Delivering a Flexible, Future-Ready Stage Engineering and Entertainment Infrastructure Solution
When Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre officially opened its doors in July 2026, it established a new benchmark for event and entertainment venues in regional Victoria. Positioned on Geelong’s waterfront, the state-of-the-art facility combines conference, exhibition and performance spaces under one roof, creating the largest and most versatile event destination in the region.
For The P.A. People, the project represented an opportunity to deliver one of the most comprehensive stage engineering and entertainment infrastructure packages undertaken outside a capital city, providing venue operators with the flexibility to transform spaces for everything from international conferences and trade exhibitions to gala dinners, concerts and theatrical productions.
The Challenge
Flexibility was at the heart of the Nyaal Banyul design brief.
The venue comprises a 1,000-seat theatre, two large exhibition halls, meeting rooms and a range of multi-purpose event spaces. Each area needed to support vastly different event formats while maintaining the technical capabilities expected of a world-class convention centre.
The solution required:
- Extensive motorised rigging infrastructure
- High-capacity truss and hoist systems
- Flexible drape and acoustic treatment systems
- Integrated stage lighting infrastructure
- Robust power and control networks
- Safe and intuitive operation for venue staff
Achieving this outcome required close collaboration between Built, Development Victoria, Plenary Conventions, the Victorian Convention and Event Trust (VCET), Woods Bagot and specialist contractors throughout the design and construction process.
The Solution
The P.A. People delivered the venue’s specialist theatre and stage engineering scope, supplying and installing integrated stage machinery, rigging systems, lighting infrastructure and venue-wide control solutions.
At completion, the installation included:
- 168 Moveket D8+ chain hoists
- More than 780 metres of truss
- 47 energy chain bins
- 43 Moveket MPC 4ID8 controllers
- More than 3,000m² of drapery
- 160m² of stage decking
- 10 motorised acoustic banners
- 660 power distribution circuits
- 7 LSC Unity lighting racks
- 2 stage lighting control racks
- 2 Moveket control systems
- 2 grandMA lighting consoles
Together, these systems provide venue operators with exceptional operational flexibility while maintaining high standards of safety, reliability and performance.
Wala Mirr Theatre: A Venue Designed for Transformation
The 1,000-seat theatre is designed to serve multiple event formats without compromising audience experience.
Retractable raked seating allows the venue to transition between theatre-style presentations, banquets, exhibitions and flat-floor events. Acoustic drapes can be deployed to reduce the room’s volume, creating a more intimate environment for smaller gatherings while maintaining acoustical performance.
Above the venue sits an extensive overhead rigging infrastructure that allows lighting, audio, video and staging equipment to be quickly reconfigured to suit each event.
Advanced Rigging Infrastructure
The Wala Mirr Theatre rigging system was divided into two primary zones:
- Plenary Stage
- Plenary Auditorium
Across these spaces, a combination of box truss, tri-truss and flat truss systems supports production lighting, audio systems, projector infrastructure and stage masking requirements.
The Plenary Auditorium area alone incorporates 11 motorised truss systems, each equipped with integrated cable management to support lighting, audiovisual and production services.
Chain hoists ranging from 500kg to 1,000kg capacity provide the lifting capability needed for complex production requirements while maintaining operational safety.
Intelligent Hoist Automation
At the heart of the rigging system is a comprehensive Moveket automation platform.
The P.A. People supplied and commissioned a total of 72 axes of hoist control in Wala Mirr Theatre controlled from a single Mokeket Basic C-II console with the KES motion software, and satellite control racks in a climate controlled rack room.
The system allows operators to manage both stage and auditorium rigging from any of four control locations throughout the venue, delivering flexibility during event setup and operation.
To further enhance safety and performance, motorised trusses are fitted with:
- Integrated load cells
- Position encoders
- Automated monitoring systems
- Dual brake D8+ chain hoists
These features provide real-time operational feedback and help to prevent overloading during lifting operations.
Acoustic Control for Every Event
One of the venue’s unique features is its motorised acoustic banner system.
Located throughout the Wala Mirr Theatre, ten motorised acoustic banners allow operators to actively modify room acoustics to suit different event types and audience sizes.
Each banner is individually controlled and can be raised or lowered to alter the room’s reverberation characteristics, providing enhanced speech intelligibility for conferences or a more reflective acoustic environment for live performances.
Professional Stage Package
To complement the venue’s fixed infrastructure, The P.A. People supplied a flexible stage rostra system.
The package includes:
- 80 modular stage decks
- 10 handrails
- 2 modular stair systems
- Integrated tread lighting
- Soft masking systems
- Storage trolleys
Unlike traditional fixed staging, the modular system can be assembled in multiple configurations and positioned anywhere within the venue, allowing operators to adapt the space to specific event requirements.
Delama Event Spaces Built for Multi-Purpose Events
The venue’s two exhibition halls provide more than 2,000 square metres of configurable event space.
Operable walls allow the halls to function either independently or as one large exhibition venue. To support this flexibility, The P.A. People designed and installed a substantial motorised rigging system capable of supporting a wide variety of event formats.
Motorised Truss System
The exhibition hall infrastructure incorporates:
- Ten perimeter truss sections
- Eight straight-span trusses
- Five rectangular feature truss systems
- Moveket D8+ chain hoists support each truss configuration, providing lifting capacities of up to 5 Tonne on a truss grid.
Integrated cable management systems simplify installation of temporary event lighting and production equipment while reducing setup times and improving operational efficiency.
The entire system can be controlled via the portable Moveket BASIC C-II controller located at six floor-level connection points throughout the halls.
As with the Wala Mirr Theatre installation, load monitoring technology is integrated into the primary truss systems to provide an additional layer of operational safety.
Delivering a Venue Ready for the Future
Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre demonstrates how thoughtful engineering can directly enhance venue flexibility, operational efficiency and visitor experience.
By combining advanced rigging automation, intelligent acoustic control, extensive lighting infrastructure and highly configurable staging systems, The P.A. People has delivered venue systems capable of supporting a diverse range of events for decades to come.
As Geelong’s premier convention and events destination begins welcoming national and international visitors, the technical infrastructure behind the scenes ensures every event can be delivered safely, efficiently and with world-class production capability.
Project Snapshot
Client: Development Victoria / Plenary Conventions
Builder: Built
Architect: Woods Bagot
Venue Operator: Victorian Convention and Event Trust
Location: Geelong, Victoria
About The P.A. People:
The P.A. People is an independent, Australian-owned specialist integrator and contractor in venue engineering, sound reinforcement, audio visual systems and performance lighting, and production communications. Over its more than 50-year history the company has developed a reputation as a leader in these fields, understanding the rigours of working in a design construct environment and working with other trades and services to ensure delivery of a fully integrated package.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
Jodie Steele
Ph: 0427 193 920
jodie.steele@papeople.com.au
www.papeople.com.au