ANZAB 2026
Melbourne, 5-8 June 2026
Program : Planned QP Bands : Planned Handbell Sesssions
Invitation : Registration : Day Trips
Accommodation : Transport : Merchandise : Weather and Climate
AGM Documentation : Striking Competition Rules
Invitation to ANZAB 2026
VicANZAB look forward to welcoming you to the 2026 Ringing Festival & AGM, 5-8 June 2026 in the vibrant and fascinating city of Melbourne: good food, good friends, good ringing. And for those with a bit more time available, we're planning regional ringing tours and ART courses near the weekend itself. We're making sure there’s something for literally every ringer at ANZAB 2026.
Please contact us at the link below if you have any questions about the Festival.
Registration
Registrations have closed. If you are hoping to attend the festival please email us. We will help where possible.
You do not need to register for the festival to attend the AGM.
If you wish to attend the Annual General Meeting remotely register here.
Program
The draft program (full) is available here (valid 1/6/2026). We recommend against printing. A hard copy of the updated version will be available at the registration desk.
Draft program (extract) showing the schedule for the weekend is available here (valid 1/6/2026). We hope changes will be minimal. This can be used for planning which towers/events you want to attend.
A summary of the main events is included below. Registrations are insufficient to support a Striking Challenge at the same time as a traditional striking competition. The Saturday afternoon program has been changed to reflect this.
Thursday 4 June
- Day trip to ring in Wangaratta and Beechworth (details below)
Friday 5 June
- Day trip to ring in Ballarat and Geelong (details below)
- Evening registration and ringing at St James' Old Cathedral (from 5pm)
- Evening ringing at St Paul's Cathedral (from 6pm)
- Pizza Supper at St James' Old Cathedral (from 8:15pm)
Saturday 6 June
- Morning registration at St James' Old Cathedral (from 9am)
- Lots of ringing and workshops
- Traditional Striking Competition at St Paul's Cathedral, including Bob Ferris, (from 2pm)
- Festival dinner (7pm at Young and Jacksons)
Sunday 7 June
- Lots of ringing plus a conducting presentation/discussion
- The official photograph at Burnley (1:45pm)
- The AGM (2pm at St Bartholomew's Burnley)
- Ringers' Service (6pm at St Bartholomew's Burnley)
- Supper (7pm at Grand Richmond Hotel, Burnley)
Monday 8 June
- Lots of ringing
- Lunch at St Pius X, Heidelberg West (from 12:30pm)
Tuesday 9 June
- ART Course (all day) in Geelong
Day trips
Draft programs as of 25 May 2026 below.
Note that St Matthew's, Albury is moving their practice from 2 to 3 June that week.
Thursday 4 June (Wangaratta and Beechworth)
Download the program with detailed useful information here. Summary only below.
- Train travel Southern Cross to Wangaratta departing 0707
- Train travel Wangaratta to Southern Cross arriving 2145
- Mini-bus between Wangaratta and Beechworth
- Ringing at Christ Church Beechworth (11am-1pm)
- Ringing at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Wangaratta (from 3pm)
Friday 5 June (Ballarat and Geelong)
Download the program with detailed useful information here. Summary only below.
- Travel to Ballarat, on train departing Southern Cross 0836
- Ring at St Peter's Ballarat and Ballarat Town Hall
- Minibus Ballarat to Geelong (for those booked on it)
- Ring at St Paul's Geelong
- Train travel Geelong to Southern Cross arriving 1720 (or earlier if you wish)
Quarter Peals
Planned quarter peal bands (as of 2 June 2026) may be downloaded here.
Notes:
- This is the third iteration.
- To arrange changes please contact
- "N/A" indicates that we believe you are unavailable at that time.
- The bands are designed to bring people together rather than extend method ringing.
- We have tried to accommodate everyone who wanted to ring a QP.
- Conductors will place the bands
Planned Handbell Sessions
Planned sessions (as of 4 June 2026) may be downloaded from the following links.
- Saturday afternoon at St Paul's Cathedral.
- Monday morning at St Pius X.
Notes:
- Handbells will be available at other times.
- Saturday afternoon sessions run concurrently with the Striking Competition so will need some flexibility.
- If interested but not listed for a session, contact Christopher O'Mahony (see contact details in program).
Merchandise
We are offering navy blue polo shirts. Please see details here prior to registering.
Accommodation
There is lots of accommodation in Melbourne. Here are some options close to Southern Cross or Flinders Street stations which you may like to try, listed from cheapest to smartest.
Transport within Melbourne, Ballarat and Geelong
You can travel by public transport (trains, buses, trams) using a myki (travel card).
You can find a travel planner and information about myki types at https://transport.vic.gov.au/. A standard myki costs $6 and the travel is capped at $5.70 per day. Check out the myki types if you think you might be eligible for a concession. Physical cards can be bought at 7-Eleven shops and train stations. Other purchasing options may be found here.
Within the main Melbourne city block, trams are free and can be used without a myki.
Transport between Melbourne and Wangaratta
To travel to Wangaratta by train, book and pay for tickets in advance here. A day-return ticket, which can also be used on public transport within Melbourne, will cost the same as the myki daily cap.
ANZAB 2026 willl include...
- Activities for brand-new ringers, including bell-handling practice, theory lessons, and the chance to ring something new and expand your skills.
- General and focused ringing at a wide variety of levels from plain hunt to surprise methods and beyond.
- Handbell ringing from beginner to advanced, including both change ringing and, for those with adventurous spirits, tune ringing.
- Mini-ring ringing from beginner to advanced.
- General-interest workshops and presentations suitable for everyone. Current ideas include Australian bellringing history, rope splicing, basic tower maintenance, calling changes and conducting methods, bellringing myths and curiosities, and an introduction to Ringing Room.
- Old favourites like the Annual General Meeting, Ringers’ Service, Striking Competition, and group meals.
Is there something listed here that you’re really excited about, or something else you’d like to see? Now is the time to let us know by emailing
Festival logo
the towers
links to important files
To attend the AGM remotely register here
AGM documents:
A booklet containg the Agenda, Reports and Papers for the 2026 ANZAB AGM is available via the members' section of the website (login required).
Agenda (finalised 25/5/26)
Proposed constitution changes (1/4/2026) with explanatory notes and shown alongside the current constitution.
Proposed Finance Regulation (updated 20/5/2026) designed to replace the Finance Charter.
Competition Rules:
Climate and Weather
Melbourne Climate
Ballarat Climate
Wangaratta Climate
Melbourne Weather
Ballarat Weather
Wangaratta Weather
(up to 7 days ahead)