The Centre welcomes submissions of project ideas for potential inclusion in our research program. Ideas can be for short-, medium- or long-term projects that can be effectively used.

For this current concept submission round the following areas are identified as high priority research areas (see more information in the Biennial Research Plan 2026-28):

• Understanding and mitigating risk offlood, earthquake, heatwave, coastal inundation, tsunami, cyclone and severe storm (inclusive of associated hazards)
• Social equity, including vulnerabilities that impede people and communities to prepare for, respond to and recover from natural hazards
• Environmental solutions including an understanding of how we can improve environmental resilience and the efficacy of environmental solutions to reduce natural hazard risk
• Land use planning and urban design, including building materials, as critical future natural hazard risk reduction activities
• Resilient recovery
• First Nations Knowledges
• Technology demonstration.

Project concepts that align with these high priority research areas are especially encouraged.However, all project concepts will be considered regardless of whether they address a high-priority research area.

Natural Hazards Research Australia (the Centre) is Australia's research centre for natural hazard resilience and disaster risk reduction. The Centre works closely with the Australian Government and other stakeholders across Australia to deliver a strategic research agenda for the nation.

Natural hazards include bushfire, flood, cyclone, heatwave, storm, inundation and coastal erosion caused by sea level rise, earthquake, tsunami and landslide.

The Centre's mission is to work with partners and the community on research that is useful, actionable and supportive of better decision making to save lives and protect communities. The Centre will generate and support research that is useful, usable and used by the sector and community. As such, the Centre welcomes submissions of project concepts for potential inclusion in our research program. Ideas can be short-, medium- or long-term projects.

The Centre's research plan is outlined in a rolling Biennial Research Plan. These plans are reviewed annually to make sure the Centre is responding to new knowledge needs. Each Biennial Research Plan outlines the Centre's key research focus areas.

The current Biennial Research Plan covers the research for the second half of 2026 through to 2028 and is available to download under 'corporate resources' on the Centre's website.

Research concepts must be submitted by representatives of one of the Centre's Participants.  These are organisations or entities that have been contracted through a Participant Agreement with the Centre.

The Centre is focus on delivering and encourages submitting Participants to build collaborations with other organisations across multiple states and territories to demonstrate the national significance of the concept.

A list of participant organisations can be found in the current concept submission form.

• Email: research@naturalhazards.com.au