QStrata Conference Program
Resilient Strata: Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Resilience in strata management goes beyond bricks and mortar – it starts with people, processes, and foresight. Today’s challenges, from building maintenance risks to staff turnover and leadership pressures, demand a proactive approach. This conference explores how prevention, strong team culture, and self-awareness can transform vulnerabilities into strengths. By investing in both physical and human resilience, strata professionals can create communities that are safe, sustainable, and future-ready.
Strata managers are at the intersection of compliance, community, and care. Preventing issues before they escalate—whether structural defects, staff burnout, or communication breakdowns – saves time, money, and stress. Resilience is not just about reacting to crises; it’s about building systems and mindsets that anticipate and adapt. This theme empowers professionals to lead with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
Join us to discover how prevention and resilience can redefine strata management. Together, we’ll explore practical solutions and leadership strategies that turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities – creating communities that thrive from the inside out.
Below is a preliminary guide to the QStrata 2026 Conference. The full program will be released in March 2026.
Wednesday 3 June 2026
4:00pm - 7:00pm - Strata Connect Exhibition Networking
Kick off your conference experience at our very first QStrata gathering, held on the Wednesday before the official program begins. StrataConnect offers a warm and welcoming space to meet fellow delegates, reconnect with familiar faces, and start building new relationships. Wander through the lively exhibition hall, chat with exhibitors, and enjoy relaxed conversations with peers as you ease into the conference atmosphere. It’s the perfect social opener – informal, engaging, and designed to set the tone for the days ahead.
Date: Wednesday 3 June 2026
Time: 16:00 – 19:00
Location: Exhibition Hall, SeaWorld Conference Centre, Gold Coast
Dress code: Smart casual
Tickets: Social event tickets are included with full conference registrations, or can be purchased separately here
4:00pm - 7:00pm - Registration Desk & Exhibition Hall Open
Delegates are invited to visit our Registration Desk at the entry to the Expo Hall between 4:00pm and 7:00pm to complete registration and collect a name badge
Thursday 4 June 2026
8:00am - 4:30pm - Registration Desk & Exhibition Hall Open
- Our Registration Desk is open from 8am to 4:30pm – drop by and collect your name badge
- Tea & Coffee will be available in the Exhibition Hall from 8:30am
9:00am - Welcome Address & Official Opening
- Official proceedings begin at 9am
9:30am - The Commissioners Update
10:00am - Keynote Presentation: Kirsten Petersen - The Most Important Relationship High Performers Have
“The Most Important Relationship High Performers Have”
Presenter: Dr Kirsten Petersen
Dr. Kirsten Peterson will explore the counter-intuitive idea that how we relate to ourselves – especially under pressure, after mistakes, or when performance matters most – may be one of the strongest predictors of resilience, sustained performance, and effective leadership. Through compelling stories, scientific insights, and practical reflection, participants examine the cultural conditioning that drives harsh self-judgment and why it often undermines the very performance it is meant to fuel. They will also learn about the science of self-compassion and its role in emotional regulation, learning from setbacks, and maintaining the psychological safety required for high performance.
11:00am - Morning Tea & Networking in the Exhibition Hall
- Join our sponsors and exhibitors for morning tea in the Exhibition Hall
11:30am - Workshop Streams 1 & 2 - People & Performance / Resilient Strata Communities
Workshop 1 – People & Performance
“Turning Insight into practice”
Presenter: Dr Kirsten Peterson
This interactive follow-up session moves from insight to application. Building on the concepts introduced in the keynote, participants explore what self-compassion looks like in real professional contexts: after a mistake, during periods of high pressure, or when confronting self-doubt and perfectionism.
Through guided reflection, paired discussion, and simple evidence-based practices, participants will learn practical tools for identifying and shifting their internal dialogue from self-judgment toward more constructive accountability. Exercises include awareness practices to recognize self-critical patterns, structured reflection questions used by high performers to reset their mental state, and self-compassion practices that support recovery, perspective, and clearer decision-making.
Participants will leave with a set of immediately usable strategies they can apply in demanding moments – both for themselves and in their leadership of others. The goal is not to remove standards or effort, but to develop a more effective internal environment for performance: one that allows people to recover faster from setbacks, learn more quickly, and sustain excellence over time.
Workshop 2 – Resilient Strata Communities
Preventive Building Management: Catch Issues Early, Avoid Costly Failures
Presenters: Chris Frazer (CHU), Dakota Pannetta (Solutions in Engineering), David Ellis (SCI)
Discover practical strategies for early problem detection and proactive maintenance planning that help reduce risks, prevent disruptions, and protect financial performance. This session highlights simple frameworks and emerging tools that keep buildings safe, compliant, and operating efficiently – before small issues become big setbacks.
12:30pm - Lunch & Networking in the Exhibition Hall
- Join our sponsors and exhibitors for lunch in the Exhibition Hall
1:30pm - Panel Session: Challenges Ahead for Strata
2:15pm - Panel Session: Riding the Digital Wave
Panelists: Daniel Borin (Stratamax), Tom Robinson (Tallay Law), Alex McCormick (SOCM), Duncan Lee (Pinnacle Strata), Andrew Roland (Urbanise)
How AI and digital transformation is or will change the way we work in strata
3:00pm - 3:30pm - Afternoon Tea & Networking in the Exhibition Hall
- Join our sponsors and exhibitors for afternoon tea in the Exhibition Hall
3:30pm - Exhibitor Elevator Pitch
4:30pm - End of Day 1 Presentations
5:00pm - 8:30pm - Strata Social Networking, The Boatshed, Seaworld Resort
Join us for an unforgettable evening at the StrataSocial Networking event, hosted at the stunning Boatshed at Sea World Resort.Time: 17:00 – 20:30
Location: The Boatshed, SeaWorld Resort Gold Coast
Dress Code: Nautical‑inspired smart casual – think coastal colours, crisp whites, navy tones, and relaxed resort style
Friday 5 June 2026
7:55am - 8:45am - Seaworld Shark Bay Tour
8:30am - 2:00pm - Registration Desk & Exhibition Hall open
- Our Registration Desk is open from 8am to 2:00pm – drop by and collect your name badge
- Tea & Coffee will be available in the Exhibition Hall from 8:30am
9:00am - The Hon Deb Frecklington MP - Attorney-General and Minister for Justice
9:30am - Keynote Presentation: John Hale - Strategic Thinking Under Pressure: Making Better Decisions When It Counts
“Strategic Thinking Under Pressure: Making Better Decisions When It Counts”
Presenter: John Hale
Turning pressure and complexity into strategic advantage. Strata professionals operate in uniquely demanding environments: limited resources, heightened visibility, strong community relationships, volunteer committees and ageing assets, often all at once.
Strategic Resilience reframes resilience not as coping or endurance, but as a strategic capability: the ability to slow situations down, see what really matters, create options and guide others toward better decisions.
10:30am - Morning Tea & Networking in the Exhibition Hall
- Join our sponsors and exhibitors for morning tea in the Exhibition Hall
11:00am - Workshop Streams 3 & 4 - People & Performance / Resilient Strata Communities
Workshop 3 – People & Performance
“Negotiation Skills”
Presenter: John Hale
This breakout explores resilience through the lens of negotiation. Delegates learn how to navigate difficult conversations, competing positions and strong personalities. The session focuses on practical, real-world skills in negotiation.
Workshop 4 – Resilient Strata Communities
“Working positively in a changing environment”
Presenter: Scott Henderson
Change can be managed well – even in complex, high-pressure environments like strata. There are practical, evidence-based strategies that help individuals recognise their own reactions to change and respond more constructively. By applying the right tools, teams can navigate change more effectively, maintain professionalism under pressure, and approach the year ahead with renewed focus, resilience and purpose — even when the pace of change shows no sign of slowing.
12:00pm - Workshop Streams 5 & 6 - People & Performance / Resilient Strata Communities
Workshop 5 – People & Performance
“Managing Customer Expectations”
Presenter: Scott Henderson
In this session delegates will come away with a clear understanding of managing customerexpectations to avoid or minimize conflict, and how to manage things when conflict is inevitable.
Workshop 6 – Resilient Strata Communities
Session TBC
1:00pm - Lunch & Networking in the Exhibition Hall
- Join our sponsors and exhibitors for lunch in the Exhibition Hall
2:00pm - The Great Debate
Watch two teams face off over a controversial topic to deliver an unforgettable debate – a session not to be missed.
3:15pm - End of Presentations
6:00pm - 11:00pm - Queensland Strata Community Macquarie Bank Awards for Excellence
Venue: The Plaza, Sea World Theme Park, Gold Coast
Time: 6pm to 11pm
Dress Code: Black tie with a ‘touch of the deep blue’ (think Atlantis…King Neptune…Mermaid Masquerade…Penguin suits….the world is your oyster!)
Please note:
- All times in the program are AEST and subject to change at any time.
- The speakers and topics listed on this program are subject to change.
- Check this page regularly for updates and information as it becomes available.
