CASE STUDY: BRISBANE POWERS SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE’ S LARGEST TRUCK SHOW
Australia’ s biggest heavy vehicle industry event delivered record-breaking attendance, global exposure and a lasting legacy for Brisbane in May 2025.
The 2025 Brisbane Truck Show was a record-breaking, citywide celebration and the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, showcasing what’ s possible when a globally connected city, bold industry vision, and BEDA’ s support come together.
As Australia’ s epicentre of the heavy vehicle industry, and a national leader in freight and logistics innovation, Brisbane is the natural home for this landmark event.
Brisbane’ s strong Asia-Pacific connectivity drew both domestic and international participants, with the four-day showcase – delivered by Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia( HVIA) – drawing a record-breaking 54,790 attendees, the highest turnout in the event’ s history, spanning the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre( BCEC) and the wider Truck Week 25 programme.
A citywide celebration The event’ s impact extended well beyond the exhibition floor, with Truck Week 25 transforming the Brisbane Truck Show into a citywide celebration of Australia’ s heavy vehicle industry. Activations across South Bank, TAFE Queensland and the Brisbane Showgrounds engaged the whole community with live entertainment, career showcases, custom and heritage truck displays, and more.
“ It’ s a masterclass in how you build a citywide festival from a traditional trade event,” says Lorelle Chittick, general manager, events at BEDA.“ The way Truck Week activates Brisbane is truly exceptional.”
Todd Hacking, HVIA’ s CEO, agrees, saying the 2025 event was the best show ever,“ not just in scale, but in how it connected with the city and community. From BCEC to the boxing bouts and truck show‘ n’ shine activations across South Bank, it was an experience that went far beyond business.”
The week-long programme was made possible through the coordinated support of BEDA, Brisbane City Council, South Bank Corporation, Tourism and Events Queensland and the Queensland Government.
From the National Show N’ Shine on Little Stanley Street to boxing nights at South Bank Piazza, a family zone at BCEC, and industry showcases at the Showgrounds and Rocklea with free shuttle transport, the city truly came alive.
“ There was a real community buzz,” Hacking says.“ Even if people didn’ t buy a ticket to the event, they were still engaged – visiting South Bank, seeing the trucks, connecting with the industry.”
Chittick echoes this sentiment, noting that the citywide activations reflected the true diversity of engagement, from families and students to global industry leaders.
“ The 2025 event proved that business events can be inclusive, community-driven and culturally relevant,” she says.
Seamless city experiences The Truck Show showcased the advantages of Brisbane’ s walkable, connected city. BCEC sits in the heart of South Bank, a vibrant cultural and lifestyle precinct surrounded by hotels, dining, cultural attractions and public transport options, allowing delegates to move easily between business, networking and leisure.
Brisbane
“ Come with a bold vision,” Chittick says,“ Brisbane is the kind of city that embraces big ideas. Whether you’ re planning precinct takeovers, immersive public experiences or a programme that spans multiple venues, we’ ll help you make it happen.”
HVIA’ s long-standing partnership with BEDA has been central to the event’ s evolution and impact. In 2025 BEDA supported strategic planning, precinct coordination, citywide marketing, partner engagement and landmark activations.
Brisbane came alive with digital signage across the city, Story Bridge lighting, CityCat branding, screen takeovers and entertainment activations. Hotels, tourism providers and government partners were all engaged in delivering a cohesive visitor experience.
“ All of the activations beyond the BCEC simply aren’ t possible without BEDA,” Hacking notes.“ That kind of integrated support makes a huge difference. You step off the plane and you feel like the city embraces the event.”
“ Our role is to remove friction, open doors and amplify the scope of what’ s possible for businesses and events alike,” Chittick says.
Driving legacy beyond the numbers Beyond the visitor economy, Truck Week 25 left a lasting legacy by starting conversations on workforce development, innovation and sustainability. A highlight was The Depot, a career hub delivered with TAFE Queensland, which attracted 1,400 students in two days and showcased more than 30 industry pathways.
“ That’ s exactly the legacy we want,” says Hacking.“ It goes beyond the event dates and into the future of the industry.”
Chittick agrees:“ These outcomes reinforce Brisbane’ s ability to deliver legacy, not just logistics.” n
n Discover how Brisbane can bring your next event to life- contact the Business Events team at Brisbane Economic Development Agency at businessevents @ brisbane-eda. com. au
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