NPAQ’s Annual Dinner is always a highly anticipated evening of inspiration, connection and friendship. More than just a celebration of all NPAQ has achieved over the previous financial year, it is also an opportunity to mingle with like-minded nature-lovers and conservationists and to raise funds to support ongoing efforts.

Come and enjoy a delicious 2-course meal along with good chats, conviviality, a celebration of conservation wins over the past 12 months, and the chance to hear from former Environment Minister Pat Comben, who will talk about the past few decades of National Parks history in his speech ‘1990 to 2025—Has the green faded?’

NOTE: BOOKINGS HAVE CLOSED 

Key Information

Date: Friday 20 June 2025

Time: 6:30–10:00 pm

Venue: Royal on the Park, 152 Alice Street, Brisbane 

Speaker: Pat Comben, former Minister for the Environment

RSVP: Before COB Tues 17 June 2025

Dress Code: Semi formal

Bookings have closed

The venue is best driven to, as the nearest public transport is Brisbane Central Station or the Alice St bus stop near the Botanic Gardens. Parking is available onsite for $35 (book in advance) or nearby for $7 at 53 Albert St, (First Parking). 

Speaker: Pat Comben Former Minister for the Environment & Heritage

Our speaker this year will be Pat Comben, who was the Labor Minister for the Environment and Heritage from 1989–1992 and the former convenor of the Australian Labor Party Land and Environment Policy Committee. UK-born Pat migrated to Australia by himself at 16, initially working as a farmhand, labourer and stockman before studying law and politics at the University of Queensland and eventually climbing the ranks all the way to parliament. Mr Comben was first elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly as the Labor member for Windsor in 1983. In 1986, he was appointed Opposition Spokesperson on the Environment, Administrative Services and Corrective Services. Health and Environment were his primary focus by 1987, with Conservation added in 1988. A year later, he was appointed Minister for Environment and Heritage when the Goss Labor Government rose to power in 1989.

In late 1989, the new Queensland Government had, as its premier environmental policy, to double the National Park estate and for it to be representative of biodiversity. The identification of regional ecosystems has been progressively refined through work by the Queensland Herbarium, which embarked on the most successful ecosystem mapping program in Australia. The Regional Ecosystem approach was an Australian first that has since been adopted in other states.

Over the years, Pat has, at various times, been:

    • CEO of Autism Association Queensland Inc
    • President, National Trust Queensland, 2001–2005
    • Chair, Brisbane Forest Park Advisory Board, 2001–2004
    • Director, Wildlife Preservation Society Queensland
    • Councillor, Royal Historical Society(Qld)
    • President, Grange Progress Association

Images, clockwise from top: Pat with NPAQ CEO Chris Thomas at last year’s annual dinner; As Minister, opening the NPAQ office at Milton with then President Norm Traves; Mr Comben’s Qld Parliamentary Library image.