• About the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference
• Key dates
• Location
• Submit an abstract
• ADRC26 ticket inclusions
• Resilience Lane
• Sponsored places
• Accessibility and inclusion
• Sustainability
• Interviews and feedback from ADRC25
• Sponsors and event partners

Resilience starts with how we think - our mindset shapes the choices we make as individuals, communities, and organisations. Disasters are not simply the result of natural events; they occur when hazards intersect with people and places. The ways we live, build, and prepare can turn hazards into disasters, or help us avoid them. Shifting our mindset from inevitability to responsibility is the first step in reducing risk and building just resilience.

At ADRC26, we invite you to reimagine resilience through both mindset and action. This year’s theme is about looking ahead, challenging us to move beyond focusing only on hazards, and instead examine the deeper, systemic causes of risk, such as inequity, exclusion, and the far-reaching impacts of our decisions in an increasingly uncertain world.

We welcome everyone: community groups, volunteers, academics, emergency management professionals, governments, and those from health, education, business, and creative sectors to question assumptions, share new perspectives, and challenge the status quo in our practices and organisations. The conference is shaped by the experiences and insights of the diversity of our population. By centring a diversity of lived experiences, we aim to co-create pathways that are inclusive, equitable, and transformative for all.

Together we’ll explore:

• What mindsets do we need across policy, practice, and partnerships to lead with empathy, equity, and courage?
• What does it mean to truly centre communities in resilience planning?
• How can we shift from reactive responses to proactive, collaborative strategies?

This is not just a theoretical conversation. We seek real-world examples and rigorous research that demonstrate mindset shifts in action: policies co-designed with communities, partnerships that share power, and programs that embed wellbeing and justice. Bring your case studies, tools, and honest lessons so others can learn and adapt.

Let’s question, share, and co-create futures, and a mindset, where resilience is inclusive, connected, and transformative.

Recommended reading:

• For more on how our choices shape disasters and resilience, see: Kelman, I. (2020). Disaster by choice: How our actions turn natural hazards into catastrophes. Oxford University Press.
• You might also find this Conversation article, which relates to our focus on mindset, practical action, and learning from experience, interesting:
  We rarely hear about the disasters that were avoided but there's a lot we can learn from them 

Sub-themes: How to use them

These sub‑themes are submission pathways, not checkboxes. Choose the pathway from the list below that best fits your work. Each pathway includes a purpose explanation, and what good submissions include, to keep contributions practical and transferable.

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Your ADRC26 pass includes access to:

• two ADRC26 program streams featuring a range of oral presentations and panel presentations
• AFAC26 powered by INTERSCHUTZ Exhibition Hall, featuring:
  • AIDR's Knowledge Centre Poster Display
  • AIDR's stand where you are welcome to have a chat with AIDR staff
  • Resilience Lane
• Tuesday evening networking function in the Exhibition Hall
• Wednesday evening networking function in Resilience Lane (also in the Exhibition Hall)
• Opening ceremony and keynote addresses in the Plenary Theatre
• Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea catering in the Exhibition Hall

Your ADRC26 pass does not include access to:

• Presentations that are part of other conferences (AFAC26 powered by INTERSCHUTZ, IFE, WAFA)
• Gala dinner - delegates are welcome to register separately to attend this event
• NHRA's Research and Innovation events on Tuesday 18 August - delegates are welcome to register separately to attend this event

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Information about AIDR's Expression of Interest (EoI) process for sponsored places will be available in March 2026.

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To support delegates, we will provide:

• closed captions during all sessions
• AUSLAN interpreters in keynote sessions and other sessions by prior arrangement 
• a Sunflower Room for delegates who need a quiet space
• reserved seating in session rooms if requested

What to expect at ADRC26:

• ADRC26 is held at the same time as AFAC26 which is a large conference. Several thousand people will attend the conference venue during the conference week
• The Exhibition Hall and the keynote sessions in the Plenary are shared and are likely to attract large audiences
• Lots of people will be moving around the venue to attend sessions, explore the Exhibition Hall, and queue for refreshments and lunch at the Catering Stations in the Exhibition Hall
• There is not a lot of seating in the Exhibition Hall. If you need to sit down, you are welcome to come to the AIDR Stand or the AFAC Stand

What you can do:

• Expect crowds and plan for this by allowing time to navigate the venue
• Arrive a few minutes early for each session so you can choose where you want to sit
• Use your program booklet or conference app to plan your conference experience
• Wear comfortable shoes
• Visit the Sunflower Room if you need a quiet space
• Explore the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre website for accessibility information and maps

Who you can ask for directions and assistance:

• Registration desk and venue staff
• AIDR and AFAC staff (they will be wearing branded shirts)
• Conference volunteers (they will be wearing volunteer shirts)
• Other delegates

If you have accessibility and inclusion support needs:

• Please indicate this on the form when you register to attend ADRC26
• Contact AIDR if you would like a confidential discussion about your specific accessibility needs

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To deliver our greenest conference yet, the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference and AFAC25 powered by INTERSCHUTZ are once again partnering with Trace – a sustainability consulting company that removes the barriers to climate action and empowers businesses to take immediate steps forward.

Active initiatives:

• Making multiple water stations available throughout the event to reduce the amount of single-use plastic bottles purchased
• Producing biodegradable and recyclable event materials, such as the event lanyards, badge pouches, delegate satchels, pocket guides and tote bags
• Carbon offsetting all speaker and staff flights booked
• Co-locating the Institution of Fire Engineers (Australia) National Conference and the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference to reduce the carbon footprint involved with travelling to multiple events
• Hosting the event at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre helps us to increase our sustainable practices. By partnering with a sustainably conscious venue we are supported by the comprehensive practices that underpin all the centre's daily operations

Delegates are encouraged to:

• BYO reusable water bottle and keep-cup
• If possible, travel by public transport, bicycle, or walk
• If you need to drive, consider car-pooling if possible
• Book accommodation within walking distance of the venue 
• Switch off lights, air-conditioning, and power outlets in your room when not in use

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