Āpōpō Congress 2026

Global Connections

Register Your Interest Now

Claudelands Event Centre

19 - 21 May 2026

Kirikiriroa | Hamilton

Economic

Cultural

Social

Environmental

Future Shaping

Kirikiriroa Hamilton has a lot to offer

Come for the Āpōpō Congress, stay for all the opportunities in the city and region!

Attractions
  • Victoria on the River - Part of Hamilton’s central city transformation, Victoria on the River has a green and organic feel thanks to thousands of plants that blend with other native foliage along the riverbank.
  • The Riverbank Lane - An eclectic bustling community of retail boutiques tempting with fashion and homewares, a hair salon and a barber, eateries, one of the best second hand bookstores around, an art gallery, and a co-working office and meeting space.
  • Hamilton Gardens - a world tour of garden design with each individual garden in the 25-plus collection telling its own story and offering insights into different civilisations ranging from Indian, Japanese, Chinese and Egyptian, to Italian, English and Māori. Read more.
  • Zealong Tea Estate - Zealong is the only commercial tea estate in NZ producing 100% organic award winning tea. Read more.
  • Hamilton Zoo - home to 400+ animals including Sumatran tigers, cheetahs, chimpanzees and white rhinos, as well as reptiles – geckos, skinks, turtles, tortoises, and the native New Zealand tuatara and the rare, protected Hochstetter’s frog. With the largest walk-through aviary in New Zealand, Hamilton Zoo is where to get up close to native birds like keas and kakas, as well as the brightly plumed exotics. Read more.
  • Made Market and Mezzanine - A diverse hub of bustling retailers, foodies, creators and artisan vendors. Read more.
  • All things food - Check out some of the best cafés and dining options in Kirikiriroa | Hamilton. Read more.
Walking and Cycling
  • Hamilton Lake Domain - A go-to for anyone looking for a scenic location for a little fresh air. The 100ha domain is close to the central city, and has a range of other amenities including picnic tables and a destination playground. Read more.
  • Waikato River Walk - The walking and cycling track along both sides of the river offers scenic views of water, parkland, picnic spots, and city life – look out for the graceful arches of Fairfield Bridge, constructed in the 1930s. Read more.
  • Taitua Arboretum - The legacy of farmers John and Bunny Mortimer who had a life-long passion for growing native and exotic trees and shrubs on their land. Today the arboretum is 20 ha of mature trees, lakes and woodland gardens with meandering paths, plentiful birdlife and some great views. Read more.
  • Hamilton Mountain Bike Park - A variety of tracks ensuring there are experiences suited to both beginners and families, as well as more advanced riders. All ages and skills are also catered for in regular race series and there are rider development opportunities too for anyone wanting to develop skills. Read more.
  • Te Awa River Ride - One of New Zealand’s Great Rides, the Te Awa River Ride follows the mighty Waikato awa between Ngāruawāhia in the north to Lake Karapiro in the south. The ride also includes shared cycling/walking sections. Read more.

Kirikiriroa Hamilton is easy to get to

Hamilton Airport is located 20 minutes south of Hamilton City’s CBD (14kms). 

Claudelands Event Centre and Hamilton CBD are an easy 2 hour expressway drive from Auckland International Airport.

We suggest planning your way from Hamilton airport to the CBD prior to arrival. There are plenty of options: rental car, taxis, shared car services and bus.

Register Your Interest

Note your details here, and we'll get in touch again when pre-sales open in August.

Register Your Interest Now

Key Dates

  • International Call for Abstracts - August/September 2025
  • New Zealand Call for Abstracts - October/November 2025
  • Presale Congress registrations open August 2025
  • Technical programme announced December 2025
  • Full programme announced February 2026
  • Pre-sale registrations close February 2026
  • Earlybird registrations close April 2026
  • GFMAM In-Person meeting afternoon of Saturday 16 May - Monday 18 May 2026
  • Āpōpō Congress 19-21 May 2026
  • International guests Waikato tour Friday 22 May 2026

FAQs

Accommodation

Novotel Hamilton Tainui and Ibis Hamilton Tainui are 5-10 minutes walk from Claudelands Event Centre.