2026 ANZURA Conference – Burra SA
30 October – 2 November 2026
Plans are well underway for this year’s ANZURA Annual Conference 30 October – 2 November 2026. It will be held at the lovely Paxton Square Function Centre in Burra, South Australia, two hours’ drive north of Adelaide and 30 minutes from the Clare Valley Wine Region. The Paxton Square Function Centre is a heritage listed centre, originally created in 1895 when Burra was becoming a vibrant mining town. The rustic Paxton Cottages, which were originally used as miners’ cottages, surround the precinct and will be used for our accommodation. The entire centre has been elegantly refurbished with contemporary and modern furnishings.
If you are planning on coming, and if you are flying in and out of Adelaide please make sure you read the instructions below in Transport for coordination of busses that will take us to Burra.
Making God’s Providence Visible in Our World: How do we do that?
Providence does not mean that God has decided all things for us and in advance. God loves us too much to do that, for that would be nothing short of cosmic tyranny. 118:10.1 (1304.3)
There is much that takes place in our world that is hard for us to understand. Natural law is seemingly cruel, heartless and indifferent to the universal values of the good, true and beautiful. However, real and long-term providence becomes increasingly discernible as we reach upward from the material to spiritual.
Reaching up and holding a philosophy of divine providence will be the focus of this conference, along with an exploration of how we might share such a widened perspective with those who have lost faith in God, partly due to the cruelty and heartlessness which often makes one cry out: “God should not allow!” How can we help to widen the philosophic and religious perspective of those in our orbit? These “What can we do?” and “How might we say it better?” questions will be a vital element of each presentation, for we are partners with God in making providence visible.
A Point of Interest
Not too far from rural Burra is the birthplace and childhood home of the polar explorer, Sir Hubert Wilkins who, some may know, was a good friend of Dr Sadler and a Forum member in the early 1940’s. He was a devoted student of the Urantia Papers and generously donated to the first printing of the book. His childhood home now serves as a historical museum to preserve his memory, and we will be visiting this homestead as an excursion during the conference.
Wilkins embodied a deep trust in higher guidance throughout his extraordinary journey. He is renowned for his achievements as a polar explorer, aviator, photographer, naturalist, and philosopher. During his active career, from the early 1940s he spent a week or more each year in Chicago, usually reading the Urantia Papers for at least eight hours a day, and visiting with his friend Dr Sadler. Wilkins generously donated to the first printing of the book, then during the last three years of his life carried it everywhere in his rucksack – including to the Arctic and Antarctic. The spirit of this man who navigated both the Earth’s extremes and life’s uncertainties with remarkable composure, resilience, and vision invites us to reflect on our own relationship with God and how our choices contribute to the tapestry of evolving humanity and universe meaning.
Cost
Full Conference: $550 includes 3 nights with ensuite accommodation and all meals from Friday dinner to Monday breakfast.
Daily Rate: $100 – includes lunch and dinner.
Daily Rate: $50 – includes lunch only.
Transport
As Burra is not easily accessible by public transport, for those not using their own transport, we are hiring minibuses to collect people from the Adelaide airport. We will have the buses at our disposal throughout the conference so we can transport people back to the airport after the conference is finished.
Coordinating Arrival and Departure Times
Arrival: We ask that those who will be using the bus for transport, to please be at the airport no later than 12:30pm on Friday the 30thOct. Therefore, for those flying into Adelaide, you will need to book your airline tickets so that your arrival time is before 12:30pm.
Departure: The buses will depart Burra at 12:00pm on Monday 2nd Nov. As it is a 2-hour drive, and as we’ll need to allow at least an hour for people to be at the airport before their flight times, we will need to make sure we get everyone to the airport at least one hour before their flights. Therefore, for those flying out of Adelaide, you will need to book your return airline tickets no earlier than 4:00pm on Monday 2nd Nov.
Note: if you can’t get flights in those times, or if flights are delayed, please contact us so we can discuss contingency options. Also, please make sure you can be contacted by mobile phone for coordination purposes.
Enquiries and Registrations
Please fill out the registration form in the brochure (see link below) and send the completed form to: anzura.urantia@gmail.com (scanned or photographed copies are OK) or snail mail to ANZURA’s PO Box 1581, Warriewood NSW 2102
For further information please contact ANZURA:
anzura.urantia@gmail.com Phone: 0431 285 943 or conference organisers:
Phillip Marriott: 0408 264 256
Stephen Carthew: 0411 518 464
Brochure
Click on this image to see the registration form in the brochure.
