Why Your Delegates Will Love Attending a Conference in Geelong
By Bree Pagliuso|
When you’re planning a conference, every decision matters. Not just how it runs on the day, but how it feels to attend, and how achievable it is to deliver a great experience within budget.
For eligible conferences, subvention funding of up to $60,000 may be available for events held at Nyaal Banyul, helping offset costs while supporting a conference experience delegates genuinely enjoy.
And that experience matters. The best conferences are the ones people remember for how they felt to attend. It is about the conversations, the connections and the place that framed the experience.
Set on the Geelong waterfront, Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre offers a conference environment that feels considered, connected and genuinely welcoming for everyone.
Your delegate-first checklist
Here’s why our venue works so well from a delegate's point of view.
✔ A destination that feels like a reset
Just an hour from Melbourne, Geelong delivers city energy with coastal calm. Delegates arrive easily but immediately feel the shift. Open skies, water views and a slower rhythm create the kind of destination that gives people space to think, collaborate and have better conversations.
✔ Rooms and spaces that support connection
From a 1,000-seat theatre to 3,700 square metres of flexible meeting and exhibition space, Nyaal Banyul is designed to support conferences of all shapes and sizes. Rooms vary in structure and feel. Some are light-filled, some face the waterfront, but all are adaptable and easy to navigate. This helps delegates move smoothly between sessions without friction or fatigue. Whether it is a keynote, breakout discussion or exhibition experience, our spaces are purposeful and never overwhelming.
✔ A venue that brings people together naturally
There is a warmth to the way Nyaal Banyul moves and flows. Our team are experienced, knowledgeable and ready to welcome and adapt. Delegates are not funnelled or rushed. They are invited to gather, pause and connect. With unparalleled waterfront views, calm interiors and a strong sense of place and history, guests are encouraged to interact meaningfully and form lasting connections.
✔ Conference food that propels the experience
At Nyaal Banyul, food is designed around how conferences actually unfold. Meals are generous, social and energising, supporting long days without slowing people down. Menus are built on locally sourced produce and offer sustainable and diverse options.
On arrival, delegates are welcomed with artisan sourdough, local butter and garden platters layered with pickled, roasted and raw regional vegetables. Lunches are designed for sharing and conversation, featuring seasonal salads, plant-forward plates and comforting classics that feel elevated without being heavy.
Live chef stations add a sense of theatre and freshness, while thoughtfully curated breaks offer barista-made coffee, baked treats and savoury options that keep energy steady throughout the day.
✔ A place for everyone
When spaces are designed with inclusion in mind, conferences feel and operate better for everyone. At Nyaal Banyul, accessibility is not an add-on. It is embedded in the way the venue works.
Designed using Universal Design principles, the venue offers step-free access throughout, integrated wheelchair and companion seating, hearing loops and assistive listening in key spaces including the Wala Mirr Theatre and meeting rooms. Sensory rooms, parents’ rooms, a multi-faith prayer space, all-gender bathrooms and a fully equipped Changing Places facility ensure people of all ages, abilities, genders and backgrounds feel comfortable and supported.
Wide paths, rest seating, natural light, intuitive wayfinding and clear digital signage help delegates move confidently through the venue. Assistance animals are welcome, Companion Cards are accepted, and accessibility is supported by trained teams who understand that inclusion is about dignity, ease and belonging.
For delegates, this means less anxiety, fewer barriers and a stronger sense that they belong in the room.
✔ Technology that enhances, not distracts
Pre-installed, full-service technology is seamlessly integrated throughout the venue. From large-scale presentations to hybrid and broadcast-ready events, everything is designed to work quietly in the background, allowing delegates to stay focused on content rather than logistics.
✔ A city that extends the conversation
When sessions wrap, Geelong and The Bellarine region keep the conversation going. Waterfront dining, walkable streets, nature experiences and local history make it easy for delegates to continue connecting beyond the agenda.
✔ A sense of place that adds meaning
Gathering on Wadawurrung Country brings depth and perspective to the conference experience. A connection to land, community and story is woven into the venue and its events, leaving a lasting impression long after delegates return home.
✔ Time that feels well spent
With everything close, considered and easy to navigate, delegates spend less time moving and more time engaging. The result is a conference that feels productive, balanced and genuinely enjoyable.
✔ Support that makes a difference
For eligible conferences, subvention funding of up to $60,000 may be available to support events held at Nyaal Banyul, helping organisers deliver the kind of considered, delegate-first experience outlined above.
