Australian Health Design Council upcoming events

John Hunter Health & Innovation Precinct (JHHIP) – Site Visit (Thursday, August 13, 2026)

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Ahead of the state-based in-person event in Sydney, join us for an exclusive site visit to the $835 million John Hunter Health Innovation Precinct (JHHIP) Stage 1 in Newcastle. This landmark project is delivering a state-of-the-art clinical facility designed to enhance the patient experience, enable contemporary models of care, and expand capacity for specialised services. Gain firsthand insight into one of Australia's most significant health infrastructure developments and explore the innovation shaping the future of healthcare delivery.

The new clinical building includes a range of purpose-built facilities such as paediatric inpatient units, critical care services, operating theatres, medical imaging, day treatment spaces, and family-centred amenities. It brings together clinical, research, and family support functions to create a modern, integrated environment for children, young people, and their families.

During the site visit, attendees will receive a high-level overview of the project followed by a guided tour that will showcase key clinical and public areas, offering insights into how design, innovation, and family-focused thinking have shaped this significant redevelopment.

The facility was designed by BVN Architects and constructed by Multiplex..

Special thanks to the Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) and Health Infrastructure for supporting the Australian Health Design Council in organising this exclusive site visit for our members. Tickets are limited to 25 and available exclusively for AHDC members on a first-come, first-served basis, so please be mindful when booking your ticket. This event will link to a subsequent in-person event later this afternoon. Additional information and event details will be provided in a separate communication.

Complex Challenges, Connected Thinking | Transforming Healthcare Through Design, Innovation and Collaboration (Thursday, August 13, 2026)

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 06:00:00 GMT

Join us for a dynamic AHDC event in Sydney, with live connections to Newcastle/Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) and Canberra. This landmark event marks the first partnership between the AHDC and a government health infrastructure agency, Health Infrastructure NSW (HI NSW), bringing together leading voices in health infrastructure, planning, design, innovation and service delivery to explore the future of healthcare.

The session will explore how connected thinking across health systems, services and infrastructure can deliver better outcomes for patients, staff and communities, drawing on the following presentations:

The John Hunter Health + Innovation Precinct Case Study

A case study of one of Australia's most significant recent hospital redevelopments, examining how the John Hunter Health + Innovation Precinct has combined evidence-based design, co-design, Designing with Country, sustainability and stakeholder collaboration to create a major healthcare facility that supports clinical excellence, community connection and long-term civic value.

Innovation in Action: Embedding Innovation and Research into Healthcare Infrastructure

An exploration of Health Infrastructure NSW's Innovation and Research Framework and how structured innovation governance can support evidence-based infrastructure investment. Through a case study of AI-enabled thermal imaging technology, presenters will demonstrate how research partnerships, stakeholder engagement and innovation evaluation can improve decision-making and deliver measurable benefits for patients, staff and health services.

Panel Discussion: From Systems to Services to Infrastructure

Leaders from across the NSW health ecosystem will discuss how policy, models of care and the built environment intersect, and how stronger alignment between system planning, service delivery and infrastructure development can create more responsive, efficient and patient-centred health services.

In-person spaces in Sydney, Canberra and HNELHD are limited, so book your spot quickly.

Many thanks to our partners for this event:

Health Infrastructure NSW for hosting the event in their offices in Sydney.
Hunter New England Local Health District (HNELHD) for providing a venue at John Hunter Hospital, New Lambton NSW.
Infrastructure Canberra for providing a venue in Canberra.

Please note there will be no option to dial in. If you cannot attend in person, please do not register. The sessions will be recorded (subject to speaker consent) and made available to AHDC members following the event.

You’ll Hear from:

Partner Representatives present in-person at the venues:

In Sydney: Nicky Seaby, Acting Executive Director, Capital and Commercial Advisory, Health Infrastructure NSW
In HNELHD: John Barnard-Richardson, Executive Director, Infrastructure, Planning and Sustainability, Hunter New England Local Health District
In Canberra: Hayley Bell, Executive Group Manager, Health, Education and Justice at ACT Government.

Presentation 1: John Hunter Health + Innovation Precinct Case Study

Kirstie Irwin, Principal, BVN
Karen Height, Senior Facility Planner, Infrastructure, Planning and Sustainability, HNELHD
Nicholas Rayner, Senior Project Director, Health Infrastructure NSW

Presentation 2: Innovation in Action - Embedding Innovation and Research into Healthcare Infrastructure

Dr Anita Vandyke, Program Manager, Change and Innovation, Health Infrastructure NSW
Tiffany Chiew, Executive Director, Core Connect Group

Panel Discussion: From Systems to Services to Infrastructure

Gerard Duck, Executive Director, Strategic Planning, Economics and Experience Branch, Ministry of Health
Nicky Seaby, Acting Executive Director, Capital and Commercial Advisory, Health Infrastructure NSW
Anthony M. Schembri, Chief Executive, Northern Sydney Local Health District

A special thank you to all of our event partners specifically our lead event partner Health Infrastructure NSW for providing the venue and supporting the curation of the event agenda.

When:

Thursday, August 13, 2026, 4 PM - 7 PM (AEST)

Where:

Sydney: Level 1, 1 Reserve Road St Leonards, NSW
Newcastle: John Hunter Hospital, Kookaburra Circuit, New Lambton NSW 2305
Canberra: ACT Government, 220 London Circuit. Canberra

CPD Information

Registered Architects may be able to claim 3 formal CPD points by attending this event. The following NSCA competencies apply:

PC03 - Apply principles of project planning, considering implications for Country, environmental sustainability, communities, stakeholders and project costs.
PC08 - Be able to implement culturally responsive and meaningful engagement processes that respect the importance of Country and reciprocal relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples across architectural services
PC13 - Be able to identify and apply strategies, programming and processes for documentation through all project stages to facilitate project delivery, as appropriate to selected procurement processes.
PC17 - Have an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander People’s aspirations to care for Country and how these inform architectural design
PC27 - Understand how to embed the knowledge, worldviews and perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, shared through engagement processes, into the conceptual design in a meaningful, respectful and appropriate way
PC28 - Be able to draw on knowledge from building services and technology, environmental sciences and behavioural and social sciences as part of preliminary design research and when developing the conceptual design to optimize the performance of the project
PC50 - Be able to continue engagement with relevant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples throughout all stages of the project and its delivery in a meaningful, respectful and appropriate way
PC28 - Be able to draw on knowledge from building sciences and technology, environmental sciences and behavioural and social sciences as part of preliminary design research and when developing the conceptual design to optimise the performance of the project.
PC33 - Be able to investigate, coordinate and integrate sustainable environmental systems – including water, thermal, lighting and acoustics – in response to consultants’ advice.

AHDC 2026 - Explore: Member Site Tours (Wednesday, November 04, 2026)

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Kick off the National Conference in Brisbane with exclusive pre-conference site visits to recently completed projects, led by the designers, planners and health professionals who worked on them. These morning tours start and finish close to the CBD, giving you time to head straight to the next event, Engage.

There are four concurrent site visits, so you'll need to select one. Tours include bus transfer to and from Brisbane CBD. Ticket sales open on Monday 17 August. Tickets are strictly allocated on a first come, first served basis and these tours sell out fast.

Tours Available

1	Translational Research Institute	Visit Brisbane's Translational Research Institute and its new ENTRI biomanufacturing facility at the Princess Alexandra Hospital campus. See how a $350 million research hub and Australia's first open-access cGMP biomanufacturing facility bring researchers, clinicians and industry together under one roof.
2	*Herston Precinct*	Walk through three landmark projects: the STARS rehabilitation facility, the Herston Biofabrication Institute, and the Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology headquarters. The tour traces the shift from patient-centred care through to regenerative medicine and large-scale diagnostic infrastructure. Note the Sullivan Nicolaides component is capped at 10 attendees.
3	*Mater Springfield*	Tour the newly opened $350 million expansion in Brisbane's western corridor, featuring a nine-storey clinical services building that lifts capacity to 234 beds. Coach transport will be provided from the Brisbane Convention Centre. Places are limited to 20 attendees.
4	*To be announced!*

Details

Arrive at 8:30am to meet the bus.
Pick-up location will be confirmed, located in Brisbane city area.
Tours are open to all AHDC Members. Login before registering.

Note: This registration is for the Explore Event only, to register for the conference and other events, go to www.aushdc.org.au/conference

AHDC2026 - Engage: Research Lunch and Workshop (Wednesday, November 04, 2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 04:30:00 GMT

You are invited to attend this interactive workshop bringing together architects, designers, researchers, health professionals, policymakers and industry partners to translate healthcare design evidence into practical outcomes.

Healthcare design continues to generate a growing evidence base, but converting this knowledge into practice, policy and funding decisions remains a challenge. This workshop moves beyond discussion, offering a structured format to co-create implementation pathways, build partnerships and develop ideas with potential for future research, pilot projects and funding.

Program

Lightning Perspectives
Short talks from leaders in research, practice, government and healthcare covering emerging challenges, how evidence shapes design and policy, implementation barriers and future priorities.

Collaborative Roundtables
Small group work to identify real-world challenges, develop project concepts, explore implementation pathways and form multidisciplinary collaborations.

From Ideas to Action
A discussion on progressing ideas through research partnerships, funding opportunities, pilot projects and AHDC collaborative initiatives.

For more information, please read the attached workshop synopsis:

AHDC2026 Conference Engage Workshop.pdf

Who Should Attend

The Engage Research Workshop is part of our outreach program, and is open and free to attend for the general public, we encourage students, researchers and local professionals to participate. You don’t need to be an AHDC member or a conference delegate to attend.

Details

Arrive at 14:00 for at 14:30 start
A light lunch will be provided, along with tea and coffee.
Venue will be confirmed, located in Brisbane city area.

Note: This registration is for the Engage Event only, to register for the conference and other events, go to www.aushdc.org.au/conference

Australian Health Design Conference 2026 (Thursday, November 05, 2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

You are invited to register for the 2026 Australian Health Design Conference. This year we will be heading to Brisbane for a 2-day conference in October. You can find out more on our conference website:

Ticket Types and Conditions

Public and AHDC Member tickets are available at discounted early bird prices for a limited time only. All prices are inclusive of GST.

	Standard	Early Bird
Public	$1,600	$1,320
Member	$1,360	$1,200
Concession*	$1,200
One Day Ticket	$960

Early Bird

Early bird discounts are available until 31 July 2026

AHDC Members

Become an AHDC member for $220 per year for discounted conference rates, site visits, and other events throughout the year. Find out more.

Concessions

Full time students can email events@aushdc.org.au with details of their enrolment for approval of student rates. The discount is also available for AHDC student and non-practicising members.

Site Visits

Tickets for site visits must be purchased separately. You must be a current AHDC member to attend a site visit. Site visits will be announced closer to the event, so please subscribe to the newsletter for updates.

Speakers and Panelists

Speakers and panelists will receive a complimentary one-day ticket, or upgrade to a full conference ticket for $960. A registration code is provided in your speaker confirmation and brief.

How to Register

Payment via credit card or debit card is required to secure your ticket. If you are an AHDC member; please login using your email and password before registering. See Member FAQ page. Please email support@aushdc.org.au if you have any issues with registration.

Partnerships and Bulk Bookings

Becoming an AHDC Foundation Partner includes opportunities to purchase bulk conference tickets and memberships for your team. To find out more, please review our Partnership Invitation.

If your company is a Foundation Partner, please contact your sponsorship manager to organise tickets. Foundation partners receive limited complimentary conference tickets and other discounts.

For bulk bookings, please contact support@aushdc.org.au with a list of names, emails and company details for invoicing and ticketing purposes.

Cancellation Policy

More than 30 days - full refund processed.
Less than 30 days - account credit only.
Substitutions - free at any time.

To cancel, please sign into your AHDC account and navigate to your profile. Go to "Event Registrations" to submit a cancellation. Last minute cancellations will receive an account credit only. This can be used to pay for annual membership and future events and conference tickets.

Substitutions

If you can not longer attend for any reason, we encourage you to nominate someone else to participate in your place. Substitutions will be processed on the day at event registration, please bring a digital copy of the original ticket confirmation.

Other Conditions

The preliminary program is preliminary and subject to change.
Conference tickets cannot be shared with non-delegates or sold by third parties.
Recording, videotaping or live steaming of the AHDC Conference is strictly prohibited.
Photographer and videographers will be present at the event. If you do not wish to be filmed, please let them know on arrival.