New chapter begins as Nyaal Banyul announces first events

News
Published: 13 October 2025

The Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre has reached another exciting milestone. As it moves closer to opening its doors in July 2026, the first 4 events are now booked in at the world-class venue.

The $450 million state-of-the-art venue will debut with events that reflect its mission. That is to be a world-class, inclusive, and flexible gathering place for all.

This milestone marks an exciting new chapter for regional Victoria’s business events industry. It is also a major economic milestone for Geelong.

Nyaal Banyul features:

  • 3700 square metres of flexible event space,
  • a 1000-seat theatre,
  • cutting-edge AV technology.

It's expected to:

  • create hundreds of jobs across hospitality, tourism, events, and services
  • boost visitation to the region.

The 4 confirmed events to be hosted at Nyaal Banyul will cover a range of topics across July and August in 2026. Topics such as:

  • leadership
  • education
  • culture
  • community.

July 2026 events:

  • The Associations Forum National Conference.
    This will be one of the largest association management conferences ever held in the southern hemisphere. 400 attendees are expected to attend. The event will bring together senior leaders in education for professional development and networking. There will be a focus on industry challenges, management, and innovation. The conference presents a valuable opportunity to showcase the region and attract future business from new markets across the country.
  • The Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative NAIDOC Week Dinner.
    This will be a powerful celebration of culture, community and connection on Wadawurrung Country.
  • The Business Managers Victoria Conference.
    It will bring together business managers and education support staff from Victorian State Schools to help nurture growth in professional leadership, capacity and knowledge.

August 2026 events:

  • The Victorian Principals Association Conference.
    This will support principals and educational leaders through professional development and sector collaboration.

While these are the first confirmed events to be announced, other conferences and programs continue to be contracted for the venue’s initial opening months.

These inaugural events expect to have a significant impact on the local economy. This is through delegate spend on accommodation, dining, and local attractions. These events show the venue’s capacity to attract major conferences. These will raise Geelong’s national and international profile.

Nyaal Banyul is being delivered as a partnership with the Plenary Conventions consortium, with Plenary Group as a sponsor, investor and hotel and commercial building developer, Woods Bagot as architect, Built as builder and BGIS as facilities manager. The Centre will be operated by the Victorian Convention and Event Trust.

The Nyaal Banyul project is funded through the Geelong City Deal. It is a $676 million investment from the Australian and Victorian governments and City of Greater Geelong to revitalise Geelong through critical infrastructure.

For more information and upcoming event announcements, visit the Nyaal Banyule website.