WE TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT A MAJOR MEETING FOR NT THAT SHOWCASED JUST HOW AUSTRALIA’ S TOP END CAN PROVIDE A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT FOR EVENTS

Pacific Rim( PacRim) Breast and Prostate Cancer Meeting was staged in the Northern Territory( NT) last August, organisers selected the lush tropical environs of the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens Events Centre as their meeting location.

Two kilometres from Darwin, the Botanic Gardens encompass 42 hectares and are noted for their collections of north Australian and tropical climate botanical species.

Cutting-edge health sector objectives The four-day‘ think-tank’ meeting brought together leading scientists, clinicians and researchers from around the world to discuss critical issues such as breast and prostate cancer in Indigenous

communities – especially relevant to the NT where over 30 % of the population are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders.

These meetings are delivered for an international network encompassing Australia, Canada, the Americas and the broader Asia-Pacific region. The Darwin event was the 21st milestone anniversary of the meeting series, with delegates invited to enjoy the unique cuisine, natural beauty of the landscape and the opportunity for meaningful Aboriginal cultural engagement.

Darwin’ s close proximity to Asia and the international flight connections via Singapore 4½ hours away enhanced its appeal as a host destination. Support provided via the NT government’ s official convention bureau, Northern Territory Business Events, also greatly assisted.

Nature and culture combine The meeting programme commenced informally with a guided tour of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory( MAGNT), the NT’ s premier cultural facility, near the city centre.

“ World Heritage-listed Kakadu is renowned for its wetlands which are home to the largest concentration of saltwater crocodiles in the world.”

A Welcome to Country ceremony was delivered by the Larrakia Nation – traditional custodians of the Darwin region – prior to the commencement of conference sessions.

Cultural experiences were arranged with Readback Aboriginal Art Darwin, a gallery where visitors can meet Aboriginal artists and engage with their art and culture.

Two optional half-day tours were part of the official meeting programme. One visited Litchfield National Park, 1¼ hours from Darwin and home to waterfalls, rock pools and clusters of weathered sandstone pillars. Another was a sunset cruise on Corroboree Billabong in Kakadu National Park, Australia’ s largest national park. World Heritage-listed Kakadu is renowned for its wetlands which are home to the largest concentration of saltwater crocodiles in the world, along with a variety of other wildlife.

An iconic Australian experience Professor Wayne Tilley, convenor of the Darwin Meeting said:“ It was an honour to hold the 8th PacRim Meeting and indeed the 21st anniversary of the series in an iconic Australian destination such as Darwin.

“ We had the opportunity to incorporate local businesses into the meeting programme such as the MAGNT, Pee Wee’ s at the Point, Mindil Beach Casino Resort, locally owned tours as well as local performers. Attendees were encouraged to fully immerse themselves in the local culture and extend their stay to incorporate a vacation in order to maximise their Top End experience.” n