Download Programspeakers
profiles book
now
why
go Coffs Harbour
20-21 October 2026
Aanuka Beach House, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
The Symposium is full of engaging content in a practical format, designed to ramp up towards the Australian Event Awards ceremony at the end of the last day.
The Event Symposium will bring together leaders in the industry from some of Australia’s biggest events and festivals as well as offering a variety of sessions exploring the latest event trends, communication techniques and creatively enhancing events.
Please note that the program is subject to change.
Opening Plenary: Sessions Introduction
This Introduction Session will give delegates insight into the upcoming sessions of the morning. Hear from the speakers about what their session will be addressing, what you’ll gain and be introduced to the speakers delivering the session.
Each speaker will have 15 minutes to give delegates an introduction to their topic and from there, delegates can pick which session they wish to attend. Q&A will be available after all presentations.
Speakers:
Concurrent Sessions
SESSION 1
Someone with half your experience is about to outpace you. Not because they’re better – because they’ve learned to use AI to move faster, think clearer, and execute at scale. While they’re copying the output, you can clone the thinking.
This session shows you how to build your own AI ‘clone’ – one that sounds like you, thinks like you, protects your brand voice, and creates like you. Even when you’re not at your desk. You’ve earned your expertise. The instincts. the reputation. The way you read a room, a client, a brief. That took years.
But here’s what’s already happening:
Copilot. ChatGPT. Gemini. these tools are already in the building. The question is whether they’re working for your brand, or against it.This isn’t about keeping up – Your expertise, multiplied.
Skills and Outcomes:
Speaker:
SESSION 2
From small local activations to major signature festivals, successful community events are built on the same underlying principles of human behaviour, movement, identity, connection and place. This presentation introduces the concept of “Community Event Science” — a practical framework exploring how understanding community identity and event ecosystems can transform the way events are planned, delivered and experienced.
Using Canterbury-Bankstown Council’s award-winning signature event Lakemba Nights During Ramadan as a real-world case study, this session will explore how culturally significant community events operate as complex social systems that require more than logistics and programming alone. Through operational insights, behavioural observations and community-centred design principles, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how events can strengthen belonging, social cohesion and place identity while successfully managing large-scale operational complexity.
Speaker:
Concurrent Sessions
SESSION 3
The Summernats Car Festival has been an Australian institution for nearly 40 years.
It is now the flagship event of a series of linked festivals around Australia and has recently expanded to the USA and New Zealand. Attendance continues to grow year on year, bucking a trend that has seen other massed attendance events struggle and fail in recent years.
This enduring and continued growth is a result of its real and genuine connection to the community it serves.
Speaker:
SESSION 4
A practical session led by Oztix, Australia’s largest independent ticketing company, alongside Australia’s most experienced and respected event producers, exploring how to engineer ticket demand through consumer behaviour, data, audience growth and benchmarking for success.
The line up of speakers will bring insights across both community and council led events.
Speakers:
Sessions Introduction – Afternoon
This Introduction Session will give delegates insight into the upcoming sessions of the afternoon. Hear from the speakers about what their session will be addressing, what you’ll gain and be introduced to the speakers delivering the session.
Each speaker will have 15 minutes to give delegates an introduction to their topic and from there, delegates can pick which session they wish to attend. Q&A will be available after all presentations.
Speakers:
Concurrent Sessions
SESSION 5
Great events do not rely on logistics alone. As the industry grows more complex, the most valuable event professionals are those who can move beyond task management and into confident leadership. In this session, Stephanie Cassimatis explores the shift from delivering event components to leading outcomes – through stronger decision making, stakeholder confidence, team direction and strategic thinking.
Designed for professionals working in high-pressure environments, this presentation unpacks what is really takes to lead events and expectations with greater authority, clarity and commercial awareness.
Speaker:
SESSION 6
“The most successful event professionals don’t win every argument. They build enough trust that clients make better decisions.”
Every event professional has experienced it: a client making a decision that conflicts with operational realities, budget constraints, attendee experience, risk management or best practice advice. While clients ultimately own the event, event professionals are often left navigating the consequences of decisions made without a full understanding of the operational implications.
This session explores the delicate balance between respecting client authority and exercising professional responsibility. Drawing on real-world examples from the business events industry, we will examine how event professionals can influence outcomes, communicate risk effectively, build trust-based partnerships and maintain professional integrity when faced with difficult client decisions.
Attendees will gain practical strategies for managing competing priorities, handling challenging conversations and positioning themselves as trusted advisors rather than order-takers. The session will challenge participants to consider where the line sits between client choice and professional duty, and how to create stronger decision-making frameworks that ultimately lead to more successful events.
Speaker:
In an industry known for flawless execution, this powerful session challenges a critical question: what do our events actually change? Moving beyond logistics, aesthetics, and “running a great show,” this presentation reframes events as strategic tools for influence, alignment, and lasting impact.
Through real-world examples and honest reflections, the session explores how to shift from simply delivering events to intentionally designing outcomes. Attendees will be guided through a practical framework centred on clarity, connection, creativity, and conversion. David carefully ensures every event has purpose, resonates emotionally, and drives meaningful results, and wants to share this with you.
The presentation also highlights the importance of cultural context, human experience, and energy design, demonstrating how inclusive, thoughtful approaches deepen engagement and extend impact beyond the room. It challenges common industry habits, like prioritising theme over purpose, and replaces them with sharper, more strategic thinking.
Delegates will leave with a renewed perspective on their role as event designers, not just organisers, along with actionable questions and tools to elevate their next project. More than inspiration, David’s session equips attendees to create events that influence decisions, shift behaviour, and leave a lasting legacy.
Speakers:
After a day of boosting your skills, join us for a relaxed Beach House BBQ Dinner on the deck overlooking beautiful Diggers Beach.
Dress code: Think tropical – florals, bright colours and feel-good vibes encouraged.
Includes:
Opening Plenary: Sessions Introduction
This Introduction Session will give delegates insight into the upcoming sessions of the morning. Hear from the speakers about what their session will be addressing, what you’ll gain and be introduced to the speakers delivering the session.
Each speaker will have 15 minutes to give delegates an introduction to their topic and from there, delegates can pick which session they wish to attend. Q&A will be available after all presentations.
Speakers:
Concurrent Sessions
SESSION 7
In an industry often dominated by large agencies with big teams and bigger budgets, We Are Gather has carved out a remarkable niche, delivering some of Australia’s most celebrated food, wine and tourism events with a lean, passionate team.
This session pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to compete at the highest level as a small agency, from landing government partnerships and major brand sponsors to building events that win national awards and keep coming back year after year.
Speaker:
WORKSHOP 2
This practical two-hour workshops will show event professionals how to secure right-fit sponsors who genuinely align with your event and keep them coming back year after year. Delegates will explore how to move beyond traditional sponsorship models to build aligned, long-term partnerships that expand reach, enhance the attendee experience, and generate measurable return on investment – creating partnerships that deliver genuine, lasting value for both the event and the sponsor.
Speaker:
Linda
TillmanCathy Treasureregister
now
SESSION 8
Beef Australia’s story began as a one-off event for Australia’s Bicentennial celebrations in 1988. Nearly four decades later, it has evolved into the premier beef industry event in the Southern Hemisphere — attracting more than 120,000 attendees, generating over $110 million in direct economic impact for Central Queensland, and placing Rockhampton firmly on the global stage every three years.
From producers and international trade delegations to industry leaders, innovators and consumers, Beef Australia has become far more than an agricultural event. It is a case study in regional ambition, destination impact and the power of building a global event outside a capital city.
This session explores how a regional Queensland city became home to one of the world’s most significant agricultural events, the strategic decisions behind its long-term growth, and why staying deeply connected to industry — without being constrained by it — has been critical to its success.
Speakers:
Concurrent Sessions
SESSION 9
In Leading Through Chaos, Prue Simson shares practical lessons from a career spent leading large-scale events and venues where no two days are ever the same. Drawing on her experience across major sporting, equestrian, and multi-stakeholder environments, she explores what it really takes to stay steady when pressure is high, priorities shift quickly, and the unexpected becomes the norm.
This session is grounded in real-world leadership, not theory. Prue talks about how to make clear decisions under pressure, keep teams aligned in fast-moving situations, and maintain momentum when plans change. She also reflects on the importance of preparation, trust, communication, and adaptability when leading people through uncertainty.
Rather than treating chaos as something to avoid, Prue reframes it as something leaders can learn to navigate with confidence. Delegates will come away with practical ideas they can apply immediately in their own roles, whether they are managing teams, projects, events, or broader organisational change.
Speaker:
SESSION 10
What makes an event accessible?
Awareness of accessibility and inclusivity within the event industry continues to evolve and grow, challenging outdated perspectives and reshaping how events are designed and delivered.
This session explores the evolving and broad nature of accessibility through the lens of one of Australia’s fastest-growing major events. Although only in its sixth year, Illuminate Adelaide has expanded its accessibility program exponentially since launching in 2021. By identifying barriers, targeting opportunities for improvement, and collaborating with disability-led organisations, Illuminate has prioritised more inclusive ways for mass audiences to participate in and engage with its program.
Delegates will leave this session with insight into making meaningful progress toward more inclusive events, whether you are just starting out or building on existing accessibility initiatives.
Speaker:
Amy
ByarsAlexandra Buzilaregister
now
Venue: Pacific Bay Resort
Venue: Pacific Bay Resort
The Event Ecosystem for their work on Associated Celebrity Talent & Global Event Talent Applications, National Winner 2019
Youngcare Simpson Desert Challenge 2016
2016 National Winner - Best Charity or Cause-Related Event
Australian Event Symposium 2018
Event Planet
2016 National Finalist - Event Management Company of the Year
The P.A. People for their work on Baku 2015 European Games Opening & Closing Ceremonies
2015 National Finalist - Best Technical Achievement or Innovation
Team Yiramalay prepare to set off on their life defining Kimberley adventure. Gibb Challenge 2021, National Winner