Welcome

On behalf of the New Zealand Geographical Society and the Institute of Australian Geographers, we warmly welcome you to the 2026 Joint Conference in Palmerston North. We gather under the theme Hopeful Spaces to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and envision geographies of creativity, regeneration, and possibility. This year, the joint conference is hosted by the Manawatū Branch of the New Zealand Geographical Society, aiming for a lower-key, wellbeing-led conference. Please join us in Palmerston North, in the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand, for in-person early summer collaborative engagement including keynotes, plenary panels and fieldtrips.

Kelly Dombroski, President New Zealand Geographical Society

Brian Cook, President Institute of Australian Geographers

The conference will commence with pre conference events and study group sessions on Monday 7 December and conference sessions will run from 8 – 10 December.

This is an 'in person' conference.

Full details of the conference are on our webpage

Contact the host of NZGS-IAG Conference 2026