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."Natcon Constitution", The Australian SF Information site. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
Ditmar Award
The Ditmar Award has been awarded at the convention since 1969 to recognise achievement in Australian science fiction (including fantasy and horror) 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 (as well as, since the demise of the ASFMAs, several "production" awards).
List of Australian National Science Fiction Conventions
Num Date Name Location Guests of Honour References 1 22 March 1952 First Australian Science Fiction Convention Sydney (none) 2 1–3 May 1953 Second Australian Science Fiction Convention Sydney (none) 3 17–18 April 1954 Third Australian Science Fiction Convention Sydney (none) 4 18–20 March 1955 Fourth Australian Science Fiction Convention Sydney Arthur C. Clarke 5 8–9 December 1956 Olympicon Melbourne Frank Bryning 6 5–6 April 1958 Sixth Australian Science Fiction Convention Melbourne (none) 7 Easter 1966 Seventh Australian Science Fiction Convention Melbourne (none) 8 4–6 April 1969 Eighth Australian Science Fiction Convention Melbourne Lee Harding, John Foyster 9 Easter 1970 Ninth Australian Science Fiction Convention Melbourne (none) 10 1–2 January 1971 Tenth Australian Science Fiction Convention Melbourne Robin Johnson 11 11–13 August 1972 Syncon '72 Sydney Lesleigh Luttrell 12 17–19 August 1973 Advention 2 Adelaide John Foyster 13 16–18 August 1974 Ozcon Melbourne Merv Binns and (fan) John Bangsund 14 24–27 January 1975 Syncon '75 Sydney (none) 15 13–15 August 1976 Bofcon Melbourne (none) 16 29–31 July 1977 A-Con 7 Adelaide Bill Rotsler 17 24–27 March 1978 Unicon IV Melbourne Brian Aldiss, Roger Zelazny 18 10–13 August 1979 Syncon '79 Sydney Gordon R. Dickson, Ken Fletcher, Linda Lounsbury, Kouichi Yamamoto 19 15–18 August 1980 Swancon 5 Perth Anne McCaffrey, Shayne McCormack, Grant Stone 20 6–8 June 1981 Advention '81 Adelaide Frank Herbert, John Ossian (John Foyster), K. U. F. Widdershins (John Foyster) 21 9–12 April 1982 Tschaicon Melbourne Jack Vance, Leanne Frahm, Eric Lindsay 22 10–13 June 1983 Syncon '83 Sydney Harlan Ellison, Van Ikin 23 20–23 April 1984 Eurekacon Melbourne George Turner 24 5–8 April 1985 Advention '85 Adelaide Lee Harding 25 28–31 March 1986 Swancon XI Perth C. J. Cherryh, Jack Herman 26 24–27 April 1987 Capcon Canberra Robert Asprin, Lynn Abbey, John Newman 27 10–13 June 1988 Conviction Sydney Spider Robinson, Jeanne Robinson, Carey Handfield 28 23–27 March 1989 Swancon 14 Perth John Varley, Bob Shaw, Paul J. Stevens 29 13–16 April 1990 Danse Macabre Melbourne George R. R. Martin, Eric Lindsay 30 29 March – 1 April 1991 Suncon Brisbane Patrick Tilley, Harlan Ellison, Leigh Edmonds 31 17–20 April 1992 Syncon '92 Sydney Michael Whelan, Nick Stathopoulos, Sean McMullen 32 8–12 April 1993 Swancon 18 Perth Terry Pratchett, Robert Jordan and Craig Hilton 33 1–4 April 1994 Constantinople Melbourne William Gibson, Bruce Gillespie, Bean & Medge. 34 9–12 June 1995 Thylacon Hobart Kim Stanley Robinson, Peter Nicholls, Grant Stone 35 4–8 April 1996 Festival of the Imagination Perth Storm Constantine, Neil Gaiman 36 27–28 September 1997 Basicon 2 Melbourne (none) 37 5–8 June 1998 Thylacon 2 Hobart George R. R. Martin, Leanne Frahm 38 2–6 September 1999 SpawnCon Two (part of Aussiecon Three, the 57th Worldcon) Melbourne (none) 39 20–24 April 2000 Swancon 2000 Perth Connie Willis, Robin Hobb, Garth Nix, Ian Nichols, Mitch 40 13–15 April 2001 Swancon 2001: Masquerade Perth Robert Silverberg, Karen Haber, Rosaleen Love, Marilyn Pride, Lewis Morley, Kate Orman, and Sue Ackermann 41 7–10 June 2002 Convergence 2002 Melbourne Joe & Gay Haldeman, Lucy Sussex, Sean Williams, and (fan) Race Mathews 42 17–21 April 2003 Swancon 2003 Perth Lynn Flewelling, Tony Shillitoe, Fiona McIntosh, and (fan) Justin Ackroyd 43 23–26 April 2004 Conflux Canberra Greg Benford, Sean McMullen, and (fan) Karen Herkes 44 10–13 June 2005 Thylacon 2005 Hobart Anne Bishop, Marianne de Pierres, and (fan) Merv Binns 45 14–17 April 2006 Conjure Brisbane Cory Doctorow, Bruce Sterling, Sean Williams, Jonathan Strahan, and (fan) Erika Maria Lacey 46 8–11 June 2007 Convergence 2 Melbourne Isobelle Carmody, Fred Gallagher, Dave Freer, and (fan) Cath Ortlieb 47 20–24 March 2008 State of the Art: Swancon 2008 Perth Ken Macleod, Rob Shearman, Glenda Larke, and (fan) Zara Baxter 48 5–8 June 2009 Conjecture Adelaide Julie E. Czerneda, and (fans) Steve & Catherine Scholz 49 2–6 September 2010 Dudcon III (held in conjunction with Aussiecon IV, the 68th Worldcon) Melbourne Peter Watts, Helen Merrick, and (fan) Jacob Blake 50 21–25 April 2011 Swancon Thirty Six Natcon Fifty Perth Ellen Datlow, Justina Robson, Sean Williams, and (fan) Sarah Xu 51 8–11 June 2012 Continuum 8: Craftonomicon Melbourne Kelly Link, Alison Goodman, and (fan) Sue Ann Barber 52 25–28 April 2013 Conflux 9 Canberra Nalo Hopkinson, Marc Gascoigne, Karen Miller, and (fan) Rose Mitchell 53 6–9 June 2014 Continuum X: Carnival of Lost Souls Melbourne Jim C. Hines, Ambelin Kwaymullina, and (fans) Danny Oz & Sharon Moseley 54 2–6 April 2015 Swancon 40 Perth John Scalzi, Kylie Chan, and (fan) Anthony Peacey 55 25–28 March 2016 Contact2016 Brisbane Ben Aaronovitch, Jill Pantozzi, Keri Arthur, and (fan) 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 (fan) Barb de la Hunty 587-10 June 2019Continuum 15: Other WorldsMelbourneKate Elliott, Ken Liu 597-10 June 2020Swancon 2020PerthNalini Singh, John Robertson 607-10 June 202130 September - 3 October 2022(postponed due to COVID-19 lockdowns)Conflux 16: Visions of TimeCanberraJohn Birmingham, Amie Kaufman, Daniel O'Malley, Lisa Fuller, Tom Buckland 6129 September - 2 October 2023Conflux 17: Passages and PortalsCanberraAmie Kaufman, Grace Chan, Lisa Fuller, Ellen Datlow, Helen Marshall, Perry Middlemiss (fan guest)6217-19 May 2024Continuum 16: RebootMelbourneShannon Chakraborty, Vanessa Len, Cienan Muir6316-18 May 2025 (cancelled due to venue problems)Continuum 17: HorizonsMelbourneMaria Lewis, Amie Kaufman, others to be announced
References