Loreto Federation 2026 is coming to Kirribilli
The Federation 2026 organising committee is excited to present the program for this year’s event: UNITE with open minds, 9 – 11 October, at Loreto Kirribilli in Sydney.
Federation is a biennial gathering of Loreto alumni from all over Australia – including not only the past students of all Loreto schools but also parents/past parents, staff, friends and family. Everyone is warmly welcomed to come along. Anyone who has been to a Federation weekend in the past will agree, it is an occasion not to be missed.
For the uninitiated, Federation is an opportunity for all those who share the Loreto ethos and values to come together over a weekend – to re-connect and share stories, to inspire and encourage each other, to make new friends and connections within the broader Loreto community and to have a great deal of fun!
This year we are delighted to present a program of over 50 speakers, covering topics as diverse as “Female entrepreneurship – Loreto women building businesses and tech start-ups”, “Decades of change in the Loreto classroom, the positive impact this is having on the workforce” and “Going to the margins – international and Indigenous aid and development”, as well as many, many more which you can read about in the attached program HERE. Sessions will run concurrently, mostly in the format of panel discussions of four to five distinguished speakers, all drawn from within our alumnae community.
Our keynote speakers are impressive examples of Mary Ward women embodying the Loreto ethos of ‘never seeing a need without doing something about it’: Grace Brennan (LK’01), founder and CEO of Buy from the Bush, entrepreneur and champion of rural Australia; and Elouise Massa (LK’05), political changemaker who, with husband Danny, achieved significant healthcare reform through the introduction of Joe’s Law to NSW parliament in 2025. Together they will lead us to focus on coming together and uniting with open minds – to share the gifts we have in common and to listen and support each other where we differ.
Our entire selection of speakers is impossible to define in only a few words. We encourage you to read the extensive list of biographies to gain a full appreciation of these fabulous women. Full directory HERE.
The program for 2026 is extensive – including not only the traditional parts of Federation but also new ideas, such as a ‘pop-up’ choir and a group artwork that will be auctioned to raise funds for Mary Ward International.
There is truly something for everyone and we encourage you all to join us – and to attend for the full weekend if you can to get the most out of this wonderful opportunity. Register HERE.
See you in October!
Credit: Celia Sheldon, President, Loreto Kirribilli Ex-Students’ Union & co-president Loreto Federation 2026 organising committee
Published 28 July 2026