Australian National Science Fiction Convention


The Australian National Science Fiction Convention or Natcon is an annual science fiction convention. Each convention is run by a different committee unaffiliated with any national fannish body. Bids for running the Natcon are voted on by attendees at the Natcon two years in advance. These votes are held at a Business Meeting organised by the convention committee, and held at the convention, in practice much of the organisation of the meeting is done by a standing committee selected by the prior meeting.

Ditmar Award

The Ditmar Award has been awarded at the convention since 1969 to recognise achievement in Australian science fiction and science fiction fandom. The award is similar to the Hugo Award but on a national rather than international scale. At various times in its history the award has included international categories, but this is the exception. Categories include both professional and fan categories, focusing on fiction but also including some artistic and general achievement.

List of Australian National Science Fiction Conventions

NoDateNameLocationGuests of HonourReferences
122 March 1952First Australian Science Fiction ConventionSydney
21–3 May 1953Second Australian Science Fiction ConventionSydney
317–18 April 1954Third Australian Science Fiction ConventionSydney
418–20 March 1955Fourth Australian Science Fiction ConventionSydneyArthur C. Clarke
58–9 December 1956OlympiconMelbourneFrank Bryning
65–6 April 1958Sixth Australian Science Fiction ConventionMelbourne
7Easter 1966Seventh Australian Science Fiction ConventionMelbourne
84–6 April 1969Eighth Australian Science Fiction ConventionMelbourneLee Harding, John Foyster
9Easter 1970Ninth Australian Science Fiction ConventionMelbourne
101–2 January 1971Tenth Australian Science Fiction ConventionMelbourneRobin Johnson
1111–13 August 1972Syncon '72SydneyLesleigh Luttrell
1217–19 August 1973Advention 2AdelaideJohn Foyster
1316–18 August 1974OzconMelbourneMerv Binns and John Bangsund
1424–27 January 1975Syncon '75Sydney
1513–15 August 1976BofconMelbourne
1629–31 July 1977A-Con 7AdelaideBill Rotsler
1724–27 March 1978Unicon IVMelbourneBrian Aldiss, Roger Zelazny
1810–13 August 1979Syncon '79SydneyGordon R. Dickson, Ken Fletcher, Linda Lounsbury, Kouichi Yamamoto
1915–18 August 1980Swancon 5PerthAnne McCaffrey, Shayne McCormack, Grant Stone
206–8 June 1981Advention '81AdelaideFrank Herbert, John Ossian, K. U. F. Widdershins
219–12 April 1982TschaiconMelbourneJack Vance, Leanne Frahm, Eric Lindsay
2210–13 June 1983Syncon '83SydneyHarlan Ellison, Van Ikin
2320–23 April 1984EurekaconMelbourneGeorge Turner
245–8 April 1985Advention '85AdelaideLee Harding
2528–31 March 1986Swancon XIPerthC. J. Cherryh, Jack Herman
2624–27 April 1987CapconCanberraRobert Asprin, Lynn Abbey, John Newman
2710–13 June 1988ConvictionSydneySpider Robinson, Jeanne Robinson, Carey Handfield
2823–27 March 1989Swancon 14PerthJohn Varley, Bob Shaw, Paul J. Stevens
2913–16 April 1990Danse MacabreMelbourneGeorge R. R. Martin, Eric Lindsay
3029 March – 1 April 1991SunconBrisbanePatrick Tilley, Harlan Ellison, Leigh Edmonds
3117–20 April 1992Syncon '92SydneyMichael Whelan, Nick Stathopoulos, Sean McMullen
328–12 April 1993Swancon 18PerthTerry Pratchett, Robert Jordan and Craig Hilton
331–4 April 1994ConstantinopleMelbourneWilliam Gibson, Bruce Gillespie, Bean & Medge.
349–12 June 1995ThylaconHobartKim Stanley Robinson, Peter Nicholls, Grant Stone
354–8 April 1996Festival of the ImaginationPerthStorm Constantine, Neil Gaiman
3627–28 September 1997Basicon 2Melbourne
375–8 June 1998Thylacon 2HobartGeorge R. R. Martin, Leanne Frahm
382–6 September 1999SpawnCon Two Melbourne
3920–24 April 2000Swancon 2000PerthConnie Willis, Robin Hobb, Garth Nix, Ian Nichols, Mitch
4013–15 April 2001Swancon 2001: MasqueradePerthRobert Silverberg, Karen Haber, Rosaleen Love, Marilyn Pride, Lewis Morley, Kate Orman, and Sue Ackermann
417–10 June 2002Convergence 2002MelbourneJoe & Gay Haldeman, Lucy Sussex, Sean Williams, and Race Mathews
4217–21 April 2003Swancon 2003PerthLynn Flewelling, Tony Shillitoe, Fiona McIntosh, and Justin Ackroyd
4323–26 April 2004ConfluxCanberraGreg Benford, Sean McMullen, and Karen Herkes
4410–13 June 2005Thylacon 2005HobartAnne Bishop, Marianne de Pierres, and Merv Binns
4514–17 April 2006ConjureBrisbaneCory Doctorow, Bruce Sterling, Sean Williams, Jonathan Strahan, and Erika Maria Lacey
468–11 June 2007Convergence 2MelbourneIsobelle Carmody, Fred Gallagher, Dave Freer, and Cath Ortlieb
4720–24 March 2008State of the Art: Swancon 2008PerthKen Macleod, Rob Shearman, Glenda Larke, and Zara Baxter
485–8 June 2009ConjectureAdelaideJulie E. Czerneda, and Steve & Catherine Scholz
492–6 September 2010Dudcon III MelbournePeter Watts, Helen Merrick, and Jacob Blake
5021–25 April 2011Swancon Thirty Six | Natcon FiftyPerthEllen Datlow, Justina Robson, Sean Williams, and Sarah Xu
518–11 June 2012Continuum 8: CraftonomiconMelbourneKelly Link, Alison Goodman, and Sue Ann Barber
5225–28 April 2013Conflux 9CanberraNalo Hopkinson, Marc Gascoigne, Karen Miller, and Rose Mitchell
536–9 June 2014Continuum X: Carnival of Lost SoulsMelbourneJim C. Hines, Ambelin Kwaymullina, and Danny Oz & Sharon Moseley
542–6 April 2015Swancon 40PerthJohn Scalzi, Kylie Chan, and Anthony Peacey
5525–28 March 2016Contact2016BrisbaneBen Aaronovitch, Jill Pantozzi, Keri Arthur, and Kirilee Barker
569–12 June 2017Continuum 13: TriskaidekaphiliaMelbourneSeanan McGuire/Mira Grant, Likhain aka M. Sereno
5729 March – 2 April 2018Swancon 2018: TransmogrificationPerthRyan Griffen, Foz Meadows, Emily Smith, Wolfgang Bylsma, and Barb de la Hunty
587-10 June 2019Continuum 15: Other WorldsMelbourneKate Elliott, Ken Liu