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Nine meaningful group activities to meet with impact
November 11, 2023
Looking for team building ideas to enrich your next day meeting or multi-day conference, while making a social or environmental impact at the same time? Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) partner NatureBoss offers meaningful group activities with impact via their booking platform.
As part of your activity, NatureBoss will track and measure the environmental impact you have through your experience. They also plant 10 trees for every experience booked, courtesy of their partnership with One Tree Planted, and give the option of carbon offsetting your experience through their partnership with Carbon Neutral.
Here are nine activity ideas to consider for you 2024 meeting or conference in Melbourne or regional Victoria.
The Amazing Race and Cook Off Challenge
The Amazing Race and Cook-Off Challenge allows your group to experience the highlights of Victoria Street and Asian foods in this fun and unique team-building activity. This experience starts with an ‘Amazing Race’ activity, where teams will explore the local area around Victoria Street to find their secret ingredients. Next, teams will take place in the final cooking challenge, guided by a professional chef. The chef will then judge teams to award the most authentic, tasty and well-presented dish. The experience ends with all teams enjoying their prepared meals with a complimentary glass of soft drink, wine or beer.
Along with bragging rights, the winning team also gets to nominate one of NatureBoss’ chosen charities to receive a donation on their behalf.
Group size: 12-120
Location: Abbotsford
Length: 3 hours (approx)
Cost: $290 pp
A positive impact adventure
Make a positive difference and have fun while doing it.
This is a day full of incredible outdoor adventures intertwined with positive impact activities that empowers you to learn and participate in a multitude of giving back experiences.
A day full of adventure, learning and giving-back activities starts with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony. Throughout the day, participants will get the chance to swim with seals, go on a bushwalk, taste fresh farm-to-plate produce and travel via private boat to a deserted island. While doing all these amazing activities, you will also gain valuable skills and knowledge in the following areas:
Group size: max. 9pp
Location Pick-up: Melbourne CBD
Length: Full Day
Cost: from $125 pp
Charity-based scavenger hunt
Scavenger hunts are a great way to improve teamwork, create healthy competition, and see the sights. Get out of the office or conference centre for a team building activity that will not only excite and unite your team, but as you complete tasks and challenges, you will be donating to charities that support the preservation of native flora and fauna in Australia.
Tasks involve answering trivia, taking photos, shooting videos, and providing free form answers. This experience can also be customised with specific start/end points, content or company-related elements or branding.
The team with the most points at the end of the designated time frame is declared the winner. An on-site facilitator will score photo and video submissions, message teams throughout the event and conduct a presentation ceremony at your final location.
Group size: 8-1000
Location: Melbourne CBD (but can be tailored to suit any location)
Length: 2-2.5 hours
Cost: from $100pp (dependent upon group size, location and level of customisation)
Go on an Indigenous walk while protecting native bushland
Experience the Aboriginal history of the Birrarung (River of Mists - Yarra River) and the First Peoples of the Kulin Nation. Be taken on a walk with an Aboriginal guide to explore the culture, art and history of the local Indigenous people. The experience also provides the opportunity to listen and discuss with your guide their own experience as an Aboriginal person in Melbourne today and their perspective on Australia’s history.
Twenty per cent of the participant fees go directly to Bush Heritage Australia, a charity that partners with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to preserve landscapes and protect native flora and fauna species under threat across Australia.
Group size: 2-25
Location: Federation Square, Yarra River (location can be customised for other areas in Melbourne CBD)
Duration: 1-1.5 hour
Cost: from $95pp
Hold your meeting or conference lunch or dinner at an Indigenous restaurant
Located on the banks of Birrarung (the Yarra River), on the land of the Wurundjeri People, Big Esso is a restaurant and venue space run by the Indigenous hospitality group Mabu Mabu. Located in Federation Square, Big Esso’s outdoor Beer Garden can host up to 100 guests.
Their unique set menus and drinks include Indigenous ingredients and are inspired by the Torres Strait Islands and Australia’s tropical north. Their supply chain is as sustainable and socially driven as possible, and where they can, they source from First Nations, queer-led, women-led, and environmentally conscious producers who align with their ethos.
By hiring this venue you will be supporting the Indigenous community, all while experiencing Indigenous cooking.
Group size: up to 100
Location: Federation Square
Availability: 11am to 4pm (excluding Sat + Sun) / 6pm to late (excluding Fri + Sat)
Cost: Subject to group size and food/drink packages. Contact NatureBoss for more details.
Sustainable farm-to-plate venue space
Located at Rhyll on Phillip Island, Wild Food Farm and Cafe is a unique event space that embraces the natural surrounds.
Encouraging sustainability, the farm-to-plate menu utilises the amazing variety of native herbs, spices, fruits and berries that are grown on the ten-acre Wild Farm property.
Be guided around the property on a private tour, where you’ll learn from an expert about the concept of farm-to-plate, then relax in one of the unique event spaces, such as a farm-style cafe, or lush rainforest outdoor space. Wild Farm also provides catering options, based on their native farm-to-plate concept, and each attendee receives a small gift bag of native edible herbs and products.
Catering for groups ranging from 10-120, this unique space will suit many different types of functions, events or social gatherings.
Group Size: 10-100
Availability: Friday-Monday
Location: Rhyll, Phillip Island
Optional Add-ons: Photography, Videography, Carbon offsetting transportation
Cost: Subject to group size and food/drink packages. Contact NatureBoss for more details.
Koala conservation experience
Spend a day in the great outdoors in the Greater Geelong Region to enhance your company culture, demonstrate your commitment to sustainability, build your team and create a better future for koalas. The Koala Clancy Foundation is a unique Victorian koala charity with a proven record for koala habitat revegetation.
Spend the day planting trees, clearing invasive weed species, or sowing seeds. You will also be joined by a koala expert, who will give a talk about koala conservation.
Group size: 12-40
Locations: Greater Geelong Region, You Yangs Regional Park, Staughton Vale.
Duration: Full Day
Cost: $200-$300pp (depending on activity and group size)
Honeybee farm tour
Learn about the intriguing world of honeybees in a way that few get to experience: through the hands-on exploration of an active, living beehive. Led by a professional beekeeper, learn all about bees, their hives and the production of honey, before donning bee protective gear and getting up close and personal with the bees in their hive. After the tour, relax and enjoy a food platter with a selection of locally sourced ingredients.
Group size: 2-20
Location: Yarrambat (35 minutes outside of Melbourne)
Duration: 2 hours
Cost: $115pp
Please note: This experience is weather-dependent and will be postponed if the booked day is going to be below 18 degrees or has heavy rain or storms.
Koala and kangaroo conservation
Available as a half-day, full-day or sunset experience, come and see Australia’s most recognizable animals in their natural habitat. The experience is guided by a wildlife expert, where you will see and learn about free ranging wild koalas and Eastern-grey Kangaroos in a natural bush setting.
Food (morning tea for the half day, lunch for the full day, and platters and a drink for the sunset tour) and transportation to and from Melbourne is included. A talk on Indigenous culture and connection to Country from an Aboriginal speaker can also be included (additional fee applies).
Location: Serendip Sanctuary (1 hour from Melbourne CBD)
Group Size: 12-40
Duration: Half Day / Full Day
Cost: from $200pp (dependent upon tour length and group size)
Customise your group experience
Explore how NatureBoss can tailor their unique offerings to suit your specific needs and make your next event extraordinary. Schedule your consultation directly with NatureBoss and embark on a journey of unforgettable sustainable-focused experiences.
Final tip - Consider a CSR activity with Free to Feed
Free to Feed helps people to overcome barriers to social and economic inclusion in Australia through training, employment and social support and the delivery of shared food experiences. Using food as their language of love, Free to Feed host beautiful events in their Inner North Art Deco event space, run authentic and inspiring cooking experiences, and provide meaningful (and delicious!) catering - inviting you into their kitchens and hearts for a culinary journey around the world.
