Venue information

South Brisbane and the Brisbane River

South Brisbane, the location of the 2023 conference, was originally a meeting place for traditional landowners, the Turrbal and Yuggera people. The Yuggera nation encompassed a vast region south west of Brisbane, which included Ipswich. The Turrbal people primarily occupied areas to the north along the Brisbane River including what is now known as Coronation Drive. The region of South Brisbane including Musgrave Park, is culturally significant to indigenous Australians and was frequently used as meeting places for visiting peoples from the north and south of the Brisbane River.

The Brisbane River will provide the backdrop for the conference, just five minutes’ walk from the conference venue. There are plenty of opportunities for water-based activities day or night in Brisbane’s pleasantly warm September weather. These include kayaking, ferry boat sight-seeing, paddle boat cruises or a swim at Southbank’s man-made beach. Southbank also offers a great place to walk, jog or hire a bike. A little further down the river Kangaroo Rocks is the place to abseil or rock climb, or simply relax with a glass of wine.

Brisbane’s central arts precinct provides plenty of opportunity to immerse in knowledge, culture and creativity with the Queensland Museum and Science Centre, Queensland State Library, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Queensland Art Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art. Beyond this tiny part of Brisbane city, there is opportunity for anything from koala cuddling at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to the new Felons Brew House, located at the same venue as the conference dinner.