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NHRF26: Leading to impact for safer, more resilient and sustainable communities.
Safe. Resilient. Sustainable.
Natural Hazards Research Australia will host the fifth annual Natural Hazards Research Forum (NHRF) at the National Wine Centre in Adelaide from 10 to 12 June 2026.
Over the past five years Natural Hazards Research Australia (the Centre) has evolved from emerging voice to established leader in natural hazards research.
104 core research projects, 300+ researchers, $34+ million funded - learn about research translated into action at NHRF26.
The Natural Hazards Research Forum is Australia’s pre-eminent meeting place for thought leadership and dialogue on natural hazards research. It offers a unique opportunity to connect with leading research, reflect on lessons learned and discuss how innovation can support safer, more resilient and sustainable communities – now and into the future.
The theme for NHRF26, leading to impact for safer, more resilient and sustainable communities, celebrates the power of research to drive knowledge creation and real-world change. It highlights the Centre’s commitment to turning knowledge into action– research that informs policy, strengthens practice and empowers communities.
Achieving this vision demands a collaborative, multi-faceted approach: building stakeholder relationships, strengthening infrastructure, embedding resilience into planning and design, fostering social and economic stability and adapting systems to meet future challenges.
NHRF26 is a call for sustained action — to lead with purpose, partner with communities and amplify impact.
The Forum is an in-person event with a live stream component available. Watch the NHRF25 plenary sessions.
Revisit #NHRF25 with a collection of plenary session recordings, photos, posters and presentations.
Special keynote speaker - Prof Fiona Wood AO
Internationally recognised burns surgeon and researcher Professor Fiona Wood AO will deliver a special keynote address, sharing experiences of her more than three decades treating burns. An incredibly engaging speaker with a wealth of scientific and practical knowledge, Prof Wood will share her co-invention of spray-on skin cell technology (ReCell) that transformed burn treatment worldwide.
Workshops
Register now to join these collaborative pre-forum workshops and help shape research for practice.
Tuesday 9 June |
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Workshop 1. Co-designing resilience: First Nations disaster resilience framework Be part of a workshop dedicated to finalising the National Framework to Enhance the Resilience of Indigenous People and Communities, co-developed with NEMA. This framework provides national guidance to better support Indigenous communities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from environmental disasters. Your input will ensure its tools and processes are practical, effective, and widely adopted. Chair: Bhiamie Williamson, Monash University |
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Workshop 2. Co-developing a framework for risk prevention programs This full-day interactive workshop will strengthen a draft monitoring and evaluation framework for programs prior to and following events that reduce risk associated with natural hazards. This is your opportunity to connect research with practical outputs, refine draft framework components and test their relevance, usability and effectiveness. Your input will ensure the final product supports practitioners in evaluating program impact and encourages broader adoption. Chair: Celeste Young, Victoria University |
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Workshop 3. Unlocking natural hazard records for more accurate risk estimates Join this three-hour interactive workshop to explore how historical and paleo records can improve natural hazard risk assessments. We will work together to understand what participants need from the project and share how archival and paleo data can extend hazard records back in time. In this session, you will help shape practical tools and educational materials. Your input will ensure the final methodology is useful, actionable, and supports stronger disaster resilience across Australia. Chair: Dr Kathy Allen, University of Tasmania |
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Workshop 4. Bushfire Information Database: from scoping to implementation This three-hour collaborative workshop will review the outcomes of our recent Bushfire Information Database scoping study and work together on practical implementation strategies. We will present key findings, explore mechanisms to put them into practice and identify potential changes and barriers to adoption. This session offers a unique opportunity to engage with a broader set of stakeholders and ensure the project delivers real-world impact. Chair: A/Prof Nader Naderpajouh, University of Sydney |
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Workshop 5. Making recovery work: fit-for-purpose capitals in service planning In this workshop you will help refine indicators, analyses, and reporting formats for an online platform. The project maps how multiple disasters compound over time, shifting from a single-event focus to a holistic approach. Your input will help integrate quantitative and qualitative insights to guide policy and improve service delivery for resilient communities. Chair: Professor Lisa Gibbs, University of Melbourne |
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Workshop 6. Testing and co-designing flood risk communications Join this three-hour interactive workshop to help co-design and pilot-test preliminary flood risk communication materials and explore national implications for their adoption. Calling all planners, engineers, public information and warning officers, and graphic designers to help review language and design elements for planning and disaster contexts. Your input will help ensure these tools are impactful, usable and ready for nationwide application. Chair: Prof Amisha Mehta, Queensland University of Technology |
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Workshop 7. Setting national evacuation modelling priorities In this three-hour workshop, help shape the future evacuation modelling roadmap. This is an opportunity to confirm priorities strengthening decision making for safer, more resilient communities with multidisciplinary experts. This session will discuss evacuation decisions and share insights and your input will help ensure emergency managers can confidently make evacuation decisions based on the best available science and nationally agreed protocols. Chair: Liza Gelt, Collaborative Consulting Co. |
Wednesday 10 June |
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Workshop 8. Do we want a national multi-hazard public information and warnings platform in Australia? Join this two-hour workshop exploring the complexities of designing and implementing a national public information and warnings platform as called for by the Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements. Together, we will examine the institutional, organisational, and technical factors that influence technology adoption, from interoperability and culture to resources and priorities – insights that will help shape practical, context-sensitive recommendations for successful real-world implementation. We want ALL the different viewpoints. Chair: A/Prof Paula Dootson, Queensland University of Technology |
Register now to join these collaborative pre-forum workshops and help shape research for practice!