Planner guide

Planning a two-day team retreat within 2 hours of Sydney or Melbourne: a planner’s checklist

Updated 20 October 2026 · 9 min read

This checklist covers a two-day, one-night offsite for 10 to 60 people, leaving from Sydney or Melbourne. Use it to brief your venue shortlist and to get a budget signed off.

Lead times

These are the lead times we suggest. They are planning advice, not industry data.

When	What to do
12 to 16 weeks out	Agree the goal, headcount range, dates and a budget ceiling. Send a brief to three to five venues.
10 to 12 weeks	Compare written quotes. Hold one venue on a provisional booking. Ask how long the hold lasts.
8 weeks	Sign the contract and pay the deposit. Book the coach if you need one.
4 to 6 weeks	Send the agenda to the venue. Collect dietary and access needs from every attendee.
2 weeks	Confirm final numbers in writing. Check the date your numbers lock in the contract.
Week of	Run the final-week checklist below.

Under eight weeks is workable for small groups midweek. Expect fewer options and less room to negotiate.

Pick a drive time, then a region

On 20 October 2026 our directory had 73 active venues within an estimated 2 hours of the Sydney CBD and 53 within 2 hours of the Melbourne CBD. Our drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, so check the real route and Friday traffic before you commit.

From	Region	Estimated drive	Trade-off
Sydney	Central Coast	40 min to 1 hr 10	Shortest trip out of the city. Fewer large venues.
Sydney	Blue Mountains	About 1 hr 15 to 2 hr	Train access to most towns. Cooler than Sydney, so plan indoor sessions in winter.
Sydney	Southern Highlands	About 1 hr 15 to 2 hr	Country houses and estates. Good for exclusive use.
Sydney	Hunter Valley	About 2 hr	The most venues of any region near Sydney. Ask about weekend minimum stays.
Sydney	South Coast	45 min to 2 hr	Coast and bush. Spread out, so plan transfers.
Melbourne	Yarra Valley & Dandenongs	30 min to 1 hr 15	Closest country option. Easy for a one-day add-on.
Melbourne	Mornington Peninsula	About 1 hr	Many small and mid-size venues. Ask about summer weekend minimums.
Melbourne	Macedon Ranges	About 1 hr	Quiet estates, close to the airport side of the city.
Melbourne	Geelong & Bellarine	45 min to 1 hr 15	Train to Geelong. Larger venues for 80 or more.
Melbourne	Daylesford & Goldfields	About 1 hr 30	Further out, so people stay focused. Plan for one long drive.

A simple rule: if the agenda starts before 11 am on day one, keep the drive under 90 minutes. A 2-hour drive works when you start after lunch.

Budget worksheet

Venue rates change by season, day of the week and group size, so we don’t quote prices. Ask each venue to price the same lines so you can compare like for like.

Line	How it is usually priced	Ask
Day delegate package	Per person per day	What’s included: room hire, AV, morning and afternoon tea, lunch?
Accommodation	Per room per night	Single or twin share? Is breakfast included?
Dinner	Per person	Set menu or share plates? Drinks package or on consumption?
Exclusive use	Flat fee or minimum spend	What counts towards the minimum? What happens if you fall short?
Transport	Per coach, per day	Waiting time and return trip included?
Facilitator or activity	Per session	Who supplies materials and equipment?
Contingency	Your choice	Hold back 10% for late additions and extra AV.

To compare quotes, work out a cost per person for the whole retreat: add every line, then divide by confirmed attendees. Our listings show a price band from $ to $$$$ where the venue has given us one. Use it to narrow the list, then get written quotes.

Check fringe benefits tax early

Food, drink, accommodation and activities you give staff at a retreat can be fringe benefits. Talk to your accountant before the budget is final. Some points from the ATO:

The FBT rate is 47% for FBT years ending 31 March 2023 to 2027.
A benefit under $300 can be exempt as a minor benefit, if it would be unreasonable to treat it as a fringe benefit. Connected benefits, like a meal, a night’s accommodation and taxi travel, are tested separately against the $300 but their total is still considered.
A benefit the employee could have claimed as an income tax deduction, such as a training seminar, can reduce or remove FBT under the ‘otherwise deductible’ rule.

Keep the agenda and attendance records. They show the work content of the retreat if you need them later.

What to ask every venue

Send the same questions to every venue on your shortlist. Ask for the answers in writing.

Exclusive use

Can we book the whole venue for our dates? Is there a minimum spend or minimum room count?
Will any other groups or public guests be on site?

Rooms and AV

What is the main room’s capacity in our layout: boardroom, U-shape or cabaret?
Is there natural light and can the room be blacked out for screens?
How many breakout spaces are there, and are they included?
Screen size, number of mics, video-call kit and a tested HDMI or USB-C connection?
Wi-Fi speed under load for our group, and is there a backup?

Food and dietary needs

Which dietary and allergy needs can the kitchen cater for, and is there a surcharge?
How are allergy meals labelled and served?
Can lunch be served in or next to the meeting room to save time?

Money and contract

Deposit amount and due date. When is the balance due?
The cancellation scale: what do we pay at 90, 60, 30 and 14 days?
When do our numbers lock, and can we reduce them after that?
What happens if the venue can’t host us, for example after a storm or a power outage?
Are there surcharges for public holidays, Sundays or late finishes?

Access

Step-free access to the meeting room, dining and at least one bedroom?
Parking for cars and a coach, and how far from the door?

Sample two-day agenda

This is a template. Adjust the start time to the drive.

Time	Day 1	Day 2
8:00	Depart the city	Breakfast, optional walk
9:00		Session 3: decisions and owners
10:00	Arrive, coffee, check in bags
10:30	Session 1: where we are, what we must decide	Morning tea
11:00		Session 4: plan for the next 90 days
12:30	Lunch	Lunch, check out
1:30	Session 2: breakout groups on two or three problems	Wrap-up: actions, owners, dates
3:00	Afternoon tea	Depart
3:30	Groups report back
5:00	Free time or a team activity on site
7:00	Dinner

Two things make the biggest difference: send pre-reading a week ahead, and end day two with written actions that have a name and a date next to each one.

Final-week checklist

Final numbers, rooming list and dietary list sent to the venue
Run sheet shared with the venue contact and your facilitator
AV test booked for arrival, with a spare adapter and clicker
Transport times and pick-up points sent to attendees
Emergency contacts and the venue address sent to attendees
Name of the venue’s on-the-day contact and their mobile
Printed agenda and materials packed

Ready to compare venues? Venues near Sydney and venues near Melbourne list every option by drive time. Or send one brief to up to five venues at once.

Venues mentioned: Bells at Killcare, Kalinya Estate, Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains, Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley, Lancemore Macedon Ranges and The Oxley Estate.