Nyaal Banyul reaches major milestone

The Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention Centre is on track to host its first event in July, with major building works now complete.

The $450 million project on the Geelong Waterfront is in its final stages and is being delivered as a precinct partnership by Development Victoria and the Plenary Conventions consortium, with Plenary Group as sponsor and investor, and hotel and commercial building developer, Built as builder, Woods Bagot as architect and BGIS as facilities manager.

The 200-room Crowne Plaza hotel in the precinct has already opened.

The tour inspects the upper floor of the 1,000 seat theatre.

When complete, Nyaal Banyul will also contain a 1,000-seat theatre, exhibition spaces, meeting rooms, conference facilities, flexible event spaces, food and beverage offerings and the public Gheringhap Plaza.

The project has created more than 1,400 jobs, trained 250 apprentices and engaged the local manufacturing and construction sectors. More than 440 sub-contractors, suppliers and consultants have also injected an estimated millions of dollars into the local economy.

Nyaal Banyul is the centrepiece of the $676 million Geelong City Deal, a collaboration between federal, state and local governments to unlock the Geelong region’s visitor economy.

Nyaal Banyul will host its first events in July.

Dignitaries that gathered at the building today to celebrate the milestone and take a tour of the building included Geelong MP, Christine Couzens; City of Greater Geelong councillor Trent Sullivan, Built head of operations Andrew Morgan, Plenary Conventions Nyaal Banyul project director, Michael Walsh; Plenary Group Asia-Pacific group head of infrastructure, Damien Augustinus; and Regional Development Victoria Barwon South West regional director, Brett Ince.

“We are supporting hundreds of new jobs right here in our local communities through Nyaal Banyul, attracting more tourism and major events into the heart of Geelong,” Couzens said.

“The convention centre is a game changer in making Geelong a tourism and entertainment destination.”

Nyaal Banyul – one of its two major exhibition spaces is seen here – is the centrepiece of the $676 million Geelong City Deal

Morgan said the construction on Western Beach Road was among the last stage of works that needed to be finished.

“Today demonstrates the strength of collaboration between industry, government and community to deliver an enduring legacy for Geelong and we’re proud to be a part of that.

“As an architectural landmark designed with the Wathaurong Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and one of the most sustainable convention centres in the Southern Hemisphere, the Built team is extremely proud to achieve this construction milestone while also delivering industry-leading social and local procurement outcomes for Geelong.”

Augustinus said the major building works had been completed “ahead of time and absolutely on budget”.

It is expected that the first four events to take place at the venue – Associations Forum National Conference, the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative NAIDOC Week Dinner, the Business Managers Victoria Conference and the Victorian Principals Association Conference in August – will inject an estimated $2.4 million into the local economy.