HRFest 2026 is coming, and this year the stakes are higher
The country's most talked-about HR event is back and it's bringing its festival flavour and a packed line-up to The Timber Yard this November.
HRFest 2026 is officially returning to Melbourne on November 18, under the banner "Rewriting the Rules of HR – Together."
This isn't the typical HR conference. After a standout debut last year, HRFest 2026 is back with the same promise: a full-day festival experience and not just a sit-and-listen affair.
Organisers are expecting more than 700 HR professionals, executives, and innovation leaders to descend on the venue for a day built around four pillars: networking, content, solutions, and experiences.
Attendees can expect everything from keynotes and hands-on workshops to lighter touches like mixology classes, wine tastings, and lawn games designed to break the ice and spark new thinking.
Sessions are organised around the issues reshaping the profession. Headline themes include risk management and psychosocial compliance, human-centric AI and technology, uplifting DEI and talent capability, achieving C-suite alignment and strategic leadership, and transforming learning and development.
This year's HRFest builds on the success of last year's event, which garnered praise for delivering a unique experience that felt more like a festival than a conference.
"It definitely turns conferences on its head. I called it the 'Coachella' of HR. That probably sums it up," said Danielle Cain, Talent Programmes Specialist from Coles Group and a participant in last year's HRFest.
Who's coming to HRFest?
The 2026 programme brings together senior people leaders from some of Australia's biggest and most exciting organisations. Confirmed speakers include:
- Dr. Amantha Imber — Organisational Psychologist and founder of Inventium.
- Pritho Saxena — Director HR for China, Australia & South East Asia at Amazon.
- Liam Mahon — Head of People & Culture (VIC & WSN) at Coles Group.
- Erika Takahashi — People & Culture Regional Director at The Iconic.
- Jo Cairns — Chief People Officer at Team Global Express.
- Seemali Shukla — People Leader ANZ at HP.
Secure your slot at the HR industry's biggest festival by using this link. Choose from individual passes or group passes for teams of up to nine, with discounted rates available until 5 July.
