frequently asked questions

Whether you are planning to attend in Hobart, Tasmania, or join online from anywhere in the world, this page will help you prepare for a smooth and engaging WSC4 experience.

Below you will find answers to the most common questions about both the in-person and hybrid components of the conference, covering registration, travel, virtual participation, and practical matters.

Jump to hybrid and virtual participation

Jump to in-person conference information

Who to contact
Not receiving conference emails?

Conference correspondence is sometimes blocked by spam filters or institutional firewalls. University, research institute and government mail systems are the most common cause.

If you have registered but have not heard from us, please try the following.

If your organisation filters mail centrally, you may need to ask your IT department to whitelist both addresses. Individual settings will not always override an institutional block.

Should you still not receive anything, please write to us at conference@laevents.com.au from an address you know to be working, or call at the registration desk on arrival in Hobart and we shall make sure you have everything you need.

General Information

The 4th World Seabird Conference (WSC4) will take place in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, from 7–11 September 2026. Building on the success of previous World Seabird Conferences, WSC4 will once again place seabirds at the centre of global scientific dialogue, bringing together researchers, conservationists, students, and marine practitioners from around the world.

WSC4 will be held in a hybrid format, offering both in-person and virtual participation to maximise global accessibility and enable broad engagement across time zones, regions, and scientific disciplines.

Whether you attend onsite in Hobart or join remotely, you will be part of an inclusive and dynamic international community dedicated to advancing seabird science, research, and conservation.

September is early spring in Tasmania — expect cool and changeable weather.

  • Average High: 17°C (63°F)
  • Average Low: 7°C (45°F)
  • Occasional rain and brisk winds

Packing Tips:

  • Layered clothing (including warm and waterproof outerwear)
  • Comfortable shoes for walking and excursions
  • Umbrella or raincoat recommended
  • Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) – UTC +10
  • During WSC 4 in September, Daylight Saving Time will not yet be in effect

Make the most of your WSC4 visit with these nearby attractions:

  • MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) – World-famous contemporary art gallery
  • Salamanca Market – Saturday market with local crafts, produce, and gifts
  • kunanyi / Mount Wellington – Panoramic views and hiking trails
  • Battery Point – Charming historic district with cafes and boutiques
  • Bruny Island – Day trips for wildlife, wilderness, and gourmet experiences
  • Local currency: Australian Dollar (AUD)
  • Major credit cards accepted widely
  • ATMs readily available
  • Tipping is not expected in Tasmania
  • Optional for exceptional service in restaurants or taxis
  • Voltage: 230–250 volts
  • Plug Type: Type I (3 flat pins in triangular formation)
  • Visitors may need adapters or voltage converters

Strict anti-smoking laws apply in Hobart:

  • No smoking in outdoor dining areas, bus shelters, playgrounds, beaches, or sports venues
  • Designated smoking zones only

WSC4 – In-Person: Conference information

The 4th World Seabird Conference takes place from 7–11 September 2026 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. WSC4 is a hybrid event, offering both in-person and virtual participation. In-person sessions run from 7–10 September, and 11 September is a dedicated Hybrid Day for virtual presenters.

Location: 1 Davey Street, Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart, Tasmania

View venue and accommodation details →

WSC4 welcomes everyone involved or interested in seabird research and conservation, including:

  • Researchers and scientists
  • Conservation practitioners
  • Students and early-career professionals
  • Policy-makers and government agencies
  • NGOs and advocacy groups
  • Industry representatives

Current registration rates for both in-person and virtual attendance are set out on the registration page. We suggest reviewing them and registering in good time to secure your place.

View registration options →

 

Subscribe to the WSU mailing list to receive updates on the programme, keynote speakers, and important news. You can also follow the World Seabird Union on Twitter/X, Instagram, Bluesky, and Facebook.

All international attendees must hold a valid Australian visa before departure. Requirements vary by nationality, so we recommend checking yours well in advance via the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs.

Visit the Department of Home Affairs →

IECN Fact sheet - General visa information for participants attending Events →

IECN Fact Sheet - Visa Options for Event Participants →

Invitation letters for visa applications can be requested once your registration is complete.

Sponsoring or exhibiting at WSC4 is an excellent opportunity to reach global leaders in seabird science and conservation. Visit the sponsorship page for package details and how to apply.

View sponsorship opportunities →

 

Yes. WSC4 is a hybrid event. Virtual delegates have access to live-streamed sessions, recorded presentations, and networking opportunities, making participation possible regardless of travel constraints.

Explore registration categories →

 

WSC4 – In-Person: During the conference

18-minute drive from Hobart Airport by rental car, taxi or Uber.

 25 minutes by SkyBus. To book a SkyBus ticket, please click here.

Hotel parking is available underneath the hotel at an additional cost. 

Access is via the rear entrance on Macquarie Street. From the main entrance, drive along Davey Street, turn right onto Argyle Street, then immediately right onto Macquarie Street.

Valet/undercover parking is available from $25 per vehicle, per night (rates may vary). Please contact Leishman Associates if you require on-site parking.

Other options:

  • Macquarie Street (behind the hotel) – metered parking available.
  • Davey Street (in front of and near the hotel) – metered parking bays.
  • Waterfront/Franklin Wharf area – metered parking with varying time limits and rates.

Please note: Rates and time limits apply and vary by location. Please check parking signs

Childcare is not provided directly by the conference; however, we are pleased to share details of hotel-recommended in-room childcare providers for families attending WSC4.

While other providers may be available online, we are unable to independently verify their credentials and therefore cannot make additional recommendations beyond the providers listed below.

Hobart Babysitting

Hobart Babysitting is operated by Jessie Rankin and provides in-room childcare services for visitors to Hobart. This provider is recommended by the conference hotel.

Rates: From AUD $40 per hour for one to two children. Additional travel charges may apply depending on suburb and distance.

Availability: Jessie has regular weekly clients, so availability varies. Early enquiries are strongly recommended to secure your preferred dates and hours.

Pre-booking consultation: Prospective clients are welcome to arrange a phone or video call with Jessie before confirming a reservation.

To enquire or book:
Phone: +61 404 955 527
Facebook: facebook.com/HobartBabysitting

Butterfly Babysitting Agency

Butterfly Babysitting Agency is owned by Heidi Howard and offers in-room childcare services for visitors to Hobart. This provider is recommended by the conference hotel.

Fees: The minimum fee for up to three children is AUD $120 for the first three hours. Thereafter, the rate is AUD $30 per hour until midnight and AUD $35 per hour after midnight. Additional fees may apply for more than three children or where families combine and use the same babysitter. Some locations may incur transport and/or parking fees.

Availability: Heidi and a selection of experienced contract babysitters are available for daytime and after-hours babysitting. Babysitter profiles can be viewed via the Butterfly Babysitting Agency Facebook page. Please note that availability varies between providers, as many babysitters balance childcare work with other professional commitments. Early enquiries are strongly recommended to secure your preferred dates and times.

To enquire or book:
Phone: +61 411 220 850
Facebook: Butterfly Babysitting Agency | Hobart TAS

 

Lunch at the Hotel Grand Chancellor (the conference venue) can be pre-booked during registration for AUD 28 per day, with dietary requirements catered for. If you have already registered, a separate link to purchase venue lunches will be sent to you.

A range of cafés, restaurants, seafood spots, and pubs is within easy walking distance of the venue.

View the full lunch options page →

Cafés

Seafood

Pubs

Restaurants

The registration desk will be located on the Mezzanine Level of the Hotel Grand Chancellor. Please direct any questions you may have regarding registration, session attendance or other elements of the Conference to Leishman Associates staff at this desk.
  • Monday, 7 September:1400-1700 
  • Tuesday, 8 September: 0700–1730
  • Wednesday, 9 September: 0730 - 1730
  • Thursday,10 September: 0730 - 1830
  • Friday, 11 September: 0730 – 1730

Delegates and exhibitors will be provided with an individual name badge, which will give you access to all sessions and social events that you have registered to attend. This must be worn at all times within the Conference venue.

A Conference App will be available to download for iOS and Android through the App Stores. The app will contain all the information with regards to the conference and the program. If you have difficulties downloading/navigating the app, please see Leishman Associates staff at the registration desk.

Welcome Reception (Pre-registration required)

  • Date: Monday, 7 September
  • Time: 1815 – 2015
  • Location: The Waterline, Brooke Street Pier

ECS Networking/ Q&A

  • Date: Wednesday, 9 September
  • Time: 2000 - 2200
  • Location: Harbour View 1 

Daily Bird Walks

  • Dates: Available on 7, 9, 10, 11 September
  • Time: from 0630
  • Meeting point: Hotel Grand Chancellor Lobby 
  • Dress code: clothing for cool early morning condition
  • No booking required. For full details, click here.

Conference Dinner (Pre-registration required)

  • Date: Thursday, 10 September
  • Time: 1900 – 2200
  • Location: Federation Ballroom, Hotel Grand Chancellor

Pelagic Tour (Full day tour) (Pre-registration required)

  • Dates: Available on 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13 September
  • Time: 0700 – 1500
  • Meeting point: Pirates Bay Jetty, Eaglehawk Neck
  • Cost: AUD$200
  • Dress code: Windproof and waterproof clothing, hat and sunscreen
  • Booking required. For full details, click here.

In the lead-up to the conference, edits will be made to the program. See the latest version of the program on the website and Conference App. Any changes to the conference program during the conference will be announced during housekeeping notices each morning. You may also check with Leishman Associates staff at the registration desk.

Taking photos

  • You're welcome to photograph sessions for your own use or to share on social media, as long as you don't disrupt proceedings.

  • Presenters may display a "no photography" icon on their slides or poster. Please respect it. Where there's no icon, photography is fine.

  • Please don't use flash — it's distracting for presenters and the people around you.

Recording

  • Audio and video recording by attendees is not permitted without the presenter's prior written consent.

Official photography

  • An official photographer will be working throughout the conference, and the images may be used to promote future events.

  • If you'd rather not be photographed, let the photographer or any member of conference staff know.

Sharing online

  • Credit the presenter and use the official conference hashtag #WSC4

  • Don't post images of anyone under 18 without explicit permission from a parent or guardian.

  • Ask fellow attendees before photographing or recording them.

  • We're also running a shared conference gallery; see below for how to add your photos.

We're collecting everyone's photos in one place, so the whole conference gets to see the week through each other's cameras.

  1. Scan any of the gallery QR codes posted around the venue.
  2. Choose the photos you want to share from your phone.
  3. Upload them straight from your browser.

There's nothing to download and no account to create — the QR code takes you to the upload page and your photos go into the shared gallery.

The same courtesies apply here as anywhere else: no photos of anyone under 18 without a parent or guardian's permission, and ask before you share a photo of someone else.

Free wireless internet access is available for the duration of the Conference.

Further details will be released.

PLEASE NOTE: The internet is not to be used to view or download any illicit material, including movies, music etc.

A delegate list will be available via the Mobile App. Printed delegate lists will not be available at the conference. If you had selected privacy required when completing your registration form, your name will not appear on the list.

World Seabird Union and Leishman Associates accept no liability for personal accidents, loss or damage suffered by any participant, accompanying person, invited observer or any other person by whatever means. Nor do we accept liability for any equipment or software brought to the conference by delegates, speakers, sponsors or any other party. Please protect your personal property.

Do not leave laptops, cameras, and other valuable items unsecured. Be conscious of individuals who appear out of place and do not wear a conference name badge. Advise Leishman Associates staff if this does occur.

Your registration fee does not include insurance of any kind. We strongly recommend that you take out your own travel insurance before travelling to Hobart. When choosing a policy, please look for cover that includes:

  • Loss of registration fees, deposits, airfares and accommodation charges
  • Medical expenses and repatriation
  • Loss of or damage to personal property
  • Cancellation of the conference by the organisers
  • Your own inability to attend, for any reason

Neither the World Seabird Union nor the conference planners accept responsibility for any losses incurred by participants who are not insured.

Everyone at WSC4 is entitled to take part free from harassment. We will not tolerate harassment of participants in any form, whether it happens in a session, at a social event, in the virtual programme or anywhere else connected with the conference.

Participants who breach the policy may be sanctioned or removed from the conference without a refund, at the discretion of the organisers.

If someone's behaviour makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe — or you see it happen to someone else — please tell us. You can speak to any member of conference staff, or come to the registration desk on the Mezzanine Level. We will take it seriously and treat what you tell us in confidence.

Our code of conduct sets out what we expect of everyone at the conference and how concerns are handled. Registering for WSC4 means agreeing to it.

All intellectual property rights in the conference, and in the materials distributed at it or in connection with it, remain with the World Seabird Union, Leishman Associates, our sponsors and the speakers presenting at the event.

Participants may not use or reproduce, or allow anyone else to use or reproduce, any trade mark, trade name, presentation content or distributed material from the conference without the prior written permission of the World Seabird Union.

No part of the conference may be recorded, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical — including video or audio recording, photocopying, or storage in any information retrieval system now known or developed in future without the written permission of the World Seabird Union.

The one exception is personal photography, which is permitted under the conditions set out under Can I photograph or record the sessions? above.

WSC 4: Hybrid Conference FAQs

Produced in partnership with the Pacific Seabird Group, the Hybrid Day is designed to broaden international participation, ensuring that researchers unable to travel can contribute fully to the scientific programme.

Hybrid Day

  • Hobart (AEST): Friday, 11 September 2026
  • Virtual equivalent (UTC): Thursday, 10 September 2026

The virtual session is scheduled to maximise accessibility across global time zones. Approximate local participation falls on:

  • Thursday, 10 September — North, Central, and South America
  • Friday, 11 September — New Zealand, Australia, and East Asia
  • Late evening to early morning, 10–11 September — Europe and Africa

You can confirm the exact time for your region using a time zone converter.

How does the hybrid format work?

To broaden participation and support researchers who cannot, or prefer not to, travel, WSC4 is held in a hybrid format. All in-person presentations are recorded and live-streamed for registered participants. Please note that live Q&A will not be available to virtual viewers during the in-person days.

In-person sessions run from 7–10 September 2026, followed by a dedicated Hybrid Day for virtual presenters on 11 September 2026. This structure allows researchers from all regions to share their work, whether on site in Hobart or online.

What is the Hybrid Day?

The Hybrid Day connects seabird researchers attending in person with those participating virtually, enabling scientists worldwide — particularly those unable to travel — to present their research and network with colleagues. By blending in-person and online participation, it supports global collaboration and equitable access to the WSC4 community.

When does the Hybrid Day take place?

Hybrid Day sessions run on Hobart local time (AEST) on Friday, 11 September 2026. For most participants in the Americas, Africa, and Europe, this corresponds to Thursday, 10 September 2026 (UTC).

Sessions are broadcast live in a designated room at the Hobart venue, so in-person attendees can view and take part alongside online colleagues. In-person talks presented between 7–10 September are also live-streamed as they occur and made available on demand via the conference platform.

Who can participate in the Hybrid Day?

All registered WSC4 participants, in person and virtual, have full access to:

  • Hybrid Day sessions
  • Poster presentations
  • Online networking events

These sessions are hosted through the official WSC4 conference platform.

In-person viewing in Hobart

Dedicated viewing rooms are available at the venue, where delegates can watch live hybrid sessions, interact with speakers, and ask questions in real time.

Access to recorded content

After the conference, registered WSC4 attendees retain exclusive access to recorded content via the online conference platform, including all Hybrid Day sessions, on-demand presentations, and archived recordings of the scientific programme.

How long will presentations be available afterwards?

Presentations remain available on the WSU website for six months after WSC4, via a password-protected link provided to registered participants, after which they are removed.

Posters

How are posters presented? All posters are hosted within the virtual conference platform, ensuring visibility for both in-person and online participants. During the in-person poster session, QR codes link directly to each digital version.

Can virtual attendees engage with poster authors?

Yes. Both in-person and virtual participants can connect with poster authors through the chat and comment functions in the conference app, allowing discussion and feedback across all formats.

Networking and Interaction

What networking opportunities are available? A range of structured virtual networking sessions and interactive chat spaces is available through the conference platform, supporting collaboration, exchange of ideas, and informal discussion.

Are there dedicated sessions for specific groups? Yes. The programme includes targeted sessions such as early-career researcher meetups, regional seabird network discussions, and topical breakout rooms.

Awards and Recognition

Are there student awards for virtual participants? Yes. WSC4 presents separate student awards for virtual presenters, ensuring that students and early-career researchers taking part online are fully recognised.

Technical and Logistical Details

What technology is used for the Hybrid Day? Sessions and posters are hosted through the official WSC4 conference app and online platform, which support streaming, chat, and on-demand access.

How do I access recordings? Recordings of all hybrid sessions are available for a limited time following the event.

Do I need special software or equipment? No. You need only a stable internet connection, a webcam, a microphone, and a modern web browser for live participation.

What is the deadline for submitting a pre-recorded presentation? Deadlines are provided with session scheduling, typically four to six weeks before the conference.

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