ANZCCART Conference 2026 "Culture, Care and Collaboration"

Welcome

On behalf of the Board, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2026 ANZCCART Australia Conference in beautiful Sydney, NSW.

The draft program features an array of invited speakers from both interstate and abroad. These experts will be joined by local speakers with a selection of presentations from submitted abstracts. Pre-conference tours include visits to animal facilities, laboratories and the Australian Museum Research Institute and a post-conference workshop on post-approval monitoring is proposed.

This conference aims to serve as a neutral forum for the exchange of ideas and perspectives, where we can engage in respectful dialogue, fostering a space where diverse views on these complex issues can be expressed and debated. We encourage all participants to engage thoughtfully and contribute to the enriching discussions that will unfold over the course of the event.

We would also like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks to our current sponsors, AAALAC, EthiQualia, Jetpets, MAWA, Research Code and Tecniplast for their support of this year’s conference.

I will not be attending this year’s Conference as I am resigning from the Board and ANZCCART due to work commitments. As I have in the past, I am sure you will benefit from what promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking event and from the opportunity to engage with like-minded delegates as we explore the crucial role of animals in research and teaching across Australia and New Zealand.

The ANZCCART Board look forward to joining you at the Conference.

Best wishes

Alastair Sloan, Board Chair, ANZCCART Australia

Key-note Speaker - Dr Larry Carbone

Dr Larry Carbone is a veterinarian with 40 years of experience caring for animals in laboratories. Dr Carbone writes about public policy, ethics, and laboratory animal welfare. His new book, The Hidden Life of Lab Animals, shows how addressing animals’ physical and emotional needs not only enhances their well-being but also leads to more robust scientific research

Sessions include

• Culture, Care and Collaboration
• Responsible Animal Use from Practice to Retirement
• Welfare and Ethical Guidelines
• Non-Human Primates
• High Animal Welfare Impact
• Openness
• Non-Animal Technologies (NATs) and New Approach Methods (NAMs)
• Animal Ethics Committee operations

The draft program is available now.

BOOK when registering through Eventbrite

Please note:

• Tour itineraries and other details are subject to change.
• The tours are only available to delegates attending the conference in person.
• Due to limited capacity, places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis once bookings open.
• Please do not apply for more than one tour – this helps ensure availability for as many delegates as possible.
• Costs are for transport only.
• Refunds will not be available for bookings cancelled less than 7 days before the tour.
• If there are insufficient numbers to fill all sessions, the tours may be combined. Notice will be given of any changes.
• More information on all tours is available at

TOUR 1: UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY CHARLES PERKINS CENTRE - BIOLOGICAL SERVICES UNIT

The Charles Perkins Centre is a multidisciplinary initiative focused on reducing the burden of chronic disease through collaborative, systems-based research. Within the Centre, Laboratory Animal Services (LAS) supports high-quality animal research for both internal and external partners through a team of technicians, facility officers, and veterinarians. The tour will showcase state-of-the-art rodent and large animal facilities, along with advanced preclinical imaging and hybrid theatre environments. Prerequisites for entry and also a confidentiality agreement are required for this tour.

10.00 - 11.30am

12.00 - 1.30pm

2.00 - 3.30pm

Meet the Tour Host in the Rydges Hotel Lobby 15 minutes before the scheduled session.

Cost: $30 (includes bus transport)

TOUR 2: BEHIND-THE-SCENES TOUR OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Australia's first museum, the Australian Museum, has a collection of more than 22 million specimens and objects and is home to the Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI). AMRI specialises in taxonomy, genomics, ecology, and conservation projects that seek to better understand and protect Australia's extraordinary biodiversity. Join this rare opportunity to go beyond the public galleries and see the science firsthand in a behind-the-scenes tour of the AMRI facilities and collections and also meet the scientists that work there.

10.00 - 11.15am

Meet the Tour Host in the Rydges Hotel Lobby 15 minutes before the scheduled time.

Transport: The Museum is a 10-minute walk from the Hotel through Hyde Park.

Cost: Free for Conference delegates (registration required).

TOUR 3: UNSW RANDWICK ANIMAL SERVICES

The University of New South Wales is home to two purpose-adapted animal research facilities at its Randwick campus, supporting world-class biomedical research in surgical orthopaedic science, biomedical engineering and optometry. The facilities provide high-quality housing and care for rabbits and sheep sourced from interstate and rural suppliers, with a dedicated team of Animal Services technicians supporting their welfare throughout surgical procedures and recovery. Join this unique opportunity to tour a sheep and rabbit holding facility at the heart of one of Australia's most prominent universities, and discover the initiatives our team has implemented to optimise animal housing, enrichment and nutrition.

11.00am - 12:00pm

2.00 - 3.00pm

Meet the Tour Host in the Rydges Hotel Lobby 15 minutes before the scheduled session.

Cost: $30 (includes bus transport)

Express your interest now when registering through Eventbrite

Post-Approval Monitoring Workshop

3.30 - 4.30pm

Convenor: Casey Schauer, Post Approval Monitoring Officer, Monash University

Venue: Rydges World Square Hotel, Ballroom 1, Conference area.

Cost: Free for Conference delegates (registration required).

NB: The workshop will only proceed if there is sufficient interest. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and you will be advised if you have been accepted.

In-person

Early Bird, Standard (including Student) and Late In-person Registration rates all include tea/coffee breaks and lunch for the duration of the Conference, as well as Welcome drinks and the Conference Dinner. Tours are not included and are to be booked separately through Eventbrite.

One day In-Person Registration of any type includes tea breaks and lunch for the day of the Registration only. Welcome drinks and the Conference Dinner are not included, however, tickets can be purchased for these separately through Eventbrite.

Online attendance only

Early bird, standard and student registration rates are available for the full 3 day Conference for online attendance only. A one-day rate is also available for standard and student registration.

A new log-in code will be emailed for each day prior to the Conference.

NB: To ensure that ALL delegates are recorded, only one delegate is to be booked per registration.

The venue is the Rydges World Square Hotel, Pitt Street, Sydney. T: 02 8268 1888.
Accommodation
Accommodation at the venue is limited and subject to availability at a special Conference rate of $299 per night, including one full breakfast per room. The rate has been extended for delegates and will apply from Tuesday 20 October with check out on Sunday 25 October 2026. Please use the link below:

https://www.rydges.com/private-page/anzccart-accommodation/

Conference venue

Plenary presentations, including concurrent sessions, for the Conference will be delivered in Ballroom 1 and 2. A Sponsor exhibition area and Poster Session will be held in Ballroom 3, adjacent to the Plenary which will also host lunch and tea breaks.

The Reception will be held on Wednesday 21 October from 6.00 to 8.00pm in the Sydney Cidery Bar, Rydges, adjacent to the Conference area.

The Conference Dinner will be held on Thursday evening from 6.30pm at Dockside Darling Rooms, Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney. Return transport to Rydges Hotel is provided.

All information is available at ANZCCART.

Sponsorship packages are available. For the prospectus or for more information visit ANZCCART.

ANZCCART acknowledges and appreciates the support of the following Sponsors for this year's Conference.

ibis Sydney World Square, 382 -384 Pitt St, Sydney, +61 2 9282 0000

Meriton Suites World Tower, 95 Liverpool St, Sydney, +61 2 8263 7500

Hyde Park Inn, 271 Elizabeth St, Sydney, +61 2 9264 6001

The Porter House Hotel Sydney - MGallery Collection, 203 Castlereagh St, Sydney

Ace Hotel Sydney, 47 – 53 Wentworth Ave, Sydney, +61 2 8099 8799

Sydney’s public transport network is extensive and usually the easiest way to get around. Use your debit/credit card to pay. Options include:

• Trains
• Light Rails (Trams)
• Metro
• Buses
• Ferries

Taxis and rideshare services such as Uber are also available.

Visit sydney.com for tours and things to do

• Sculpture by the Sea
• in Sydney Cove is bordered by the Sydney Opera House and Royal Botanic Garden on one side and the Sydney Harbour Bridge on the other.
• Art Gallery of New South Wales
• Blue Mountains
• Bondi Beach: Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
• Manly Beach
• SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
• Sydney Fish Market
• Taronga Zoo