Cairns To Host Leaders In Government, Business Community & Industry At Annual Developing Northern Australia Conference

Cairns is set to welcome over 500 delegates from more than 250 organisations across Northern Australia for the 11th Developing Northern Australia Conference (DNAC25), taking place Tuesday 22nd to Thursday 24th July, 2025, on Gimuy Walubarra Yidinji and Yirrganydji Country in tropical Cairns

Under the theme “Securing Australia’s Future by Driving Northern Development,” DNAC25 will bring together leading figures from government, industry, research, Indigenous communities, and the private sector to collaborate on sustainable and inclusive growth and economic development for the region.

Conference Chair and Professor of Tropical Regional Development at The Cairns Institute, Dr Allan Dale said, “The Developing Northern Australia Conference has become the North’s premier conference focused on solving big challenges facing the sustainable and inclusive development of our half of the nation.”

Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer and keynote speaker, Mark Olsen, said the three-day conference would deliver significant benefits to the region. “Many of the delegates will extend their stay and contribute further to the regional economy by joining tours to explore more of Tropical North Queensland,” he said.

Cairns Regional Council Mayor Amy Eden said the Far North can play a pivotal role in the future development of the entire north of the country. “We are extremely delighted to host this forum, which brings decision makers from government, industry and community together to plan how we can further unlock the amazing potential of the Far North, and in doing so, contribute to the prosperity of the broader region,” she said.

DNAC25 promises a dynamic program featuring keynote presentations, concurrent sessions, networking events, and opportunities to engage directly with experts driving innovation in sectors such as sustainable aviation fuel, environmental markets, marine engineering, and infrastructure development.

The conference is proudly supported by Tropical North Queensland and Cairns Regional Council, reinforcing the region’s commitment to driving sustainable development and innovation in Northern Australia.

For more information or to register, visit northaust.org.au.

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