The value of social events

Great Southern Press, of which Third Sector Services is a division, was the professional conference organiser for The Australasian Society for Trenchless Technology’s No-Dig Down Under 2011, the biggest trenchless event in Australasia to date.

The event was held from 3 – 6 October at the Brisbane Exhibition and Conference Centre.

The impressive social program kept attendees busy well into the night with an array of events. These events provided valuable networking opportunities with key players in the industry, allowed delegates to remain up-to-date with the industry and celebrated the industry’s achievements.

Opening cocktails

On the opening night of the event, Great Southern Press organised a party to encourage delegates and exhibitors to network and celebrate the official opening of No-Dig Down Under 2011. The social event was themed as a beer and bratwurst party and was sponsored by Hobas, which has an office in Germany as well as other parts of the world. Holding the party in the exhibition hall showcased exhibitors’ booths and provided a valuable opportunity for exhibitors to meet delegates in a relaxed atmosphere.

This year’s exhibition featured 67 exhibitors and was complemented by an impressive conference program, providing a great forum for displaying and learning about a variety of technologies. Exhibitors and delegates came from across Australasia, China, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Chairman of the International Society for Trenchless Technology Dr Samuel Ariaratnam said “It’s good to see so many people outside of the Australasian region attending the show.”

River cruise

On the second night of No-Dig Down Under 2011 Great Southern Press organised a Hawaiian-themed cruise along Brisbane’s river, which was sponsored by Vermeer. The cruise took advantage of the location of the event to create a scenic social event. All the kane (men) and wahine (women) came along festively dressed for an evening of Hawaiian fun. Guests enjoyed themed entertainment and were able to relax in a casual atmosphere to get to know each other.

Director of the German Society for Trenchless Technology Klaus Beyer was impressed by scale of the event. “It’s a really high number of attendance,” he said.

Gala dinner

On the final night of the exhibition and conference delegates, exhibitors and associates gathered at the famous Victoria Park Golf Complex to celebrate the success of the event. The prestigious occasion, sponsored by Interflow, was the most anticipated event for No-Dig Down Under 2011 and featured the presentation of industry awards. Former AFL legend Richard Champion acted as Master of Ceremonies for the event and shared his experiences of life in football in an entertaining manner. Former Australian cricketer and now ABC Radio commentator Kerry O’Keefe provided the night’s pre-dinner entertainment, delighting all with his ‘spin’ on a number of topics related to the event.

The glamorous evening of drinks, laughter and socialising went on well into the night, with many attendees making new business connections and friends.

The Australasian Society for Trenchless Technology Chairman Trevor Gosatti said “No-Dig Down Under 2011 has been another extremely successful event for the ASTT and conference organisers Great Southern Press. This year we’ve had more exhibitors and more delegates than ever before, and the quality of social events during the conference program was outstanding.”

“Delegates could often be heard commenting on how well the event was run, and in particular the success of the social events, which is a credit to the team at Great Southern Press.”

Candice de Chalain

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