When the Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) engaged The Conference Group to deliver its 2026 Festival of Nursing, we were proud to support this important national event for Australia’s primary health care nursing community.
Held at Sofitel Melbourne On Collins from 30 July to 1 August 2026, the Festival brought together more than 700 delegates, 106 speakers and 71 exhibitors for three days of education, professional connection and industry engagement.
As APNA’s flagship national conference, Festival of Nursing is a key event for nurses, educators, health professionals and industry partners. The Conference Group provided end-to-end healthcare conference management, overseeing the event from early planning through to onsite delivery and post-event reporting.
| Client | Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) |
| Event | APNA Festival of Nursing 2026 |
| Location | Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, Melbourne, VIC |
| Industry | Healthcare, Nursing & Professional Education |
| Delegates | 700+ |
| Programme | 91 sessions, 106 speakers and 100+ abstract submissions |
| Exhibition | 71 exhibitors and 5,597 exhibitor leads scanned |
| Services Provided | End-to-end conference planning and management, registration, abstract management, speaker management, exhibitor and sponsor coordination, financial management, conference app, AV and production coordination, venue liaison, onsite delivery and post-event reporting |
The APNA Festival of Nursing is a nationally recognised healthcare conference that brings together nurses, educators, health professionals, suppliers and industry leaders working across primary health care.
The 2026 Festival provided a major professional development and networking opportunity for delegates from across Australia. Its programme featured plenary and concurrent sessions, abstract presentations, peer connection, industry engagement and recognition of nursing excellence.
Across three days, delegates heard from 106 speakers across 91 sessions. The event also featured more than 100 abstract submissions and a substantial trade exhibition, creating opportunities for nurses to connect with suppliers, explore new products and services, and exchange ideas with colleagues from across the sector.
Delivering a large-scale national nursing conference required detailed planning and careful coordination across a multi-stream scientific and educational programme, registration, speakers, abstract presentations, exhibitors, sponsors, suppliers and onsite operations.
Festival of Nursing 2026 involved more than 700 delegates, 106 speakers, 91 sessions, 100+ abstract submissions and 71 exhibitors. Each component required clear communication, reliable systems and close coordination to ensure a seamless experience for delegates, presenters, exhibitors and APNA stakeholders.
The event also required a strong operational presence onsite to oversee registration, programme flow, session rooms, AV, exhibition activity, social functions, supplier coordination and the many changes that naturally arise during a live three-day conference.
The Conference Group provided comprehensive healthcare conference management services, working alongside APNA to manage the Festival of Nursing 2026 from planning through to post-event reporting.
Our team provided support with:
Through proactive project management and detailed operational planning, The Conference Group enabled APNA to focus on its members, programme content and strategic objectives while our team managed the end-to-end delivery of the Festival.
Festival of Nursing 2026 successfully brought together Australia’s primary health care nursing community for three days of education, collaboration, networking and industry engagement.
The event delivered:
The strong exhibitor engagement demonstrated the value of the Festival as a meeting place for nurses and healthcare-industry partners. With 5,597 leads scanned by exhibitors, the trade exhibition delivered substantial opportunities for delegates to connect with relevant suppliers, products and services.
Delegate feedback also reflected the value of the Festival as a professional learning and networking experience, with attendees highlighting the quality of the sessions, peer connection, new knowledge and inspiration gained through the event.
“It’s an awesome learning opportunity. The best conference I have ever been to.”
Ryan
Sexual Health Nurse
“The collegial networking, peer connections, ideas, inspiration, samples and new knowledge I have walked away with this year is phenomenal.”
Callie
Wattletree Health Group
Delivering successful healthcare conferences, medical meetings and nursing events requires experienced planning, careful stakeholder communication and a detailed understanding of multi-stream educational programmes, speaker requirements, abstract processes, exhibitions and delegate experience.
The Conference Group provides end-to-end conference management for associations and professional membership organisations across Australia. Our experienced team manages every stage of conference delivery, from early planning and financial oversight to registration, abstract management, exhibitor engagement, AV coordination and onsite event management.
If you are planning a healthcare, medical, scientific or nursing conference in Victoria, discover how our Melbourne conference management services can support your event from planning through to onsite delivery.
Organise a 15–30 minute chat with our team about your event needs.
