The 3rd Western Pacific Mass Gathering Events and Health Symposium uniquely focuses on the intersection between mass gatherings (major events, crowded spaces) and health. Building on the success of the symposiums in 2022 and 2024, people from government, non-government, industry, and academic organisations are encouraged to attend.

Over 140 people attended, representing 54 organisations.

1300MEDICS
Alan Wilson Enterprises Pty Ltd
Australasian College of Emergency Medicine
Beaspoke Safety
Category 5 Emergency Care
Central West Hospital and Health Services
COZ Services Ltd
Department of Health – Environmental Health Department
Department of Health Tasmania
Department Of Sport, Racing And Olympic And Paralympic Games
Dokever
Sunshine Coast Public Health Unit
Emergency Response Services
Flinders University
Gold Coast Health
Gold Coast University Hospital
Griffith University
Health New Zealand
Highlands First Aid
Hunter New England Local Health District
Medical Edge Australia
Medical Response Industries
Metro North – Emergency Management & Business Continuity
Metro North Health
Metro North Public Health Unit
Metro South Health
Metro South Public Health Unit
National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre
New South Wales Ministry of Health
Olympic Park Sports Medicine
Queensland Ambulance Service
Queensland Fire Department
Queensland Health
Queensland Police Service
Ramsay Health
Raw Power Photography
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Redland City Council
Robina Hospital
Sante Publique France
St John Ambulance (SA)
St John Ambulance (WA)
St John Ambulance Australia
St John Ambulance (Qld)
Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service
Sunshine Coast University Hospital
Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service
UNDA
Unihealth Medical Center
University of Newcastle
University of Otago
Victorian Institute of Sport
Western Sydney University

DAY 1 PRESENTATION OVERVIEW and PHOTOS

DAY 2 PRESENTATION OVERVIEW and PHOTOS

ORIGINAL PROGRAM and EVENT DETAILS

SYMPOSIUM THEMES

  • Olympic legacy
  • Public health
  • Hospitals and health services
  • Lessons learnt and case studies
  • Professional perspectives
  • Event governance
  • Emerging concerns

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

PROGRAM

0830: Registration, Tea and Coffee

0900: Opening Session. Session Chair: Jamie Ranse
0900: Opening remarks from the Symposium organisers.  Jamie Ranse
0910:  Opening remarks from Griffith University. Analise O’Donovan (Pro Vice Chancellor [Health], Griffith University)
0920: Keynote speaker – In-event health services provision during the Paris 2024 Olympics. Patrick Basset (Medical Director, Dokever, France)
1000: 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Update. Brendin Bloye. (Director, Olympics and Major Events Coordination; Queensland Health)
1015: Clinical governance and credentialling in private practice. Brodie White. (Managing Director, Critical Care Paramedic)

1030: Morning Tea / Networking

1100: Crowded Places. Session Chair: Cat Brewer
1100: Itaewon: The Untold Story. Alan Wilson
1115: Understanding the Crowd: Measuring Psychosocial Factors in Mass Gatherings. Alison Hutton (Professor, Western Sydney University)
1130: Graham Coleman (Executive Director, Olympic & Paralympic Games Group, Queensland Police Service)
1145: Security Theatre: When Security and Safety Looks Right but Fails When It Matters. Bea Tomlin. (Beaspoke Safety, Melbourne, Australia)
1200: Discussion: Safe and Healthy Crowded Places Handbook Update. Blythe McLennan (Manager, Knowledge. Development, Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience)

1230: Lunch / Networking

1330: Public health. Session Chair: Jaala Downes
1330: Keynote speaker – From preparation to action for the Paris 2024 Olympics: the experience of the French National Public Health Agency. Marie Hamsany. (Project manager – Crisis preparedness and mass gatherings, Sante Publique France).
1410: Goal! Public Health at the Women’s Asian Cup 2026. Declan Coulahan-Davy. (First Nations Cadet, Gold Coast Public Health Unit)
1425: How Student-Led Health Promotion at Mass Gatherings Influences Health Behaviour. Michelle Stubbs. (University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia)
1440: Sexual Health and the 2032 Olympics – Is it a sprint or a marathon? Joseph Debattista. (Sexual Health & BBV Coordinator, Metro North Public Health Unit)

1500: Afternoon Tea / Networking

1530: International perspectives. Session Chair: Ally Hutton
1530: An overview of the event health and mass-gathering medical sector in New Zealand. Brendan Harris. (Director, Service Development, Education & Clinical Strategy. Medical Response Industries).
1545: National Emergency Medical Teams at Mass Gathering Events: Timor-Leste experience. Anthony Cook,  (Director Regional Engagement Program, National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre)
1600: World Health Organization, Mass Gathering Cell Update. Paul Arbon, (Torrens Resilience Initiative)
1615: Discussion panel: 2032 Olympic legacy – what should we be thinking about right now? Facilitated by Jamie Ranse. Panel members: Patrick Basset (Medical Director, Dokever, France); Marie Hamsany. (Project manager – Crisis preparedness and mass gatherings, Sante Publique France); Brendin Bloye. (Director, Olympics and Major Events Coordination; Queensland Health); Graham Coleman (Executive Director, Olympic & Paralympic Games Group, Queensland Police Service)

1700: Conclusion

1700: Networking event commences

Location: UniBar, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus. Located in Building G07.

What is included?

  • Upon arrival, you will receive 2 tokens that you can redeem at the bar for drinks (soft drinks, juice, wine, beer).
  • A variety of hot and cold finger food options will be available throughout the evening
  • A fantastic opportunity to network and collaborate. Make new industry networks while catching-up with old friends.

Should you attend?

Yes. Attendees from the last symposium stated that the networking event was the best aspect of the symposium for making new contacts and catch-up with old friends.

Sponsorship

This event is sponsored by 1300MEDICS.

1900: Networking event conclusion

0830: Registration, Tea and Coffee

0900: Heat Health. Session Chair: Jamie Ranse
0900: Opening remarks – Jamie Ranse
0910: Opening remarks from Griffith University. Tom Fields (Sport Engagement Manager, Griffith University)
0920: Keynote – When athletes overheat: Managing exertional heat illness at major sporting events. Daniel Friedman (Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician Registrar, Olympic Park Sports Medicine)
1000: Hyperthermia: Toxicology versus exertional heat illness. Ethan Dooley (1300MEDICS)

1030: Morning Tea / Networking

1100: Hospitals and Health Services: 
1100:  Gold Coast Marathon response. Sally Beaver and Mattie Thompson (Emergency Department, Gold Coast Health)
1115:  The Paradox of Absence: Demographic Displacement of Emergency Care During Premier League Matches. Radwan Barbandi. (Faculty of Mass Gathering Medicine Education, SCH Disaster Medicine Center, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Bucheon, Republic of Korea)
1130: Patient presentation and transfer to hospital rates during mass gathering stadium events. Nazneen Sultana (Griffith University)
1145: Nursing support to the Paris Olympic Games, Australian Open and 2026 Commonwealth Games. Manna McLeod (Victorian Institute of Sport)
1200: Discussion panel: Heat Health Facilitated by Jamie Ranse. Panel members: Daniel Friedman (Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician Registrar, Olympic Park Sports Medicine); Ethan Dooley (1300MEDICS); Patrick Basset (Medical Director, Dokever, France); Marie Hamsany (Project manager – Crisis preparedness and mass gatherings, Sante Publique France)

1230: Lunch / Networking

1330: Event governance. Session Chair: Laura Lesar
1330: Council Bureaucrats and the Nuances of Event Regulation. Garry O’Dell.
1345: Crowds Don’t Panic . . . They Run Out of Space. Alan Wilson
1400: Decision making in the cancelation of events. Daniel Gschwind. (Griffith Institute for Tourism, Griffith University)
1415: Early career healthcare professionals: a barramundi in a bathtub. Frazer Petrie. (St John Ambulance Australia (Queensland))
1430: Final considerations. Paul Arbon. (Torrens Resilience Initiative)
1445: Closing remarks. Jamie Ranse

1500: Afternoon Tea / Networking

1530: Conclusion of symposium

DATES and LOCATION

18 and 19 June 2026

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Location: Griffith University Auditorium. Building 40, Level 4. Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, Southport, Queensland (Campus map here)

GETTING THERE

Arriving by air: Both Brisbane airport and Gold Coast airport provide options for travel.

Arriving by train / light rail: TRANSLink provides rail services between Brisbane Airport / Brisbane CBD and the Gold Coast. You can then catch the G:link, Gold Coast Light Rail service to the Gold Coast University Hospital station.

Arriving by car: Casual parking is available in G55 on the Griffith University campus. Closer parking is available at the Gold Coast University Hospital.

ACCOMMODATION

Closest: Mantra Sharks (a 10min walk). Book now and receive 15% off the Mantra Daily Rate. Use promo code: CE2026. This discount is only applicable to phone [(07) 5603 3200] or e-mail [sharks.res@mantra.com.au] bookings.

Alternative: The Gold Coast has a large number of accommodation options along the G:link, Gold Coast Light Rail line. Accommodation might be booked out fast this week due to the school holidays.