Background
Tocal Field Days is an agricultural event held in the Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia on the first weekend in May. Farmers, hobbyists and families come to see the latest in agriculture, local food and wine, live demonstrations and entertainment. With over 370 exhibitors and a big focus on community, Tocal Field Days is an event that celebrates agricultural heritage and modern farming technology.
Tocal Field Days Features
- Exhibitors: Farming techniques, solar energy, agricultural machinery and livestock innovations.
- Activities: Hands on experiences, live demos and local food and wine for all.
- Community: Recognised as a key platform for networking and community building for the agricultural sector.
Project Objectives
The project aimed to update Tocal Field Days’ online presence to match the size and significance of the event while enabling the event staff to better manage the website in the future. Objectives were:
- A user-friendly website to re-engage existing audiences and attract new attendees.
- Allow key actions such as exhibitor site bookings and visitor ticket purchasing.
- Integrate with the locally developed ticketing platform, Crowd Catcher.
- A scalable multi-event management platform to support Field Days and non-Field Days events.
- A visually compelling and accessible website for user experience and content management.
Challenges
Tocal Field Days had several pain points to be addressed by the new website:
- Ticketing and Site Booking Process: The current system needed to be simplified for exhibitors and visitors, our goal was to bring the experience inside the website rather than having the user click out to an external ticketing platform.
- Year-Round Event Capability: The platform needed to support Field Days and other events organised by the Tocal Field Days team throughout the year, such as Heartbeat of the Hunter.
- Crowd Catcher Integration: Integration with their locally developed ticketing platform in a way that embedded the ticket purchasing experience within a website rather than as an external landing page had not been done before.
- Mobile in Rural Areas: The website had to work on mobile and in rural areas with less than-ideal connectivity.
- Brand and User Experience: The website had to be a showcase for Tocal Field Days as a premier agricultural event with a great design.
Our Solutions
To solve these issues, we drew on over 20 years of website development and digital marketing experience to deliver a great platform.
Approach
We combined our deep understanding of Tocal Field Days’ needs – cultivated over a previous 10-year partnership – with our enhanced expertise in user experience (UX), website performance, and application integration.
Key areas:
Visually Compelling Design: We designed a modern, engaging website that captured the spirit of Tocal Field Days. High-quality imagery and video showcased the event’s scale, diversity, and family-friendly atmosphere.
Seamless User Experience (UX): Intuitive navigation, clear calls to action (CTAs), and mobile-responsive design ensure visitors can easily find information, book sites, and purchase tickets.
Enhanced Functionality: The website now serves as a platform for future field days and other non-field day events hosted by Tocal.
Ticketing Integration: We seamlessly integrated Tocal’s chosen ticketing platform, Crowd Catcher, directly into the website, providing a frictionless experience for attendees.
Performance Optimisation: We prioritised fast loading times and smooth performance to ensure a positive user experience and improve search engine visibility.
Development Highlights
Booking System
- Exhibitor registration.
- Real time site availability.
- Crowd Catcher integration.
Flexible Event Management Framework
- Dynamic content templates for multiple event types.
- User-friendly content management system for ticketing.
- Automated event scheduling for year round engagement.
Performance
- Faster load times for rural users.
- Mobile first design to cater for increasing mobile web browsing.
- SEO best practices for higher visibility and search rankings.
The Result
The strengthened platform positions Tocal Field Days not only for its flagship event but also for future community-driven initiatives. It enables them to continue innovating in how they market and run events.
Crowd Catcher integration means ongoing operational efficiency and the scalable platform provides a foundation for whatever the future holds – more exhibitors, more education, more value for attendees.
This project underscores the power of combining a deep understanding of a client’s needs with up-to-date technical expertise. By focusing on user experience, strategic functionality, and seamless integration, we helped Tocal Field Days cultivate a thriving online presence that drives engagement and supports future growth.
How can we help your event or business?
Tocal Field Days chose HyperWeb because of our history of building and maintaining high performing websites, our collaborative approach and innovative development skills.
Our process delivers solutions tailored to your business:
Human-Centred Design: User-friendly, responsive websites designed for your audience.
Proven Expertise: Over 20 years in the digital space, building scalable platforms.
Partnership Approach: We work with your team for long-term success.
This project shows our commitment to delivering technical excellence with business value. Tocal Field Days coming back to us shows our approach to continuous innovation and client-focused development. So, while technology changes, the fundamentals of a strong client relationship and understanding of the business never go out of fashion.
Get in touch to see how we can build a website for your event.
