26/10/2026
We joined club leaders, industry partners and stakeholders for three days of networking, collaboration and valuable industry insights at the 2026 Your local club (ClubsNSW) Conference.
Deb & Kacey swapped the office for the Gold Coast to attend and flew the Beam flag in sunny QLD. The week kicked off at the Coast Turf Club for the ClubsNSW and Clubs Queensland Race Day, bringing together approximately 800 conference delegates. It was a fantastic opportunity to catch up with existing Beam clients, reconnect with industry contacts and meet representatives from clubs across NSW. Not a bad way to start a conference!
They also attended "Ch*****ne & Connections", a ladies networking event bringing together women from across the clubs industry. Hosted by Clubs NSW Board Chair Sallianne Faulkner, the event posed a thought-provoking question: "What advice would you give your younger self?" The responses were collected and transformed into a digital artwork, creating a great opportunity to share experiences, reflect and celebrate the women making a difference across the industry.
The main conference followed on Thursday and Friday, with an impressive program exploring everything from governance, gaming reform and anti-money laundering obligations to artificial intelligence, leadership, sustainability and economic trends.
There were plenty of highlights, including Jason Clarke challenging attendees to move beyond "best practice" towards "next practice", leadership insights from Dan Haesler and a look into the future of AI with Steve Sammartino.
One initiative that particularly stood out was the Clubs Helping Clubs program, which supports approximately 70 smaller NSW clubs to attend the conference. With one of our own clients benefiting from the program for two consecutive years, it was encouraging to hear how clubs are coming together to share challenges, celebrate successes and learn from one another. A fantastic example of the industry supporting its own!
The conference concluded with a deeply moving conversation between Danika Mason and Matt Nable, who spoke about resilience, family and the impact of motor neurone disease (MND). This one was particularly close to home for Beam, Katie's dad having battled and losing the fight to MND last year. A powerful and emotional reminder of the importance of family, community and supporting those around us, especially through life's toughest challenges.
And of course, it wouldn't be a conference without a little fun along the way! The Western-themed networking evening delivered plenty of laughs, line dancing, a Dolly appearance and more cowboy hats than we could count.
For Beam, events like these are about more than staying informed. They're an opportunity to strengthen relationships, better understand the challenges facing our club clients and bring fresh ideas and practical insights back to the businesses we support.
A big thank you to ClubsNSW, ClubsQueensland and everyone involved in delivering such a fantastic event. Deb and Kacey returned with valuable insights, new connections and some great memories!