Overview
The directorate, through Venues Canberra, oversaw the management of the National Arboretum Canberra, Exhibition Park in Canberra, GIO Stadium, Manuka Oval and Stromlo Forest Park. The directorate promotes these facilities as Canberra’s leading sporting and entertainment venues.
Highlights
In 2018-19, the directorate continued to provide positive experience to patrons attending its four major sporting and entertainment venues.
Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC)
As the largest indoor/outdoor exhibition centre in the ACT, EPIC had another successful year with a greater than expected number of major events occurring across the site. A highlight event for EPIC was hosting Groovin the Moo music festival that attracted over 25,000 attendees to the venue.
EPIC hosted 124 major events*. Some of the feature events included:
- Summernats Street Machine Car Festival;
- Royal Canberra Show;
- National Folk Festival;
- Gamma.com;
- Capital Region Farmers markets;
- Handmade markets;
- Craft & Quilt Fair;
- Spring Home and Leisure Show;
- Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students National Conference;
- Eid al-Fitr Festival;
- Lifeline Book fairs;
- National Wine Show; and
- A Pooch Affair.
Note: *A major event at EPIC is defined as an event with more than 500 patrons attending.
GIO Stadium
GIO Stadium hosted 21 major events attended by 282,858 patrons. Two highlights were the Brumbies Super Rugby quarter final in June 2019 and the Keith Urban concert in January 2019.
The Canberra Raiders matches had strong attendance throughout the year at GIO Stadium with an average crowd size of 13,830 per game. The largest crowd for the 2018-19 year was seen during the 2019 Season with 17,193 spectators attending the Raiders v Broncos match.
Manuka Oval
In December 2018 Manuka Oval hosted ACT’s ‘Summer of Cricket’, commencing with two Big Bash League matches. The total BBL attendance was 21,864. This also marked the opening of the new state-of-the-art media and broadcast centre at the oval. The centre has been well received by commentators and broadcasters and provides a modern architectural statement within the Manuka precinct.
Another highlight event occurred in February 2019 when Manuka Oval hosted the Territory’s inaugural Cricket Test Match with over 30,000 patrons attending over the four days. A week later Manuka Oval hosted a sell-out Big Bash League match featuring the Sydney Thunder.
Stromlo Forest Park
With a commitment to improvement of facilities Venues Canberra continued to enhance the mountain bike trail network at Stromlo Forest Park. In 2018-19 three new trails were constructed and have been well received by riders;
In 2018-19 Stromlo Forest Park held 114 organised events, including nine major national or international events, with a total of 24,070 participants. The organised events comprise of community events, cycle races and school athletics carnivals; and
The 2018-19 financial year also included the opening of the Handlebar Café at Stromlo Forest Park. The Handlebar Café is establishing itself as a great pre and post ride venue that also offers bike hire.
National Arboretum Canberra
During the reporting period, the National Arboretum Canberra attracted 667,374 people, an increase from the previous year. This number includes visitors enjoying the Village Centre, and those who attend private functions, events, school groups, and other visitors enjoying outside activities including the forests and Pod playground. The directorate celebrated its 3.5 millionth visitor through the National Arboretum Canberra’s doors in April 2019.
The National Arboretum Canberra exceeded its 2018-19 customer satisfaction output target. The level of customer satisfaction at the arboretum is at 95%, which is 10% greater than the expected target of 85%. Customers rated their visits against an expectation of picturesque views, a nature-based experience and recognising this as a place for the conservation of rare and endangered trees. They increasingly value it as an important tourist attraction for the ACT.
In 2018-19, works commenced on the new 12kms of Tracks and Trails at the National Arboretum as well as early planning for an upgraded amphitheatre and hotel development through a feasibility and market demand report. Detail design work has also commenced for the overflow carpark. This will improve the Arboretum’s overflow carpark in order to accommodate increasing visitation and events, as well as addressing safety concerns when the existing overflow carpark is in use in its current condition.
Key statistics for the National Arboretum Canberra in 2018-19:
- 3,359 private and corporate functions (36,569 visitors);
- 1,899 activities covering a wide range of promotional, public, free and ticketed events;
- total number of school students visiting the Arboretum 25,314;
- Facilitated educational programs for 2,842 local and 3,634 interstate students, and 18,838 self-guided school students;
- 39 facilitated school holiday program activities for 602 children;
- 105 private birthday parties (1,755 children); and
- volunteers donated 20,048 hours during 2018-19.
The directorate met or exceeded six out of its eight 2018-19 accountability indicators against this output.
The six accountability indicators exceeded were:
- Number of major events at GIO Stadium – due to a Brumbies home quarter final and Keith Urban concert;
- Number of major events at Manuka Oval – due to the acquisition of six additional events that were acquired post development of budget, including two Big Bash League matches, one Women’s AFL match, Prime Ministers XI, Sheffield Shield and a Women’s T20;
- Number of major events at Exhibition Park in Canberra – due to an increase in events acquired post development of budget. Ongoing marketing and retention rates resulted in these additional events;
- Own source revenue at Manuka Oval – due to an increase in catering revenue and ticket sales;
- Own source revenue at Exhibition Park in Canberra – due to an increase in events; and
- The level of customer satisfaction at the National Arboretum in Canberra. The Arboretum delivered a 95% customer satisfaction result, that was 12% over the expected customer satisfaction target of 85%. The result was obtained from an ongoing annual online visitor survey collected throughout the year from the National Arboretum website and accessed onsite at the Village Centre, National Arboretum.
The two accountability indicators that were not met were:
- Own source revenue at GIO Stadium – due to a 20% decrease in catering income and 5% downturn in corporate sales and;
- Number of major events at Stromlo Forest Park – due to the cancellation of one booking for a national event by the hirer.
Future Direction
In 2019-20 Venues Canberra will:
- continue to seek new events to the Territory’s major venues to support economic growth and diversification, liveability and social inclusion;
- continue to support community events with onsite partners and volunteers;
- continue to manage and deliver the scheduled program of events at its venues;
- continue support for health initiatives such as healthy food options; active recreation and leisure opportunities; and community events;
- implement new revenue sources through tourism and marketing initiatives;
- implement capital upgrade works programs at the venues such as a new video replay screen at GIO Stadium and undercover seating at Manuka Oval;
- progress initiatives in the Stromlo Forest Park Master Plan, including the proposed accommodation development;
- continue to provide a safe, clean, accessible environment at its venues;
- continue to implement environmentally sustainable projects at its venues;
- review current facilities at the National Arboretum Canberra to identify opportunities to enhance the visitor experience and improve its operations;
- continue to nationally and internationally promote the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection Australia;
- continue to host ceremonial visits and tree plantings as part of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet State Visits Program and/or as directed by the ACT Chief Minister;
- continue to promote new gardens as donor opportunities;
- continue to support current and foster new forest science research partnerships and citizen science projects;
- continue to manage and support the health of the Arboretum’s forests through appropriate horticultural and arboriculture practices;
- continue to support existing MoU relationships and develop new MoUs as relevant, especially with the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection; and
- continue to review and facilitate school educational programs.
Further information can be obtained from
Shaun Strachan
Deputy Under Treasurer
Commercial Services and Infrastructure
+ 61 2 6207 1001
Shaun.Strachan@act.gov.au
Daniel Bailey
Executive Group Manager
Property and Venues
+ 61 2 6207 5618
Daniel.Bailey@act.gov.au