Tjapukai redevelopment caters to events

Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park has begun hosting conferences with the opening of the Bundarra Cassowary Egg Theatre as part of its $12 million redevelopment.

Sales Executive Saskia Wrobluskie said the Australian Indigenous cultural experience just 15 minutes north of the Cairns Airport had long been a favourite gala dinner venue for conference and incentive groups, but now was even more versatile for the business events industry.

“The inaugural conference to be held in the Bundarra Cassowary Egg Theatre in March will be a professional development training day for health and community workers,” Mrs Wrobluskie said.

“Taking its name from the Djabugay word for cassowary, the theatre is a shaped like a cassowary egg as the bundarra is central to many of the stories of the Djabugay rainforest people who are the local traditional owners.

“This unique multi-purpose function room is capable of holding up to 150 guests for conference and cocktail functions or up to for 80 for exclusive gala dinners.

“It features in-house audiovisual equipment and modular staging which can be manipulated to suit individual client needs.”

Mrs Wrobluskie said another new events venue within Tjapukai, the Canopy Breezeway, was the setting for the December gala dinner of the 2014 World Indigenous Health and Domestic Violence Conference Group.

“Featuring soaring ceilings with hanging rainforest motifs, this central space overlooks the Tjapukai lake and its natural light makes it popular for breakfast meetings, catering to 200 seated or 300 standing,” she said.

“These new venues add a greater dimension to the event capabilities of Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park which include unique indoor and outdoor breakout venues, entertainment by world-class performers and catering featuring an innovative menu inspired by Indigenous flavours.

“The number of team building options also has increased with the introduction of traditional basket weaving and jewellery making to our existing activities of spear and boomerang throwing, didgeridoo lessons and identification of Indigenous bush tucker and medicines.

“The Tjapukai By Night Experience continues to be popular for welcome and farewell events with more than 250 guests because the spectacular fire-making ceremony, featuring a 12m fireball and Dreamtime performance, leaves a lasting impression on delegates.”

Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park will enter a dynamic new phase in its 28-year history when its $12 million revitalisation as Australia’s leading venue to experience Indigenous culture is unveiled in April.