The 11th International Polychaete Conference (IPC 11) was held at the Australian Museum in Sydney from August 4–9, 2013. The event welcomed 149 participants from 26 countries, featuring over 100 talks and 110 posters, as well as four plenary lectures. Preceding the conference, three workshops were held on systematics, invasive species identification, and microscopy techniques. A strong focus was placed on supporting students and early-career researchers, especially from developing countries, through dedicated funding. Following the main event, a taxonomic workshop took place at Lizard Island Research Station, resulting in new collections and future publications. IPC 11 marked a return to the site of the very first Polychaete Conference 30 years earlier, once again led by Dr. Pat Hutchings, who played a key role in organizing both events.