RANZCP homepage
Date
16 - 18 September 2026
Location
Shangri-La The Marina Cairns1 Pier Point Road
Cairns Qld 4870
Organised by
RANZCPDelivery
In-personThe RANZCP Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age 2026 Conference will be centred around the theme ‘Breaking barriers, building integration: Redefining ageing in a connected world’.
The program features a rich lineup of sessions covering catatonia, encephalopathy, delirium, dementia, artificial intelligence in old age psychiatry, neuroimaging, functional neurological disorders, movement disorders, and more. We are honoured to be welcoming Associate Professor Mark Oldham from the University of Rochester, UK and Professor John-Paul Taylor from Newcastle University as our keynote speakers, alongside distinguished guests Professors Edward Strivens and Andy Teodorczuk.
A welcome reception will be held on the evening of Wednesday 16 September, followed by a conference dinner showcasing Cairns’ renowned hospitality. In the spirit of fostering the next generation of psychogeriatric leaders, the program also includes a dedicated session for trainee led research.
Join us as we break down barriers, strengthen integrated and collaborative care, and reimagine ageing in a connected world—set against the extraordinary backdrop of the Great Barrier Reef.
Conference program
The Organising Committee is currently curating a dynamic program which will be published online in the coming months.
Registration
Registration will open shortly.
Call for abstracts
Abstracts are now invited. If you wish to submit an abstract for consideration by the Organising Committee, you must also intend to register to attend the conference. Online submission is the only accepted method of abstract submission.
The deadline for abstract submission is Friday 3 April 2026
Abstract submission key dates
Abstract submission opens: Tuesday 27 January 2026 Abstract submission closes: Friday 3 April 2026 Notification to authors: Wednesday 22 April 2026 Author acceptance of offer deadline: Wednesday 6 May 2026
Presentation types
Authors will be required to indicate their preferred presentation format when submitting an abstract. The available presentation types are:
1. Oral presentation
An oral presentation is typically allocated 15–20-minutes. The allocated presentation time will include time for questions.
2. Poster presentation
A poster presentation constitutes a visual display of a research project. More information regarding the logistics of the poster presentations will be advised upon acceptance.
How to submit your abstract
Abstract submission is a two-step process:
Step 1
Download the relevant abstract template [MS Word; 13.8 KB], save it to your desktop and complete it.
Step 2
Create an account via the abstract submission portal and upload your abstract
Please note:
- All abstracts must be prepared according to the guidelines provided. Incomplete or incorrect submissions will be returned to the author and must be re-submitted immediately in the correct format to be considered for inclusion in the program.
- Abstract submission will close at 11.59 pm AEDT on Friday 3 April 2026.
Abstract speaker registration
The invitation to submit an abstract does not constitute an offer to pay travel, accommodation or registration costs associated with the conference. Similarly, no presenter fee is paid to successful participants.
All presenters must register for the conference for the presentation to be included in the program.
Accommodation
Accommodation can be booked at the conference venue via this link - Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age Annual Conference 2026 | Shangri-La The Marina
Discounted rates are available; all bookings are subject to price & availability at time of booking and must be made directly with the hotel
Further enquiries
For any enquiries regarding abstract submission or the conference please contact events@ranzcp.org
Terms & conditions
Cancellation policy
Delegate cancellation - change of mind
All requests for cancellation must be made in writing and sent to events@ranzcp.org.
Cancellations received before Monday 10 August 2026 will incur a $75.00 administration fee. No refunds will be issued after this date. However, an alternative delegate name may be submitted. All cancellation and substitution requests must be made in writing to events@ranzcp.org.
Delegate cancellation - medical
The health and safety of conference attendees is our highest priority.
If, on medical grounds, you are unable to attend the conference, you must cancel your attendance in writing by email to events@ranzcp.org. A full refund will be provided; however, you may be asked to provide additional details.
Conference cancellation
If the RANZCP is required to make any changes or cancellations to our conference due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to Acts of God, terrorism, war, strikes or industrial action, fire, explosion, inevitable accident, breakdown of property, changes in law, or pandemics or global health crises, delegates will be notified by email and will be provided a full refund of their registration fee.
Health and safety
All participants at the conference will be required to comply with the Health and Safety Guidelines and protocols in place with the venue/s and the conference which will be aligned and compliant with all relevant Commonwealth and state government health advice at that time. By registering for this event, the RANZCP reserves the right to provide your contact details to authorities for the purposes of contact tracing and any other relevant government requirements. Details of any relevant protocols and requirements will be communicated to delegates who will be bound by these requirements.
Insurance
Conference participants are strongly advised to secure appropriate travel and health insurance. The RANZCP and the conference Organising Committee accept no responsibility for any loss in this regard.
Privacy policy
The RANZCP will only collect personal information from individuals when it is reasonably necessary for the activities of the RANZCP, and all such collection will be subject to the RANZCP Privacy Policy and any other notifications.
