WikiCon Canberra 2026: Bringing the Community Together
It was fantastic to bring everyone together for WikiCon Canberra (Kanbarra) 2026 in our nation’s capital, Canberra! What a wonderful weekend full of ideas, conversation and connections across the Australian Wikimedia community.
This year’s program brought together a great mix of sessions, from technical deep dives to broader discussions about policy, culture and where we’re heading next. There was a real sense of curiosity and openness throughout the weekend, with people sharing experiences, testing ideas and learning from each other.
We heard from many participants that the event felt “inclusive and inspiring” and that the balance between practical sessions and bigger-picture conversations worked well. Sessions on topics like AI, Wikidata and evolving community practices sparked thoughtful discussion, while others offered hands-on insights that people are already thinking about applying in their own work, whether that’s editing, organising events, or trying out new tools.
One of the highlights was the level of engagement in the rooms. There were some really rich discussions, particularly around the Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) and Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDSov) draft guide, where people emphasised the importance of continuing to build strong relationships with communities and approaching this work with care and respect.
We also heard loud and clear how much people valued the chance to connect in person. As one person put it, “I feel like I’m with my people.” The slightly longer format this year helped, giving more space for conversations to continue beyond sessions and for ideas to develop more naturally. The beautiful courtyard of the National Film and Sound Archive provided a great chance for conversations and connections, mixed with the cool Canberra sunshine. We’re excited that post-WikiCon, many small groups are starting city meetups with folks in Canberra and Melbourne already booking venues for Wiki get-togethers. Let us know if you are doing this in your area so we can promote it! Don’t forget you can always jump on our monthly Community calls to keep in touch and share what you’re working on.
We also took a moment to celebrate the people who have helped build and sustain the Wikimedia movement over many years and acknowledge the depth of experience within the community.
It was great to recognise two of the longest 'serving' Wiki editors in Australia (out of those at the conference) who were encouraged to cut the Wikipedia birthday cake for us. Both of these Editors Toby and Ash, have been editing for well over 20 years!
Of course, there’s always more to learn. Some sessions felt a little rushed, and there were helpful suggestions about allowing more time for discussion or refining formats so they better match what participants need in the moment. And despite testing the technology and having IT support on hand, we still had some glitches, which we are reviewing. We really appreciate everyone’s feedback - it’s what helps us keep improving.
A big thank you to everyone who made the weekend what it was - our speakers, facilitators, volunteers, Board members, and all who attended. Your willingness to share, listen and contribute is what makes this community so special.
We’re already looking forward to the next WikiCon Australia!
Related links
- WikiCon Australia 2026 Canberra
- Wikimedia Commons WikiCon images
- Photographs by Gnangarra...commons.wikimedia.org, CC BY 2.5 AU, via Wikimedia Commons