Sergeants' Mess Reader Event 28/10/09

Sergeants' Mess:

Sparkling waterfront venue puts on a night to remember

On the night of the 28th of October, 150 PAs from Australia's top corporations gathered at Sergeants' Mess in Sydney's Chowder Bay. Following a much anticipated opening in September, Executive PA Magazine was delighted to partner with Sergeants Mess to showcase what is undoubtedly one of the most impressive venues to hit the Sydney events scene in some time.

Guests were whisked across to the venue at the end of the working day by Rosman Ferries and H2O Water Taxis on a majestic 15 minute trip across the harbour from Circular Quay. The excited PAs were welcomed at the dedicated wharf with a tray of refreshments, held by the friendly Sergeants' Mess staff, while taking in the spectacular afternoon views of Chowder Bay. Upon arriving at the venue, nestled between Sydney's spectacular harbour and national park, audible gasps were heard as guests took in the stunning décor set off by the magnificent 180-degree harbour vista.

The event was held in the main dining room, but PAs immediately spread out to admire all aspects of the venue including the bar area, huge wrap-around deck and downstairs Sergeants' Major Room '- perfect for holding board meetings and smaller corporate events.

Guests enjoyed the sweet sounds of the live band, Smooth Groove, while sipping on Mezzanine wines and enjoying the venue's break-through 100 mile canapé menu '- where all ingredients were sourced from within 100 miles of the venue in order to minimise the food miles travelled from 'farm to fork'. As explained by Sergeants' Mess' Group Sales & Marketing Manager, Holly Orsman Smith, 'Nature has been good to us, so we see it as our responsibility to be good to nature. The 100 mile menu is just one of the initiatives we have in place to reduce the environmental impact of our venue, in addition to solar heated hot water, a state of the art 'green' kitchen, rain water tanks and low wattage lighting.'

Guests were also enlightened by Matthew Perry from environmental consultancy, Republic of Everyone, who provided 10 top tips in 10 minutes to help attendees make their next event more environmentally responsible. The night culminated with a number of exciting prize giveaways, including a Mukti Botanicals and Inika Cosmetics chemical-free skincare and makeup pack, a Champagne High Tea for four at the Tea Room QVB and yards of Hillier's chocolates! Topping that, each guest was presented with a goodie bag before boarding the ferry back to Circular Quay to thank them for their attendance.

The overwhelming RSVP response from Executive PA readers was complemented with phenomenal guest feedback on the night. Belinda Lane-Weate from Westpac Banking Corporation called the night 'a wonderful experience'. Continuing she commented: 'The venue, the food and the staff were all delightful and I would definitely rate Sergeants' Mess high on my list for conferencing and events.'

Holly says the Sergeants' Mess team was delighted to be able to finally showcase the venue after so many months of planning, building and preparation. 'We were thrilled to have such well respected members of the Sydney EA community in attendance. Thankfully Sydney put on a perfect spring night and allowed the venue to truly sparkle and showcase itself as the perfect place to hold any number of corporate events' - from smart board meetings for 20, to festive Christmas parties for 300,' she said.

Roberta Hardy from SBS Corporation summed up the attendees' sentiments perfectly: 'I was one of the lucky EAs to be able to attend this event and experience this amazing venue and hospitality which was out of the box! Sergeants' Mess has to be the number one spot in Sydney for all sorts of functions. I'll definitely be spreading the word.'

For more information visit www.sergeantsmess.com.au or call (02) 8978 9200