State of Australasian Cities Conference 2025

Australasian Cities at the Crossroads: Navigating Legacy, Innovation & Sustainability

SOAC 2025 enquires how urban planning, design and policy address current challenges and global trends in urbanism with a focus on legacy, long-term sustainability, and innovation.

The interplay between global dynamics and local challenges presents a critical juncture for Australasian cities and regional centres. Phenomena such as climate change, pandemics, conflict, economic downturns, and political volatility are not merely external factors but are directly augmenting the complexity of local issues. These include environmental sustainability, urban sprawland transportation, housing affordability and homelessness, population growth and demographic shifts, the preservation and integration of indigenous communities and knowledge, economic diversification and employment, and addressing the digital divide and connectivity. These challenges necessitate a departure from reactive policies towards a more proactive and integrated approach to urban and regional planning.