In this edition:- Festival of Urbanism 2025
- Upcoming Events
- City Road Podcast: new episodes out now
- Student Photography Competition – award announcement
- Research and funding opportunities at HHURRI
- Media mentions and commentary
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Festival of regenerative Urbanism
Thank you to everyone who participated in one of our Festival of Urbanism 2025 events. We had more than 1500 registrations across our 23 events in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Albury, and Orange, all engaging with regenerative models for food, energy, water, waste, transport, housing, and community wellbeing.
A special shout out to our amazing speakers – thought leaders across industry, community, politics, academia or the arts; and to all of our event partners, from Monash University to the Sydney Environment Institute and the Planning Institute of Australia.
Stand by for our watch on demand videos of most events, which will be uploaded to our website and YouTube channel in coming months. Don’t forget, you can also catch up on our previous festivals and events as well.
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image featuring Josh Sly's didgeridoo sweep at the Festival opening event
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Helping Researchers in Urbanism Navigate the Publishing Landscape
When: Tuesday 2 Dec, 3pm - 4.30pm
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SOLD! Who Broke the Australian Dream? — Film Screening & Panel
When: Tuesday 2 Dec, 6pm - 8pm
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City Road Podcast: new episodes out now!
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E-bikes and e-scooters – a growing menace or city congestion saviour?
Is the growing trend in e-bike and e-scooter use the key to reducing congestion on our roads - or a menace for unsuspecting pedestrians, drivers, and riders themselves? Reports of accidents are filling the airwaves as experts question how governments can best manage the rapid growth in sales of electric bikes and scooters. So, how best to regulate the confusing landscape of e-micromobility? City Road's Bill Code welcomes Dr Yuting Zhang of the University of Sydney and president of Better Streets, cycling advocate Sara Stace.
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The future of Australia’s public housing: Festival of Urbanism 2024 special recording
Australia is in the midst of a housing crisis. But amidst the political and media debate about the fixes to our housing woes, public housing has slipped from view. There's concern that funding commitments are a far cry from the broad based approach to public rental housing which has supported so many Australians in the past, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. So where does Australia go from here? Join Rebecca Pinkstone, Chief Executive of Homes NSW, Alistair Sisson of Macquarie University, City of Sydney Councillor Sylvie Ellsmore, plus public housing tenants Norrie May-Welby and Karyn Brown at this Festival of Urbanism event recorded in late 2024.
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Putting the ‘public’ in public transport: Festival of Urbanism 2024 special recording
What is ‘public’ about our urban and regional transport systems - and how public should they be? Are our leaders actually serving public interests and values around public transport? Should a stick in the ground really count as a bus stop? And what the heck is a 'beg button'? In this episode of City Road a rich panel of speakers delve into the big questions surrounding public transport at the recent Festival of Urbanism, including Dr Ian Woodcock, Emma Bacon, Neill Miller, David Babineau, Dr Rebecca Clements and Dr Crystal Legacy.
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Festival of regenerative Urbanism Photography Competition
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 | image featuring the winners of the Photography Competition, Charles Boobar, Frank Yang, Claudia Drinnan and Jiaqi Chen
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This year’s Photography Competition invited students to explore the festival theme of regenerative urbanism. Judged by a panel including the exhibition curators, Vera Xia and Ian Woodcock, and PIA NSW Emerging Planners representatives, Lauren Daly and Sebastian Aguilar, the competition drew diverse and thoughtful entries from tertiary students studying planning, architecture, design, and beyond.
Jiaqi Chen received the Creativity Award – Best Storytelling for a thoughtful reflection on place and care. Highly Commended awards went to Claudia Drinnan and Frank Yang.
Charles Boobar won the Best Overall Award for a simple yet powerful work examining rural adaptation and renewal.
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Research and funding opportunities at HHURRIBelow is a list of our grant programs, which are now open. The closing date for the end-of-year grants applications round is November 30th, 2025.
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Research Seminar & Publication Scheme
The Research Seminar and Publication Scheme offers funding for academics from various disciplines to host a workshop or seminar program on a theme relevant and aligned with the research interests of the HHURRI. This year the HHURRI is particularly interested in proposals which address these research interests with reference to the themes of themes of climate change, Indigenous land, or socially just cities and regions.
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Postdoctoral Urban Research Translation Scheme
The Postdoctoral Urban Research Translation Scheme is open to a PhD graduate of any discipline, who has obtained their degree within the last 3 years, to undertake a period of supported research in residence to translate their research for wider urban policy and practice impact.
This year, the Henry Halloran Urban and Regional Research Initiative (HHURRI) is particularly interested in proposals which address themes of climate change in relation to the built environment, Indigenous land, management, or planning, or socially just cities and regions.
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Martin Payne Practitioner-in-Residence Program
The Martin Payne Practitioner in Residence (PIR) Program is intended to support exchange and dialogue between practitioners and researchers. It funds experienced practitioners to undertake a period of supported research in residence at the University, working on a project that aligns with the research focus of HHURRI while allowing scope for professional development and reflection.
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Media Commentary:
The Henry Halloran Urban & Regional Research Initiative promotes evidence-informed contributions to public debate, through our publications, events, and media commentary.
SBS TV (Licensed by Copyright Agency) • September 09, 2025 The new regional hotspot that's seen a 1,500 per cent surge of city folk Interview with Nicole Gurran
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The Henry Halloran Urban and Regional Research Initiative is a cross-disciplinary research centre focused on the profound challenges facing cities and regions in the 21st Century. Through our grants, projects and public events we foster research, education and dialogue across the many disciplines, professions and communities vital to creating better urban and regional futures.
We acknowledge the tradition of custodianship and law of the Country on which the University of Sydney campuses stand. We pay our respects to those who have cared and continue to care for Country.
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