All your questions about the Locate26 / 10th Digital Earth Summit combined conference, answered.
With the Locate26 / 10th Digital Earth Summit only a little over four months away, we reached out to the organisers with a bunch of questions about the what, why, where and when of the event.
Alicia Smith, director of events company Will Organise, is once again at the helm of organising the event. Smith and her team are highly respected and well known to all previous LOCATE speakers, sponsors and exhibitors, having run the conferences for many years now.
Also at the helm is Simon Cooper, publisher of Spatial Source and an events industry veteran who has been closely involved with many previous LOCATE conferences.
Here’s what they told us about this year’s event!
This year two events — Locate26 and the 10th Digital Earth Summit — will be combined into one. Does that mean I will need to register twice?
No, we’ve arranged it so that you only need to register once in order to attend the combined event. Registration is open right now, in fact, with special discounted early bird rates available up until Monday, 31 August. You can choose from full-conference rates, special rates for young professionals and students, and even single-day rates.
Optional workshops will be held on Tuesday, 24 November at no additional cost to full conference delegates.
What if I only want to attend the Locate26 portion of the event?
Locate26 and the 10th Digital Earth Summit are synergistic conferences, each reinforcing the other to produce an event that will be more than the sum of its parts! The program is being designed with parallel streams so that you can freely pick and choose and move between the sessions you’d like to attend, simply by referring to the program. Your single registration gives you access to the full program of the combined event at no extra cost.
What are the ISDE and the 10th Digital Earth Summit all about?
The International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE) is a large, non-governmental association founded with the aim of spreading the vision of a Digital Earth and how it can benefit all of the world’s societies. For more than 20 years it has sought to unify crucial concepts such as Earth observation, big data, sustainable development and emerging technologies for the global good.
The Digital Earth Summit is the flagship event of the ISDE and one of the world’s premier meetings, serving as a platform for robust discussions on the future of geospatial ecosystems in bridging the digital divide and leaving no one behind.
What is the theme for this year’s event?
The theme is ‘Unlocking the potential of Digital Earth for a Sustainable World,’ reflecting not only the combined local and international focus of the conference, but also the realisation that what is vital for the world is vital for Australia, and vice versa. That’s why this year’s event will be so special, providing a chance for domestic and international delegates to meet, mix, share ideas and form new connections.
When will the program be released?
The call for abstracts has closed and the reviewing is underway. With an overwhelming number of submissions, the program development is in an exciting stage. The full program is due to be released in August.
The second round of Plenary speakers will be announced soon, too, so watch this space!
Also, the Young and Emerging Professionals subcommittee is busy developing a full-day program for Tuesday, 24 November.
Is there anything new planned for this year’s event?
In response to feedback, there will be a few welcome changes this year. For a start, all plenary sessions will follow a panel format to allow for more interaction with the audience. Plus, there’ll be longer break times for better networking, and access to the optional workshops will be included for full conference delegates.
There’ll also be dedicated Australasian Spatial Information Education and Research Association (ASIERA) and surveying program streams, and we’re also looking forward to welcoming new sponsors and exhibitors.
How long has Locate been running, and when was it last held in Melbourne?
Locate has been running for more than a decade! It was first held in 2014 and was last held in Melbourne in 2019. Here’s the full list of previous Locate conferences:
- 2014 – Canberra
- 2015 – Brisbane
- 2016 – Melbourne
- 2017 – Sydney, held jointly with the ISDE
- 2018 – Adelaide, co-located with GeoSmart Asia
- 2019 – Melbourne
- 2020 – Brisbane (cancelled due to COVID); a Locate Connect mini-conference was held online instead
- 2021 – Brisbane (cancelled due to COVID); satellite events were held events in various cities and online
- 2022 – Canberra
- 2023 – Adelaide
- 2024 – Sydney
- 2025 – Brisbane, held jointly with the FIG Working Week
I’m coming from overseas. What is the visa situation?
There’s a full guide to all the visa requirements on the conference website. It is recommended that you apply for your visa, if one is required, at least three months prior to the event if possible.
I haven’t been to Melbourne before. Where is the venue?
The venue is the magnificent Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, the city’s prime location for conferences and exhibitions. Located on the banks of the Yarra River in the heart of the city, it is centrally located, very close to numerous hotels, shopping and eating areas, and very easy to get to on foot or by public transport.
What are the accommodation options?
There are plenty of hotels and apartment-style accommodations within a short distance of the venue, so you’re sure to find one that will suit you. Special rates have been negotiated with a number of close-by hotels, which you take advantage of by booking via a special web page.
Will there be any special occasions such as award ceremonies?
At the end of Day 1, an awards and recognitions ceremony will be held, during which AURIN will present the prestigious Peter Woodgate Award and ISDE will present its special awards.
Will there be any financial support for delegates, e.g. for students?
Discounted registration rates for students and young professionals are being offered. Additionally, organisations looking to send five or more delegates should reach out for information on discounts.
Where can I find out details about exhibiting or sponsoring the event?
Please reach out to discuss your requirements with us. We have multi-tier options available for both exhibiting at and sponsoring the event. We’d love to hear from you!
Locate26 / 10th Digital Earth Summit at a glance
When: 24-26 November 2026
Where: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Web: www.locateconference.com.au
Contact: Tel: +61 2 4319 8519 or info@locateconference.com.au
Spatial Source is proud to be the Official Media Partner for the Locate26 / 10th Digital Earth Summit event.
