default Cairns will host the 6th World Ecoacoustics Congress in partnership with James Cook University, bringing international delegates to the Cairns Convention Centre from 17 to 20 August 2026.
Organised by the International Society of Ecoacoustics, the biennial congress gathers researchers, scientists, engineers and practitioners working at the intersection of sound, biodiversity and environmental change. The 2026 edition follows Brisbane in 2018 and Madrid in 2024, marking only the second time the event has been held in Australia.
Professor Paul Roe, Dean, Research at James Cook University, said: “Cairns is a natural fit for the World Ecoacoustics Congress because it gives delegates access to one of the most acoustically and ecologically diverse regions in the world.”
The congress will also highlight projects such as Listening to Country, which supports ecoacoustic capacity-building with First Nations groups across Queensland, and Professor Roe’s work on the Australian Acoustic Observatory and Open Ecoacoustics.
Tara Bennett, General Manager – Partnerships & Events at Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, said the win reflects the destination’s strengths in science, sustainability and nature-based experiences.
Janet Hamilton, General Manager of the Cairns Convention Centre, added: “The congress will deliver valuable economic and academic impact, while also creating strong potential for visitors to extend their stay and experience the venue, reef, rainforest and wider Tropical North Queensland region.”
Registration is open and abstract submissions are currently being accepted for the August 2026 event.