Following the end of construction, internal testing and installations are now underway, with the operators of the venue, the Victorian Convention and Event Trust (VCET), expecting to get the keys and begin to move the team into the convention centre in May.
“Reaching this significant milestone brings us one step closer to opening the entire Nyaal Banyul precinct later this year,” said Paul Crowe, CEO of Plenary Group, which is part of the consortium developing the centre.
“With the Crowne Plaza hotel now open, the precinct will be ready to welcome visitors and support a busy regional events calendar.”
Plenary Group is the owner of the 200-room Crowne Plaza Geelong, which opened in the convention centre precinct in January.
Offering 3,700m2 of event space, including a 1,000-seat theatre that can convert to flat floor and a separate 1,974m2 flat floor space for exhibitions, the convention centre has already locked in more 70 events out to 2028.
Several of these are for the business events and tourism sectors, with the latest hero win securing the hosting rights to the Australian Tourism Awards in early 2027.
“Locking in the Australian Tourism Awards is a major milestone for the region,” said Nyaal Banyul’s general manager, Rick Aylett.
“This is exactly the kind of event Nyaal Banyul has been designed for – bringing people together, supporting the visitor economy and showcasing the best of Geelong and the wider region.
“Our events pipeline is incredibly strong, with plenty of interest from national events never held in Geelong before.”
Events for the business events sector to be held at the convention centre include the Association Forum national conference in July 2026, the month the venue opens, and the Professional Conference Organisers Association (PCOA) national conference in December.
VCET chief executive, Natalie O’Brien AM, who also heads up the organisation’s other venue, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, said Nyaal Banyul “represents a new era for regional events infrastructure”.
To build its pipeline further, the venue is also currently offering subvention, in the form of event services discounts, of up to $60,000 per event.
