What's in the program.
- 01Acknowledgement of Country3
- 02Director's Message4
- 03What is Newkind5
- 04Festival at a Glance6
- — Daily Program —
- 05Day 1 · Wednesday 30 September8
- 06Day 2 · Thursday 1 October10
- 07Day 3 · Friday 2 October12
- 08Day 4 · Saturday 3 October14
- 09Day 5 · Sunday 4 October16
- — Voices & Sessions —
- 10Speaker Bios18
- 11Key Workshops22
- 12Event Features & Spaces23
- 13Special Features24
- — Practical Things —
- 14Festival Map26
- 15FAQ27
- 16Sponsors28
NEWKIND
2026.
Five days of music, art, talks, workshops, camping, and community in Redbank, Victoria. You came here for the world you want to live in. So did everyone else in this book.
Always was.
Newkind Conference is held on the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung People of the Country of Djandak. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging — and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples across this great land.
We acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded, and that the work of repair and redesign, begins by listening to the First Peoples of this Country, so that we can imagine a different future to the present he have inherited
The Official Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony for Newkind 2026 will be held on Wednesday 30th Septemberat 4:00pm at the Kookaburra Stage. All attendees are warmly requested to be on site by then to participate in this crucial aspect of preparation for the discussions and deliberations of the conference.
Welcome home.
Newkind is the kind of event you go to get an experience of that world you imagine to be possible; a place where we question, challenge, reconsider and imagine. Combining world-leading professional developoment When we gather every year to rest, to repair, and to redesign.
Rest is not retreat. It is the ground from which honest work grows. Repair is not return — there is no going back to before. Repair is the brave, patient, often beautiful labour of mending what was torn, including what was torn in us. And redesign is what becomes possible when rested, repaired people sit down together and ask: what kind of world are we actually building?
Over the next five days, you will sit with First Nations elders, climate organisers, artists, parents, lawyers, farmers, dancers, musicians, doctors, students, and strangers who, by Sunday, will not be strangers. You will hear hard truths. You will laugh more than you expected. You will probably cry once. You will leave with at least three people in your phone who, six months from now, will still be sending you things.
Drink water. Go to bed early one night. Talk to the person you don't think you have anything in common with. And remember: a kinder world is not a slogan. It is the cumulative effect of a lot of small, brave decisions made by people like you.
I am so glad you are here.
A new kind of conference.
Newkind is a unique experience amongst Australia's conference offerings. Since 2017, it has brought community leaders, academics, activists, advocates, community development professionals, youth, Elders, collaborators and changemakers of all sorts, into a dynamic community of practice focused on creating a kinder, more just and equitable world for all.
There is an undeniable energy and intention that imbues the culture of Newkind that leaves an indelible mark on all those who attend. There's a fierceness about the way we interrogate the topics covered, and a gentleness in the way we host the event, that combine to create an experience like none other. We recognise in the hearts of all those who attend a hunger for a new kind of world, and we do our utmost to do justice to the trust placed in us.
At the heart of Newkind is conversation, consultation and connection; not just connection to each other but sometimes connection to something bigger even than ourselves; connecting opposing ideas, connecting fractured pieces and connecting dots we didn't even know existed. This is why we platform diverse voices across diverse fields; we challenge perspectives and dominant worldviews, refuse to offer deference to those who might otherwise fund such gatherings, and refuse in equal measure to be alarmist or complacent. We're interested in addressing root causes, not discussing the negative outcomes, we want to understand systems not symptoms, and we'd rather foster interconnectedness and cross-pollination, than adversarialism and constant contention.
The 2026 conference is anchored by three words: Rest. Repair. Redesign. Rest is the ground from which honest work grows, especially when the machinery of society wants only our productivity and not our presence of mind. Repair is the patient labour of mending our world, our selves and our relationships. And Redesign is what comes only after we are able to consider the needs of the world from beyond our current paradigms. So let me ask you: what kind of world are you actually wanting to build?
If you join us at Newkind, over five days at Redbank, Victoria, we will sit with Elders, organisers, artists, scientists, activists, parents, lawyers, economist, farmers, dancers, musicians, and strangers who, by Sunday, will no longer be strangers. We will hear hard truths, spoken softly, we will laugh when our grief becomes unbearable and we will cry at the beauty of what we know deep down is possible.
Welcome to Newkind.
Five days, one community.
Arrival, Orientation, Camp Site Setup, Welcome to Country, Opening Ceremony and Smoking, Opening Keynote and Entertainment
Connecting with Country, Rest-as-Resistance, Fireside Discussions, Gender Equity, World Peace, Networks, Healthcare and Child Protection
Discussion Panel on Racial Justice, Sovereignty, Reclaimed Voices, Indigenous Futures and Shattering the Illusion of Separability.
Economic Justice, From Extractivism to Post-Growth Business, Reimagining Disasters, Waste-Free Living, and Constructive Conversations on Education
After Empire, Planning for Post Poly-Crisis, Project Commitments, Networking, Transformational Writing, Final Thoughts, and Supporting the Movement
One Planet.
One People.
Please.
Arrival.
and Child Protection BriefingThis is a required session for all conference Participants, Volunteers, and Facilitators
Ajak Kwai brings the soul of South Sudan and the rhythm of Melbourne onto the Newkind stage. The Sudanese-Australian singer-songwriter weaves her Dinka heritage with contemporary Australian sounds, drawing on a life as a refugee and stories of finding community. Soulful, upbeat, music that protects the soul.
Rest.
Nika KarambakhshianThe Wings of One BirdAre we ready to accept that underlying all of the seemingly impossible troubles of the world is the central and ongoing issue of the inequality of men and women? Have we considered how climate, conflict, economic justice, mental health, social cohesion and so much more is all related to ending the oppression and marginalisation of women, and are we interested to know how the empowerment of women and girls has lead to advances in communities, societies, villages and neighbourhoods across the world?
(Koala Stage)
Magani Malu is a spiritual whirlpool of wisdom, a space of undivided power where we reconnect with self, community, and place. Drawing on Indigenous knowledge and the principles of deep ecology, this session honours all that soars in our skies, swims in our oceans, and walks upon our land. Each of us carries a unique frequency. When it meets another, harmonic resonance is born, deeper, fuller, and more alive. Through accessible, transportable activities you can carry into everyday life, we will move closer to ourselves and to each other. Together we will de-economise our environment and re-spiritualise our land, sea, sky, and animals, embodying virtues that transcend time, space, and geography.
(Koala Stage)
(Koala Stage)
Repair.
(Koala Stage)
The Personal Journey and the Collective Destiny: what does spirituality have to do with social justice, and is our activism and effort intended to prove a point, to save the world, or make a difference?
Is it really that hard to address Racism?Discussion Panel · Dr Virginia Mapedzahama, Tanya Hosch AM, Abdirasak Yousef, and
Dr Kathomi Gatwiri.
Hosted by Ayesha Mehta
(Koala Stage)
Redesign.
Commitments.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.
Voices you
will hear.
A sample of the ~60 voices we are bringing to Redbank — elders, organisers, scientists, artists, and community builders. Full speaker list at newkindconference.com/speakers.
A [Nation] Elder, educator, and author of three books on Country-led learning. For twenty years they have led cross-cultural facilitation for governments, schools, and community groups.
Best known for their book on rest as resistance, they have spent a decade naming the link between burnout, racial capitalism, and what it costs to keep going.
A first-generation organiser bringing together climate and racial justice movements across the Pacific. Has led coalitions across five countries.
Designs policy infrastructure for cooperative economies. Has worked with governments and grassroots groups across the global south.
Award-winning songwriter with three albums of songs about repair, longing, and the small braveries of community.
A movement lawyer who has spent fifteen years inside coalitions for treaty, climate, and human rights — and ten more outside them, teaching what she learned.
Hands-on
deep-work.
Workshops at Newkind are facilitated, practice-based, and intentionally small. Each runs 90 minutes and is capped at 30 participants. Sign up at the welcome desk.
An Indigenous-led workshop on what it means to learn from Country, not just on it. We walk, we listen, we name the protocols. Suitable for all backgrounds, all ages.
Practical tools for sustaining the work without burning yourself or your team out. Built for organisers, facilitators, parents, and carers.
How do coalitions that include people who deeply disagree still get things done? A workshop of frameworks, role-plays, and honest reflection.
Bring a story or a feeling. Leave with a song. A guided workshop with [Artist Name] for anyone willing to make music with strangers.
Spaces that
hold us.
The conference programme runs across four stages — but the camp itself is laced with quieter, ongoing spaces that stay open all week. Drop in whenever you need them.
A silent space for rest, prayer, meditation, journaling, or simply sitting. Mats, cushions, and blankets provided. No phones, no talking.
A dedicated, supervised space for children of conference attendees. Nature play, art, story circles, and visiting elders. Registration at welcome desk.
A curated lending library of books from our speakers and friends. Read on a cushion, borrow for the week, leave a book if you brought one.
Practitioners offering massage, energy work, and somatic sessions throughout the week. Book a slot at the welcome desk on arrival.
Two wood-fired saunas and a creek-fed cold plunge. Evening hours, mixed and quiet sessions clearly signed. BYO towel.
A central fire kept lit all week. Late-night stories, songs, and conversations. Tended by a roster of volunteers.
Beyond the
main program.
Newkind is more than its talks. These features run alongside the program — drop in whenever you want.
Every evening 9:30pm onwards at the North Field. Drop-in conversations, song, and silence. Bring a blanket.
Most mornings from 6:30am. Guided walks on Traditional Country with Elders and naturalists.
Open all day, every day. No talking. Mats provided. The introvert's sanctuary.
Five commissioned installations across the site, by First Nations and migrant artists. Map keys provided.
Daily 9am–4pm. Storytelling, art, nature play, and music. Free to all conference families. Sign up at welcome desk.
Camping is free with your ticket. BYO tent or hire on site (book ahead). Hot showers, composting toilets, water station.
On the ground
in Redbank.
Where things
happen.
Things you
might be wondering.
Tent (or hire one on site), warm sleeping bag, water bottle, sun hat, comfortable walking shoes, layers — Redbank evenings get cold even in October. A torch is useful. Phone reception is patchy and that's part of the experience.
About 3 hours' drive north-west of Melbourne. Detailed directions, public transport options, and a carpool board open three weeks before the event. Look out for an email.
Absolutely. We run a dedicated kids' program 9am–4pm daily, free with any ticket. Children under 12 attend for free. Quiet camping is set apart from louder zones.
Yes. Our community kitchen caters vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, and most allergies as standard. Please tell us when you book so we can plan.
The main marquees and tracks are accessible. Some bush areas are uneven. Accessible toilets are available. If you have specific needs, email accessibility@newkindconference.com and we'll arrange.
Yes — single-day tickets are available for Days 2, 3, and 4. The full five-day experience is the heart of Newkind, though.
Some keynotes will be recorded and released afterward, with speaker consent. Workshops, fire circles, and Welcome to Country are never recorded.
Welcome to Country opens the conference and is for all of us. Respect Elders' leadership in any session they hold. Some sessions are First Nations only — these are clearly marked. When in doubt, listen.
Made possible by.
Newkind 2026 is held together by the generosity of our partners. Their support keeps the conference accessible, the programming bold, and the food good. Thank you.