Brisbane Integrates People, Place and Events into Its Working Core

Brisbane’s involvement in international association meetings is underpinned through its universities, research institutions and a network of advocates contributing directly to bids and programme design. The city is no stranger to international associations, nor to HQ readers. Following AIME 2026, we visited Brisbane at the invitation of the Brisbane Economic Development Agency (BEDA) and the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC), which is marking its 30th anniversary through 2026.

 

During our visit, we met destination leaders, venue representatives, and academic and industry figures involved in supporting and delivering events. What emerges is a model that connects research and industry capability with congress delivery, supported by close collaboration between venue and destination partners.

Brisbane Across Land, Water and Air

Having written about Brisbane numerous times for HQ without having visited the city, the first realisation came on arrival at Rydges Hotel South Bank. On paper, Brisbane’s reputation is well established. Universities, research institutions and sector leadership position the city in global conversations in fields such as biotechnology, resources and clean energy. What is less visible until arrival is how closely these places are located.

 

Rydges, directly connected to the BCEC, sits within a district that brings together Griffith University’s South Bank campus, the Queensland Conservatorium, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and major cultural institutions, including the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), the Queensland Museum, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the recently opened Glasshouse Theatre. A short walk reveals the concentration and range of off-site options within minutes of the convention centre.

 

Our programme opened with a walk through South Bank, led by representatives from BEDA and the BCEC, introducing how both organisations operate. Movement between the convention centre, surrounding institutions and riverfront required no coordination, allowing programme elements to combine.

 

South Bank, the riverside precinct hosting the BCEC, provides the clearest operational reference point, where accommodation, convention space and cultural institutions are seamlessly connected.

 

 

BEDA’s General Manager Events Lorelle Chittick said Brisbane’s defining advantage was the ease with which delegates can move across the city.

 

“Within minutes, delegates can experience the full breadth of Brisbane, from riverfront precincts like South Bank, Howard Smith Wharves and Fish Lane to our cultural institutions and natural surroundings,” Ms Chittick said.

 

“That level of proximity enhances the delegate experience while creating more opportunities for meaningful connection, blending business with lifestyle in a way that is uniquely Brisbane.”

 

Travel across the river clarifies how this structure extends across the city. Brisbane’s CityCat ferry service connects South Bank with the CBD and surrounding precincts, expanding usable venues. One hundred metres above the river, the Sky Deck at The Star Brisbane makes this relationship clearer.

 

The Star forms part of the Queen’s Wharf development, a A$3.6 billion (€2.2 billion approx.) precinct introducing accommodation, hospitality and event capacity, including large-scale venues and riverfront and rooftop settings, within walking distance of South Bank and the BCEC via a direct pedestrian bridge.

 

At Howard Smith Wharves, beneath the Story Bridge, dinner at Stanley’s positioned the precinct within Brisbane’s offsite offering, from large-format venues such as Felons Brewing Co., which can accommodate up to 800 guests, to smaller riverfront settings. Together with South Bank and Queen’s Wharf, these spaces form a continuous vibrant riverfront corridor.

 

Brisbane’s surrounding environments introduce a wider range of programme formats. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the world’s oldest and largest of its kind, combines visitor access with research and conservation, hosting the Brisbane Koala Science Institute and collaborating with universities on genetics and disease management. Sirromet Winery presents Queensland’s wine production while providing event space for group programmes.

 

From the air, Moreton Bay and its islands form the same accessible landscape. North Stradbroke Island and Moreton Island, home to Tangalooma Island Resort and suited to delegate day programmes, are the second and third largest sand islands in the world.

Brisbane Connects Research, Industry and Events Delivery

Our time in Brisbane showed how BEDA and the BCEC jointly attract and deliver international congresses. A site inspection of the convention centre was followed by a strategic session and working lunch at the Plaza Gallery, bringing together senior representatives from both organisations, including a member of BCEC’s Convention Advocates Partnership.

 

This setting reflects the level at which the venue operates. The BCEC hosted the 2014 G20 Leaders’ Summit, bringing heads of state, including Barack Obama and David Cameron, for high-security meetings, bilateral discussions and global media engagement, establishing a precedent for complex international meetings beyond standard congress requirements.

 

At that lunch, Professor Trent Munro, Immediate Past Chair of Life Sciences Queensland and a leading voice in Queensland’s bio-innovation sector, contributed to discussions on life sciences capability and the BCEC’s recently launched Bio-Innovation Bursary, a partnership initiative supporting mid-career researchers to strengthen industry engagement and research impact. His involvement reflects the advisory role of sector leaders within BCEC’s Convention Advocate Partnership.

 

Discussions continued over dinner with Dr Neville Plint, Chief Executive Officer of Mining3 and Adjunct Professor at the Sustainable Minerals Institute at UQ, drawing on his experience as part of the Advocate Partnership and perspective across industry and research.

 

“Brisbane’s advantage is how closely research, industry and events are connected. The expertise is already here, and through the Advocates Partnership it’s brought into play early, shaping both how conferences are secured and how they’re experienced,” Plint said.

 

Conference content, research capability and industry participation align geographically. Brisbane’s inner-city Knowledge Corridor spans a five-kilometre arc minutes from the BCEC, concentrating universities, hospitals and research institutes. The corridor anchors a A$22 billion (€13.2 billion approx.) health and life sciences economy, supported by R&D investment and transport infrastructure reducing travel between institutions.

 

BCEC and the Convention Bureau within BEDA provide conference bidding support, working collaboratively to attract national and international events across Brisbane’s venues. BCEC leads national and international conference bids for large-scale conferences and clients who only wish to use the Centre, while BEDA leads national and international conference bids where multiple conference venue types are being considered, including hotels, universities, or multi-venue solutions.

 

New airline route development is led by Brisbane Airport Corporation, with BEDA supporting in-market representation in North America, South East Asia and India in partnership with Experience Gold Coast, targeting outbound demand and positioning South East Queensland within one of the fastest-growing international markets for tourism and business events.

 

This positioning is reinforced by the city’s event pipeline. Over 100 events across 2026 contribute to a A$13.7 billion (€8.2 billion approx.) visitor economy and year-round activity.

 

The Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032 provide a longer-term horizon. Through the Elevate 2042 Legacy Strategy and Destination 2045 plan, Brisbane and Queensland align sport, health, inclusion and economic development within a 20-year framework linking major events with broader societal outcomes.

Brisbane’s approach to business events reflects a broader Australian strategy that connects research, infrastructure, sustainability and destination development across multiple sectors. To explore more, read HQ’s latest Australia Destination Report, our feature on Brisbane’s expanding infrastructure and event pipeline, and our icoverage of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre as it marks 30 years of operations supporting international meetings and congresses.