Last week, we came together for the ACRNA’s annual conference, showcasing a celebration of innovation, collaboration, and the future of our industry.
The event began on a high note with relaxed networking drinks on the eve of the conference, giving early arrivals the chance to reconnect and forge new relationships in a casual setting. The atmosphere was set by the luxurious Fullerton Hotel, which provided the perfect balance of comfort and professionalism throughout the event.
Inspiring Presentations and Keynote Moments
Day one opened with a powerful keynote address from Arnold Dix, whose remarkable story of the India tunnel collapse rescue captivated and inspired everyone in attendance.
The conference hall’s immersive LED screen added an impressive visual dimension to every presentation, allowing speakers to showcase their stories and data in engaging, dynamic ways that truly brought their messages to life.
The day continued with a series of insightful presentations. A special thanks to all our presenters whose contributions framed the success of knowledge sharing, valuable discussions and fresh ideas across all sectors;
- Matthew O’Sullivan – Incident Response & Maintenance in Control Room Performance
- Andrew Sutherland – What Happens When Things Go Bad?
- Daniel Habib – Remote Operation of the Scarborough Energy Project
- Neil Royle – Business Continuity in Critical Control Room Operations
- Mark Holmes – Flagship Control Room Healthy Light Project
- Stuart Barber – Managing Control Room Alarms
- Roise O’Halloran & Elise Meier – Supporting People to Support Systems
- David Barton – Cyber Resilience
- Natasha Thomas & David Ibanez – Lessons Learnt from Complex Infrastructure Upgrades
- Michael Benson – Prevention is the Only First Step to Resilient Systems
We rounded off the day with another opportunity to network before our conference dinner, where guests enjoyed outstanding food and service. The highlight of the evening was guest speaker Dr. Jordan Nguyen, who amazed the audience with stories of cutting-edge robotics and human potential. His work developing eye-controlled software that enabled a young, paralysed boy to drive a car using only his eyes left a lasting impression on everyone in the room.
Learning and Looking Ahead
Day two commenced with our Annual General Meeting, followed by a series of site visits to various control rooms. These visits offered a rare behind-the-scenes look at how different organisations manage operations and leverage emerging technologies, an experience participants found both informative and inspiring. We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to our site visit hosts for providing such an informative insight to their operations;
- Ausgrid
- Fire Rescue NSW
- Sydney Harbour Tunnel
- Sydney Trains
- Transgrid
- Viva Energy
- Transurban WestConnex
The conference concluded with a dynamic workshop led by Sarah Goodwin from Monash University, who guided attendees through an exploration of “Control Rooms of the Future.” Her session encouraged forward thinking and collaboration, rounding out two days of learning, sharing, and innovation.
Perth 2026
Following the great success of our inaugural Perth event this year, we are excited to start planning our 2026 Perth event. Stay tuned for updates on the website as we look to build on this years programme.
Looking Forward to Brisbane 2026!
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all speakers, sponsors, and attendees who made this year’s conference such a success. The combination of a great venue, engaging presentations, and memorable social events created an atmosphere of genuine connection and inspiration.
We’re already looking forward to next year’s event in Brisbane where we’ll continue to learn, connect, and shape the future together.