#SIITR25 program
Who, where, what and when (2025)
Each of the three conference days incorporate a variety of opportunities to learn, connect and reflect on social impact in your own regional community. Our 2025 conference program is inspired by the Nirvana song “come as you are”. The program themes are listed below:
Day 1: Come as you are
Is your regional community ready for what’s next? Are you? Benchmark your individual and collective readiness through plenaries, workshops, and Impact Labs exploring the five Readiness Indicators; Clarity, Capacity, Connection, Collaboration, and Advocacy.
Day 2: As you were
Wellbeing in regional communities often takes a back seat. Today we explore it from every angle: personal, cultural, financial, and systemic, grounded in Connection and Collaboration.
Day 3: As you want to be
Time to turn insight into action. Build a practical plan using the Readiness Indicators to guide your next steps. Connect with allies, investors, and ideas that will carry you forward.
- 50+ Speakers
- Workshops
- Master Classes
- Pitchfest
- Social Events
Day 1 - Wednesday, 3rd September
Registration from 8am conference will commence at 9am sharp
08:45
Welcome to Country
Welcome
Official welcome from the Stanthorpe community
Official opening
SIITR25 Advisory Team member
09:40
The story of the system. How transition is understood, funded and felt (Part 1)
The complexity of response
Responding to regional transition isn’t simple pull one lever and three others move. This panel hears from government and philanthropy about the genuine difficulty of designing responses to change at scale, and what it takes to balance competing priorities, limited resources, and communities with very different needs.
10:25
The story of the system. How transition is understood, funded and felt (Part 2)
Feeding the beast
Community workers spend enormous energy keeping the system fed the reporting, the acquittals, the applications, the compliance. This panel hears from practitioners about what regional transition actually feels like on the ground, and what would happen if that energy could be redirected toward the work itself.
11:10
Morning Tea - Time for a short break
11:40
How is transition showing up?
Transition across our focus areas
This year’s ambitious range of focus areas – defined by our host community Stanthorpe, experienced across the nation are:
- Sustainability
- Liveability
- Cultural practices
- Community contribution
- Intergenerational connection
- Local economy
This panel will showcase a range of case studies about how transition is showing up across Australia in the various focus areas. This session will lead into the afternoon Impact Labs.
12:25
LAUNCH
National Regional Challenges
From May 2026 we asked Australia to tell us how the experience a range of challenges, related back to the focus areas. Today we officially launch the National Regional Challenges and also make some special announcements.
12:40
Break for Lunch - experience a range of local produce and meet your SIITR26 community at this interactive lunch experience.
14:15
Impact labs
Join the lab that aligns with your work or passion. In each lab we will discuss the context of the identified challenge, refine the challenge and set targets the SIITR26 conference community, our alumni and the nation can act upon.
Sustainability
Show Australia how your region talks honestly about water.
Cultural Practices
Show Australia how your community tells a story that belongs to everyone.
Community Connection
Show Australia how your region keeps its volunteer heart strong.
Liveability
Show Australia how your region solves its own housing problem.
Local economy
Show Australia how your region keeps its money working locally.
16:00
Afternoon tea
16:30
SIITR National Pitchfest
The SIITR National Pitchfest is a popular feature of the annual SIITR event schedule.
At SIITR26 the Pitchfest will feature one pitchee from each of our National Regional Challenges.
18:00
Welcome event
Hosted at a local iconic venue
Join us for canapes and a cool drink, network with colleagues and unpack day one.
Entertainment at our welcome event will be provided by local artists Nine Year Sister.
Day 2 - Thursday, 4th September
Registration from 8am conference will commence at 9am sharp
09:00
Welcome to Day 2
09:15
The human side of change (Part 1)
The complexity of response
Those who fund and design support for regional communities carry a genuine responsibility and a genuine challenge. How do you invest in people and places in ways that build something lasting rather than something dependent? This panel hears from funders and system custodians about what it takes to support regional communities through change in ways that go beyond the transactional.
10:20
The human side of change (Part 2)
Feeding the beast
Community workers and practitioners spend enormous energy keeping the system fed while trying to do the work that actually matters. This panel hears from people working directly with regional communities about what genuine, non-transactional support looks like in practice and what becomes possible when it exists.
11:20
Morning Tea
12:00
Mystery tours and 'working' lunch
We are hitting the road. This year our breakout sessions are delivered across two sessions. You will have some choices to make and more information will be provided via email to ticket holderes (some SIITR news just has to stay in house).
Group 1: Mystery tour
Get ready for an adventure through the Granite Belt. Where to? Delegates will find out more via email.
Group 2: Mystery tour
Get ready for an adventure through the Granite Belt. Where to? Delegates will find out more via email.
13:30
Breakout Sessions (everyone together)
Learn from others who are working and investing in regional communities.
Systems and place based change
Featuring three speakers to be announced
The business of social impact
Featuring three speakers to be announced
Funding social impact
Featuring three speakers to be announced
Employment generating social enterprise
Mark Daniels, Whitebox Enterprises with guest Jill Ashley, Shoretrack and the Mable team
Leading in the regions
Dr. Werner Vogels, Australian Rural Leadership Foundation
1500
Mystery tours (Round 2)
18:00
Conference Gala Dinner - Abracadbra
Our 2026 dinner theme was chosen by last year’s best dressed Leonie Pankhurst and Renee King.
ABRCADABRA.
Long before it was a magic trick, abracadabra meant something far more powerful I will create as I speak. The idea that what we name, we can build. That saying something out loud is the first act of making it real.
You’ve spent two days sitting with some hard truths about transition in regional Australia. Tonight we ask: what if you could magic the transition you want? What if the change your community needs is already in the room, waiting to be named?
Come dressed as the magic you believe in. Come as the change you’re calling into being. Come ready to say it out loud because that’s where it starts.
What will you create as you speak?
22:30
Home time
Day 3 - Friday, 5th September
Registration from 830am, conference will commence at 910am sharp
09:30
Closing remarks and handover to day 3 program.
On day 3 we will welcome a broader local cohort. This session marks the end of the conference delegation, and commencement of the day 3 community program
10:00
Performance
Conference in transition
Choice of three streams
Stream 1: Wellness activities
Stream 2: Mini-summits
Stream 3: Focus area streams
- Sustainability
- Cultural practices
- Liveability
- Community contribution
- Intergenerational connection
- Local economy
11:30
Morning Tea
Continue streams
12:30
Lunch break
Continue streams
