Business Events Victoria ended the financial year with a famil, bringing a group of pre-qualified business event planners to Geelong & the Bellarine for a two-day hosted experience on 26th – 27th June 2025.

Delivered in partnership with Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong, the curated experience offered our guests a chance to see first-hand some of the region’s unique venues, experiences and event opportunities.

The day began at the Port Phillip Ferries Terminal in Docklands, where we met and were given a brief tour of the terminal before boarding the ferry to Portarlington at 9:30am. Instead of using the traditional mode of transport to travel to Geelong & the Bellarine, we have swapped the coach for the ferry and enjoyed a scenic ferry ride from Docklands to Portarlington Pier. When we arrived at Portarlington, Victorian Bus Charters picked us up in their brand-new 35-seater coach, which provided a smooth and comfortable journey over the two days. 

Our first stop was the charming coastal town of Queenscliff, where we visited TARRA Queenscliff —an architecturally striking venue that delivers an equally bold culinary experience. We started with a guided site tour of the Searoad Ferries terminal, including a walk aboard the MV Sorrento, offering a behind-the-scenes look at this distinctive floating event venue.

We returned to Tarra for a beautifully curated shared lunch, where the region’s exceptional produce took centre stage. Guests were treated to an exclusive preview of Tarra’s new immersive offering, Forage to Feast, presented by renowned chef Mike, showcasing the region’s freshest seasonal ingredients in an interactive and engaging format.

With our tummies full from the delicious 2-course lunch, it was time to set off for Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention & Event Centre. At Nyaal Banyul, we took part in a guided hard hat tour, fully geared up in PPE as we wandered through the active construction site, with around 400 tradies working in the background. It was an immersive and exciting experience, something we don’t often get to do. It was fascinating to see the venue taking shape and gain behind-the-scenes look at its progress.

After the hard-hat tour at Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention & Event Centre, we made our way to Novotel Geelong, where a fun fondue experience added a playful and interactive component to the day. This was followed by a site inspection at Rydges Geelong before concluding the afternoon at Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong. The team at Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong gave us a warm welcome with delightful drinks and canapés, followed by a site inspection. Guests then checked into their rooms to refresh before dinner.

The evening delivered a true highlight—an exclusive dinner at Higher Mark at GMHBA Stadium, that was sponsored and co-hosted by Business Events Geelong. The night began with canapés and cocktails, followed by a sensational progressive dinner at Club Chin Chin. Throughout the meal, we were treated to a tour of the stadium, showcasing the premium sporting venue and their event facilities. Finishing off the night with a takeaway mini Magnum, which was the perfect end to an unforgettable day one.

Day two kicked off with a scrumptious buffet breakfast and a quick look ahead at what’s coming for Crowne Plaza Geelong, set to open its doors in early 2026. Then it was straight into a morning full of venue visits—first stop, Bayside Geelong Hotel & Apartments. This waterfront venue provided another exclusive hard hat tour for their new development, which is set to open in the next couple of months. Offering additional accommodation rooms and some exciting new event spaces.

Next up, we fuelled up on caffeine at Deakin Waterfront Campus, which showcased spaces with the most magnificent water views, including Costa Hall a space enriched in Geelong History. Then it was off to Waurn Ponds Estate, where the peaceful surrounds gave the whole group a moment to breathe and take it all in.

In the afternoon, we hit the road to Werribee for a peek inside Holiday Inn Werribee, followed by a delicious lunch at Lancemore Mansion Werribee Park. In typical Lancemore fashion it wasn’t a standard visit as we ended it with DIY popcorn experience (The bacon dust was a clear favourite).

We wrapped up the famil at Werribee Open Range Zoo. After learning about the event spaces and team-building ideas on offer, we climbed aboard the Deluxe Safari Adventure and got up close with zebras, rhinos, and giraffes, which was definitely a standout moment for the group. Ending the adventure by a buggie drive along the brand new Elephant Trail and getting up close and personal with some of the babies in the herd.

From the food to the venues and everything in between, Geelong and The Bellarine proved themselves as a standout destination for events with personality and purpose.