Speakers, Ms Sue Sargent, K’gari (Fraser Island) World Heritage Advisory Committee (KWHAC), Adjunct Assoc Professor Kim Walker, USC, K’gari Research and Learning Centre and Assoc Professor Fiona Foley, artist and author of Biting the Clouds: A Badtjala perspective on the Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act.

“K’gari (Fraser Island) and the surrounding waters are the traditional land and sea country of the Butchulla People. … K’gari’s World Heritage listing and national park status make it a precious part of Australia’s natural and cultural heritage.”  Quote … Professor Paul Bertsch.,

Come along and take part in the discussion on the geography, ecology, fauna, flora, history, and tourism of K’gari and how the Butchulla Peoples are working to future proof it, care for it and build strong partnerships.

Each speaker will have 8 minutes to spotlight their work.

During the Q&A forum the audience will have up to 60 minutes to ask questions of the experts on their projects.

Light refreshments are served before you settle in for an informed conversation on a topic of interest to us all.

Please post your questions on notice to:

Email questionsonnotice@gmail.com

Date: Tuesday 28 May 2024

Time:  5:30 pm light refreshments – doors open @ 5:15pm 

             6:00 – 6:30 pm Presentations

             6:30 – 7:30 Q&A Forum

             7:30 – 8:00 Mingling 

Place: Gregory Place, Leve 1, 28Fortescue St. Spring Hill 

Cost: $5.00 for refreshments, included in registration. 

Cost: $5.00 Members 

$10.00 Non-Members 

$5.00 Students 

Photo: Ms Sue Sargent

Professor Mike Bell

School of Agriculture and Food Science

University of Qld Gatton

Crop production systems are under pressure globally due to the competing demands of having to increase food production to meet a growing world population while also contributing to a variety of environmental objectives that include achieving a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, enhanced biodiversity, and a reduced off-site environmental footprint. The complexity of these sometimes-competing imperatives is compounded by declining terms of trade for most crop industries, and erosion of government investment in agricultural research and development is hampering the provision of economic and technical support industries need to remain viable. In northeast Australia, these challenges are being accentuated by climate variability and the impacts of a slow degradation of the soil resource base in response to historical management practices.

This presentation will discuss the realities of these challenges for cropping enterprises in this region, with examples from the grains, cotton and sugarcane industries. It will include a discussion of constraints to implementing more sustainable management practices that are related to the large-scale enterprises that have arisen in response to the productivity and profitability challenges being experienced.

Bio: Prof Mike Bell leads the Tropical Agronomy group in the School of Agriculture and Food Science at Gatton Campus, University of Queensland. He has had a 40 year research career which has focused on understanding the interactions between plants, soils and environmental conditions, and integrating this understanding to develop management strategies that both improve the sustainability of different production systems and minimize the impact of those systems on the environment. During his career he has worked in the Ord River Irrigation Area of northwest Australia and the grain/sugar/cotton/peanut production systems of northeastern Australia, and has also worked on projects in Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and India funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). In recent years his research has primarily focused on the management of soil fertility and productivity in broadacre cropping systems, trying to balance the often-competing challenges of balancing nutrient removal in harvested produce, maintaining farm profitability and improving the efficiency of use of applied fertilisers and wastes. He leads a large national project focusing on N fertiliser use in the grains industry and is also involved in projects looking at new fertiliser technology and minimising greenhouse gas emissions from a variety of nitrogen inputs in cropping systems.

Please note: If you have registered to attend the lecture via Zoom, the lecture link will be emailed to all registrants closer to the lecture date. This lecture may be recorded. If you have any questions, please email us at info@rgsq.org.au.

HIDDEN VALE WILDLIFE RESEARCH STATION and U.Q. GATTON CAMPUS

Hidden Vale Wildlife Research Station, located in Grandchester, is a remarkable hub for scientific exploration and conservation which plays a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of Australian ecosystems and safeguarding native wildlife.

University of Queensland Gatton Campus  combines the rural traditions of its Queensland Agricultural College heritage with innovative research and teaching facilities in agriculture, animal science, veterinary science and the environment.

Dr Gurion Ang, Director of Engagement & Advancement, School of the Environment, U.Q. will join us on the visit. We are travelling by bus.

WHEN     Thursday  27^th June  2024

TIME and PLACE OF DEPARTURE: Please indicate when booking:

• A)     NORTH  SIDE. Arrive at 7.45 for 8.00 am departure from Bus Stop 27  at 15 Park Avenue, Clayfield (near Eagle Junction station). Car parking in streets.
• B)      SOUTH SIDE.  Arrive at 8.15 for 8.30am departure from Brittain Park, near 172 Troughton  Road, Coopers Plains. Car parking available.

VISITS

          Arrive 10.00 am at HIDDEN VALE for a facility tour and MORNING  TEA  (provided)

          11.30 Depart Research Station for U.Q. Gatton Campus.

          12.15 Lunch at UQ Gatton Campus Dining Hall for Buffet Lunch (provided)

          13.15 Guided Tour of the Campus. Meeting some academic staff and students and learn more about what they do at UQ Gatton.

          14.30 Mystery to solve  “Why are my lettuces  dying?”

          15.30 Depart  Gatton

           Arrive Coopers Plains approx. 17.00 and then Clayfield approx. 17.30

COST (including morning tea and buffet lunch): MEMBERS $80, NON-MEMBERS  $90

30  Registrants. Register and Pay by FRIDAY 31 MAY 2024 

Participants please note that the outing involves bus travel up to 1.8 hours in a section.  Please wear closed shoes, sun safe clothing, hat, sun screen. Bring water.

Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Foundation_Building_UQ_Gatton_Campus_from; Heritage branch staff, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

John  Wilkinson  (Event  Coordinator)

How the USA States Got Their Shapes

Presenter: Keith Treschman

Keith is a member of RGSQ. He has taught Science for over 40 years in Queensland secondary schools.  He holds a PhD in Astronomy, an area in which he is passionate. He has lectured on this topic onboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth.

He has visited the 7 continents and enjoys geographical places, for example, Hawaii, Great Rift Valley of Africa, Galápagos Islands, Jordan River and Antarctica.

His previous presentations to the Map Group were: Mapping the Night Sky, Areography (Geography of Mars), Life on Europa? An Application of Geography, Struve Geodetic Arc, Plate Tectonics and Seabed 2030.

On a map of the USA, one notices some straight horizontal and vertical lines, but then there are also angled lines, non-straight lines, lines with no apparently defined shape.  Keith will explain these features by reference to history and geography.

Cost:-  $5:00 which includes a special morning tea.

Limit:-  50.  Register and pay via the website. 

Coordinator:-  Kay Rees

NORFOLK ISLAND GEOTOUR

15 TO 20 AUGUST 2024

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Norfolk Island has a checkered history of human settlements and abandonments from Polynesians for a century or two up to the fifteenth century, British convicts from 1788 to 1814 and again from 1825 to 1855 and then Pitcairn Islanders, their descendants and other immigrants from 1856 to the present.

But there is so much more to Norfolk Island than its human history. We will be looking at history including a little WWII history but we plan to examine a wider range of issues that might include:

• Geology, landscapes and climate including Zealandia
• Flora and fauna
• Transport to and from the Island
• Government, administration, and services
• Whaling and fishing
• Past and present agriculture and horticulture
• Present economy and economic drivers
• The difficulties of living on a remote island in the Pacific.

There should be time for a short walk in the Island’s National Park for those inclined.

We will be assisted on the Norfolk Island by Dr Geoff Edwards, an island resident formerly of Brisbane. Geoff is an acquaintance of a couple of RGSQ members and has visited RGSQ headquarters.

Indicative up-front cost for the Trek should be between $2,500 and $3,000. This includes:

• Qantas flights to and from the Island
• Transport from and to the Airport
• Accommodation (twin share) at Castaway with continental breakfast
• Hire of a coach for the four full days we will spend on the Island
• An Island Fish Fry evening meal.

As well as meals, morning teas etc, there will be additional costs for some activities and venue entries, and there will be costs for some optional activities like a progressive dinner hosted by local people. Some additional costs may be payable prior to the trek and some will be payable on Norfolk Island.

We need to get a reasonable idea of numbers so that we would like your interest to be registered by Friday 1 March. We are seeking 20 participants and a wait list will apply for this trek.

Bob Reid, 0412 625 944

GRANITE BELT TREK
9 TO 13 SEPTEMBER 2024 

This will be a self-drive trek with car pooling for travel around the region. The plan is to stay at the Top of the Town Tourist Park which has a range of powered and unpowered van sites, cabins and motel style rooms.

The program is still being developed but current plans are to include:

• Visiting the Amiens Legacy Centre that showcases the history of the area, in particular the soldier settlement scheme
• Delving into the mining history of the area, perhaps including Liston in NSW
• Examining some of the geology of the region including a short walk along good tracks in Girraween National Park to showcase some of the granites of the area
• Visiting a commercial strawberry farm, a winery, and possibly an olive grove and or other horticultural farm to get background on the industries.
• Driving south to Wallangarra to see the railway history at the change of gauge to NSW and, pre Federation, the Customs history
• Seeing some of the wildflowers of the area if the season is appropriate.

Costs will be determined after a reconnaissance of the area.

Bob Reid, 0412 625 944