Dear fellow members, I hope you are continuing to stay safe as we move into the next stage of relaxing COVID-19 restrictions in Queensland. While we wait to see how the stage 2 easing of restrictions and the mass protest gatherings over the last few weekends affect infection rates, it is hoped that RGSQ will be able to resume some activities in August. We will keep you posted on our arrangements.

Queensland Day 2020
June 6th commemorates the day in 1859 when Queen Victoria signed Letters Patent for the State’s “birth certificate” establishing Queensland’s official separation from New South Wales as an independent colony. Moves towards statehood for Queensland began with a public meeting in 1851 to consider separation from New South Wales. The state flag was first introduced in 1876 - Queensland then a self-governing British colony with its own navy. Queen Victoria also granted the Queensland Coat of Arms, the oldest State Arms in Australia in 1893 and the first Arms assigned to a British colony since 1661. The Coat of Arms symbolises the Queen's constitutional authority in the State and since 2012 used as the government’s corporate logo. The brolga has featured on the Queensland Coat of Arms since 1977 and in 1986 it became the official bird emblem of Queensland. The koala was officially named the faunal emblem of Queensland in 1971 and the Cooktown orchid became Queensland's floral emblem in 1959, during celebrations to mark the state's centenary.

Queensland Day Honours
Queensland Day on June 6th, 2020 was celebrated in the usual way by the granting of awards by Queensland’s Governor, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey. This year two people whom many members may know were recognised.

Professor Gregory J.E. Hill: Many of us know Greg as a Geographer. He has received an AO in the general division for distinguished service to education, particularly the development of tertiary facilities in regional areas. He began his career as a primary school teacher, completed a BA Honours (Geography) and a PhD (wildlife/statistical ecology) at the University of Queensland. He taught at UQ for 15 years during which time I was fortunate, in my early lecturing career to teach a couple of courses with Greg. I have always been grateful for the valuable mentoring he gave me. Greg moved to Darwin in 1995 where he was the Foundation Chair in Tropical Environmental Science at Charles Darwin University. In 2010 he became Vice-Chancellor at the University of the Sunshine Coast continuing in this position until his retirement in 2019.

Dr Colin J. Limpus: Those of us interested in marine science and conservation know Col and his tireless work with sea turtles in Queensland. He has received an AO in the general division for distinguished service to environmental science, particularly to the conservation of sea turtles and as a mentor of young scientists. In 2017 Col marked 50 continuous years of research at Australia's most important mainland loggerhead turtle rookery, Mon Repos in Bundaberg. Col’s research helped convince the Queensland Government of the day to declare the waters off Mon Repos a marine park in 1990 and to make turtle exclusion devices compulsory on fishing trawlers in 2001.

With best wishes
Dr Iraphne Childs, President

References:
https://www.govhouse.qld.gov.au/office-of-the-governor/news-publications/latest-news/2020/june/2020-queens-birthday-honours-list.aspx
https://www.qld.gov.au/about/how-government-works/flags-emblems-icons
https://www.news-mail.com.au/news/col-celebrates-a-huge-50-years-with-the-turtles/3269672/