My latest stop on the AALARA On the Road journey took me somewhere I’d never been before, Albury. And what a welcome I received!
I was in town to catch up with long-time AALARA supporter Michael Alexander from HIB Insurance Brokers, and from the moment I arrived, I was in excellent hands. Michael treated me to the full royal tour of Albury—local highlights, hidden gems, and the kind of local knowledge you only get from someone who truly loves where they live. It was the perfect introduction to this vibrant regional hub.
From there, I joined Michael and Ben for their traditional Monday morning meeting at their local coffee shop. We were joined by a veteran footy coach and their dad—the man who founded Hib Insurance Brokers. What a trio. Over coffee, we swapped stories, talked rugby league, rugby union, and enjoyed a good old-fashioned chin wag.
After caffeine and conversation, it was off to the HIB office to meet the wider team. It was fantastic to spend time talking all things amusement, leisure and recreation, discussing the real challenges their clients and our Members are experiencing, and exploring what the insurance market is signalling now and into the future. As always, the HIB team were open, insightful, and committed to supporting operators across our sector.
We also spoke about their long-standing involvement in the AALARA Conference, exploring ideas around sponsorship and the ways HIB can continue to support and bring value to AALARA Members. Their passion for this industry runs deep, and it was wonderful to brainstorm opportunities for the year ahead.
Before hitting the road again, we gathered our families for a quick lunch—seven children between us – Michael, Carissa, Ben and I embraced the beautiful chaos. It was noisy, it was lively, and it was so nice to have that familiar connection after so long on the road.
Then it was time for me to dash off to Canberra for my next stop—Parliament House, to attend the launch of the Parliamentary Friends of Tourism event, featuring Senator the Hon Don Farrell, Minister for Trade and Tourism, and a surprise drop-in from the Prime Minister himself.
A fleeting visit to Albury, but one full of warmth, connection, and the true spirit of our industry—community, collaboration, and passion.
Thank you, Michael, Carissa, Ben, and the whole Hib team!
