Drought Resilience 2025

As climates warm and become more variable, the frequency and severity of droughts and other climatic events are increasing. In this context, increasing the ability of economies, ecosystems and communities to become more resilient to droughts has never been more important. Whilst traditional and novel approaches are being adopted to prepare for, predict, respond to and recover from droughts when they do occur, sharing insights and approaches across disciplines has the potential to result in innovative, high-quality research leading to practical and effective outcomes with real-world impact.

Drought Resilience 2025 will bring together experts from across the sciences, health, law, business, technology, humanities, arts disciplines as well as Traditional Knowledge to share knowledge and approaches and explore collaborative approaches to support drought resilience. The conference, hosted by the Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, will also launch the Drought Resilience Interdisciplinary Network, DRI-Net and will explore key, intersecting themes to encourage collaboration among research disciplines.

For more information, visit our conference website at www.droughtresilience.info/

Interdisciplinary themes

Drought Resilience 2025 is strongly focussed on bringing a wide range of researchers together to present and hear from Drought Resilience research across a diverse range of views and approaches. As such, the conference's themes highlight key overarching topics that cut across disciplines, including traditional knowledge systems. Our aim is to maximise the diversity of discipline areas within session themes to provide the opportunity to learn about alternative methods and strategies that they might not usually be exposed to, but which addresses similar questions or contexts in drought resilience.

​Resilient landscapes

Presentations focusing on resilience of built, natural and human-impacted landscapes and ecosystems.

Resilient communities

Presentations focusing on resilience in communities including physical and mental health, education, childcare, entertainment, connections and creativity.

Resilient industries and economies

Presentations focussing on resilience of businesses including, but not limited to farms, industry and tourism.

Resilience technologies and practices

Presentations focussing on novel, little known, or underutilised technologies or strategies that support drought resilience.

Predicting and planning for drought

Presentations that focus on predicting the onset or frequency and severity of drought or planning responses ahead of time, especially in the context of a changing climate.

Lessons from the past

Presentations focussing on the effects of past droughts, their continuing effects and the lessons that we have learnt or should learn from them.

Emerging issues and opportunities

Presentations focussing on less well understood, known or predicted effects of drought in the context of a changing climate.

Registration types

Early bird (3 days): standard $610, student/First Nations $510

Full registration (3 days): standard $680, student/First Nations $580

Full registration (single day): standard $280, student/First Nations $250

Optional networking and special events

Networking dinner (Wed 9th July): $65 for all attendees

Conference dinner (Thurs 10th July): standard $130, student/First Nations $113

Farm field visit hosted by Southern Farming Systems (Tues 8th July): $70 for all attendees

Refund policy

50% for cancellations more than 2 weeks before the event.

Less than 2 weeks before the event, no refunds available.

Key dates

Early bird registration opens 10 April, 2025

Early bird registration closes 30 May 2025

Registrations close 20 June 2025

Conference support

We are offering support for students and First Nations delegates to attend. Please refer to our website to apply for support (www.droughtresilience.info/registration).

Frequently asked questions

What is included in my registration ticket?

Included in your registration ticket is entry to the conference (3 days for a full or early bird registration, 1 day for a single day registration), networking drinks and launch of the Drought Resilience Interdisciplinary Network, DRI-Net. There are also optional events during the conference that require separate tickets. Attendance at the networking dinner (Wed 9th July), the conference dinner (Thurs 10th July) or the farm field visit (Tues 8th July) require separate tickets and are not included in the general registration tickets.

Who qualifies for student and First Nations pricing?

To make the event as accessible as possible, we offer discounted registration and event pricing wherever possible to student and First Nations attendees. Any undergraduate or postgraduate student studying full or part time is eligible for student pricing. Attendees who identify as First Nations (Australian or overseas) are eligible for First Nations pricing.

How do I get to Waurn Ponds Estate?

Waurn Ponds Estate is located at Nicol Drive South, Waurn Ponds VIC (which is situated on the Deakin Waurn Ponds Campus).

Please see below for instructions on how to get to Waurn Ponds Estate.

From Pigdons Road, turn onto the Alfred Deakin Drive entrance.

When you reach the roundabout, turn left onto Nicol Drive South.

Continue along Nicol Drive South for a couple of kilometers until you reach Waurn Ponds Estate (which is located on the right hand side). See below for a map.

There is free parking available for all conference attendees, please follow the parking signs to access the designated parking areas.

Where can I stay?

Waurn Ponds Estate
Address: Nicol Drive South, Waurn Ponds VIC 3216 (located on the Deakin Waurn Ponds Campus)
Phone number: 5227 3000
Website: Waurn Ponds Estate

Rydges Geelong
Address: Myers St &, Gheringhap St, Geelong VIC 3220 (10-15 minute drive to Waurn Ponds Estate)
Phone Number: 5223 6200
Website: Rydges Geelong

Novotel Geelong
Address: 10/14 Eastern Beach Rd, Geelong VIC 3220 (10-15 minute drive to Waurn Ponds Estate)
Phone Number: 5223 1377
Website: Novotel Geelong

Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong
Address: 40 Ryrie St, Geelong VIC 3220 (10-15 minute drive to Waurn Ponds Estate)
Phone Number: (03) 4225 6100
Website: Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong

Quest Geelong Central
Address: 71-77 Gheringhap St, Geelong VIC 3220 (10-15 minute drive to Waurn Ponds Estate)
Phone Number: 5212 9100
Website: Quest Geelong Central

Anchor Geelong
Address: 39 Swanston St, Geelong VIC 3220 (10-15 minute drive to Waurn Ponds Estate)
Phone Number: 0418 636 006
Website: Anchor Geelong

The Electric Hotel
Address: 127 Ryrie St, Geelong VIC 3220 (10-15 minute drive to Waurn Ponds Estate)
Phone Number: 0436 007 229
Website: The Electric Hotel

Parkside Motel Geelong
Address: 68 High St, Belmont VIC 3216 (10 minute drive to Waurn Ponds Estate)
Phone Number: 5243 6766
Website: Parkside Motel

Kingsway Motel Geelong
Address: 9 Aberdeen St, Newtown VIC 3220 (10-15 minute drive to Waurn Ponds Estate)
Phone Number: 5223 1946
Website: Kingsway Motel

Shannon Motor Inn
Address: 283/285 Shannon Ave, Newtown VIC 3220
Phone Number: 5222 4355
Website: Shannon Motor Inn