Better Boards Conference 2026
Pathfinders – Governing with Courage
31 July - 1 August • Cairns Convention Centre
Thursday 30 July 2026 • Cairns, QLD
Pre-Conference Board Member Innovation Tour
Step out of the boardroom and into three unique Cairns not-for-profits. The Innovation Tour is about new ideas and new people — a day spent with directors and CEOs from across Australasia, visiting interesting organisations and hearing how their boards have navigated growth, regulation, and impact. Come away with fresh thinking to bring back to your own boardroom.
Seats are strictly limited.
Why Board Members Join the Tour
New ideas, new perspectives
Go beyond case studies. Visit interesting organisations, meet representatives from their boards, and hear how strategic decisions were actually made — including the ones that didn't go to plan. A change of scene is often where the best thinking starts.
Build board-level networks
A full day in close company with peers facing the same governance and leadership pressures. The conversations during transit between venues and over lunch are often a really valuable part of the experience.
Bring it back to your boardroom
Trends, technologies, and governance approaches you can apply to your own strategic challenges — from regulatory navigation to community engagement, impact measurement and more!
Tour Schedule
30th July 2026
Ferry departs to Fitzroy Island
Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre
Resilient Reef Foundation
Buffet morning tea
Lunch at Ochre Restaurant
Cape York Partnership
Please note: Sturdy enclosed footwear is required.
Three Organisations. Three Boardroom Stories.
Each host has agreed to open their doors and share the governance journey behind their impact — the wins, the hurdles, and the couragous decisions that shaped where they are today.
Host 1
Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre
A volunteer-driven not-for-profit dedicated to rehabilitating sick and injured marine turtles from the Great Barrier Reef. Learn how a small, passionate board sustains a long-running conservation programme, builds partnerships with research and government bodies, and turns volunteer effort into measurable environmental impact.
Host 2
Resilient Reefs Foundation
Hear directly from CEO Ryan Donnelly and Chair Rob Giason on how the Foundation is navigating the regulatory landscape of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park while building a sustainable development trajectory. A candid look at the governance behind advocacy, programme design, and stakeholder management at scale.
Host 3
Cape York Partnership
An Indigenous-led not-for-profit empowering Cape York communities through co-designed initiatives spanning policy, education, employment, health, and language and culture. A rare opportunity to learn from a board working at the intersection of community sovereignty, government partnership, and long-term capability building.
What's Included
Site visits to three host organisations
Guided tours and boardroom-level conversations with the directors and executives leading each organisation.
Networking with fellow directors and CEOs
A full day in the company of NFP board leaders from across Australasia — conversations that often continue across the conference itself.
Morning tea at The Island Resort
Buffet morning tea in one of the most spectacular settings on the Great Barrier Reef.
Set lunch at Ochre Restaurant
A celebrated Cairns restaurant specialising in native Australian cuisine — a fitting setting for the day's conversations to continue.
Full timing and pick-up details will be confirmed with registered attendees closer to the event.
Watch Previous Innovation Tour Highlights
A taste of what previous Innovation Tours have delivered for board members.
Add the Innovation Tour to Your Conference
Make Thursday 30 July the most valuable day of your conference week. Seats are strictly limited and historically sell out before the event.
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