District Conference
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ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
 
Be inspired by the Magic of Rotary, through the stories told by our guest speakers, our showcase of projects, and your opportunity to connect with, and learn from, Rotary and Rotaract members and other conference attendees.
 
When & Where
 
28 - 30 MARCH 2025
Southport Sharks Event Centre
Cnr Olsen & Musgrave Avenues, Southport  QLD  4215
 
Pricing
 
  • Conference Entry - Sat & Sun ($140 *)

  • Welcome Cocktail Party - Fri ($40 *)

  • Masquerade Gala Dinner - Sat ($90 *)

 
*plus booking & processing fees
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PROGRAM OUTLINE
 
Below you will find an outline of the conference program.  Times are indicative and sessions may be subject to change.  All events will take place at the Southport Sharks Event Centre unless otherwise noted.
 
A Conference Entry Ticket is required to access the main conference sessions and includes lunch, morning & afternoon teas.  Separate tickets are required for the Cocktail Party & Gala Dinner, all of which can be purchased via the link above.  Participation in the Golf Day is via expression of interest (which can be selected when purchasing tickets) at a cost to be advised.  The Peace Pole Dedication (Fri) and Walks (Sat & Sun) are FREE EVENTS though we do ask for expressions of interest if you wish to participate in the walks.
 
 
Friday 28 March
 
6:45am - Governors Cup Golf Day
Parkwood Golf Club
Separate Event
 
TBC - Peace Pole Dedication
Griffith University (Details TBC)
FREE EVENT
 
3:00pm - Conference Registration
 
6:30pm - Welcome Cocktail Party
Separate Ticket Required ($40)
Saturday 29 March
 
7:00am - Local Walks
Purple Shirts
(Say No To DV & Australian Rotary Health)
FREE EVENT
 
7:45am - Conference Registration
 
9:00am - Conference Opening Session
 
10:30am - Morning Tea
 
11:00am - Speaker Session 1
 
12:30pm - Lunch
 
1:30pm - Speaker Session 2
 
3:30pm - Afternoon Tea
 
4:00pm - Business Session
 
5:30pm - Foundation Recognition Drinks
Invitation Only
 
6:30pm - Masquerade Gala Dinner
Separate Ticket Required ($90)
 
Sunday 30 March
 
7:00am - Local Walk
End Polio Now Shirts
FREE EVENT
 
9:00am - Speaker Session 4
 
10:00am - Morning Tea
 
10:30am - Conference Closing Session
 
1:00pm - Lunch
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GUEST SPEAKERS
 
We have a fabulous range of guest speakers across the Saturday & Sunday sessions.  Details about further presenters and topics are coming soon so stay tuned!
NAT COOK OAM
Nat Cook is a five-time Olympian in beach volleyball, winning Bronze in Atlanta (1996) and Gold in Sydney (2000).  She also won a Silver (1996) and Bronze (2003) at the beach volleyball World Championships.
 
A passionate athlete advocate, Nat has always been a champion of the transformational power of sport and the life lessons learnt pursuing your dreams.
 
Her trademark authenticity, energy and ease, combined with her success as both an elite athlete and influential business leader, make Nat a powerful motivational speaker and strategic sports and wellbeing advisor.
 
Serving as a Director of Brisbane 2032, Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee, and holding a position on the World Olympians Association Board, Nat is a firm believer in the Games' potential to create enduring legacies for individuals, businesses, and society as a whole.
 
She is also an author (Go Girl : An Inspiring Journey from Bronze to Gold), a founder of various groups including the Aussie Athletes Fund and SurfVolley, and supports a variety of charitable causes.
PETER GASH OAM
Peter Gash is the Managing Director of Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort and Seair Pacific.
 
Lady Elliot is a coral cay island located 80 kms north-east of Bundaberg, on the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef. In his early twenties, Peter discovered the island and its amazing beauty, both above and below the water.  In the mid 90's, Peter began flying guests to nearby Lady Elliot Island.  Peter, his family and two business partners took over the lease of the island in 2005 and has been operating the 150-bed eco resort since that time.
 
Peter's main motivation is Education and the Environment. Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort operates on a 'Four E's' Philosophy: To look after our Environment we need to be Efficient, Economically Sustainable and able to Educate Effectively.
 
In recognition of Peter's 30+ years in Queensland's dynamic tourism industry and his passion, dedication, and leadership in sustainable ecotourism, he was awarded the Marie Watson-Blake award for 'Outstanding Contribution by an Individual' in 2014 and an Order of Australia Medal in 2020 for his service to ecotourism and aviation.
 
Lady Elliot Island Eco Resort has been awarded multiple awards including the  Steve Irwin Award for Ecotourism in 2014, 2017, 2019, 2021 & 2022 and silver in the Australian Tourism Awards in Ecotourism in 2019. 
 
Although awards and recognition are wonderful accolades, Peter’s main personal mission is to "inspire & encourage other people, particularly the younger generation to follow their dreams to make a difference on the planet".
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ACCOMMODATION & LOCAL INFORMATION
Accommodation
 
The Mantra at Sharks is located right next to the venue but get in quick as there are limited rooms available.  As a special offer for conference attendees, Mantra is pleased to offer a special discount code, SSROT25, for 15% off the flexible daily rate - refer to this flyer for more details.
 
There are also plenty of other accommodation options around the Gold Coast which you can find on popular booking sites such as Booking.com, Wotif and Trivago.
 
Getting There
 
If you are driving, there is plenty of free parking available at Southport Sharks.  The venue is located on the corner of Olsen & Musgrave Avenues and you can find it on the map here.
 
The venue is also accessible via public transport -
 
  • G:Link (Tram) - the nearest Gold Coast Light Rail (G:Link) stop is Gold Coast University Hospital station, located approximately 800m walk away or you can also catch the bus (Route 714 or 719) from the station to the venue - see below  The G:Link comes from Helensvale in the north or Broadbeach in the south. 
     
  • Train - If travelling by train you can swap to the G:Link at Helensvale.
     
  • Bus - there are also two bus stops located right near the venue - either the Olsen Ave at Southport Lawn Cemetery stop (Route 714 & Route 719) or the Musgrave Ave, near Botanical Dr stop (Route 715).
 
Visit the Translink Journey Planner site to plan your journey.
 
General Tourist Information
 
The Gold Coast has a wide range of options for everyone including beaches, sub tropical rainforest, theme parks, outlet shopping, and much more. You can find out more at the Experience Gold Coast website.