The Tops Conference Centre
The Tops Conference Centre
If Long Point Conference Centre isn’t available on the dates required by your group, then The Tops Conference Centre is one of several alternative venues which may be available.
The Tops Conference Centre is located south of Sydney in the Stanwell Park region. Stanwell Park is a coastal village and northern suburb of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The Tops caters for school camps, church events, corporate conferences and other events.
School camps are run for groups ranging from year 3 through to year 11. The Tops gives the option of planning and running the entire program, meaning less preparation work for the school’s teachers. Alternatively, if the school has its own program, The Tops can supply instructors for outdoor education activities in addition to this. Their programs allow students to learn from their experiences and this can be linked to key learning outcomes. The Tops also runs specialist camps for schools.
Church groups are well catered for by The Tops. It is a Christian venue and aims to assist churches in organising their camps and conferences. They help leaders to plan their events to ensure they can fulfil their purpose.
The Tops can also be used for corporate conferences, ranging from one day seminars to weekend retreats or other longer events. Facilities are available for large or small group meetings and the recreation and adventure facilities can also be used.
Below is more detailed information about The Tops Conference Centre.
Accommodation for Various Groups
The Tops has accommodation for any size group up to 575 guests, in a total of 8 buildings. The buildings vary in size and can be booked individually or in combination.
There are 5 main buildings, the largest of which (Waratah) can accommodate up to 159 people. Most of the rooms in these main buildings have en suites and sleep up to 6 people. Each of these buildings also contains 2 or 3 meeting rooms. These buildings have a minimum number requirement for bookings. The minimum number for the smallest of them (Boronia) is 35. In addition, 3 self-contained cottages can sleep 8 to 18 people in 4 or 5 rooms.
The rooms are spacious and all are heated. The Tops Conference Centre uses various combinations of single and double beds and bunks. There are leaders’ rooms and family rooms. For example, each room in Boronia has a double bed and space for families. This building also has a leaders’ lounge area. Grevillea’s main complex is fully air-conditioned and has a guest laundry.
Some of the rooms have wheelchair access. Guests are supplied with a doona and pillow, but need to bring their own bedding. However, a linen service is available for an additional cost.
Conference and Meeting Facilities
The Tops Conference Centre caters for small and large groups and has 15 meeting and conference rooms. The largest of these is the 700 square metre auditorium which seats up to 1000 people (depending on seat configuration). This can be booked as a single day booking or as part of an accommodation package.
All of the meeting and conference rooms come with Wi-Fi. The biggest ones are fitted with a data projector (2 in the auditorium) and all except the 1000-seat auditorium are air-conditioned. There are 5 conference rooms that seat more than 100 people and 4 of these are fitted with a stage. There is a lighting system in the two largest rooms. Most of the rooms have a TV and also a DVD player and a number also have a sound system.
The smallest meeting room, the Loft, seats 15 people and is available for small groups to meet. This room has a whiteboard, TV and DVD player. Meals and refreshments can also be served in this room.
The Tops website has a handy comparison table here showing which facilities are available in each meeting and conference room.
Outdoor Education, Adventure and Recreation Facilities
The Tops Conference Centre is set on 200 acres of bushland and facilitates a range of activities. The activities available range from recreational and relaxation to instructor led educational and adventure activities, for all types of groups.
There are plenty of facilities for recreation and relaxation activities at The Tops. There are two swimming pools on site (closed between ANZAC Day and Labour Day). Both the pools are salt water, and the one at Grevillea is exclusively for the use of Grevillea guests. There is a tennis court, a basketball court, volleyball court, table tennis and recreational ovals. Sports equipment is provided for guests. There are several playgrounds and a 6 metre climbing web. There is also opportunity to go for walks in the environmentally protected bushland, including to waterfalls and a scenic lookout.
Instructor led outdoor education activities are available for whatever purpose you may require, from team building and development or just to get an adrenalin surge. These must be booked in advance and require an acknowledgment of risk form to be filled in for each participant. The instructors are all fully trained and experienced.
Instructor led activities include abseiling (cliff or tower), archery, giant swing, leap of faith, Segway adventures and a high ropes course. Other options that may not be quite so high energy include kite making, bottle rockets, Kelly’s Falls walk and beach walks. Their website lists the full range of activities available with details about each one.
Catering Possibilities
The Tops Conference Centre can cater for your entire event and aims for excellence in catering. It also allows for self-catering.
There is a team of experienced chefs which prepares meals on site. The catering team can provide all meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner with dessert as well as morning and afternoon tea and supper. A sample standard menu is included on the website. Upgrades or meals for special events can be booked at an additional cost.
The venue aims to cater for any dietary requirements and has a nut-free policy for the benefit of those allergic to nuts, meaning no nuts or nut products are used in any food. They request at least 7 days’ notice of special dietary information such as allergies and intolerances. A form is provided on the website for all participants to specify their dietary requirements.
Distance from Sydney
The Tops is located about 57 kilometres or approximately one hour’s drive south of the Sydney CBD.
Getting there from Sydney is quite straightforward. Just follow the Princes Hwy to Helensburgh. Take the exit towards Lawrence Hargrave Dr/Helensburgh/Stanwell Park. Continue on Lawrence Hargrave Drive, take a slight right onto Stonehaven Road, then turn right onto Bendena Gardens and follow the signs to The Tops Conference Centre.
Comparison between The Tops and Long Point Conference Centre
| The Tops Conference Centre | Long Point Conference Centre | |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | Up to 575 guests | Up to 150 guests |
| On-site Facilities | 1000 seat auditorium 2 swimming pools Other sport and recreation facilities Instructor led activities | 200 seat auditorium Swimming pool Other sport and recreation facilities |
| Catering | Fully catered or self-catered | Fully catered or self-catered |
| Distance from Sydney | Approximately 1 hour | Up to 1 hour |
Local Attractions
There are several attractions within a short drive of The Tops that cater for a variety of interests and age groups.
Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh is less than 4 kilometres away (under 10 minutes).
This is a family owned and operated zoo. Here you can see a lot of different native Australian animals and a range of exotic animals including Sumatran tigers, red pandas and meerkats. You can interact with some of the animals as well as book “behind the scenes” experiences.
Symbio has a Splash Park for water play during the summer months.
Jamberoo Action Park is located approximately 1 hour’s drive south of The Tops (just over 60 kilometres).
This is a water park with a huge range of waterslides and attractions.
It is open throughout December and January, as well as on weekends and in school holidays from the end of September through to April.
The Royal National Park is about 29 kilometres or half an hour’s drive away.
It includes coastal cliffs, beaches and bushland with a variety of native wildlife including birds and whales (off the coast).
Here there are plenty of opportunities for bushwalking to waterfalls and lookouts, cycling, fishing, surfing and picnicking.
