The 2025 iGeo was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 26 July to 1 August 2025, with 47 countries represented. The team achieved third place in the Poster Competition and fourth place in the Fieldwork component of the Olympiad.
Representing Australia were:
Benjamin Bauer, Perth Modern School, WA
Dylan Phelps, Canberra Grammar School, ACT
Dylan Mathew, John Monash Science School, VIC
Oliver Roxburgh, Shore School, NSW
The Australian team achieved nineth place overall, with all four students earning medals. Benjamin and Dylan Phelps were awarded bronze medals, Dylan Mathew was awarded a silver medal, while Oliver was awarded a gold medal, achieving twelfth place overall.
The iGeo programme involves three academic challenges over the course of a week: a written response test, a multimedia test and a fieldwork exercise. The programme also includes a presentation from each team in which they showcase a geographic challenge faced by their country, and events where students share cultural traditions and practices.
John Tasker, Australian Team Leader, commented: “The iGeo is a prestigious and very rigorous international contest. We are so proud of our students. But more important than the results is the opportunity to foster greater intercultural understanding through the friendships developed between students, and leaders, from different countries.”
I really had such a great time, I loved every minute of the iGeo and have made some great friends from across the globe.
The 2026 International Geography Olympiad will be held in Istanbul, Türkiye. Australia’s team will be selected from students who participated in the 2025 Australian Geography Competition, via Geography’s Big Week Out.
Geography’s Big Week Out and Australia’s participation in the Olympiad are supported by the Australian Government Department of Education, the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales, the University of Western Australia, the Queensland University of Technology, Curtin University and the Planning Institute of Australia.