RGSQ News

The Australian Geography Strategic Plan, launched November 22, says "Australia should enhance & capitalise on existing skills/expertise in geographic information systems (GIS)/big data to address the challenges of our region & the emergence of the ‘China Century’”.

RGSQ is a sponsor of the plan, with Dr. Iraphne Childs, RGSQ President, who represents the Society on the Australian Academy of Science National Committee, attending the launch of the strategic plan in Sydney on 22 November.

The plan presents the state of play of geography as a discipline in Australia, provides a unified vision for Australian geography over the next decade and offers a framework for engaging research, teaching and industry that aligns strategically with contemporary social, economic and environmental challenges of our region.

Addressing twenty-first century problems of sustainable development, climate change, regional development, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss necessitates an increasingly whole-of-government, industry and academia approach. The breadth and depth afforded by geographical understandings to these problems strongly positions Australian geographers to provide evidence-based research—informing and advancing innovative policy and practice. Given the need for an integrated approach, it is recommended that Australian governments at all levels better understand how Geography as a discipline enhances complex, multi-sectoral policy decisions by integrating knowledge across natural and built environments, society and the humanities through its unique perspectives of space, place and the environment.

Key recommendations in the plan are:

• That the significant role that Geography plays in schools, universities, research organizations, government and industry, and the contribution of the discipline to Australia’s society and economy, is enhanced;
• That the work of Australian geographers is increasingly cited and referenced in policy and strategic documents;

• That there are a greater number of scholarships for graduate geography students to pursue research in government priority areas;

• That the National Committee for Geographical Sciences works with the Australian Academy of Science and other stakeholders to enhance school geography education (for example, by encouraging or making compulsory geography study to Year 10);

• That the Australian Bureau of Statistics recognises Geography as a discipline in both the Fields of Research Codes and the Field of Education Codes. Not doing so places Geography at a disadvantage compared to other disciplines, weakening its identity both within and outside universities.

Reference: National Committee for Geographical Sciences (NCGS),Australian Academy of Science, Canberra

Dysfunctional path dependence in mid-century dairy farming on eastern Australia’s subtropical coastlands: case studies at Moruya and Copmanhurst - a perspective on some historical fieldwork

After a gap of almost 50 years, Professor Holmes has been prompted to revisit and publish this work (recently submitted to the journal Geographical Research) by noting that some of his thoughts on path dependence have currently become fashionable among evolutionary economists and economic geographers who have adapted it to explore patterns of regional growth and decline.

The entrenchment and prolonged dysfunctional survival of low-cost, low-income, labour-intensive dairy farming on the subtropical coastlands of eastern Australia was a potent case of path dependence. At both Moruya and Copmanhurst, the dairy industry comprised a core of long-term stable producers, located mainly on the more accessible and productive alluvial soils, together with a fluctuating number of marginal producers. The dairy farmers’ “locked-in” economic activities were founded on: the initial rural settlement imprint; the structure of farm enterprises; lack of alternative income sources; the culture and capabilities of farm families; environmental and locational disadvantages; integration within transport, processing and marketing infrastructure; proactive policy support by state and federal governments and preferential trade to an overseas market. The demise of dairying was delayed in part by the industry’s exceptional survival capabilities and the lack of any viable alternative farming staple. Its exceptionally rapid collapse in the 1960s and 1970s was triggered by its inability to undertake the needed reinvestment in response to on-farm and off-farm technological change which occurred on the more productive dairy lands in cool temperate zones in New Zealand and southern Australia. The two case studies here revealed insights into the dynamics of rural change and evolutionary economic geography.

Fieldwork equipment in 1950s comprised a 1938 Chevrolet coupe sedan, basic gear for camping and sustenance, camera, reporter’s notebooks and biros. Source J.H. Holmes

1952 photo of Bergalia cheese factory (a production-oriented land use) which closed in 1951. Source: J.H. Holmes

2010 John Holmes, with Moruya’s last dairy farmer one year prior to the closure of his dairy. Source: J.H. Holmes

by Professor John Holmes

Dear Members, it is a great honour to have been re-elected to the role of President of the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland for 2018-2019. I thank you, the members of the Society, for giving me this opportunity. I would like to acknowledge and thank several Society members who have contributed a great deal over the past year.

Firstly, the excellent team on Council since the 2017 AGM: 

Council executive - Peter Griggs, Vice-President; Chris Spriggs, Treasurer and Margaret McIvor, Secretary.

Councillors - Bob Abnett, Paul Broad, Jennifer Carter, Duncan Cook, Ian Francis, Margie Keates, John Nowill, Leo Scanlan and Jamie Shulmeister.

Thanks to Chairpersons and members of all RGSQ committees and Special Interest Groups for their enthusiasm, energy and skills.

My special thanks to members of the “Gregory House” Committee, who, over the past 12 months, have done a tremendous job in relocating the Society to a new home:

Bob Abnett – Chairperson, enthusiastic seeker and investigator of 27 possible properties and supervisor of the move to Fortescue St.;

Paul Broad, without whose professional knowledge and advice in real estate matters our relocation decision and tasks would have been extremely difficult; Paul has guided us in selling the Milton building, searching for a new home, purchasing the Fortescue St. property and has conducted negotiations with our real estate agent and legal team;  

Ian Francis – for preparing excellent layout drawings enabling us to envisage operations in several possible locations, commencing modifications in the new premises and supervising tradespeople;

Chris Spriggs – for wise advice on the financial aspects of our property dealings and for keeping a vigilant eye on all things financial at the Society;

Bernard Fitzpatrick – working with the committee on a multitude of issues related to relocation;

Neil Simson – Honorary Planner, researched and reported Town Planning aspects of our purchase;

Paul Trotter –  Honorary Architect, advised on the internal design and layout of functions in the new premises.

Thanks also to:

Supper volunteers, coordinated by Mary Comer, who provide delicious suppers and the opportunity for members and guests to mingle socially and chat after lectures;

Leo Scanlan – developing RGSQ Traveller and, together with Sharyn Scanlan, continues to run very successful geographical tours overseas.

Treks and Activities Committee members – Mary Comer, Ross Gardner, Audrey Johnston, Paul Lambert, Jeanette Lamont, Wayne Mackenzie, Chris Spriggs – for organising geographical treks and activities throughout the year.

And to the many other members who regularly volunteer in Society activities.

Office staff: Bernard Fitzpatrick – for the day to day running of the RGSQ office, liaising with Council to implement decisions, relating to members’ concerns and coordinating the AGC; Lilia Darii – for working on Incorporation and new Constitution, AGC, RGSQ Traveller, Bulletins, assisting with accounts and marketing our activities; Rosie Catt – general office duties, assisting with accounts and a welcoming face on reception.

I view the role of President as maintaining an essential overview of Society activities, providing some leadership when needed and occasionally signing documents to sell a building and buy another property! That was fun! An important role for the President is to chair the monthly Council meetings, ensuring progression and implementation of Council decisions in an orderly and timely fashion. I hope to contribute to the best of my abilities in these matters and in the varied ongoing activities of the Society. I aim to be always available to consult with members, Councillors and committee chairpersons should they wish to raise any issues.

My own recommendations for the Society going forward include:

•  investigating community grant schemes for improving the Society’s financial stability and sustainability 
•  engaging with various professional organisations in the Brisbane CBD/Spring Hill vicinity of our new premises, with a view to increasing membership
• developing ideas and mechanisms for pursuing future Scientific Studies
• reviewing our publications via a re-constituted committee

The move to new premises represents a different phase in the Society’s long history. I have no doubt that interesting opportunities will be presented and that, with the stalwart band of Society members, we will find solutions to the challenges that will inevitably arise. As we consolidate our activities in the coming year, Council will need to be diligent in our surveillance of emerging trends which relate to the question of what kind of Geographical Society we want for the future, and in what exciting directions we should be heading. I look forward to working with you in the year ahead to discover what lies over the horizon. To paraphrase A.A. Milne “I knew, when I took this on, an adventure was going to happen”. Thank you.

by Iraphne Childs, President

Congratulations to the four young Australian geography students who represented Australia at the XV International Geography Olympiad (iGeo) held in Quebec City, Canada, from July 31 to August 6. The Olympiad was organised under the auspices of the International Geographical Union (IGU) with the support of Université Laval, North America’s second oldest university.

The four-member Australian team were selected through their outstanding performance in last year’s Australian Geography Competition (AGC) and Geography’s Big Week Out (from left to right): Phoebe Blaxill from St Mary's Anglican Girls' School, WA – bronze medal; Harry Hall from Trinity College (Gawler), SA; Hannah Wright from Walford Anglican School for Girls, SA – bronze medal, and Sophie Ohlin from Sydney Girls High School, NSW. The Australian team was accompanied by two team leaders: Kath Berg, Australian Geography Competition Committee and Liam Sloan, Geography Teachers Association of South Australia.

Forty-three countries took part in this highly prestigious one-week international competition with the Romanian team declared the overall winners at this year’s event.

To test the best young geographers in the world, the iGeo programme involves three academic challenges over the course of a week: a written response test, a multimedia test and a fieldwork exercise requiring observation, cartographic representation and geographical analysis. The programme also included poster presentations by teams, a cultural session showcasing Canadian cultures, and visits to Old Quebec (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and Forêt Montmorency.

The value of the iGeo experience cannot be underestimated; participating students appreciate not only the opportunity to travel abroad and challenge themselves, but also the experience of meeting and making friends with passionate geography students from all over the world.

"The iGeo was a fantastic opportunity not only to learn about geography, hearing from bright minds in the field and undergoing insightful fieldwork, but also to make friends from all around the globe. Being around such a wide variety of international cultures, personalities and languages is a rare event, and because of it the experience was invaluable." said Harry Hall, participating student.

Kath Berg, Australian Team Leader commented that “The iGeo is a prestigious international contest. It inspires active interest in geographical studies among students and contributes to greater intercultural understanding through the friendships developed between students from different countries.”

The Australian team has once again scored commendable results. This highlights the strength of Australia's Year 11 and 12 geography curricula in teaching students to think, analyse and interpret information. The role of geography in schools is continuously supported by the Australian Geography Competition.

The pre-selection for the four-student team that will represent Australia at the 2019 iGeo in Hong Kong, China, is under way. Sixteen high-achieving Year 11 students from the 2018 Australian Geography Competition will soon be selected to take part in Geography’s Big Week Out, a six-day training/selection event, to be held on Kangaroo Island, South Australia in early October this year.

The participation of the Australian team at the International Geography Olympiad is made possible with the support of the Australian Government Department of Education and Training, Australian Geography Competition and with sponsorship of the AGC from Monash University (School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment and School of Social Sciences), Macquarie University (Department of Geography and Planning and Department of Environmental Sciences), and The University of Queensland (School of Earth and Environmental Sciences).

The annual Australian Geography Competition is a joint initiative of the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland (www.rgsq.org.au) and the Australian Geography Teachers’ Association (http://www.agta.asn.au/).

Photo courtesy of Liam Sloan, Australian team leader at 2018 iGeo in Quebec City, Canada.

Modern Spatial Mapping Techniques

This Gathering’s Presentation was on modern spatial mapping techniques and quite different to previous Presentations held during 2018.

The Presenter was Sylvia Michael, trained in Geology and Mathematics, who became a geospatial specialist.  She then set up the company Geoimage Pty Ltd in 1988, which continues to operate as a geospatial services provider, specialising in the sales and processing of satellite imagery and in the delivery of geospatial solutions for a wide range of industries, including the resources and mining industries, agricultural industries, and a wide range of government agencies utilising geo-imaging technologies in their work.

Over the past 30 years, Sylvia has seen satellite imagery mature from the Landsat 1 images, first used in the early 1970s, through to the current Landsat 8 imagery which has been utilised since 2015. Considerably greater detail and clarity of images have emerged over this period, via the greater use of sensors and far better cameras mounted upon modern day satellites. There are also far more satellites orbiting the earth than 30 years ago.

These improvements in technology have led to far more sophisticated analytical outcomes, which provide a lot more information in understanding the earth’s various surfaces and sub-surfaces, depending on the intended use of such surfaces (e.g. for agriculture), or sub-services (e.g. for the exploration and extraction of various minerals).

Photo: Bob Abnett congratulating Silvia Michael following her presentation. Courtesy of Ian Francis.

Sylvia went onto to explain some of the technologies used today, such as:

• The electromagnetic spectrum (i.e. the various colours that make up this spectrum and how they are used);
• Spectral graphs (i.e. how the colour range is used to highlight and detail attributes of various surfaces and sub-surfaces);
• Stereoscopic images (i.e. how software associated with modern satellite imagery can provide contours of land surfaces);
• Short wave infrared (i.e. used in exploration to indicate the weathering of the earth’s surfaces to reveal potential sub-surface minerals).

Sylvia then explained how the large multiple archives of images accumulated over the last 30 years or more, are being gathered together and placed on “the cloud”, to meet the needs of an increasing number of users who want to access such imagery in their industries and their work.

The Presentation showed how the modern world has changed so dramatically from the recent past. 

In that past world, which many members of the Map Group worked, it included the then world of hard copy mapping covering a wide range of 2 dimensional maps of topography, geology, soils, vegetation, etc. Today, so much of that mapping information has been replaced by digital imagery, which is far more flexible and manageable in its digital format and which now covers many places on this earth, almost at the “click of a button”!

18 Map Group Members and 2 guests attended the event.
by Bob Abnett,  Map Group Coordinator

Too wet? Too cold? Too hot? How does the weather affect the trips we make?

Professor Jonathan Corcoran, Director of the Applied Centre for Population Research and Professor of Human Geography at the University of Queensland’s School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, has been researching the relationship between the weather and daily travel behaviour in our cities.

We know that the weather conditions can change the way we go about our daily routines. A wet morning might mean we take the car rather than walking, cycling or taking public transport and this can lead to planned journeys being rescheduled, rerouted or cancelled. The consequences of these individual travel choices are important when we consider their impact in aggregate across an entire city. These shifts in daily travel choices have the potential to increase travel delays and road congestion, add to pollution and result in a general decrease in the overall travel experience.

Despite the importance of weather on daily travel choices, our understanding of these weather-travel behaviour relationships is still in its infancy. There is a compelling need to collect more evidence using emerging digital sources of data. Data automatically collected via transit smart cards (such as the GoCard in Brisbane) offer a new and promising source of information that can be used to better understand the weather-travel behaviour relationship and provide the necessary evidence for cities to develop planning and urban transport responses.

Reference: https://theconversation.com/too-wet-too-cold-too-hot-this-is-how-weather-affects-the-trips-we-make-93724

by Professor Jonathan Corcoran

Annual General Meeting - September 11, 2018

Notice is hereby given to members of the Society that the 2018 Annual General Meeting of The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland Inc will be held:

at Lavalla Centre, 58 Fernberg Road, Paddington, 4064.

on Tuesday, the 11^th of September 2018, commencing at 7:30 pm, see map on page 8 for directions to the venue.

The business to be transacted at the meeting is:

(i)         to receive the Council’s Report and the Statement of Income and Expenditure, Assets and Liabilities of the Society for the financial year to 30th June 2018.

(ii)        to receive the Auditor’s Report in respect of the financial year to the 30th June 2018.

(iii)       to appoint the Auditor in respect of the financial year to 30th June 2019.

(iv)       to elect members of the Council.

Explanatory Notes

Business items (i) – (iii)

Material supporting these items (Council’s Report and the Financial Reports, including the Auditor’s Report) will be available for those attending the meeting, and will be added to the Society’s website following the meeting.

Business item (iv) Election of Members of the Council

Under the Rules of the Society, all Councillors retire from office each year, and a new Council is elected by members. The Society Rules provide for a Council of thirteen (13) members. Any member may nominate (and be seconded) for election as a Councillor, and nominations can be lodged at any time up to the commencement of the meeting. For a copy of a Nomination Form, please contact us at info@rgsq.org.au. The functions of a Councillor are set out in a document ‘Role Description – Councillors’, which can be obtained from the Executive Officer, or any current Councillor.

The following current members have nominated for election to the Council for 2019 (and positions where indicated):

Bob Abnett, Paul Broad, Jennifer Carter, Iraphne Childs (President), Duncan Cook, Ian Francis, Peter Griggs (Vice President), Margaret McIvor (Secretary), Leo Scanlan, Chris Spriggs (Treasurer), John Tasker.

AGM Format

• 7:30 pm - Annual General Meeting;
• Presentation on new RGSQ premises (delivered by Bob   Abnett, Chair of Gregory House Standing Committee);
• Tea, coffee and light supper.

UPDATE ON NEW PREMISES: very good news! Over the past few weeks we have been going through a period of “due diligence” seeking confirmation that the property we have been considering in Spring Hill passes all the necessary inspections. This has included a building and pest inspection, town planning inspection, inspection by the Society’s Honorary Architect, Brisbane City Council and other searches (undertaken by our Solicitors) and analysis of body corporate financials (undertaken by our Treasurer and also our Solicitors). I am very pleased to report that all these investigations have been satisfactory and no issues of concern have been noted. RGSQ Council, therefore, expects to be going ahead with the purchase of this property and arranging the settlement date. We look forward to presenting a visual “show and tell” about the new premises including details of the location and internal space, parking options, public transport access and with opportunities for questions from members at the AGM on September 11.

GEOGRAPHY PRIZES AND MEDALS: on Saturday, 4^th August, I had the pleasure of presenting prizes for the Australian Geography Competition (AGC) to this year’s Queensland State winners, years 7-12. The awards were presented at the annual Geography Teachers Association of Queensland conference held at the University of Queensland. In talking to attending geography teachers (including some of my former Education degree students!) it was very pleasing to hear that they are keen to continue the association of the GTAQ with RGSQ.  

Congratulations to the Australian team which has won two bronze medals at the XV International Geography Olympiad (iGeo) held in Quebec City, Canada, from July 31 to August 6, organised under the auspices of the International Geographical Union (IGU).

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: will be held on Tuesday 11^th September at the Lavalla Centre, 58 Fernberg Road, Paddington. The AGM is an important event in the Society’s annual calendar. It provides an opportunity for members to hear a review of the Society’s activities and achievements over the past year and the anticipated projects and plans for the year ahead. I encourage members to come along to the AGM and to participate in the deliberations. If any member wishes to nominate for Council for the 2018-2019 year, nomination forms are available through the RGSQ Office. We would appreciate it if nomination forms could be received at the RGSQ Office by Thursday, September 6^th.    

Dr Iraphne Childs, President

The 2018 iGeo is being held in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada from July 31 to August 6, 2018.

Australian Team Students (announced in the March 2018 Bulletin):

Sophie Ohlin, NSW, from Sydney Girls High,
Harry Hall, SA, from Trinity College (Gawler),
Hannah Wright, SA, from Walford Anglican School for Girls, and
Phoebe Blaxill, WA, from St Mary's Anglican Girls' School, Karrinyup.

Australian Team Leaders are:

Kath Berg, Australian Geography Competition Committee and RGSQ member, and
Liam Sloan, Geography Teachers Association of South Australia, and 2017 and 2018 Geography’s Big Week Out Coordinator

The Australian Team will be departing for the 15th iGeo on the weekend of Saturday 28 July.

We will update members on the Australian Team endeavours at the 15th iGeo in the September Bulletin.

Australia’s participation at the 15th iGeo is supported by funding from the Australian Department of Education and Training, and Australian Geography Competition sponsorship from Monash University (School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment (Physical Geography), and School of Social Sciences (Human Geography), Macquarie University (Department of Geography and Planning and Department of Environmental Sciences), and The University of Queensland (School of Earth and Environmental Science).

by Phoebe Blaxill, one of the four students on the Australian team at the 2018 International Geography Olympiad in Quebec City, Canada

What do you like about geography?
What I like most about geography is discovering the ways humans interact in complex ways with the natural environment. I have always been a person who is interested in science but also humanities subjects. For me, geography is the ideal subject because it interlinks physical sciences with human sciences such as politics and economics. These interconnections enable us to explore ways to improve our world through sustainable development opportunities. I love this practical aspect that geography brings.

Why do you want to represent your country at iGeo?
I am so excited to be representing Australia at iGeo because I am looking forward to sharing my Australian geography experiences with other people from all around the world as well as learning about so many other countries. The world has so many unique and interesting places and I can’t wait to learn about different cultures and environments and meet young people who have a similar passion for learning.

First published on Canadian Geographic