Ending Loneliness Together

16/06/2026

We're excited to announce the 2026 National Loneliness Conference will take place on 21–22 October in Melbourne.

Join leading thinkers and changemakers, as we explore loneliness and social connection across the lifespan - from childhood through to later life. More than a conference - it's an opportunity to connect with global and national experts, lived experience, community, policy and practice leaders to share evidence and drive real-world action.

Early bird registrations are now open: https://au.entegy.events/anlc2026

15/06/2026

Loneliness Awareness Week Australia is a few months away, taking place 3-9 August.

This year's theme, Make Room for Connection, is a reminder that connection doesn’t happen by accident, it grows in the spaces and opportunities we intentionally create for each other.

To help you start planning for the week, we encourage you to:
🧡 Download our Supporter Toolkit which now includes customisable templates and a comprehensive guide for planning meaningful connection opportunities
📆 Register for our Launch Webinar on 15 July
🧢 Visit our newly launched Shop with conversation starting merchandise

Whether you're planning a workplace activity, community event or simple act of connection you can help create a more connected Australia. Get involved 👉 lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au

28/04/2026

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁.
𝗜𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.

A spare seat at the table, an open invitation, a smiling face on arrival, an event built around something you love, a friendship circle that stretches a little wider – these small but deliberate acts of room-making help us all show up, belong and feel less alone.

That's why this Loneliness Awareness Week we’ll be celebrating the everyday ways people living in Australia are making room for each other, and we’re calling on everyone to 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 at home, work, school and in the community.

💡This year's theme is informed by a key insight from lived experience - having places and people who make connection easy and accessible turns ‘I don’t know where to start’ into ‘I know where I’m welcome.’

👀Sign up to be the first to hear when our full website launched and get your hands on free assets and resources.
🧡Become a sponsor to and join our mission to create a more connected Australia.

Visit 👉 lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au



Medibank AIA Frasers Property - Live proud Child and Family Queensland Victorian Department of Health The Wicking Trust Beyond Blue headspace Lifeline Neighbours Every Day UnitingCare Australia University of Sydney Wallis Social Research

16/04/2026

"The use of these companions will affect the way we think and the way we behave. The technology, the frameworks which AI is based on - they're not developed by psychologists, they're not developed by healthcare workers or doctors, they're developed by engineers."

Our CEO, Associate Professor Michelle Lim, spoke with ABC News about the potential AI boom in aged care, including robot companions.

Artificial intelligence-enabled robot companions, personal behaviour monitors and pain management apps could soon be used more widely within the sector.

30/03/2026

"In small towns, I find it's really hard to break in unless you've got those common interests. These events bring together people that you probably wouldn't normally come across in your day-to-day life"

What role do interests play in shaping connections? Our CEO Associate Professor Michelle Lim had a chat to ABC News, alongside Stacey who founded My Crafternoons, Beth and Kimberley from Port Fairy and Courtney who participates in the Warrnambool Community Garden.

From crafting to surfing, people of all ages are experimenting with new hobbies to meet pals in regional Victoria.

11/02/2026

"Hybrid employees described feeling overlooked, forgotten in meetings, and left out of casual chats that once made them feel like part of a team."

Our CEO, Associate Professor Michelle Lim, had a chat to ABC News about the impacts of remote working and how workplaces can embed connection in their every day.

Working remotely can be a lonely experience. Here's what you can do about it.

13/11/2025

Last week, we held the 2025 National Loneliness Conference: Creating a Culture of Connection. Over two days, more than 160 people came together, sharing research, lived experience, and community-led solutions that prioritise social connection.

From keynote speeches to panel discussions and thinktanks, the room was alive with curiosity, compassion, and a shared commitment to address loneliness and reimagine how we connect. New relationships were sparked, ideas exchanged, and a collective vision for a more meaningfully connected Australia took shape.

A huge thank you to our incredible keynote speakers (Professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Vedran Drakulić OAM, Sophie Scott OAM, Assistant Minister Ged Kearney), panellists, moderators, volunteers and participants for bringing such depth and momentum to the conversation. Your contributions made this more than a conference, it was a catalyst.

And to our incredible sponsors, thank you for making it all possible: Medibank Frasers Property - Live proud AIA University of Sydney Wallis Social Research Inclusee UnitingCare Victorian Department of Health Relationships Australia Human Services SA Kirinari Community Services

It's hard to capture the buzz in the room, so these are just a few snaps 📸. We’re already looking forward to next year 🧡

31/10/2025

It’s been a great week meeting with Members of Parliament. Thank you and for finding time to connect and talk all things loneliness and social connection in Australia.

🧔📸 Featuring final photo of Dan’s beard. michelle.lim

29/10/2025

📢Registrations for the National Loneliness Conference close Monday 3rd November.

Join us for two days of innovation and collaboration.
🎤Panels: strategising and designing for connection across government, workplace, community, construction and technology
💭ThinkTanks: looking to the future for a National Strategy and developing public awareness campaigns
🔎Research Spotlights: covering priority populations, intervention design and economics

See the program and register now: au.entegy.events/anlc2025/registration

29/10/2025

"We need to be 'nimble' in thinking about how we can socialise, and not feel ashamed to say 'let's do something that doesn't cost too much money'."

Our CEO Associate Professor Michelle H Lim had a chat with ABC News earlier this week about how the cost of living crisis is impacting how often, and the way, we socialise.

Data from the latest HILDA survey indicate socialising rates have dropped over the past two decades, and, more recently, have not returned to pre-COVID frequency.