The Australasian Hydrographic Society’s (AHS) internationally recognised hydrographic conference program will return in 2026, beginning with the Hydrospatial 2026 Conference.
The conference will be held from 23 to 26 March 2026 at Shed 6 in Wellington, New Zealand.
With a theme of ‘Shaping the Future of Marine Discovery,’ the event will bring together professionals and thought leaders from across government, defence, research, industry and academia to explore the evolving role of hydrography.
The four-day program will feature keynote speakers, technical sessions, panel discussions, exhibitions, and networking opportunities across six key themes:
- Advances in hydrographic technology and autonomous systems
- Blue Economy and sustainable maritime development
- Coastal infrastructure, ports and harbour innovation
- Climate change, oceanography and marine environmental science
- Law of the Sea, sovereignty and maritime domain awareness
- Hydrospatial data for marine policy, planning and heritage
Further details of the event will be posted on the conference website and also on the Society’s website during the coming months.
The Geoscience Australia Distinguished Lecture, “Putting the ‘Geo’ into Geospatial: Shaping the future of Positioning Australia,” will cover future direction of the program, reflecting on its past achievements and how it will meet future positioning demands.
As it moves beyond the establishment phase, the Positioning Australia program will strengthen its capability for continued future relevance. The program builds on opportunities arising from Australia’s geographic location, its technological capabilities, strong partnerships and internationally significant positioning infrastructure.
The adoption of PNT-based technologies is changing requirements for the systems delivering it. There is increasing awareness that society’s increasing reliance on modern technologies brings potential risks from vulnerabilities in PNT systems. This lecture will highlight how Positioning Australia will address these issues, including an often invisible risk: the reliance of PNT systems on a global geodesy supply chain that is increasing vulnerable.
Presented by Dr Martine Woolf, (Branch Head Positioning Australia), Ryan Ruddick (Director GNSS Informatics and infrastructure), Dr Anna Riddell (Director GNSS Analysis), Dr Lisa Hall (Director National Geodesy) and Phil Shears (Director PMO), the lecture will outline how Geoscience Australia aims to continue maximising return on Commonwealth investment in reliable positioning, modernising infrastructure, enhancing access and efficiency, and supporting national resilience and economic growth.
Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Inna
