Who can attend?

Everyone is welcome to attend. The 2026 conference at the University of Melbourne brought together 500 people, including current students, academics, local council and government employees, NGO professionals and ecological consultants from across Victoria.

In 2027, VicBioCon is heading to La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus for three days of talks, panels, workshops and networking. A breaking barriers grant is available to help make attending the conference more accessible.

Diversity and inclusion

The Victorian Biodiversity Conference (VicBioCon) seeks to ensure an inclusive, welcoming, safe and accessible environment for all participants, regardless of age, culture, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, national origin, physical or mental difference, politics, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or subculture. This environment includes the physical, social, virtual and cultural environment. We believe in the need for interdisciplinary study, both in terms of disciplines and participants, and in biodiversity in both ecosystems and membership.

We promote diversity in all areas of activity. VicBioCon will provide an inclusive, welcoming and safe environment for all delegates, and will not tolerate harassment in any form. We will vigorously and proactively reject prejudice and stereotyping wherever we encounter it in our profession. The VicBioCon committee has endorsed this statement, and all participants are responsible for behaving in accordance with the Society’s principles of inclusivity. We reserve the right to sanction or expel participants who do not behave accordingly.