Welcome to franc.2025

The Stormwater NSW Conference Organising Committee would like to thank all attendees who attended franc.2025 in the Hunter Valley from the 14 - 17 October 2025.

franc.2025 was held at the Mercure Hotel Hunter Valley Gardens, Pokolbin. The Conference featured two days of engaging Keynote presentations, panel sessions and concurrent presentations, a day of pre-conference workshops, and a technical tour showcasing local examples of stormwater management in the Hunter region.

The theme for franc.2025 was Building Partnerships, Finding Solutions

In it's 4th year, franc.2025 built on the success of previous franc conferences and continues to provide a dynamic platform for the industry to come together, collaborate, share knowledge, and learn from each other. The Conference featured informative site visits, interactive hands-on workshops, and an expo showcasing state-of-the-art technologies in stormwater management. knowledge-sharing format.

The Stormwater NSW Awards for Excellence winners were announced at a special event on Wednesday, 15 October. Please visit the Stormwater NSW website for details of the 2025 Award winners.

franc.2026 will be held in October 2026. Further details of the Conference will be available in early 2026.

Nerida Taylor
President, Stormwater NSW

Express your Interest in franc.2026

What is franc?

Franc is dedicated to being future-focused and fostering resilient, networked communities to tackle the complex environmental and social challenges ahead. Issues like stormwater management, urban waterways, marine environments, urban development, human health, biodiversity, and climate change are all interconnected, yet they are often treated in isolation. This separation is understandable, as addressing them together presents complex social, economic, and technical challenges. However, if we are to overcome the challenges facing us, these issues must be tackled as a whole.

Franc recognizes the importance of this integrated approach and seeks to meet the challenge by fostering collaboration and mutual understanding. No single group has all the answers, so the franc community is made up of professionals, scientists, researchers, business leaders, and advocates from diverse sectors who share a commitment to systemic change. This collaborative effort aims to design resilient cities, incorporating urban water management and blue-green infrastructure to create sustainable, humane development that mitigates the environmental risks we face, such as urban expansion, pollution, and climate change.

By advocating together for the necessary policy changes, franc aims to ensure a healthy and prosperous future for society. The challenges ahead are daunting, but with the franc mindset, we can achieve meaningful change.

Nerida Taylor
President, Stormwater NSW