16th ANZ Young Geotechnical Professionals Conference

Conference Summary

Held every 2 years, the ANZ Young Geotechnical Professional’s Conference (YGPC) is a joint initiative of the Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society (NZGS) and is for geotechnical professionals from Australia and New Zealand up to 35 years of age. It is designed for all attendees to present a technical paper on any topic of interest/experience related to the field of geomechanics, engineering geology or geotechnical engineering.

Along with the technical presentations, the conference will involve social events to encourage networking between delegates, and a field trip to Kuranda Historical Railway.

The YGPC-2026 registration link has now been emailed to all invited speakers who have paid their initial $100 deposit.

The YGPC-2026 registration fee has been set at the same rate as our previous 2024 edition – AUD $1430 inc. GST. This price includes all activities shown in the Conference Programme as well as three nights’ accommodation (bed & breakfast for one person per room) at the official YGPC hotel – Hilton Cairns. Additional nights can be booked at AUD $242 inc. GST per night (bed & breakfast for one person per room) through the accommodation linked provided if you’d like to arrive early or extend your stay into the weekend

Important Dates

Conference Programme

Tuesday 1 SeptemberWednesday 2 SeptemberThursday 3 SeptemberFriday 4 September
Morning–PresentationsPresentationsField trip
AfternoonCheck-in & registration
(from 2pm)		PresentationsPresentationsField trip
(concluding by 2pm)
EveningWelcome ReceptionSocial DinnerConference Dinner–

Organising Committee

Conference Mentors

The Don Douglas Youth Fellowship Award

The fellowship is awarded to the author of the most outstanding paper by an Australian representative at each ANZ Young Geotechnical Professionals Conference. The recipient must be a member of the AGS and be below the age of 35 in the year of the conference, i.e. born in 1991 or younger in 2026. A committee consisting of 2 members of the conference organising committee and 2 senior geotechnical professionals in attendance at the conference will judge the award.

The Don Douglas Youth fellowship carries a cash amount of $4,000. The cash component is for reimbursement of expenses incurred in attending the next International Young Geotechnical Professional’s Conference following the award.

NZGS Young Geotechnical Professionals Fellowship

This fellowship is awarded to the author of the best paper by a New Zealand representative at each ANZ Young Geotechnical Professionals Conference. The recipient must be a member of the New Zealand Geotechnical Society and be below the age of 35 in the year of the conference, i.e. born in 1991 or younger in 2026.

Sponsorship opportunities

If you would like to have your organisation highlighted to the best and brightest young people in our profession, a range of sponsorship opportunities are available for this event. More details can be found in the Sponsorship Opportunities flyer.

For more information contact the AGS General Manager via [email protected]

Engineers Australia members participating in AGS technical sessions can record attendance on their personal CPD logs. Members should refer to Engineers Australia CPD policy for details on CPD types, requirements and auditing guidelines.