On 14 February, the entire BellchambersBarrett team came together for our annual all-staff conference.

Held at the iconic Red Shed on Lake Burley Griffin, the day was packed with strategy, storytelling and laughter.

Read the highlights below – and discover why we’re all about the ‘red thread’ now.

A time to learn, reflect and celebrate

The conference started with the serious stuff. We had HR updates, business unit snapshots, a cybersecurity exercise and an employee value proposition workshop.

We also took a moment to welcome our new starters, reflect on office upgrades (18 new workstations!) and celebrate key milestones. These included promotions, CA achievements, work anniversaries… and wedding engagements!

Then, it was time to get real (and fun).

Froudy, fancy dress and a fabulous treasure hunt

One of the standout segments was ‘On the Couch with Froudy’ – a candid (and comical) conversation hosted by Partner Aaron Froud.

Featuring Partner Brandon Brown, CFO Kylie Harding and Principal Mel Howell, this light-hearted interview covered personal reflections and surprise facts, giving us the chance to know our leaders better.

Next, our team dialled up the fun with a themed fancy dress challenge.

Each colour-coded team brought their A-game, but Purple People Eaters took out Best Dressed with their commitment and creativity. Well done Sart, Rinda, Donna, Danielle, Sarah and Max!

Another big highlight of the day? The treasure hunt led by events company, THRILL!

After a competitive couple of hours hunting for treasures under the sun, the Green Team (Jamie Lucas, Lachlan Smith, Rachel, Minky, David and Viraan) cracked the clues and emerged winners.

Finding our red thread

One of the most meaningful moments of the day came from ‘The Red Thread’ game, an exercise to find common ground and spark new connections.

The challenge? Pair up with someone you didn’t know well, share your stories and discover a connection – your red thread. Then team up with another pair, and another… until everyone is in one connected web of shared experience.

So, what did we all have in common?

• We all love pizza
• We’ve all been on a boat
• No one likes the Canberra wind
• We’ve all been to a zoo

A culture worth celebrating

At the end of the day, the conference was all about people.

It was about creating space to pause and reflect. To collaborate and celebrate each other. And to reconnect with what makes BellchambersBarrett a place where people genuinely want to grow and belong.

A huge thank you to everyone who made the day a success. Here’s to another great year ahead!