From wellness experiences and seaside resorts to lawn bowls and kayaking on a tranquil river, the Great Ocean Road offers fresh possibilities for conferences, corporate retreats and team experiences.
Sometimes, the best way to bring a team together is to take them somewhere different.
Just beyond Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road offers business event planners a compelling combination of accessible travel, versatile venues and coastal experiences that encourage delegates to connect beyond the boardroom.
On 15 – 16 October, Business Events Victoria, in collaboration with Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism (GORRT), hosted eight qualified event planners on a two-day familiarisation exploring the business events offering across Anglesea, Lorne and Torquay.
For many participants, it was their first visit to the region. The famil showcased how these coastal destinations can accommodate a range of business events, from leadership retreats and strategic planning sessions to corporate offsites and team-building programs.
Anglesea: A fresh perspective on meetings
The famil began at Great Ocean Road Resort in Anglesea, where a site inspection introduced the group to the property’s accommodation and event offering.
The visit continued with breathing exercises and sound bowl therapy, demonstrating how wellness experiences can complement a business event program. For organisations looking to help delegates recharge, encourage fresh thinking or create space for reflection, incorporating wellbeing into a retreat can offer a welcome change from a traditional meeting-room format.
The resort also highlighted its focus on local produce and sustainability, while The Monty, which opened in late 2025, presented another accommodation option within walking distance.
Together, these offerings gave buyers a taste of Anglesea’s potential for programs that balance productive sessions with opportunities to unwind.
Lorne: Where meetings meet memorable experiences
At Mantra Lorne, our guests explored the property’s accommodation and event spaces before enjoying lunch hosted by the team. The program then moved next door to
Lorne Bowls Club for a friendly game of lawn bowls.
It was a simple yet effective example of how planners can incorporate informal networking and team activities without complicated transfers or lengthy travel times. With the club adjacent to the hotel, delegates can move easily from a meeting into a relaxed social activity, creating opportunities for conversation beyond the conference room.
There was also time to explore Lorne on foot, with participants stopping for an ice cream or a cold drink in the spring sunshine before visiting Sunnymead Hotel.
These unhurried moments highlighted another advantage of regional business events: the destination itself becomes part of the delegate experience, rather than simply a backdrop to the meeting.
Torquay: Coastal comfort with corporate appeal
The group continued to RACV Torquay Resort, where a welcome Aperol Spritz set a relaxed tone before everyone checked in and refreshed for the evening.
The program then moved to The Sands Torquay for outdoor welcome drinks, dinner at its Italian restaurant, Sabbia, and a site inspection.
Located less than a 10-minute drive from RACV Torquay Resort, The Sands offers planners another property to consider when matching accommodation, dining and event requirements to their group’s needs.
With golf facilities, spa and wellness options, and a coastal setting, Torquay is well suited to groups seeking a balance between focused business sessions and time to recharge. For corporate retreats and leadership programs, these complementary offerings provide opportunities to build a varied itinerary around both business objectives and delegate wellbeing.
Taking business events outdoors
The following morning began with breakfast and a site inspection at RACV Torquay Resort before the group returned to Anglesea for river kayaking with Go Ride A Wave.
Not everyone needed to take to the water. Those who opted out enjoyed the sunshine with a picnic beside the river, demonstrating the value of providing alternative ways for delegates to participate in an outdoor program.
For the kayakers, guides Ben and Nick supplied equipment, wetsuits, surf booties and safety instructions before leading the group along the Anglesea River, sharing insights into its history along the way.
With clear spring skies and temperatures of around 19–22°C, the experience quickly became a highlight of the famil. Many participants were first-time kayakers, and the calm water offered an accessible introduction to the activity. Forget racing to the finish line. This was about slowing down, enjoying the sunshine and cruising along the river together.
Partway through the paddle, the guides surprised everyone with a 10–15-minute tea break, complete with hot water, tea bags and a packet of Arnott’s biscuits. Pausing on the river for a cuppa and a biscuit was a welcome chance to recharge, share a laugh and take in the peaceful surroundings before paddling back to the starting point opposite Great Ocean Road Resort.
It was an unexpectedly memorable moment that captured the value of taking teams outside their usual working environment. Sometimes, the most meaningful connections come from shared experiences that are neither overly structured nor competitive.
Back on shore, the group enjoyed takeaway lunches supplied by RACV Torquay at a picnic bench beside the river before departing for Melbourne.
With Victorian Bus Charters taking care of transport, travelling between destinations was comfortable and seamless, allowing the group to sit back, relax and enjoy the Great Ocean Road experience
A coastal destination for your next event
The Great Ocean Road offers more than spectacular scenery. Across Anglesea, Lorne and Torquay, planners can explore accommodation, meeting and event spaces, dining, golf, wellness and nature-based activities to suit a range of business event objectives.
Whether the brief is a leadership retreat, a corporate offsite, an association meeting or a team-building program, the region offers opportunities to combine productive sessions with experiences that help delegates reconnect, recharge and see things from a different perspective.
For organisations seeking a change of scenery without travelling too far from Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road deserves a place on the business events shortlist.
Planning your next regional business event?
Business Events Victoria can help you explore suitable venues, connect with local operators and bring the right elements together for your program.
