Exhibiting in Australia

Your Guide to Exhibiting in Australia

Like most developed and developing countries around the globe, major investment in conference and exhibition center’s has sky rocketed. In Australia, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide have seen major construction work over the past five years as the Government look to attract convention dollars into their back-yard. This is made even more competitive in Australia as international delegates are more likely than not adding a post or pre-conference tour into their itinerary and it is the business vacation dollar that local convention bureaus are chasing heavily.

So with more and more ‘added value’ being created by convention bureaus to bring international conferences to Australia, what does this mean for international exhibitors, agencies and stand builders bringing their brand onto the exhibition floor in Australia? From our experience managing international clients, one of the hardest aspects to exhibiting in Australia is the AUSSIE JARGON! Based on our clients’ frequently asked questions, we thought it was valuable to list all the common exhibition-phrases and unravel the meanings.

Tag & Test – all electrical equipment must have a compliant tag to say that it has been tested to meet Australian electrical code of practice standards.

Safety Vest – a high-visibility vest must be worn by all staff during the move-in and set-up period and again during bump out. This is to comply with Australia’s strict safety policy. Likewise, open shoes such as sandals and thongs are not permitted, shoes must be enclosed.

OH&S – Occupational Health & Safety. There are strict guidelines around setting up and the removal of displays in Australia. To ensure you safely dispose of any unwanted signage or stand assets, you must liaise with the Exhibition organiser or builder to arrange for safe disposal.

Induction – some venues in Australia require all contracting staff, those involved with building and removing exhibits are inducted into their venue. This is normally a short test conducted via an online portal to ensure staff working onsite are familiar with such topics as Fire Evacuation Points, Material Handling, Working on Ladders and safe electrical work.

Carpet Tiles – mostly all carpet that is laid by an official show contractor is a 1m x 1m (1sqm) carpet tile. So yes, if a venue has 15,000sqm of space then the official show contractor will be lasting 15,000 carpet tiles. This is generally the first item installed and the last to be removed. Click here to browse carpet tile options.

Shell Scheme – This tends to be a pre-built booth for smaller exhibitors and the most common size is a 3×3 (9sqm) or 6×3 (18sqm). Generally this includes walling, a nameboard sign across the front of the booth, lighting, carpet and can also include a power point and a basic furniture package. Click here to learn more about Shell Scheme options.

Space Only – Is literally an area of space on the show floor with no inclusions. This is then up to the Exhibitor to provide their own build on this space allowing for a custom designed stand.

Cartage – a term used by Australian suppliers that is a fee for delivery and removal of items or build. It can also be used as a labour charge as well.

$(AUD) – most quotes you receive from an Australian supplier will be in Australian Dollars, not American. The practice of quoting American Dollars in Australia is very rare.

Contractor Pass – not generally used in Australia, the more relevant pass is notification that you have passed the online induction for the venue you are working in.

Move In or Bump In – the term used for the period prior to show open, when exhibits are being set-up and built. In general this period is quite short in Australia with a 2-3 or even a 1 day timeline. Any Custom design needs to take into account that it has to be built in a very short period.

Bump Out – Obviously, bump out is the period of dismantle. Again, it’s a very short timeframe to carefully take down the exhibition displays and transport back to our warehouse.

Moreton Hire has offices around the world in order to deliver seamlessly for our customers. If you are looking to connect with the Australian market and prefer to liaise with an Account Manager within a similar time-zone, get in touch with Moreton Hire and we can direct your project to a team in your region. Explore our office locations.

Alternatively, if you are based in Australia and looking to exhibit overseas, Moreton Hire teams or partners can assit to deliver your exhibition or event. Contact the team now!