EVENT INFORMATION -

All Delegates

We’re looking forward to seeing you in Melbourne for ATEC's Explore Victoria Trade Engagement event, in proud partnership with Visit Victoria.

Please see the details below to assist with event preparation and throughout the event. A reminder to also navigate through the website for all event-related updates including the overall program.

Please contact events@atec.net.au if you have any questions or queries that are not addressed below nor on the event website.

Arrival and Departure

All delegates are required to make their own way to and from the Melbourne for the event.

Buyers:

For interstate buyers, please coordinate your own airport transfer from Melbourne Airport to voco Melbourne Central by IHG.
Arrive: by mid-afternoon on Monday 23 February for check in at the hotel and to join the pre-arranged transfers to the Welcome Networking Function at 4.15pm.
Depart: the post event famil programs will commence following the conclusion of the B2B / post-event refreshments on Tuesday 24 February. If you are not participating in a post event famil, please depart as per your travel arrangements.

Sellers:

Arrive: in time for the Welcome Networking Function which commences at 5.00pm on Monday 23 February at Melbourne Skydeck / Eureka 89.
Depart: following the conclusion of the B2B / post-event refreshments on Tuesday 24 February.

Monday 23 February 2026

Transfers

Coach transfers will be provided for interstate buyers (and any sellers that pre-arranged in advance their transfer requirements) from voco Melbourne Central by IHG and Melbourne Skydeck / Eureka 89 for the Welcome Networking Function.

Please be ready where and when indicated below to be collected. If you miss the transfer, please make your own way to the venue for the commencement of the Welcome Networking Function at 5.00pm.

Date: Monday 23 February 2026
Time: 4.15pm sharp for a 4.30pm departure
Pick up location: voco Melbourne Central by IHG
Address: 18 Timothy Lane, Melbourne, VIC 3000
Directions: Please meet in the hotel lobby (ground floor) to collect your name badge and then load onto the coach that will be parked in the loading zone near 374 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.
Drop off location:
Melbourne Skydeck / Eureka 89
Key contacts: If you are lost or running late, please call Deb Carr on 0416 103 270.

Following the Welcome Networking Function, buyers (and any sellers that pre-arranged their transfer requirements) will be transferred back to voco Melbourne Central by IHG, arriving at approximately 9.00pm.

Welcome Networking Function

All registered delegates are invited to attend the Welcome Networking Function at Melbourne Skydeck / Eureka 89, Australia's highest observation deck, offering panoramic views and experiences.

Drinks, canapes and dinner will be held at Eureka 89, on level 89 of Eureka Tower, but before this, all delegates are offered the option to enjoy one or both of Melbourne Skydeck’s renowned experiences. We invite you to partake in one or both experiences on arrival, and there will be team members in place to guide you straight to the experiences accordingly.

If you would prefer to simply head straight to level 89 itself, this option is also available on arrival and once again, a team member will direct you.

Virtual Reality experience, located on the ground floor - click here for more information.
Edge Experience, located on Melbourne Skydeck itself on level 88 - click here for more information.

As this evening's events will be held on level 88 & 89 of the Eureka Tower, please advise if you foresee any issues with this via events@atec.net.au.

Location:
Melbourne Skydeck / Eureka 89
Address: Eureka Tower - 7 Riverside Quay (level 88 & 89), Southbank, VIC 3006
Time: 5.00pm - 8.30pm
Getting there - click here for further details.
Inclusions: Melbourne Skydeck experiences (VR experience and The Edge experience) followed by refreshments, canapes and a two-course sit-down dinner in the Northern Point Room of Eureka 89.
Dress code: Business casual
Key contacts: If you are lost or running late, please call Jo Dettmann on 0404 023 273 or Alice Costello on 0416 756 586.

Parking

voco Melbourne Central by IHG

For any delegates that choose to park near the hotel and catch the coach transfer to the Welcome Networking Function (pre-arranged in advance), there are three parking options close by.

Melbourne Skydeck / Eureka 89

For any delegates that chose to self-drive to the Welcome Networking Function, there is a Wilson Car Park located at the base of Eureka Tower, accessed from the corner of City Road and Southgate Avenue, right after 7-11 store. Preferred Eureka 89 visitor rates apply when you validate your parking ticket with our host at ground floor upon arrival or departure. Validated parking rate is $15 every day. Please click here for further details.

Tuesday 24 February 2026

Breakfast & hotel check out

Breakfast is available at voco Melbourne Central by IHG in the Blacksmith Bar & Grill from 6.30am.

For buyers participating in the Victoria's Scenic Wonders and Great Southern Touring Route famils, please check out at 7.30am and bring your luggage in the coach to Melbourne Zoo. We will store the luggage in the Leopard Lodge, and you will depart for your famil following the conclusion of the B2B meetings.

For buyers participating in the Bendigo and beyond famil, you do not need to check out this morning as you will be staying another night at the hotel.

Transfers

Coach transfers will be provided for interstate buyers (and any sellers that pre-arranged in advance their transfer requirements) from voco Melbourne Central by IHG to Melbourne Zoo for the B2B meetings.
Please be ready where and when indicated below to be collected. If you miss the transfer, please make your own way to the venue for the commencement of the B2B meetings at 8.30am.
Date: Tuesday 24 February 2026
Time: 7.30am sharp for a 7.45am departure
Pick up location: voco Melbourne Central by IHG
Address: 18 Timothy Lane, Melbourne, VIC 3000
Directions: Please meet in the hotel lobby (ground floor) and then load onto the coach that will be parked in the loading zone near 374 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.
Drop off location: Melbourne Zoo (Rail Gate - entrance near Leopard Lodge)
Key contacts: If you are lost or running late, please call Deb Carr on 0416 103 270.

Business-to-Business (B2B) Meetings

Location: Leopard Lodge, Melbourne Zoo
Address: Elliott Ave, Parkville VIC 3052
Directions: Enter via the Rail Gate which is the closest entrance to the Leopard Lodge. Please click here for a map and for parking information, please see details below.
There is no formal meeting schedule for this event - all buyers will meet with all sellers in a rotational format throughout the day.
There will be approximately 36 meetings for sellers and 40 meetings for buyers. Sellers will have a few spare meeting slots throughout the day.
Sellers will be seated, and buyers will rotate around the room to conduct the meetings.
Each meeting will proceed for approximately 9 minutes with a 1-minute change over.
Please see the directories linked below which detail the seller table numbers. Buyers will choose their starting table on the day.
CLICK HERE for the Buyer directory (list of primary buyers participating in the event)
CLICK HERE for the Seller directory (list of primary sellers participating in the event)
Dress code: Business casual
Key contacts: If you are lost or running late, please call Jo Dettmann on 0404 023 273 or Alice Costello on 0416 756 586.

Approximate timings for the day:

8.15am – Arrival and registration
8.35am - Sellers to be seated at their tables
8.40am - Buyers to be seated at their starting tables
8.45am – Welcome and meetings to commence
10:30am – Morning tea (25 mins)
12:35pm – Lunch* (1 hour)
3.15pm – Afternoon Tea (25 mins)
5.20pm – Meetings conclude followed by networking refreshments and giraffe deck experience
6.15pm - Post event buyer famils to commence and all remaining delegates to depart.

* Please be aware that lunch will be held in another location in the zoo, approximately a 7-minute walk from the Leopard Lodge. Half the walk has a slight incline but not a steep hill. This is a great opportunity to stretch your legs during the B2B meetings, wander through the zoo, and see some of the animals.

Parking

For delegates that will self-drive and park at Melbourne Zoo, it is recommended to park closest to the Rail Gate entrance which offers closest access to the Leopard Lodge. Please click here for a map.

ATEC will organise complimentary parking vouchers and give these out at the welcome networking function on the Monday evening. If you will not be in attendance at that please advise the team and we will arrange another time to give you the parking voucher.

Passes will be dated and they must be displayed clearly on the dashboard as the car park is monitored by City of Melbourne parking inspectors regularly.

What to bring to the B2B - Sellers
Relative to marketing collateral and in an effort to be more sustainable ATEC:
Encourages all delegates to "go green". Please bring as much marketing collateral electronically as possible on fully charged iPad/laptops. We do understand some sellers may wish to bring printed presentations which is OK if you prefer.
Reminds our delegates that there will be charging points/power stations within the room however they will not be directly accessible from B2B tables.
Discourages the need for prizes, giveaways etc. in an effort to reduce waste and our carbon footprint for the event.
Advises that no pull up banners or display signage is permitted due to the space constraints in the venue.

Additional Information

Buyer accommodation

One night's accommodation at the voco Melbourne Central by IHG (including breakfast) has been booked for participating interstate buyers that require it. Please see the details below.

Location: voco Melbourne Central by IHG
Address: 18 Timothy Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
Approximate travel time from Melbourne Airport: 35 minutes' drive
Check in: 3.00pm / Check out: 7.30am (check out in time for the coach transfer to the B2B meetings at Melbourne Zoo. Your luggage can be stored at the Leopard Lodge in Melbourne Zoo during the day).
You will be advised of your room type upon check in.
Breakfast the following morning is included and is available at Blacksmith Bar & Grill from 6.30am.
Incidentals and any room upgrades are at your own expense and arrangement.

Please note - if you advised in your registration form that you DO NOT require accommodation, we have not made a booking for you.

Seller accommodation

Accommodation industry rates for sellers attending Explore Victoria are available on the event website. Click here for more information and booking links.

Post event famil programs

For any post event famil program enquiries, please contact Sarah Breheny from Visit Victoria via sarah.breheny@visitvictoria.com.au

What happens if I can no longer attend?

Please click here to read the event cancellation terms and conditions.

Can I transfer my registration to another person?

Sellers - yes, however any changes made to delegate details after 23 January 2026 will incur a $150+gst administration change fee.
Buyers - it may be possible but given travel and famil arrangements have now been confirmed, there will likely be costs associated with making alternative arrangements, including the above administration change fees.

In both cases, please contact events@atec.net.au to discuss.

How should I get to and from the airport?

Buyers are to coordinate their own airport transfer from Melbourne Airport to the hotel on Monday 23 February. If you are not participating in a post famil program and are flying out of Melbourne following the B2B meetings, please advise the ATEC Events Team via events@atec.net.au and we may be able to assist with a coordinated transfer.

What is the weather like in Melbourne in February?

February in Melbourne is typically hot and dry with average daily maximums of around 26 to 27 degrees and nights cooling to 15 to 16 degrees. It is one of the warmest months and there is potential for heatwaves with rainfall relatively low. Click here to keep an eye on the forward weather forecast and pack accordingly for your time in the region.

If you have any other questions regarding the event or the above information, please contact the ATEC Events Team directly via events@atec.net.au or Jo Dettmann on 0404 023 273 or Alice Costello on 0416 756 586.