilled to know that Phill Delangen will once again provide his own special brand of hands-on attention to detail for the events on Hamilton Island. Phill’s new company, AV Whitsundays, has been appointed the in-house provider of audio-visual and event production to Hamilton Island. Phill has been in the events industry for 16 years, the last eight of them in the Whitsundays, and says his team is eager to stage events all over Hamilton Island. “I am looking forward to providing both clients and guests the high level of event services they expect during their stay on Hamilton Island. You name it, we will aim to achieve it.” Return clients are the best indicator of success in the events industry, and Phill is proud to confirm that his clients come back time and again. AV Whitsundays can be contacted on 0406 579363 or phill@avwhitsundays.com.au.
Burrawang West Station has appointed Doug and Stefanie Loeb as retreat managers and hosts. Doug brings 20 years of international hotel experience, having commenced his professional career as a chef in Hanover, Germany. Stefanie, an architect, specialising in high-end design and building sustainability brings with her more than 10 years of international experience and will maintain the excellence in architectural quality Burrawang West Station has to offer. Doug and Stefanie will be responsible for the comfort and wellbeing of all guests as they experience the quintessential Australian charm in the luxury of this all-inclusive, exclusive retreat. They join Bill Royal, station manager, who has been managing the livestock at Burrawang West Station for the past 30 years and Graham and Jana Pickles, the retreat owners.
The Sydney Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) is preparing for the official launch of its exciting new Sydney Conference Card, following strong response to its pilot program. A first for the Asia Pacific region, the Sydney Conference Card is designed to help the city’s businesses boost their business-event related sales, while giving business event visitors a 10 per cent discount at restaurants, retail stores, major attractions and other tourism ventures. Fifty of Sydney’s leading tourism businesses are presently participating in a four-month pilot program for the joint rewards and discount card, involving more than 14,000 delegates attending business events in Sydney between March and June. With the pilot program already registering excellent results, the SCVB is now recruiting 100 other businesses for the official July launch of the program.
Couran Cove Island Resort has broken all conference records recording amazing success with back-to-back MICE business during the month of February ‘07. “Our MICE business continues to grow exponentially. We are targeting both domestic and international business opportunities and are on target for a great financial year result,” said national sales manager conference & incentive, Tim Birley. “This growth is clear proof that Couran Cove Island Resort is an island destination with the capability to balance both on-property and off-property activities that appeal to our target market and we would expect this trend to continue.” The architectural design of Couran Cove Island Resort reflects Australian traditions and heritage with natural style simple, pure and practical to minimize environmental impact and is the ideal platform for business and relaxation to work together.
The Brisbane Marketing Convention Bureau has secured two new health-related conferences that will deliver the city of Brisbane a combined economic windfall of more than $1.13million. The bureau has locked in the 6th Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference for October 2008 and the 15th National Haemophilia Conference for October 2009. Brisbane Marketing CEO, David Regan said he was delighted with these results. “These bid wins are further testament to the bureau’s claim on the title of Queensland’s best Convention Bureau/Tourist Organisation,” said Mr Regan. Brisbane Marketing director of business development and AACB Vice President, Paul Lewin, said the 6th Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference will be held over three days and two nights and will deliver the city an economic benefit of $504,000. The Haemophilia Foundation Australia is looking to attract more than 300 delegates to their 15th national conference, which translates to an economic benefit of $630,000.
ETM Group of Companies (ETM) announced in May that it had opened an office in Sydney to complement the company’s Melbourne-based events operation. The Sydney office is staffed by some of the top former employees of the now-defunct Group Event Travel (GET) company. ETM Director, Leon Burman said “our expansion into the Sydney market allows us to better service existing Sydney-based clients and continue our growth in this market. The team we have put on up here comprises the best conference and incentive people in the city and will take ETM’s conference and incentive operations to a new level.” The new Sydney team includes Jennifer Crompton, Lea Wardroper, Adam Elliott, Maria Giagos, Yashoda Nair and Sally Goodchild. In addition, Vivienne Palmer from GET’s Melbourne office has joined ETM’s Melbourne events team.
The Federal Government has granted $35 million to fund a major boost to the Adelaide Showground. This grant recognises the importance of the Adelaide Showground, which attracts more than one million visitors every year to Adelaide and South Australia. The new exhibition facility is part of a $180 million “Master Plan” for the redevelopment of the Adelaide Showground over the next 20 years. The new building will be pillar free and include cutting-edge design, environmental features, have a street frontage to Goodwood Road and will connect directly to Jubilee Pavilion.
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