The CRANAplus Remote Nursing & Midwifery Conference is Australia’s signature annual event for the remote health workforce. Its rich history spans back to 1983, the date of the very first CRANAplus Conference. Now with a new name, but very much the event you know and love, this year’s conference will be held in Naarm, on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation, at Crown Melbourne, Victoria from 23–25 October 2024.
We’re a diverse bunch, but whether you work in an Aboriginal community or a mining town, the Red Centre or an outlying island territory, as a nurse, midwife, doctor, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander health practitioner or in another field – we’re all striving towards the same goal of improving remote health.
This is our chance to have a yarn about what’s working well, find inspiration, and enjoy each other’s company!
Whether you’re experienced or new on the scene, a conference regular or looking to connect with peers you never knew you had, come along to the big smoke with us in 2024 for an action-packed three days.
The event this year is built around the theme ‘Clinicians, changemakers – celebrating inspiring people & practice’ and the program will be loaded with narratives, projects, and research, as told by the remote health professionals out there with dirt on their boots who make a difference every day.
Conference program
See our conference website for the most up-to-date version of the program, which includes the following speakers.
‘Feathers, Fedoras and Fascinators’ Gala Dinner
Formally concluding the CRANAplus 2024 Remote Nursing & Midwifery Conference, this year’s gala dinner is being held in the luxurious Crown Palladium, Naarm/Melbourne on Friday 25 October. The gala dinner provides a final opportunity to connect and enjoy together with interstate colleagues and friends, old and new.
This year’s gala dinner will be crowned by a fancy headwear theme. Pop on a fedora or a fascinator as we ‘doff our caps’ to everyone’s hard work in the year gone by. Topping off three days of fun, this formal farewell will commence at 6.30pm and will include a special performance by the RMH Scrub Choir, Award winner announcements, a three-course dinner and drinks, a photo booth, and live music from Saxophonist and DJ Henry.
Remote Nursing & Midwifery Expo
Can’t make it to the full conference? Register for the free CRANAplus 2024 Remote Nursing & Midwifery Expo.
The Expo precedes the CRANAplus 2024 Remote Nursing & Midwifery Conference at Crown Melbourne on Wednesday, 23 October between 2–6pm. At this free event, attendees can:
- Learn about pathways and helpful resources
- Chat with experienced remote area nurses and midwives
- Meet with remote healthcare employers.
There’s a whole new world of nursing and midwifery to be discovered. If you know a nurse, midwife or student who is interested in learning more about the remote health sector, invite them along.
The Expo can be attended by anyone, including current health professionals, adults interested in changing careers, university students, or school students. It is necessary to register for the event in advance.
All conference delegates can add the Expo to their paid conference registration for free.
Scholarship opportunity for students
CRANAplus Undergraduate Student Members can also apply for an Undergraduate Student Volunteer Conference Scholarship to access 40% off their conference registration. Applications are open until 6 September 2024 and can be made here.
“I was so fortunate as a nursing student to receive financial assistance to attend a CRANAplus conference in Darwin. At the conference, I was inspired by the stories and presentations from RANs and those in the remote health sector. I remember seeing how passionate people were about their work, despite the challenges evident in their stories and feeling that one day I too wanted to be a RAN. It was some 20 years ago but that opportunity showed me the paths I could follow if I wanted to pursue nursing in remote Australia.” — Katie Pennington, Remote Area Nurse and recipient of the 2023 Aurora Award for the Remote and Isolated Health Professional of the Year.
