Of course we expected the conference to go well, but no-one expected a block-buster! Over 500 delegates packed into the UNSW to hear literacy luminaries from around the globe, and also from the classroom. Late registrations had to be turned away sad, and NSWIER steering committee members were witnessed herding large crowds of merry teachers into packed halls. Speakers included Professor Peter Freebody (Sydney University); Associate Professor Janet Scull (Monash University); Professor Kevin Wheldall AM & team (Macquarie University); Dr Jennifer Buckingham, Centre for Independent Studies; Helen Pearson (University of NSW); Dr Ann Ballantyne, Reading Recovery Trainer, NZ; Vanessa Bowes, Sydney Catholic Schools; Lisa Ridings, Senior Assistant Division Head, (Association of Independent Schools); Dr Chris Grima-Farell (University of NSW); Dr Sue Ollerhead (University of NSW); Jann Famer-Hailey (NSW DET). In the break-out sessions all Australian school sectors were represented, many with wonderful tales of literacy success stories and challenges from the classroom. A stand out was the incredible work of the Tonya Collet amongst Indigenous students at Brewarrina Public School, in far West NSW. Dr David Hastie was given the frightening job to moderate the conference Q&A session between 5 of the senior figures in the field, some of whom had publically disagreed over approaches to literacy education in previous media contretemps. Things went smoothly and whimsically, however, and the ‘reading recovery’ versus ‘Multi Lit / 5 by 5’ approaches were gracefully expressed. Check them out (and other video of the sessions) out at http://www.etraining.net.au/literacy. The whole show was an unprecedented display of cross-sector cooperation and collaboration. Now for the next one, 2018 literacy conference, here we come! To see the programme for the 2016 conference click here