Network News
Latest news and updates from AustNet
AustNet Archival Project
To commemorate AustNet turning 30, we have started a bit of an Archive of chat logs that can be added to and will be curated.
Please join the team and the network in viewing life as it was earlier on IRC. See conversations you've forgotten about. Remember people you've been estranged from. Remember the good times and the bad, and share what you have!
As long as you have a nickname registered with NickOP, you can log onto the Archival project website and start uploading your logs. Please only include channel logs, private and status logs will be removed.
https://archive.austnet.org/logs/browse/ - View what has been curated so far! Contribute a log yourself by logging on with your NickOP username and password.
Anyone uploading will get an AustNet Archive badge against their nickname in NickOP INFO (based on their email address in case of deregistration)
Please join the team and the network in viewing life as it was earlier on IRC. See conversations you've forgotten about. Remember people you've been estranged from. Remember the good times and the bad, and share what you have!
As long as you have a nickname registered with NickOP, you can log onto the Archival project website and start uploading your logs. Please only include channel logs, private and status logs will be removed.
https://archive.austnet.org/logs/browse/ - View what has been curated so far! Contribute a log yourself by logging on with your NickOP username and password.
Anyone uploading will get an AustNet Archive badge against their nickname in NickOP INFO (based on their email address in case of deregistration)
Celebrating Three Decades of AustNet!
Thirty years ago, long before modern social media feeds, algorithms, and notification overload, a simple text-based protocol was building real-time global communities. In 1996, AUSTnet launched with a simple mission: to give people across Australia and around the world a reliable, friendly, and open space to talk, with the latest IRC technology with minimal netsplits.
Today, in 2026, we are proud to celebrate 30 years of continuous operation.
Looking Back: Where It All Began
When AustNet first opened its server ports on September 8th, 1996, connecting to the internet meant dialing into a modems-and-copper setup, firing up clients like mIRC, Pirch, ircII (or even Microsoft Comic Chat!), and picking a nickname. While IRC globally was navigating the wild west of the "network wars", AustNet focused on building an enduring infrastructure rooted in safety, community control, and accessibility. Right from the start, custom service tools like ChanOP and NickOP were deployed to safeguard channel ownership and protect nicknames, giving operators the reliable control they needed to foster vibrant, long-lasting groups from day one.
A Thank You to Our Community
Running a network for three decades doesn't happen by accident. It takes a dedicated network team, server hosts, operator staff, channel administrators, and most importantly, the users who log on day after day to chat, troubleshoot, joke, and hang out.
To everyone who has ever set a /topic, registered a nick, or idled in their favorite channel: thank you. Here’s to 30 years in the log files, and to keeping the servers humming for the next chapter.
If you want to take a look at AustNet through the years, check out our web archive - https://archive.austnet.org/ - where you can see all of the different revisions of AustNet.
Today, in 2026, we are proud to celebrate 30 years of continuous operation.
Looking Back: Where It All Began
When AustNet first opened its server ports on September 8th, 1996, connecting to the internet meant dialing into a modems-and-copper setup, firing up clients like mIRC, Pirch, ircII (or even Microsoft Comic Chat!), and picking a nickname. While IRC globally was navigating the wild west of the "network wars", AustNet focused on building an enduring infrastructure rooted in safety, community control, and accessibility. Right from the start, custom service tools like ChanOP and NickOP were deployed to safeguard channel ownership and protect nicknames, giving operators the reliable control they needed to foster vibrant, long-lasting groups from day one.
A Thank You to Our Community
Running a network for three decades doesn't happen by accident. It takes a dedicated network team, server hosts, operator staff, channel administrators, and most importantly, the users who log on day after day to chat, troubleshoot, joke, and hang out.
To everyone who has ever set a /topic, registered a nick, or idled in their favorite channel: thank you. Here’s to 30 years in the log files, and to keeping the servers humming for the next chapter.
If you want to take a look at AustNet through the years, check out our web archive - https://archive.austnet.org/ - where you can see all of the different revisions of AustNet.
ChanOP upgrades for operators
A couple of upgrades have appeared in ChanOP LISTBAN, ACCESS and joining a channel, giving you more information to manage and promote your channel.
- ChanOP LISTBAN -live -- this will list all active bans on your channel, instead of the ChanOP banlist. This allows you to see what has been set without being on the channel. -whoset and -whenset also worth with this argument.
- ChanOP ACCESS -check -- now upgraded to include how a user is authenticated in the channel. This means that if you have a rogue user being AutOP'd, you can check if they're done by NickOP authentication, AutoOP hostlist, or a linked nickname.
- ChanOP REMOVE -- a new command to REMOVE a user from a channel. This is similar to a KICK, but will PART the user gracefully from the channel.
- ChanOP SET URL -- when you set a URL with ChanOP, every user who joins the channel will now get it given to them when they join the channel. It will come through as RPL_CHANNEL_URL, raw numeric 328.
As with all commands, /ChanOP HELP <command> will give you more information and examples of how to use them.
- ChanOP LISTBAN -live -- this will list all active bans on your channel, instead of the ChanOP banlist. This allows you to see what has been set without being on the channel. -whoset and -whenset also worth with this argument.
- ChanOP ACCESS -check -- now upgraded to include how a user is authenticated in the channel. This means that if you have a rogue user being AutOP'd, you can check if they're done by NickOP authentication, AutoOP hostlist, or a linked nickname.
- ChanOP REMOVE -- a new command to REMOVE a user from a channel. This is similar to a KICK, but will PART the user gracefully from the channel.
- ChanOP SET URL -- when you set a URL with ChanOP, every user who joins the channel will now get it given to them when they join the channel. It will come through as RPL_CHANNEL_URL, raw numeric 328.
As with all commands, /ChanOP HELP <command> will give you more information and examples of how to use them.
Never miss a message, NoteOP email is here!
Finally, we have implemented NoteOP Email! This allows you to forward NoteOP messages onto your email if you're not around.
When a note comes for you, NoteOP will wait a period of time and if you don't read it, it will send you an email. If you have your email on your phone, you will never miss a moment of what is going on with AustNet, your friends, your channels.
Simply enable it by using: /NickOP SET NoteToEmail ON
When a note comes for you, NoteOP will wait a period of time and if you don't read it, it will send you an email. If you have your email on your phone, you will never miss a moment of what is going on with AustNet, your friends, your channels.
Simply enable it by using: /NickOP SET NoteToEmail ON
Have you been to the Chapel?
You may or may not have noticed that LoveOP has made her return onto AustNet!
That's right, now you can annoy your friends with LoveOP gifts! Candy, chocolate, a customised present!
/LoveOP HELP will get you a list of commands so you can start playing!
/NickOP HELP LOVEBLOCK if you don't want to participate :)
That's right, now you can annoy your friends with LoveOP gifts! Candy, chocolate, a customised present!
/LoveOP HELP will get you a list of commands so you can start playing!
/NickOP HELP LOVEBLOCK if you don't want to participate :)
AustNet v2025 is here!
We are now online with InspIRCd v4 and OPAS v3.1!
What this means for you?! Probably nothing yet, but the updates are still coming. Right now, we have improved security, improved connectivity, and improved ability to push new updates going forwards.
The biggest change for you is the implementation of SASL using PLAIN text, use this the same as other networks.
See the upgrades page for more information :)
https://austnet.org/upgrades.php
What this means for you?! Probably nothing yet, but the updates are still coming. Right now, we have improved security, improved connectivity, and improved ability to push new updates going forwards.
The biggest change for you is the implementation of SASL using PLAIN text, use this the same as other networks.
See the upgrades page for more information :)
https://austnet.org/upgrades.php
A facelift for AustNet!
Over the last few months the team have been tireless working on improving the network security, features and feel.
The AustNet website has been given a new layout and has had some extra features added which you may like. These are built for inclusion of newcomers to the network so they can find their way around a little easier.
- Live statistics on how many registered users and channels there are.
- Live servers to see which servers are online and active.
- Live channels to see what channels exist, including a simple search feature to find the content you're looking for.
- An updated list of modes to coincide with the next piece of exciting news below.
- A news section so we can keep you updated on network happenings, as well as a curated historical view of the posts since the network first came online in 1996.
The AustNet WebChat has also had an upgrade! With Mibbit and KiwiIRC no longer being completely available, we thought it was time we upgraded how web users can connect into the network so we've built our own WebChat function. This is still in development at the moment, so please either let the #help team know about bugs and weirdness, or submit them on the AustNet Github so we can investigate and make fixes.
We are soon going to be moving away from AustHex, which was built on InspIRCd v1.1 and moving onto the latest stable InspIRCd v4 which will give all users more features! Over the next year or so we will be testing and implementing even more IRCv3 features for you but at the moment we have the following:
- SASL Support! Finally AustNet will use SASL with PLAIN authentication, this will keep you signed in from connection, even through netsplits and service outages.
- Updated modes! Check out the Modes & Commands section of the website for all of the new modes available.
OPAS (Open Public Access System), AustNet's premium IRC Services for NickName and Channel control has been upgraded considerably on the inside to make it compatible with InspIRCd v4, and we aren't done yet! Coming soon we will be implementing more bug fixes and features to help you manage your assets better, view more statistics and have more fun! Please note that during this time we will have bugs, so please report them on our Github.
The AustNet website has been given a new layout and has had some extra features added which you may like. These are built for inclusion of newcomers to the network so they can find their way around a little easier.
- Live statistics on how many registered users and channels there are.
- Live servers to see which servers are online and active.
- Live channels to see what channels exist, including a simple search feature to find the content you're looking for.
- An updated list of modes to coincide with the next piece of exciting news below.
- A news section so we can keep you updated on network happenings, as well as a curated historical view of the posts since the network first came online in 1996.
The AustNet WebChat has also had an upgrade! With Mibbit and KiwiIRC no longer being completely available, we thought it was time we upgraded how web users can connect into the network so we've built our own WebChat function. This is still in development at the moment, so please either let the #help team know about bugs and weirdness, or submit them on the AustNet Github so we can investigate and make fixes.
We are soon going to be moving away from AustHex, which was built on InspIRCd v1.1 and moving onto the latest stable InspIRCd v4 which will give all users more features! Over the next year or so we will be testing and implementing even more IRCv3 features for you but at the moment we have the following:
- SASL Support! Finally AustNet will use SASL with PLAIN authentication, this will keep you signed in from connection, even through netsplits and service outages.
- Updated modes! Check out the Modes & Commands section of the website for all of the new modes available.
OPAS (Open Public Access System), AustNet's premium IRC Services for NickName and Channel control has been upgraded considerably on the inside to make it compatible with InspIRCd v4, and we aren't done yet! Coming soon we will be implementing more bug fixes and features to help you manage your assets better, view more statistics and have more fun! Please note that during this time we will have bugs, so please report them on our Github.
Website updates
We have finally updated our website to include a bit more modern look and feel. We hope you all like it!
AustNet is now offering vHosts
AustNet is now offering vHosts to the networks regular users, there are however some guidelines that must be followed
Example of a potential vHost: [email protected]
vHost guideline:
* must contain at least one dot (.) character.
* must be all in lower-case
* no colour/bold/underline, etc
* no special symbols e.g % & $ # etc
* limited to 64 characters can be used
* must not be in use/already assigned to another user.
Example of a potential vHost: [email protected]
vHost guideline:
* must contain at least one dot (.) character.
* must be all in lower-case
* no colour/bold/underline, etc
* no special symbols e.g % & $ # etc
* limited to 64 characters can be used
* must not be in use/already assigned to another user.
Notable channels
Regulars of AustNet have always heard of #Melbourne, #Perth, #Brisbane and the like, but have you heard of these little gems?
#GLOBAL -- An inter-connect channel whereby chatters from all networks can come together!
http://ircglobal.org
#irchorseracing -- RPG style horse racing game. In-depth, structured, and very fun with a long standing community.
http://www.irchorseracing.net
#GLOBAL -- An inter-connect channel whereby chatters from all networks can come together!
http://ircglobal.org
#irchorseracing -- RPG style horse racing game. In-depth, structured, and very fun with a long standing community.
http://www.irchorseracing.net