7 Top Tips for Successful Events in Rural and Regional Australia
Ingredients of a Great Event

Right across rural and regional Australia, events have always played an important role in bringing people together and reinforcing community spirit. This is particularly true in challenging times when people are tested and a local event can serve as a bit of a pressure valve for relieving anxiety and frustration among others going through the same experience.

The local school fete, debutante ball and its more grown-up counterpart, the B&S; fundraising lunch on a Sunday afternoon; or a weekend music festival that attracts thousands of visitors. Events, big and small, have always had a place in the heart of rural and regional cities, towns and villages.

We’ve managed events everywhere from machinery road shows in muddy paddocks across Australia, to formal events in the cane fields of North Queensland, Guinness World Records, to the National Press Club in Canberra. We know a thing or two about planning events in rural and regional Australia, and it’s VERY different to planning events at 5-star hotels in the city.

Is there a formula as such for success? Well, there are certain planning aspects common to any event you are charged with organising, but nothing can take the place of experience, knowledge, composure and dedication to the task at hand, no matter the unexpected hitches and glitches that will arise – right up until the day, and even on the day. Even the most careful and detailed planning can’t eliminate the odd surprise along the way, but it’s the way you handle these little challenges that really counts.

Planning is Key and Pack Some Brollies: Tips for a Successful Event

While there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for success, certain aspects of event planning apply universally. Experience, knowledge, and the ability to handle the inevitable last-minute surprises are essential. So, what does it take to run a smooth and memorable event in regional Australia? Over the years, having worked with multiple clients, from different backgrounds and with different ideas and expectations when it comes to their events, we’ve identified a few factors that can make an event shine:

1. Relationships with local suppliers are your key

One of the biggest secrets to event success in regional areas is building strong relationships with local suppliers. You’re often working with multiple suppliers, from caterers to equipment providers, and you need good relationships to make it work. Rural and regional people will go above and beyond but only with mutual respect and shared values. We prioritise using local suppliers for our events wherever possible. We have great contacts across the country and we’ve relied on these exceptional businesses for their network of contacts, to turn things around quickly and go above and beyond. We can’t stress enough the value of good relationships to make this happen.

2. Chat with the locals

We have a network across the country and nothing beats a quick chat with a local before planning an event. Local knowledge is invaluable: where is the most popular place in town, what’s the best coffee van, which entry will the locals naturally come to, what sports are on in town the same weekend, where’s the best location for foot traffic, which pub serves the best meals? These insights can help avoid issues. There’s no point putting on a great community event if the local footy finals are on at the same time. Not only will this reduce the attendance at your event, but the motels might be booked out, the food suppliers already locked in somewhere else, and the restaurants packed.

3. Know the season

Understand what is happening in the region when your event is taking place. Is it harvest season? Will everyone be busy trying to get their crop off? Is it summer holidays and everyone is at the coast? Is it the annual Country Music Festival and everything is booked out years in advance? Knowing the local calendar can help you choose the best time for your event and avoid conflicts with other important community events.

4. Think outside the box

Being in the unique position of living and working in rural and regional Australia ourselves, our team bring their first-hand experience when organising events. Nothing is too big or small and it’s important to think outside the box. One event comes to mind where we needed to have catering delivered to a small locality an hour from the rural town at the last minute. Our quick-thinking team got in touch with the local café who put boxes of food on the school bus for delivery at the hall when they dropped kids off - a bit of creative thinking and understanding how rural communities think and operate is essential.

5. Book your suppliers early

Rural and regional towns sometimes have limited access to suppliers. There may only be one coffee van, one caterer who can support a large event, one hire company for the portaloos. Booking early will secure what you need, save money for the client as well as support the local businesses and economy.

6. Site Visits Are Essential

Organising the most memorable of events can all be for nothing if no-one has been to the chosen site or venue. No matter how many phone calls or emails you’ve exchanged about a venue, nothing beats an in-person site visit. Knowing how it’s laid out, its dimensions and any logistical issues is critical, and simply being told from afar about it is not enough.

7. Plan for all Weather!

In rural Australia, weather is always a wildcard. The driest of winter paddocks or sportsgrounds can quickly turn into a field of mud when that trickiest of event factors – the weather – turns unexpectedly, and you need to be prepared. We’ve delivered events, knee-deep in mud, but have prepared for that possibility and ensured everything has gone off without a hitch. Maybe a little damper, but a success nonetheless! Of course, a bit of good humour goes a long way in these situations as well, and a good risk management plan is essential when planning events in the country.

Why Seftons?

With more than 30 years in the business, we have an unparalleled network and trusted relationships across Australia. We have boots-on-the-ground experience (yes, sometimes they’re gumboots!) planning events in regional, rural and remote locations and we’d welcome the opportunity to work with you on an event opportunity you may be considering, or having coming up.