Presentation title:

Connecting with nature: A pathway to wellbeing.

Professor Dianne Vella-Brodrick (PhD) holds the Gerry Higgins Chair in Positive Psychology and is Director at the Centre for Wellbeing Science at the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne. She is a registered psychologist and Member of the Australian Psychological Society and College of Health Psychologists.

Dianne is the inaugural Director of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program and founder of the Positive Psychology Network in Australia. She is President and a Fellow of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). In July 2025 she Chaired the IPPA World Congress.  In addition, she has Co-Directed three Australian positive psychology and wellbeing conferences.

Dianne serves on many journal editorial and advisory boards and was the inaugural Co-Editor in Chief of the Psychology of Well-Being: Theory, Research and Practice journal. She reviews international grants, provides formal mentorship to international scholars and has co-led the University of Melbourne mentoring program for senior researchers.

Dianne’s interests are wide ranging and include wellbeing education across the lifespan, life meaning and community engagement.  More recent interest has focused on different types of nature experiences and the ways in which these impact wellbeing. She has published several scientific reviews in this field and is involved in work evaluating nature prescribing for those with mild to moderate mental illness in regional Victoria. This research aligns with her broader interest in developing evidence-based interventions that harness the restorative power of natural environments.

Dianne has received over $4M of funding for her projects and has over 100 peer-reviewed publications. Her work is highly cited and she is regularly invited to deliver keynote presentations at leading conferences and events worldwide.

Presentation title:

“Unity without Uniformity: The power of networks in helping us navigate our future.”

This presentation examines the challenges facing outdoor education and how our history shapes us. It asks whether strong networks can unite the sector while preserving its diversity and explores how effective networks can help us progress together without losing our unique qualities.

Contribute to Steve’s presentation here: Unity without Uniformity – Fill in form

Steve McMurtrie is a highly respected outdoor educator. Before retiring in 2024 his career spanned over four decades in the outdoor education sector. Throughout his extensive professional journey, Steve has held key leadership positions including Department of Education’s Principal Network Chair for the Residential Outdoor Schools Association (ROSA), Principal Bogong Outdoor Education Centre (Outdoor School), Assistant Principal Blackwood Special Schools Outdoor Education Centre, Assistant Principal Rubicon Outdoor Centre, Director Nayook Outdoor Education Centre, and outdoor education lecturer La Trobe University Bendigo.

Steve also worked within the Security and Emergency Management division of the Victorian Department of Education providing advice in areas of Safety Guidelines for Education Outdoors, excursions and risk management. For more than 15 years he was an active outdoor education teacher across various schools.

He holds a Masters in Education (Monash University), a Graduate Diploma in Education Administration (Melbourne University), a Graduate Diploma in Outdoor Education (La Trobe University), and a Bachelor of Education (University of Ballarat). Steve’s commitment to the outdoor education community is further demonstrated by his service as State representative for Outdoor Education Australia (OEA) and as board member and Chair of Outdoors Victoria. He was awarded OEA’s Outdoor Education Fellowship in 2022, for his services to the outdoor sector at both the State and National level.

Steve is now enjoying an active outdoor retirement – when not travelling around Australia with his wife Kim, he can be found working on his 3-acre property in Strathfieldsaye, just outside of Bendigo.