Tuesday 3 June 2025
0830 - 0915, Tue 3 June 2025 | Demo Day Registration (Level 1 Foyer, NEX)
0915 - 1630, Tue 3 June 2025 | Demonstration Day
The Demonstration Day buses are scheduled to depart NEX from 9:00 – 9:30am and will return between 4:30 – 5:00pm.
NOTE: For safety reasons, delegates may not drive themselves to the location, all delegates MUST arrive and depart via the coach from NEX.
SEE EQUIPMENT IN ACTION AT THE AORA DEMONSTRATION DAY
Sponsored by:
See grinders, screens, turners and other equipment in operation with live demonstrations and take the opportunity to see the equipment up close, compare different models and meet with suppliers all in the one place.
On display will be:
- Grinders and Shredders
- Screens
- Windrow Turners
- Loaders
- Excavators
- Mobile Picking Stations
- and more…
All participants are required to wear long pants and steel capped safety boots. Hard hats and safety vests will be provided along with lunch and afternoon tea. We recommend you bring a hat and water bottle.
1730 - 1930, Tue 3 June 2025 | Networking Function
Exhibition Area, (Level 1, NEX)
Join us after the Demonstration Day for an evening of drinks, canapes and networking with the exhibitors, speakers, sponsors and other attendees.
Sponsored by:
Dress: Casual
Tickets: Included in full registrations or optional event for $125. Please indicate on the registration form if you wish to attend this function and the ticket will be added to your invoice.
Wednesday 4 June 2025
0800 - 0830, Wed 4 June 2025 | Registration, tea and coffee (Level 1 Foyer, NEX)
0830 - 1030, Wed 4 June 2025 | Opening Plenary
0830 | Welcome and housekeeping John McKew, NEO – Australian Organics Recycling Association & Matt Taylor, Master of Ceremonies |
0850 | Official welcome Charlie Emery, Chair – Australian Organics Recycling Association |
0900 | Opening address Cr Declan Clausen, City of Newcastle |
0910 | INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE: Lessons from a century of building soil with compost Kathy Kellogg Johnson, Kellogg Garden Products (USA) |
0940 | AUSTRALIAN KEYNOTE: Standing at the crossroads Lisa Rawlinson, Loop Organics |
1010 | Questions and discussion |
1030 - 1100, Wed 4 June 2025 | Morning tea break
1100 - 1230, Wed 4 June 2025 | Shifting Perspectives
1100 | Disrupting Composting: The Impact of Global Advancements on Organics Processing Callum Hickey, Urban Utilities |
1120 | Biogas and Beyond: Advancing AD technology in Australia Emma Mountjoy, LMS Energy |
1140 | Attitudes to food waste composting (lessons learnt in Canberra and beyond) Dr Brook Clinton, Canberra Region Joint Organisation |
1200 | Questions and discussion |
1230 - 1330, Wed 4 June 2025 | Lunch
1330 - 1500, Wed 4 June 2025 | Panel: Kerbside Innovations and Challenges
In recent years, we’ve seen progress and challenges in kerbside organics collection. This panel session, featuring representatives from local governments across Australia, will highlight some of the successes, challenges, and lessons learned. Topics covered will include educational campaigns, responses to FOGO bin services, managing contamination, financial and regulatory considerations and more.
Facilitated by: Angus Johnston, BioCarbon Soil
Panelists include:
- Elfi Blackburn, City of Newcastle
- Rachel McIntyre, Inner West Council
- Alan Gundrill, Bega Valley Shire Council
1500 - 1530, Wed 4 June 2025 | Afternoon tea break
1530 - 1700, Wed 4 June 2025 | Navigating Contamination
1530 | Understanding and managing PFAS and compostable microplastics in FOGO waste Dr Emily Bryson, Central Queensland University |
1550 | The fate of PFAS through commercial composting facilities Sali Khair Biek, RMIT University |
1610 | Questions and discussion |
1620 | PANEL: Working with the organics recycling industry towards a circular economy Panelists include: – Martine Poulain, Australasian Bioplastics Association – Simon Humphris, Soilco – Michelle Jones, EPA SA – Rowan Williams, BASF Australia |
1700 | Close Day 2 |
1715 - 1830, Wed 4 June 2025 | Technology Showcase Happy Hour
The Extra (next to the Registration Desk) The Technology Showcase Happy Hour will highlight innovations for suppliers, improving operations and processing technologies. This event will also give the audience the opportunity to hear about new and exciting products. |
|
1715 | Introduction John McKew, AORA |
1720 | Sorting Technology to Improve Organic Recycling and Ensure Regulatory Compliance Carina Arita, TOMRA Recycling |
1730 | Maximising long-term performance through ongoing support services Max Taylor, OREZ |
1740 | Comparison of Australian & European Standards: Contamination, Trends & Strategy Björn Fahle, WESTERIA and Eric Paulsen, CEMAC Technologies |
1750 | Removing black plastic contamination Bronte Abrahams, Steinert Australia |
1800 | XROPS – Regional Organics Processing Solution Philip Parekalam, NALG & Jason Pugh, Kanadevia Inova Australia |
1810 | Questions and discussion |
1900 - 2230, Wed 4 June 2025 | Conference Dinner
The Arena, NEX
The Conference Dinner is traditionally a highlight in the AORA Annual Conference program and provides an opportunity for the participants to relax and engage in the type of networking that is vital to furthering the recycled organics industry.
Sponsored by:
Dress: Business / Smart Casual
Tickets: Included in full registrations or optional event for $200. Please indicate on the registration form if you wish to attend this function and the ticket will be added to your invoice.
Thursday 5 June 2025
0800 - 0845, Thu 5 June 2025 | Registration, tea and coffee
0845 - 1030, Thu 5 June 2025 | Cultivating Change
0845 | How Sustainability Victoria partnered with industry to grow organics markets Andrew Dougall, Sustainability Victoria |
0905 | How to start a movement and pioneer resilience in organic recycling Jaclyn Lees & Alizee Le Goff, enrich360 |
0925 | Making It Matter: A three-pillar approach to transform FOGO education Cate McQuillen, mememe productions |
1010 | Questions and discussion |
1030 - 1100, Thu 5 June 2025 | Morning tea break
1100 - 1300, Thu 5 June 2025 | Transformative Partnerships
1100 | KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Setting the agenda Tony Chappel, NSW Environment Protection Authority |
1130 | Powering a Resilient Organics Future: Industry-Government partnerships in Queensland Kali Martin, AORA/Pure Environmental & Claire Anderson, DETSI |
1150 | Transformative Partnerships – Aligning for success in organics infrastructure Ollie Brunt, OREZ |
1210 | Organics Processing for Regional Communities – Keep your Compost Close! Sandy Gray & Rod Tuttle, Gaia EnviroTech |
1230 | Questions and discussion |
1300 - 1400, Thu 5 June 2025 | Lunch
1400 - 1600, Thu 5 June 2025 | Thinking Beyond the Windrow
1400 | Thinking beyond windrow composting Aurel Lübke, Compost Systems |
1420 | Composting Anaerobic Digestate: Controlling Odours/ VOC’s and Compost Quality Brian Fuchs, W. L. Gore & Associates |
1440 | Using municipal composts to make soils deeper, drought resilient and productive Bill Grant, Federation University, Future Regions Research Centre |
1500 | The role of biochar compost in the circular economy Don Coyne, ANZ Biochar Industry Group |
1520 | Questions and discussion |
1550 | Conference wrap up and closing remarks Charlie Emery, Chair – Australian Organics Recycling Association |
1600 | Conference Close |
Every effort has been made to present all the information contained in this website as accurately as possible.
The organisers reserve the right to change, without notice, any or all of these details.
Thank you to our 2025 Conference Supporters
AORA would like to acknowledge our National Sponsors who play an active role in realising our vision: