750 registrations. 94 exhibition booths. 100 secondary students.
Three days of conference sessions, site tours, networking and events across the Gold Coast.

The 2026 Institute of Quarrying Australia (IQA) National Conference was its biggest yet, bringing the quarrying sector together on the Gold Coast under the theme Building the Future Today.

Behind an event of this scale is an enormous amount of planning, collaboration and coordination.

Working closely with the IQA planning committee, Ros Chillingworth and the Orbit World Travel Groups & Events team helped bring together the many moving parts of the national conference, creating a programme that extended well beyond the conference room.

More than a conference

Q26 brought together delegates from across Australia’s quarrying and essential construction materials sector for three days of professional development, industry discussion, networking and experiences.

The event began with two technical site tour sessions at Wolffdene Quarry, giving delegates the opportunity to step inside a working quarry and experience the operations, equipment and technical expertise behind the sector first-hand.

That evening, attendees came together for the Hitachi Welcome Reception, before the conference programme commenced at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Across the following days, all conference sessions were held at the Convention Centre, with speakers and industry leaders exploring topics spanning the economic outlook, Brisbane 2032, safety and regulation, workforce development, risk, engineering, technology, simulation and artificial intelligence.

Bringing hundreds of delegates together

With 750 registrations and 94 exhibition booths, Q26 was IQA’s largest National Conference to date.

Delivering an event on that scale meant coordinating a substantial delegate experience alongside an extensive trade exhibition, speaker programme, networking opportunities and social events.

Accommodation options and preferential delegate rates were arranged across nearby Gold Coast properties, while registration catered for individual delegates, groups, sponsors, exhibitors and accompanying partners.

Throughout the planning and delivery, Ros and the Orbit Groups & Events team worked alongside the IQA planning committee and event stakeholders to help keep the many elements of the programme moving together.

It is a collaborative approach that is particularly important for large conferences, where internal committees, venues, sponsors, exhibitors, suppliers and external partners all have different requirements, deadlines and responsibilities.

Creating experiences beyond the conference floor

While the conference programme was centred at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Q26 extended beyond the venue through a series of experiences designed to connect delegates and showcase the destination.

On day two, accompanying partners headed south for a dedicated Partners Day, travelling to Byron Bay for a programme incorporating Cape Byron Lighthouse, time in Byron Bay and lunch at The Farm.

That evening, delegates came together at The Star Gold Coast for the Komatsu Conference Dinner and 2026 IQA Awards, recognising excellence and leadership across the quarrying sector alongside entertainment and a Formula 1 theme.

Then, following the final day of conference sessions at the Convention Centre, it was time for one last experience.

Delegates were transported to Warner Bros. Movie World for the Caterpillar Finale Dinner, bringing the three-day conference to a close with a memorable final night.

Managing a programme across multiple venues and experiences requires careful coordination of transport, timings, suppliers, guest movements and contingency planning, while ensuring the experience remains seamless for delegates.

Bringing the next generation into the conversation

Q26 also looked beyond today’s industry.

The That’s Solid Careers Day welcomed 100 Year 10 to 12 students, giving young people the opportunity to discover the breadth of careers available across the sector and connect with the people and businesses behind them.

It introduced another audience and another dimension to an already extensive conference programme, while supporting IQA’s broader objective of developing the future workforce of the industry.

Collaboration behind the scenes

For Orbit, successful event management is as much about collaboration as logistics.

Working as part of the IQA planning committee meant understanding the organisation’s objectives, working alongside its internal team and coordinating with the numerous venues, suppliers, sponsors and stakeholders involved in bringing Q26 to life.

From the months of preparation through to on-the-ground delivery, it required attention to detail, flexibility and close communication across every stage.

Following the conference, the team received this feedback:

“Thank you so much for your support of our IQA 2026 National Conference. We very much appreciated your professionalism and energy throughout.”

The result was three days that brought together 750 registrations, 94 exhibition booths and 100 students, alongside technical tours, industry discussions, networking, awards and memorable events across the Gold Coast.

It is a strong example of what Orbit World Travel’s Groups & Events team can bring to a complex event: experienced planning, hands-on delivery and the ability to work as an extension of a client’s own team.

Planning a conference or corporate event?

From conferences and exhibitions to group travel, gala dinners and bespoke experiences, Orbit World Travel’s Groups & Events team works alongside clients to manage the details that bring an event together.

Speak with your Orbit World Travel Client Partnerships Manager or contact our team to discuss your next event.