Of the grand order of folio leviathans, the Sperm Whale and the Right Whale are by far the most noteworthy. They are the only whales regularly hunted by man. To the Nantucketer, they present the two extremes of all the known varieties of the whale. As the external difference between them is mainly observable in their heads; and as a head of each is this moment hanging from the Pequod's side.
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Event Reports
The nation’s most versatile venue isn’t afraid of the toughest turnarounds – story by John Cain Arena Venue Manager, Kerry Gassner When it comes to versatility, John Cain Arena stands out as a true marvel. The multi-purpose venue is a chameleon of the entertainment world, seamlessly transforming to host a surprising variety of events. From concerts and spectaculars to national and international sporting events, the venue can do it …
November 23, 2023
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is the second largest free public event in Australia (after Sydney NYE). But unlike NYE, and many other events, the Mardi Gras has not missed a beat. In 2020 the parade and associated events were wrapping up when the event industry was shut down on 13th March. In 2021 and 2022 the parade went ahead at the Sydney Cricket Ground, while most …
April 18, 2023
What a weekend! – Sydney is alive again thanks to World Pride. And on Saturday night it was great to be back on the sidelines covering the Mardi Gras parade (more on that next week). Heading back to Central after the parade it was great to come across impromptu street parties. But it is not only my home city that has come back to life – Melbourne was bubbling …
February 27, 2023
From the archive – first published in 2000 The Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games were hailed as the greatest Games ever staged. When the world stopped to watch Sydney take centre stage everything went according to plan, and the atmosphere generated for athletes and spectators was unforgettably electric. Great Big Events played a major role is fostering this atmosphere. Managing Director, Greg Bowman, was the Executive Producer of …
January 27, 2023
I was very fortunate to be involved with three events attended by Her Majesty the Queen and have vivid memories of some memorable moments from behind the scenes, which no one would know actually happened. The first event was the official reception before the Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games. We were briefed by the Palace organising team to please have a waiter on standby with G&T in …
September 13, 2022
Fast factsWhat: Perth 5 Star Event Industry ReSparkWhere: Frasers State Reception Centre, Kings Park, PerthWhen: Wednesday 13th JulyWho: High End Corporate clients and members of the Event Industry. Over 300 guests in attendance The brief To bring together the top end of the events industry to provide a memorable experience to remind top corporate clients of what they have been unable to do over the COVID period. The objective …
August 8, 2022
Last night I watched two and a half hours of spectacle (interspersed with commercial breaks every 5 mins). The Platinum Jubilee Concert was produced by the BBC and goes to show what can be achieved when a national broadcaster is properly funded. Sure the British Tories have attacked funding for the BBC but not to the same extent that the Australian Tories have gutted the ABC. Remember it was …
June 7, 2022
No matter what the result is from tomorrow’s election there is much more the federal government can do to support the broader event industry. The first is to acknowledge that the event industry operates at both national and state levels. So far the current government has pushed most responsibility back to the states, the exceptions being COVID related emergency funding; JobKeeper, the Business Events Grants Programme and the RISE …
May 20, 2022
It’s fun to walk past the amazing sites along the 8km Vivid Sydney Light Walk and view the spectacle of culture and art. Ever wondered what it’s like to work behind the scenes to bring these amazing animations to life? Now in its 12th year, Vivid Sydney will transform the Harbour City into an illuminating fusion of creativity, innovation, and technology from Friday, 27 May to Saturday, 18 June, …
May 19, 2022
Event Reports Archives | Australasian Special Events
November wrap
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done an update and for good reason. Like the rest of the event industry my photography business is currently flat out. So here is my wrap for November so far and I’ll wrap again before Christmas. Last month our industry lost a true gentleman when Mark Magennis lost his battle with cancer. As co-owner of Decorative Events & Exhibitions, Mark was a …