CAIRNS will host hundreds of delegates for a major environmental congress in August, although international attendance is expected to fall short of earlier projections amid ongoing disruption to global travel.
The 6th World Ecoacoustics Congress is scheduled to take place at Cairns Convention Centre, August 17-20, organised with James Cook University and drawing researchers, engineers and practitioners from around the world.
Held every two years, the event focuses on ecoacoustics, an emerging field examining how sound can be used to measure ecosystem health and environmental change.
Organisers say total delegate numbers will be “slightly lower than initially hoped” due to broader global challenges, although several hundred participants are still expected.
They have not directly linked the shortfall to the US‑Israeli war on Iran. However, the conflict has affected flight routes and capacity across key corridors, and other international conferences have reported changes to travel plans and reduced long-haul attendance in recent months.
Professor Paul Roe, Dean of Research at James Cook University, said the congress would proceed with a full programme. “While delegate numbers are expected to be slightly lower than initially hoped due to broader global challenges, the congress is set to deliver a high-quality scientific programme and meaningful international collaboration, with a clear focus on advancing the frontiers of ecoacoustics.
More… Let your groups dive into Cairns
“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,” Roe said.
Local organisers said the event remained an important addition to the region’s business events calendar.
The World Ecoacoustics Congress is exactly the kind of international meeting that aligns with Cairns’ strengths in science, sustainability and nature-based experiences.”
– Tara Bennett, Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef
Janet Hamilton, General Manager of Cairns Convention Centre, said: “With delegates expected from around the world, we are looking forward to hosting them in our centre.”
Despite a lighter international mix, the event is expected to deliver academic and economic benefits to the region, reflecting a wider pattern of conferences relying more heavily on regional participation as geopolitical tensions reshape global travel.
Main picture… View of a tropical rainforest in North Queensland, an area considered ideal for advancing the study of ecoacoustics
