The most recent state winner of the Business Events Venues category is Cairns Convention Centre for Queensland. The Far North Queensland convention centre took home gold at the Queensland Tourism Awards held last Friday night.
Cairns Convention Centre beat Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, which took home silver, and Tamborine Mountain Glades, which took home bronze in the category in Queensland.
“Winning Gold for Business Events Venue is an incredible recognition of our journey,” said Cairns Convention Centre general manager, Janet Hamilton.
“This award belongs to our team – the passionate, customer-focused professionals who consistently go above and beyond to deliver exceptional experiences and outstanding service for our clients.
“Every day, we showcase Cairns Convention Centre and Cairns as a destination for world-class business events on both the national and international stage.
“To our wonderful clients who choose us and our incredible team – thank you.”
Cairns Convention Centre completed a $176 million refurbishment and expansion in 2023 which allows it to hold larger events and multiple conferences simultaneously.
Another winner of note from the Queensland Tourism Awards is Stewart Moore, founder and CEO of EarthCheck, who received the Marie Watson-Blake Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual. EarthCheck is playing a pivotal role in the increasing sustainability of convention centres and hotels around Australia.
Meanwhile in South Australia, Adelaide Convention Centre took out the business events venue category leading Adelaide Oval’s events offering, which received silver, and Events at SkyCity, which received bronze.
In Tasmania, last year’s national winner, Peppers Silo Hotel, has again taken out the state award, allowing it to defend its title at the next Australian Tourism Awards. paranaple Convention Centre took the silver. Peppers Silo Hotel also won the deluxe accommodation category, an accolade it won nationally in the last Australian Tourism Awards.
In Western Australia, Crown Perth won gold in the business events venues category, leading Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre with silver and Rydges’ Esplanade Hotel Fremantle with bronze.
And in the Northern Territory, Darwin Convention Centre will get the chance to go one better in the national awards, after it was again named the best business events venue for the territory. Darwin Convention Centre was second at the last Australian Tourism Awards.
State awards ceremonies are yet to take place for Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, so expect three more finalists to enter the national competition before the end of the month.
The Australian Tourism Awards will take place at Fremantle Prison on March 6, 2026.
