The Facility Management Association of Australia’s (FMA) National Conference & Exhibition is an established pillar of the industry, giving the opportunity to those working across the industry in Australia (and abroad) to engage in the topics, issues and discussions permeating facilities management.
Since 1991, the event has carried a strong undercurrent of connection. This year, that spirit came alive through education-driven keynote speakers, thought-provoking panels, lively Q&As and the debut of a hands-on Masterclass program, held on 18 to 20 August. Beyond the sessions, the exhibition floor offered a compelling showcase of products, systems, services and technologies designed to make the built environment safer, more efficient and more purposeful for its users.
FM Connect 25 marked a new chapter for the sector, launched under a fresh banner with a new name, enhanced format and an annual theme. This year’s theme, The Future of Facilities Management, sparked open dialogue on the technologies and ideas shaping the field, while exploring how our relationship with the built environment continues to evolve.
Building bonds through dialogue and shared experience
Connection remained central, as industry voices came together to share their vision of what lies ahead. Across three days, the program moved from headline debates on AI to urgent discussions on sustainable design and operation, before grounding the conversation in real projects underway across South Australia and nationwide.
Registrants were able to allocate their preferred Masterclasses, each session amplifying relationships and touchpoints among similar colleagues. Despite the variation in site types and industries represented, each session genuinely built connections, and those differences illuminated consistencies and offered solutions to others’ challenges.
A Conference Dinner was held on Tuesday 19 August, with former Adelaide Crows premiership captain Mark Baguley and puppeteer-mime-magician-and-many-more Raymond Crowe entertaining the audience, each offering a deserved step back from the FM focus of the week.
Several site tours were also offered as a complimentary opportunity, giving those at FM Connect 25 rare chances to see behind the scenes at Adelaide Airport and Adelaide Convention Centre.
FM Connect will return in 2026 with dates and a location to be released shortly. To keep up with the latest FMA news, sign up to the newsletter or download My FMA.
