Gulpa gaka/Welcome
The Department of Rural Health acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the unceded land on which we work, learn, and live on - the Yorta Yorta Nation. We recognise the unique place held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the original owners and custodians of the lands and waterways across the Australian continent, with histories of continuous connection dating back more than 60,000 years.
We pay respect to Elders past, present and future, and acknowledge the importance of Indigenous knowledge in the Academy. As a community of researchers, teachers, professional staff and students, we are privileged to work and learn every day with Indigenous colleagues and partners.
About the conference
The Department of Rural Health will be hosting our 10th Ngar-wu Wanyarra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Conference on Wednesday 15 October 2025 on Yorta Yorta Country the University of Melbourne, Department of Rural Health, 49 Graham Street Shepparton VIC.
Meaning to ‘listen and act’ in Yorta Yorta language – the Ngar-wu Wanyarra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander conference recognises First Nation voices and knowledge, sharing information on key topics in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health and wellbeing.
Read a summary of our 2024 conference here!
Tickets & Pricing
Tickets for the Ngar-wu Wanyarra conference will be available from Wednesday 28 May.
Note: you will be required to create a UniMelb account to register for this event.
| Tickets | In person |
|---|---|
| Indigenous attendee | $110.00 |
| Non-Indigenous attendee | $190.00 |
| Optional add-ons | In person |
|---|---|
| Craft workshops | Free |
| Post-conference refreshments & networking opportunity | Free |
Program & Speakers
The conference program and booklet is currently being confirmed. Please check back on this page closer to the conference.
Note: this program is subject to change, please refer back to the website for latest updates in the lead-up to the event.
Keynote speakers
The keynote speakers are currently being confirmed. Please check back on this page closer to the conference.
Call for abstracts
Call for abstracts for this year’s event are now open.
This is an opportunity to showcase your work, share your knowledge, and foster meaningful dialogue among our conference delegates. Whether you're an artist, activist, researcher, healthcare worker or community member, we welcome your contributions!
Submit your abstract through the link below.
Key dates
- Monday 12 May 2025
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Call for abtracts open
- Wednesday 28 May 2025
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Ticket registrations open
- Sunday 10 August 2025
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Call for abstracts close
- Wednesday 8 October 2025
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Ticket sales close
Contact information
For event enquiries contact:
Aboriginal Health Team
Department of Rural Health
Email: aboriginal-health@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +(03) 5823 4512
For media enquiries contact:
Marketing and Events team
Department of Rural Health, University of Melbourne
Email: drh-marketingevents@unimelb.edu.au
Stay up to date
Stay in the loop by signing up for event updates! Request to join our database here.
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and pay our respect to them, their culture and their Elders past and present. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices, or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or printed material.
Conference artwork by Norman Stewart, Community/Language Group: Yorta Yorta, 'Kidneys of the Dungala', 2014