I am proud to invite you to join us in Melbourne for the 2026 Parks and Leisure Australia National Conference, as we celebrate a remarkable milestone. One hundred years of bringing the ‘People behind the Places’, together.

Our theme, From Legacy to Action: Delivering Tomorrow’s Places Today, is not just about what we have built. It is about who we are, and the future we are ready to lead.

For a century, our sector has been shaped by people who care deeply about their communities, places and spaces. The planners, the practitioners, the leaders, the quiet achievers. The ones who plant the seeds, often knowing they may never sit in the shade. This conference is a celebration of that collective contribution, and an invitation to carry it forward.

Back to where it all began, Melbourne provides the perfect setting. A city known for its liveability, diversity and innovation, but more importantly, a city shaped by people who continue to challenge, test and improve what great places can be.

As we step into our second century, this is our moment to put legacy to work. To move beyond reflection and into action. To carry forward what we have learned and apply it where it matters most. To challenge our thinking, collaborate with intent, and lead with clarity in the communities we serve.

This is more than a conference. It is a moment in our history.

A moment to honour those who came before us.

A moment to recognise the impact of our profession today.

And a moment to shape what the next hundred years will become.

So I invite you to be part of it.

Join us from 29 November to 2 December 2026 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and stand alongside your colleagues, your sector, your innovators.

Because the future of parks and leisure will not be written for us.

It will be written by us.

I look forward to welcoming you to Melbourne as we launch our next century together.

Better together,

Kristin Davies

National President

Parks and Leisure Australia