The theme of the 2018 Hydrology and Water Resources Symposium was "Water and Communities". Internationally respected and local speakers reflected on advances to date, and highlighted the opportunities and challenges to come in the areas of water engineering, hydrology, hydrogeology, research into and management of water resources. Areas of focus for the Symposium included flood risk modelling and management, integrated water management, healthy waterways, informing water policy and operational decisions, understanding water use, doing more with less water, indigenous water values, and community participation and ownership of water issues.