Exhibitors planning to use helium balloons as part of their stand display are required to obtain approval from the Organiser and ensure they are securely tethered to their stand at all times. There is a minimum charge of $1,000.00 AUD to retrieve used balloons from the Venue Exhibition Hall roof.

Please note there is no longer a Business Centre at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Printing is available via the Customer Service Desks located either in the Exhibition or Convention Centre, however please note that charges may apply.

A kiosk is located inside the Exhibition Hall. Alternatively, a range of light meals, snacks and refreshments are available at the Goldfields Café which is located near Convention Centre Place Entrance (to the right of the Customer Service Desk).

For Exhibitors wishing to display vehicles powered by flammable liquid and/or gas at the Event, the following guidelines must be adhered to in order to comply with Venue Health & Safety regulations:

In the interests of public safety and security, exhibitors planning to include a vehicle in their licensed space are requested to comply with the following:

• Place a drip tray underneath vehicle.
• Ensure the motor vehicle fuel filler cap must be sealed or secured to prevent easy removal of the fuel cap by unauthorised persons. Under no circumstances is fuel to be decanted or vehicles to be filled on the loading dock or inside the venue.
• For vehicles fuelled by petrol, the fuel tank must not be more than ¼ full.
• For vehicles fuelled by ethanol, methanol or nitro methane, the fuel tanks must be completely empty/purged.
• Motor vehicles powered by flammable gas (e.g., LPG, CNG) may be displayed provided systems are fitted in accordance with relevant Australian Standards for gas fuel systems in motor vehicles.
• Provide contact details for the person/s delivering and collecting the vehicles.
• When vehicles are displayed on MCEC carpet flooring, protective carpet or boards are required to be placed under tyres.
• Do not leave keys with the vehicle; keys to be left with event client or provided to venue security in case of emergency.

The number of fire extinguishers required is dependent on the number of vehicles and whether they are grouped together in clusters or displayed separately. These extinguishers can be hired from fire safety equipment suppliers.

The display of EVs (electric vehicles) is permitted in the venue. The following must be adhered to when displaying EVs in the venue.

• Charging of EVs is not permitted within any area of the venue.
• For EVs displayed at events, ensure they have a low state of charge (SOC), ideally below 50%, to minimise energy and reduce risks in case of a fault.
• Lithium Ion Battery (LIB) vehicles are required to be shipped below 30% SOC.
• EVs shall be staggered or spaced greater than 2m apart.
• EVs with LIBs subject to battery recall, have been in accidents or have known issues shall not be on display in the venue.
• A F500 Lithium-Ion fire extinguisher must be displayed with EV.
• A drip tray is not required for the display of EVs.
• Hybrid cars will also require a fire extinguisher and drip tray (as above).

All Exhibitors are encouraged to park in the Corner of Montague and Munro Streets Car Park, entry from Munro Street so that the parking available underneath the Venue can be utilised by Visitors attending the event. Please note that the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and its car parks are ‘gazetted’ areas with City of Melbourne parking infringements applying.

Alternatively, parking is available at the:

• South Wharf Retail Car Park
• Montague Street Car Park
• Freeway Car Park

Please refer to the MCEC website and/or Exhibitor Services Kit for further information. Alternatively, we can suggest Crown Casino car park as an option for parking onsite. Refer to the Crown Casino website for rate information.

You are not permitted to paint, nail, staple, screw or glue to any floor, ceiling or wall within the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. Plastic sheeting must be first placed on the floor where turf, woodchips etc. are used in your display. Material used in stand construction must not cause dampness, staining, be readily ignitable or be capable of emitting toxic fumes should ignition occur.

No childcare facilities are available at the Venue at any time.

Any person under the age of 15 years is prohibited from accessing Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Exhibition Halls during Move In and Move Out periods.

Persons under the age of 15 years are not permitted on the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Loading Docks without adult supervision at all times

Exhibitors are responsible for enhanced cleaning and disinfectant measures for their own stands. Exhibitors are required to supply hand sanitiser on their stands at all times as per venue requirements and face masks for staff should it be compulsory.  International Expo Group will not provide this.

Stand vacuuming will occur the night before the Expo. Any items placed in the aisles during Move In and during the Expo will be deemed as rubbish and removed. If you require additional cleaning refer to ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section of this Manual.

The Venue and Organiser will not accept delivery of any goods on behalf of Exhibitors, nor will there be any responsibility taken for the safety of any such items delivered to the Venue in the absence of the Exhibitor.

It is a legal requirement in Temporary Exhibition Work Sites that all electrical equipment be tested and tagged in accordance with SAA 300 Wiring Rules and Code of Practice for Temporary Installations under the OH&S Act 2000. Checks will be carried out to ensure all equipment onsite within the Venue meets with Australian Standards. Non-compliance will result in the Exhibitor being required to remove the equipment.

Any materials used for display purposes must conform to the following standards:

• Non-combustible material
• Inherently non-flammable material
• Flame-proof fabric
• Self-extinguishing plastic material
• Plywood, hardwood, pulpboard or fibre board rendered flame-resistant by a process of impregnation acceptable to the Venue authorities.

Flammable building material used for stand walls must be fire proofed. The use of readily flammable material in displays, such as crepe paper, corrugated cardboard, straw, untreated hessian, or PVC sheet (except on floors as a protective membrane) is strictly prohibited without the express approval of the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.

Sawdust, tan bark or wood chips of a reasonable size may be used to decorate floors, provided a protective membrane is laid first and chips are slightly moist at all times. Hay bales can only be used onsite if treated with fire retardant.

Please ensure that any potential risks are brought to MCEC and the Organiser’s attention and all firefighting equipment is visible and accessible to the public.

MCEC requires the following stands to implement extra fire safety measures:

• Fitting the requirements for certification by an engineer a roof area greater than 18sqm or wider than 3m in any direction;
• Raised floors of any height made of or containing combustible material; and
• Where pyrotechnics, smoke machines or flutter-fetti cannons are to be used.

In the event of any accident or emergency, please contact the Security Guards or the Organiser’s Office immediately.

The Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre offers Exhibitors a wide range of stand catering. Note: The Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre has sole catering rights to all food and beverage products. Unauthorised catering goods will not be accepted into the building and will be removed from the premises. A menu and beverage list are available from the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Exhibitor Services team, via the Stand Catering Guide or by contacting the centre on tel 03 9235 8110 or email exservices@mcec.com.au.
All orders must be finalised at least 7 business days prior to the event.

If you intend to give away samples of food or beverage, including items such as lollies, fruit and water, you require prior written approval from the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre and may also require a Melbourne City Council Permit to do so. Please note: breach of this policy may result in the removal of the offending sample items.

Please fill out the Food and beverage sampling /selling request form and return to the centre if you have any questions please contact the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Exhibitor Services team via exservices@mcec.com.au.

Due to Occupational Health & Safety Regulations, open-toe footwear is not permitted inside the Exhibition Halls during Move In and Move Out or on the Loading Dock at any time.

Goods Insurance

The Organiser does not have an insurance policy which covers Exhibitors’ goods. You are therefore advised to extend your Property Insurance Policy to cover loss of stock and display equipment due to theft or damage.

Public Liability Insurance

All Exhibitors must have Public Liability Insurance cover of at least $20 million AUD. In most cases, this can be achieved by extending your policy through your Insurance Broker. Alternatively, you can contact the Organiser to purchase appropriate cover. Unless pre-arranged the Organiser does not provide insurance coverage for Exhibitors.

If you wish to organise dedicated internet for your stand, please fill out the venue internet form or email the MCEC Exhibitor Services team on exservices@mcec.com.au.

MCEC have a free wireless service throughout the venue, that is shared between all visitors to the MCEC. It has a speed of 1mbps, and no download limit. However, you will need to sign in for this service every hour. This is suitable for basic web browsing, messages and email. MCEC do not recommend using this service if your booth activations depend on an internet connection, or you will need to download or stream content.

All of the Exhibitor Internet packages offered by MCEC are outlined in our Internet Form.

All orders must be finalised at least 7 business days prior to the event.

Access to the MEC Loading Dock is via Normanby Road (see Venue map). The Loading Dock is a one-way system. Enter from the Montague Street end of Normanby Road and exit at the Clarendon Street end. The Exhibition Centre has a vehicle checkpoint at the Dock entry to monitor access and ensure orderly unloading.

Neither the Organiser nor Venue Management accepts responsibility for any items delivered to the site in the absence of the Exhibitor, their Agent or Contractor. All deliveries are to be scheduled for the designated Move In/Out times only.

All vehicles entering the Venue Loading Dock will be issued with a thirty (30) minute unloading permit. Please advise Loading Dock staff if a longer time is required. Extended time for vehicles is at the discretion of the Exhibition Centre Security at the gate. Parking infringements will be issued by the City of Melbourne.

Limited meeting rooms are available onsite for use by Exhibitors. Please contact the Organiser or call in onsite to the Organiser’s Office to make bookings. It is strongly recommended that you book meeting rooms prior to the Expo.

All internal areas of the Venue are non-smoking.

The public-address system is for use by the Organiser for official announcements only. It is only available to Exhibitors or Visitors in the case of genuine emergencies.

• Trams
  • Trams running past the Venue include No. 112 from Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, No. 96 (light rail) from Acland Street, St Kilda and No. 109 from Beach Road, Port Melbourne. Use the tram stop at the Clarendon Street entrance to the Exhibition.
  • It is a short 3-minute walk from the trams on Flinders Street. Use tram No’s 48 and 75 along Spencer Street, turning into Flinders Street or the City Circle Loop (free) along Flinders, Spring, Latrobe and Spencer Streets.

• Trains
  • Southern Cross Railway Station is only a 10-minute walk from the Venue along Spencer Street.

• Taxis
  • Taxi drop off point is located at 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf. To arrange a taxi from the Event, tel 131 010 (Northern Suburban), 131 008 (Silver Top) or 132 227 (Black Cabs Combined).

All rigging at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre must be done through an accredited rigging company. Clifton Productions has been appointed as the rigger for the Show. Please contact Clifton Productions on email expo@cprig.com or phone 1300 254 386 to discuss your requirements and to obtain a quote.

Any items placed in the aisles during Move In, during the Expo as well as any items still remaining at the Venue once the Move Out has completed will be deemed as rubbish and removed.

A roaming Security Guard will be in attendance during Move In, Move Out and throughout the Expo. It is your responsibility during Event hours to have someone on your stand 30 minutes before opening and until all Visitors have left the building.

Under no circumstances should Exhibitors leave personal valuables on stands. Report any missing goods immediately to the Organiser’s Office.

Whilst Security Guards will be present during the Move Out, you should have a staff member on your stand to protect your goods. Pay particular attention to security of small valuable items, mobile phones, laptop computers etc.

Staff working on stands will not be admitted without presentation of their Exhibitor Badge to the door Security Guard. Exhibitors may enter 60 minutes prior to the Expo opening each day, or earlier with approval from the Organiser.

Early arrivals must stay on their stand and not wander around the Exhibition Hall.

All temporary structures built for Exhibitions must comply with the Building Code of Australia and all other statutory regulations current at the time of construction.

This includes areas pertaining to egress, height, fire safety and flammability ratings of materials. All stands must be designed and constructed in accordance with all relevant Australian Standards and obtain Venue Approval prior to the Event.

Stand Materials

• Must not cause dampness, stain or be readily ignitable
• Must not be capable of emitting toxic fumes should ignition occur
• Crepe paper, corrugated cardboard, straw, hay, untreated hessian, untreated material fabrics or PVC sheet (except on floors as a protective membrane) requires prior approval from the Venue
• Sawdust, tan bark or wood chips of reasonable size may be used to decorate floors, with the below considerations:
  • A protective membrane is laid first and chips are kept slightly moist at all times
  • A fire extinguisher must be provided by the Exhibitor and be placed in a prominent location on the stand
• Any fabric used in the construction or decoration of a stand, including the stand ceiling, must be treated with a fire retardant. The Venue will require proof of treatment
• Moving machinery or equipment likely to injure a member of the public or a swimming pool containing water, must be separated from the public by a physical barrier and supervised at all times
• Fountains, aquariums, spas, rock pools and swimming pools can be displayed, provided suitable provisions are made to prevent water leakage onto the floor
• No core drilling or fixing into any floor is permitted

Ensure trip or slip hazards are reduced and distinguishable from surrounding floor areas. For example, by using markings, contrasting edges, tactile surface indicators, non-slip materials, effective lighting.

To comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (S 23, 24), every stand must provide access for a person with a disability.

In the case of raised flooring between 6mm–190mm, access must be in accordance with AS1428 – Section 10.7 Walkways, Ramps and Landings/Kerb Ramps. Kerb ramps should have a maximum rise of 190mm, length no greater than 1520mm, a gradient no steeper than 1:8 and a slip resistant surface.

All raised flooring, ramps and stairs must be contained within the allocated stand space. The riser and going of steps must either comply with the requirements of AS1657 or the requirements of the National Construction Code of Australia.

Stand Visibility

• The Venue requires all stands to be open for visual inspection at all times
• No stands are to be covered or blocked by fabric or material at any time as this can be a fire safety hazard
• The MCEC will conduct regular stand visual safety inspections and need to be able to sight the stand build

Toilets are situated to the rear of the Exhibition Hall near the kiosks and also along the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre Concourse.

Exhibitors requiring compressed air and/or water to their stands must advise the venue via email exservices@mcec.com.au.

All orders must be finalised at least 7 business days prior to the event.

Please note all connections must be made by the venue licensed plumber. F. Wood & Son Plumbing, please contact them on tel 03 9416 6818 or email admin@fwoodplumbing.com.au for a quote.

Fittings

• Water

Cold water and waste systems are provided for use by Exhibitors with outlets in each of the primary floor pits. Water is provided at a flow rate of 0.3 L/s in each primary floor pit and a waste outlet with a discharge rate of 6 L/s is also provided. If water is required at a greater flow rate, the operator may connect to more than one service pit, i.e. use two or three hoses.

Exhibitors requiring hose connections for water will need to provide a pressure hose (domestic garden hoses are not permitted) and a (15mm) ½” female threaded BSP fitting. A drain with grate is provided in the primary service pits. To connect to waste disposal Exhibitors will require a 40mm diameter BSP female socket.

All waste water must be discharged into the appropriate waste outlet in the floor pit, in accordance with Melbourne Water By-Laws (Melbourne metro area) or discharged in accordance with local statutory laws.

• Compressed Air

To connect to compressed air supply, Exhibitors require a 15mm (½”) male connector to match a 15mm (½”) female outlet ball valve.

Compressed air is of normal industrial quality. Regulators, filters and lubricators are to be provided by the exhibitor as required. MCEC can provide 25L/s (normal air @ 02-3C, 7 Bar pressure) to any 5000 sqm exhibition space. Should a larger flow rate be required call the Exhibitor Services team on tel 03 9235 8110 two (2) weeks prior to the Show.

Please note all connections must be made by the venues approved plumber

F.Wood & Son Plumbing Pty Ltd

(03) 9459 6628

admin@fwoodplumbing.com.au