Patrick Burns will provide leadership in, and oversee the delivery of, activities associated with Protocol, Ceremonies and Special Events. Patrick created and organized the launch of the Games on October 4, 1999 in Brisbane.

A graphic artist by profession, Patrick worked for many years in marketing in the shopping center industry, collecting some five Excellence in Marketing Awards from the Property Council of Australia.

He gained exposure to the tourism industry when he joined Dreamworld Corporation on Queensland's Gold Coast, in the role of Marketing Services Manager, and was responsible for the development of inpark entertainment and promotions, costume characters and marketing support.

Patrick later moved to the South Bank Corporation, where he established the Promotions Division prior to the Parklands opening in 1992. It was a position he held for five years. There was great expectation of the redeveloped World Expo site and the target for the first year was one million visitors. He devised an implementation strategy to create a central place for Brisbane to celebrate, and with it came 3.5 million people in the first year.

Patrick was the Executive Producer of Fire and Ice, a Christmas Lantern Festivals; Springtopia-"A Celebration of Flowers and Art'; New Year's Eve celebrations, and was instrumental in the opening of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

In 1996 he set up his own event production company creating and designing events such as the Ipswich Festival, Catholic Education Reconciliation Ceremony involving the transportation of 30,000 school children, the launch of the IMAX theatre, Artist Day celebrations and the launch of the Life and Death under the Pharaohs Exhibition at the Queensland Museum.

Career highlights:

• Establishing South Bank as a central place for Brisbane to celebrate.
• The logistical nightmare of transporting 30,000 school children in and out of a stadium for the Reconciliation Ceremony.
• The conversion of a railway workshop into a ballroom for one night.

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