Cairns Extras is where the Cairns Crocodiles experience extends beyond the stage, with a curated program of exclusive events, dinners, lunches, parties and one-off moments happening across the week. Designed to complement the world-class content, these experiences are carefully scheduled around the core program, ensuring they don’t clash with what’s happening on stage. They offer more opportunities to connect, unwind and make the most of your time in Cairns. Many events have limited capacity, so be sure to plan ahead and register your interest early.
Date: Monday 11 May
Time: 4.30 pm – 8.30 pm
Location: Morris Nautical,
Sailfish Quay, Cairns Marlin Marina
A sunset welcome aboard a luxury superyacht hosted by Disney Advertising, bringing partners together for cocktails, conversation and spectacular views.
Sponsored by
Date: Monday 11 May
Time: 5.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Location: Floriana,
183 Esplanade
An intimate Mediterranean-inspired dinner at Floriana hosted by News Australia, welcoming partners with exceptional cuisine, warm hospitality and relaxed atmosphere.
Sponsored by
Date: Monday 11 May
Time: 5.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Location: Sails Restaurant,
34a Esplanade
A lively waterfront celebration at Sails hosted by Boomtown, featuring great food, cold drinks, vibrant music and stunning marina views to kick off festivities.
Sponsored by
Date: Monday 11 May
Time: 6.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Location: Ela Modern Bistro
8/1 Marlin Parade
An intimate dinner for the Cairns Crocodiles Awards Round 2 live jury where our incredible jury can connect, debrief on all the incredible work, and kick off the exciting week to come in Tropical North Queensland! This dinner is brought to you by our dear partners, Accenture Song.
Please note the event is invite only.
Sponsored by
Date: Monday 11 May
Time: 5.00 pm – 10.00 pm
Location: NuNu
Join The Trade Desk for an intimate beachfront dinner at NuNu Restaurant to begin the week. Set among coconut palms with sweeping ocean views, we’ll open with a short session sharing key insights from our latest research and a perspective on the evolving role of premium media and what it means for advertisers today, before settling into a relaxed dinner of modern Australian cuisine, designed for meaningful conversation and connection with peers across the industry.
Sponsored by
Date: Monday 11 May
Time: 5.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Location: Floriana,
183 Esplanade
An intimate Mediterranean-inspired dinner at Floriana hosted by News Australia, welcoming partners with exceptional cuisine, warm hospitality and relaxed atmosphere.
Sponsored by
Date: Tuesday 12 May
Time: 8.00 am – 10.00 am
Location: M1 Round Room,
Cairns Conference Centre
Join Teads for breakfast as we go beyond the bot to uncover how the brain decides what to ignore—and what it craves. Discover the science behind high-attention creative and the proven “Creative Catalyst” codes that make your brand impossible to miss.
Sponsored by
Date: Tuesday 12 May
Time: 12.30 pm – 1.45 pm
Location: M1 Round Room,
Cairns Conference Centre
A relaxed day one lunch hosted by StackAdapt, giving delegates a chance to recharge, connect and dive into smart conversations.
Sponsored by
Date: Tuesday 12 May
Time: 12.00 pm – 2.00 pm
Location: 34a Esplanade,
Sails Restaurant
Sponsored by
Date: Tuesday 12 May
Time: 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Location: Hemingway’s Brewery,
Wharf St
After a brilliant conference day, unwind with local brews and great company at the legendary Hemingway’s Brewery overlooking the Cairns waterfront. Enjoy a relaxed networking atmosphere paired with the Tubi Photobooth activation, where you can capture fun, high-quality moments with colleagues. Strike a pose, create shareable memories, and take home a personalised keepsake from the evening, the perfect way to celebrate the day in true Cairns style.
Sponsored by
Date: Tuesday 12 May
Time: 6.00 pm – 10.00 pm
Location: Secret Location To Be Unveiled Soon
The stuff of legends. The iconic and official Pinterest Welcome Party at a unique venue with incredible music is not to be missed.
Sponsored by
Date: Wednesday 13 May
Time: 12.30 pm – 1.45 pm
Location: M1 Round Room,
Cairns Conference Centre
Hear experts from PepsiCo, Lion, Saputo, and Publicis unpack full-funnel, cross-channel strategies and AI-powered activation that connects data, media, and outcomes to drive measurable growth across the customer journey.
Sponsored by
Date: Wednesday 13 May
Time: 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm
Location: Sails Restaurant,
34a Esplanade
Join Founder & CEO Athan Didaskalou for an intimate conversation on how July took on global giants. Learn the founder's playbook for building a beloved brand on a shoestring budget and scaling with a lean team.
Sponsored by
Date: Wednesday 13 May
Time: 5.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Location: Morris Nautical,
Sailfish Quay, Cairns Marlin Marina
Creativity isn't just a feeling — it's a growth lever. Join Henry Innis and Nicky Barton aboard a fun yacht cruise at sunset for an exclusive first look at our landmark study on creativity and its measurable impact on marketing effectiveness and business growth.
Sponsored by
Date: Wednesday 13 May
Time: 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm
Location: Hemingway’s Brewery,
Wharf St
After a brilliant conference day, unwind with local brews and great company at the legendary Hemingway’s Brewery overlooking the Cairns waterfront. Enjoy a relaxed networking atmosphere paired with the Tubi Photobooth activation, where you can capture fun, high-quality moments with colleagues. Strike a pose, create shareable memories, and take home a personalised keepsake from the evening, the perfect way to celebrate the day in true Cairns style.
Sponsored by
Date: Wednesday 13 May
Time: 4.30 pm – 9.00 pm
Location: Green Island,
Cairns Wharf Pick Up
In the ecosystem of digital advertising, only the most adaptable thrive. Join Taboola for an exclusive evening on the water’s edge in Cairns.
We are gathering an elite circle of industry leaders for a private island dinner to discuss the future of the open web, high-performance growth, and the strategic instincts required to drive campaigns that continuously deliver top-tier outcomes.
Sponsored by
Date: Wednesday 13 May
Time: 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm
Location: Hemingway’s Brewery,
Wharf St
Bucky’s Trivia Presented by News is a fast-paced, pub-quiz-style showdown hosted by Reporter & Podcast Host Andrew Buckman, serving up equal parts brainpower, banter and competitive fun.
Sponsored by
Date: Wednesday 13 May
Time: 4:30 pm – 6.30 pm
Location: Hemingway’s Brewery
Wharf St
Friends of Rhonda is a Melbourne/Naarm based networking group for queers in ads. Join the Friends of Rhonda crew and their founder and queer about town, Mum the Drag Queen herself (aka adland creative and Friends of Rhonda founder Jules Stretch), who’ll be kicking on with drinks, opinions, and plenty of laughs. It’s the perfect chance to meet fellow industry folk, decompress after the 3.50pm G-RUIN – Industry Retro & Roast, hosted by Mum, and keep the conversation flowing. Whether you're a long-time Friend of Rhonda, or an ally that's just keen for a drink and some good company, swing by.
Sponsored by
Date: Wednesday 13 May
Time: 5.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Location: Whiskey & Wine by Crystalbrook Flynn
Level 2/85 Esplanade
Join AANA and Integral Ad Science at Whiskey and Wine for an exclusive evening dedicated to the one brand that often gets the least attention: yours. As we step away from the conference floor, we’re applying the logic of media quality to personal identity. In an industry where 85% of ANZ hiring managers confirm that a strong personal brand drives executive decisions, "personal suitability" is no longer a luxury, it’s a career-critical metric.
Unwind with sundowner cocktails and high-level networking as we move beyond performance metrics to explore how senior marketers can ensure their professional presence is authentic, "fraud-free," and optimised for the right environments. It’s time to protect and curate your most valuable asset amid the digital noise.
Please register your interest directly with Ali Chaouch from AANA via ali@aana.com.au
Sponsored by
Date: Wednesday 13 May
Time: 5:00 pm – 8.00 pm
Location: Reef Unlimited,
Cairns Marlin Marina
Step aboard a stunning twilight cruise hosted by GumGum, where their Mindset approach comes to life. Bringing together context, creativity and attention to spark meaningful connections, fresh perspectives, and conversations that truly resonate.
Sponsored by
Date: Thursday 14 May
Time: 12.30 PM -1.45 pm
Location: M1 Round Room,
Cairns Convention Centre
A curated lunch in Cairns bringing together creators and marketers to explore the future of creativity, AI, and what's next for TikTok One.
Sponsored by
Date: Thursday 14 May
Time: 6:30 pm – late
Location: Mexicairns,
36 Lake St
That's a wrap! A chance to relax and mingle with some of the industry's finest as we celebrate another inspiring Cairns Crocodiles.
Date: Monday 11 May
Time: 5.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Location: Floriana, 183 Esplanade, Cairns
Sponsored by
An intimate Mediterranean-inspired dinner at Floriana hosted by News Australia, welcoming partners with exceptional cuisine, warm hospitality and relaxed atmosphere.
Date: Monday 11 May
Time: 5.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Location: Sails Restaurant
Sponsored by
