National Congress 2025

Hosted by City of Cockburn and City of Gosnells

The Future of Growth Areas

The NGAA National Congress is the premier national event dedicated to the challenges and opportunities facing Australia’s outer metropolitan growth areas. It brings together elected members, executive leaders, senior staff, and thought leaders from all levels of government, academia, and industry to share insights, solutions and strategies that shape policy and investment in growth areas.

This year’s event, hosted in Perth by the City of Cockburn and the City of Gosnells, offers inspiring site tours, keynote sessions, and vibrant networking opportunities.

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Strategic Benefits of Attendance

  • Policy and Practice Insights
    Engage directly with national and state-level policymakers, including federal MPs, ministers and senior bureaucrats, to stay informed on evolving infrastructure, housing, and population policies that directly impact growth councils.
  • Best Practice Sharing
    Learn from case studies and leading-edge practices from other growth councils around Australia, gaining inspiration and practical knowledge to apply locally.
  • National Advocacy Alignment
    Help shape and align our council’s advocacy with NGAA’s national strategy and federal election campaign, strengthening our influence and voice on key issues.
  • Professional Development
    Build capability through exposure to expert speakers on topics such as future economies, sustainable infrastructure, community resilience, governance innovation and ecotourism.
  • Networking and Collaboration
    Forge valuable connections with counterparts across Australia who face similar challenges and can offer solutions, partnerships, or support.

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Pricing

All Elected Members and officers from NGAA Member Councils receive 20% discount with code MEMBER at checkout.

TryBooking instructions:

  • On the checkout page, in the "Your Cart" box on the right hand side of the screen, look for the "Gift certificate / Promotion code" field.
  • Enter code MEMBER and click Apply.
  • The discount will appear, and your total will update automatically.
  • Where to Stay

    We recommend booking accommodation in Fremantle, as daily transport for the event will depart from the Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges.

    Recommended Hotels:

    Other hotels in the Fremantle:

    Program Highlights

    Tuesday 29 July – Welcome Drinks at Little Creatures, Fremantle

    Kick off the NGAA Congress with a relaxed evening of drinks and canapés at the iconic Little Creatures Brewery on the Fremantle waterfront. This informal gathering is a perfect opportunity to reconnect with colleagues and make new connections ahead of the busy Congress program.

    Wednesday 30 July – Growth Area Site Tour (Cockburn, Kwinana)

    Discover the bold initiatives and infrastructure shaping Perth’s outer growth areas with a curated site tour featuring the Waste to Energy Recovery Centre – City of Kwinana, Australian Marine Complex and other sites.

    Wednesday 30 July  - Post-tour Sunset Drinks and Dinner, Coogee Surf Life Saving Club

    Unwind after a full day with dinner and drinks watching the sunset over the Indian Ocean, and continue the conversations sparked on tour.

    Thursday 31 July – Congress Day (Mills Park, Beckenham)

    A full day of thought-provoking presentations, expert panels, and collaborative discussion focusing on the key drivers shaping Australia’s growth areas.

    Friday1 August – Rottnest Island Ecotourism Tour

    Wrap up your Congress experience with a unique opportunity to explore Rottnest Island (Wadjemup) and examine ecotourism as a growing economic sector in sustainable development.

    Full program coming soon
    Growth areas community profile

    Speakers

    Cassandra Winzar
    Chief Economist, CEDA
    More speakers to be announced.
    Prof. HayleyChristian AM
    The Kids Research Institute
    More speakers to be announced.
    Adam Beck
    General Manager, Hub Group
    More speakers to be announced.