Event Planners in Australia
A working guide to choosing event planners and management companies across every Australian capital. How they price, how they differ, what to put in your brief, and how the national marketplace looks today. Post one brief and compare proposals side by side, free for hosts.
Vetted Australian providers, by state
Types of event planner on EliteSource
Corporate event planners
End-to-end management of conferences, summits, AGMs and product launches. Own project plan, run-of-show, AV and supplier coordination.
Venue finders
Specialists who source the right venue for your event type, headcount and budget. Often free for hosts because venues pay commission.
Production companies
Stage, lighting, sound, video and content. The team that makes your keynote, awards or launch look and feel premium.
Event consultants
Strategic advisors who help shape the brief, the program design and the supplier shortlist before execution begins.
Conference organisers
PCO-style providers specialising in multi-day programs with registration, abstracts, sponsorship and exhibition management.
Team-building and retreat organisers
Day retreats, multi-day offsites and team-building experiences in capital cities and regional locations.
8-point framework for choosing an Australian event planner
Match the event type
A conference organiser is a different animal to a brand launch producer. Look for at least three recent references in your specific event type, not just generic events.
Match the scale
A team of two can deliver a 60-pax dinner brilliantly and fall over on a 600-pax conference. Match the provider's roster size and case study scale to your event.
Check the pricing model
Flat fee, percentage, day rate or per-delegate all change incentives. Ask for the model upfront and compare like for like across proposals.
Confirm what is included
Project management hours, on-site delivery, rehearsal time, post-event wrap and travel are all common scope gaps. Get inclusions in writing.
Test the AV depth
If your event has any keynote, awards or launch moment, AV will be the difference between premium and amateur. Confirm whether AV is in-house, partnered or sub-contracted.
Stress-test contingency
Ask what happens if the speaker is late, the venue floods, the catering team is short. Strong planners have clear, rehearsed answers.
Check the commercials
Deposit, milestone, cancellation and force majeure terms vary. Avoid 100% upfront and 0% refund clauses; standard is 25-50% deposit with milestone billing.
Verify insurance and references
Public liability AUD $20m minimum, professional indemnity AUD $5m. Ask for two recent client references you can actually call.
How Australian event planners charge
Six common pricing models you will encounter when comparing proposals. Confirm which model each provider uses up front so you can compare apples with apples.
Flat project fee
Single agreed fee for the full scope. Typical range AUD $3,000 to $50,000+ for a corporate event. Best when scope is clear and stable; gives the host budget certainty.
Percentage of total spend
10 to 20% of total event spend, billed on invoiced suppliers. Best for larger productions where scope evolves; aligns provider incentive with budget execution.
Day rate
AUD $1,200 to $2,500 per planner per day plus disbursements. Best for advisory work, smaller events or augmenting an in-house team.
Per-delegate fee
AUD $40 to $150 per attendee depending on event type and scope. Common for conferences where the scale of delivery scales with headcount.
Hybrid
A blended model, e.g. flat fee for planning plus per-delegate for delivery. Common for multi-city or multi-event programs.
No fee / commission
Venue finders often charge the host nothing because venues pay finders a commission. Confirm the model so you understand provider incentives.
Event planners by Australian city
Sydney
Harbour venues, ICC Sydney and Barangaroo lead the premium category. Hunter Valley owns the offsite market.
View Sydney guide ›Melbourne
MCEC anchors conferences; Crown and Southbank own awards. Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula cover retreats.
View Melbourne guide ›Brisbane
BCEC and South Bank handle conferences; Howard Smith Wharves leads dinners. Sunshine Coast hinterland covers retreats.
View Brisbane guide ›Perth
PCEC and Crown Burswood anchor the high end. Margaret River and Rottnest absorb multi-night offsites.
View Perth guide ›Common questions about event planners in Australia
What does an event planner do in Australia?
An Australian event planner manages the logistics of your event end to end. That includes venue sourcing, supplier coordination, catering, AV, run-of-show, on-the-day delivery and post-event wrap. Corporate planners typically own the project plan; production companies own the stage and content build; venue finders specialise in one element of the supply chain.
How much do event planners charge in Australia?
Planners use four common pricing models: flat project fee (AUD $3k to $50k+ depending on scope), percentage of total spend (10 to 20%), day rate (AUD $1,200 to $2,500 per planner per day), or per-delegate fee (AUD $40 to $150 per attendee). Venue finders are often free for hosts because venues pay commission.
What is the difference between an event planner and an event manager?
In Australia the terms are often used interchangeably. In practice, planners lead strategy, design and supplier selection, while managers handle delivery, run-of-show and on-site coordination. Most full-service companies offer both as a single engagement.
Do Australian event planners cover interstate or multi-city events?
Yes. Larger event companies run national programs and dispatch on-site teams to each city. For multi-city activations (e.g. a roadshow across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth), expect a lead PM in one city plus local producers in each capital. Confirm travel costs and local supplier sourcing in the brief.
Is GST included in event planner quotes?
By Australian convention, B2B quotes are usually shown ex-GST. State your preference in the brief (ex or inc GST) so quotes are directly comparable. All registered providers add 10% GST on invoicing.
What insurance should an event planner carry?
Standard cover is public liability (AUD $20m), professional indemnity (AUD $5m+), and workers compensation. Larger productions add product liability for equipment and contractors all-risks for installation. Ask for certificates of currency before contract execution.
How do I choose the right event planner for my event?
Look for relevant event-type experience (conferences vs galas vs launches), recent references in your industry, transparent pricing model, clear scope inclusions and exclusions, and evidence of contingency planning. Post your brief on EliteSource to compare planners side by side on approach and price instead of cold-calling individually.
Is EliteSource free to use for event hosts in Australia?
Yes. Posting a brief, receiving quotes, comparing proposals and confirming a provider is always free for hosts. EliteSource earns from provider subscriptions, not transactions, so there is no commission added to your quotes.
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