The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland Ltd upcoming events

Why geography matters for the electricity transition? (Tuesday, July 07, 2026)

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:30:00 GMT

RGSQ Lecture Series

Professor Magnus Söderberg

The electricity transition is often presented as a technological challenge: replacing fossil-fuel generation with renewable energy, storage and smarter networks. Yet it is equally a geographical challenge. Renewable resources are unevenly distributed, often located far from major centres of demand, making the location of generation, storage and grid infrastructure increasingly important. Australia’s development of Renewable Energy Zones illustrates how spatial planning can help coordinate generation and transmission investment. Geography also shapes the cost and fairness of the transition. Grid expansion requires access to land and raises difficult questions about consultation, community benefits and compensation for landowners. Ground conditions, distance, terrain, vegetation and exposure to natural hazards affect network costs, but are not always adequately reflected in regulatory benchmarking. Population density matters too: urban customers may benefit from cheaper, more reliable networks, while rural areas face higher costs and potentially different service standards. Regional differences in network costs can therefore translate into distributional consequences for customers. The speech argues that a successful transition requires not only more infrastructure, but better geographical understanding of where it should be built, who benefits and who bears the costs.

Bio: Professor Magnus Söderberg is one of Australia’s leading energy economists and Director of Griffith University’s Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research (CAEEPR), a role he has held since 2022. His research focuses on energy regulation, efficiency benchmarking and consumer responses to electricity prices. CAEEPR connects researchers with energy companies, government agencies and policymakers across Queensland and the wider National Electricity Market, supporting research and debate on the energy transition. The Centre also delivers executive education in energy and environmental economics and policy.

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

Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens – African plant safari (Wednesday, July 15, 2026)

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 23:30:00 GMT

RGSQ Traveller

Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens – African plant safari

9.30-10.30 Introductory presentation and BYO morning tea10.30am - 12.30 pm guided walk.

Join us for an “African Plant Safari” at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens, Mt Coot-tha, one of the best collections of African plants in Australia. The walk will be initially downhill from the lookout, zigzag through the African zone, proceed via the Tropical Dome and finish in the Arid Zone and Cactus House. The visit will mostly be devoted to plants from southern Africa, together with a few species from Namibia, East & West Africa, the horn of Africa, Egypt and one offshore island, depending on time constraints. The visit will be guided by RGSQ member Charles Naylor, a trained volunteer guide at the Gardens, who has been leading this walk since 2022, based on his experiences while a lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe in 1983-85 and a member of the Tree Society of Zimbabwe.

$5.00 members; $15.00 non-membersMax 20 persons

Meet by 9.30am at the large picnic shelter Lookout located on the ring road within the Gardens (see map attached),
Wear sunhats and stout walking shoes and bring walking sticks or poles if desired.

Over morning tea there will be:

an introductory presentation covering a brief history and layout of the Mt Coot-tha Gardens,
a small display of African wooden and other artefacts,
an overview of the African collections at Mt Coot-tha – and a little botany!

Parking: The 3-hour visit involves self-drive to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha. On weekdays the Gardens are less crowded and participants can drive onto the ring road within the Gardens to park in one of the two areas adjacent to the Lookout, or near the National Freedom Wall (see map attached – the Freedom Wall is a 5-minute walk from the Lookout).

Walk rating: The walk is along sealed paths. Distances up to 2 km, gentle slopes, some stairs, some uneven surfaces and 5-minute standing periods for guide explanations.

Enquiries contact the RGSQ office +61 7 3368 2066 or email info@rgsq.org.au

Geography Writing Competition Awards Night (Friday, August 07, 2026)

Fri, 07 Aug 2026 07:30:00 GMT

Special Event

Join us in celebrating the talented authors who entered the Geography Writing Competition. The authors whose stories achieved promotion to the long list will be recognised and the short-listed stories announced at the Awards Night. The top three stories will be read to the audience and their authors awarded prizes.

Prior to the prize-giving, there will be a short address from the guest speaker, Mr Richard Ogden. Richard has wide experience in public relations and media production, including five years as the media officer for the Murray-Darling Basin Commission.

When: 5.30-7.30pm, Friday 7 August

Where: RGSQ, 1/28 Fortescue Street, Spring Hill 4000 or on Zoom

Cost (including refreshments):

Competition entrants free

RGSQ members free

Others $10

EOI: Springbrook Rainforest Restoration Project (Saturday, August 15, 2026)

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Seeking volunteers for possible world-first rainforest restoration competition!

Love Australia’s beautiful rainforests like those on the nearby Springbrook Plateau? Want to get “hands on” with helping restore some of these precious rainforests back to a healthy condition? Have some spare weekends and an interest in sharing in this important project with other SEQ environment and community groups?

Starting this August 15 & 16th 2026, teams of volunteers will initiate a new phase in the Springbrook ‘Grass to Gondwana’ Rainforest Restoration Project – working with their hands to weed and revegetate plots of former pasture grass in a key area of Springbrook National Park. Over the next 18 – 24 months, working an intensive weekend shift on site at 3 monthly intervals, different community groups will compete for the honour of best rainforest restorers, taking an area of grassy paddock all the way to the first stages of a regenerating rainforest. RGSQ assistance with arrangements such as accommodation at Springbrook, food and carpooling are currently being discussed to coordinate logistics and reduce personal cost for volunteers. There may also be some opportunities for evening knowledge sharing sessions with volunteers from other groups.

We’re looking for approximately 6 volunteers for each weekend session, with a regular team of 10 – 12 individuals. Volunteers of all skill-levels are welcome, for any number of weekends, provided you’re willing and able to get hands-on with weeding and planting in a paddock landscape.

The first three weekend restoration sessions are currently scheduled for:

15 - 16 August 2026

21 - 22 November 2026

20 - 21 February 2027

Interested but want more information before submitting an EOI? Feel free to contact RGSQ’s Springbrook Rainforest Restoration team lead Giselle via the RGSQ office email address: info@rgsq.org.au. The team lead will reach out to interested volunteers for more details.

Wallum Wildflower Ecology (Wednesday, August 26, 2026)

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 22:30:00 GMT

RGSQ Traveller

Join our group to experience the beauty of Queensland’s Wallum heathlands in its prime blooming period. This is a perfect outing for photography enthusiasts and all those interested in knowing more about the botanical riches of South East Queensland.

This tour is designed to highlight the geography and ecology of the Wallum Heathlands north of Brisbane. We will examine the effects of the Pleistocene longshore sand transport system that has been referred to as the East Coast Sand River. The deposition of this sand led to extraordinary ecological communities dominated by wallum heathlands growing on acidic sandy soils. The waterways we will visit are typically rich in tannins with underlying Podosol soils, locally known as coffee rock.

The wallum heathland is not only endemically diverse and rich but also are adorned by attractive flowers, that culminate in an exhibition of late winter flourishing. We will discuss the animals who have evolved to live in these environments including the acid wallum frogs and the rare, eastern ground parrot. Discussions will focus on the effects fire, infertility, drought and waterlogging on this environment.

The excursions into the wallum communities include short walks at Beerwah Scientific Reserve and the Kathleen Macarthur Reserve at Currimundi. This expedition is organised by Ray Andrews, a local of the Sunshine Coast, award-winning naturalist and wildflower aficionado.

Lunch will be at your own expense at a café en-route.

When: Wednesday 26 August 2026. Departs Enoggera Bus Station at 8.30am.

Maximum 23 travellers. Please join waitlist if the maximum travellers have been reached.

Cost: $70 members, $80 non-members

Approx Timings:

0830 Pickup at Enoggera Train Station, Bus Parking area off Bus Lane on southern side of Station. Parking is off Glen Alva Terrace or nearby streets.

1000 drop off at Beerwah Scientific Reserve, Roys Rd Beerwah

1200 drop off at Beerwah for lunch, Simpson Street, Beerwah

1300 leave Beerwah

1330 drop off at Kathleen McArthur Reserve, Coongarra Esplanade, Currimundi

1500 leave Currimundi

1630 arrive Enoggera Train Station

Contact: Ray Andrews ph. 0409784410

Enquiries contact the RGSQ office +61 7 3368 2066 or email info@rgsq.org.au

Immigration in Australia (Friday, August 28, 2026)

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 03:30:00 GMT

RGSQ & The University of Queensland School of the Environment

The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland and the University of Queensland School of the Environment have organised a public forum with an excellent panel of speakers to present some critical perspectives on Immigration in Australia. We hope you can join us for this important event.

Friday 28 August, 2026
1:45-5pm; please arrive by 1.30pm
followed by St Lucy’s café for social drinks 5-7pm

VENUE: The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, room TBA

CHAIRS: Dr Iraphne Childs, RGSQ; Assoc. Prof. Thomas Sigler, UQ-SENV

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Associate Prof. Elin Charles-Edwards UQ SENV
Australian Immigration Trends: Composition, Sources and Prospects

SPEAKERS:
Assoc. Prof. Aude Bernard UQ-SENV
Migration and Population Ageing: Evaluating Policy Trade-offs

Assoc. Prof. Thomas Sigler UQ-SENV
Four Brisbanes, Three Melbournes: Exploring Clustering in International Migration Populations

Dr. Rennie Lee UQ-ISSR
Longitudinal Pathways of Student Visa Holders

ATTENDANCE COST (includes afternoon tea)
General public $20, $10 Zoom
RGSQ $5, $5 zoom
UQ Staff free
Students free

MORE INFORMATION
w www.rgsq.org.au
e info@rgsq.org.au
p (07) 3368 2066

Photographs and videos may be taken during RGSQ events for use in promotional materials including, but not limited to, the RGSQ website, social media channels, newsletters and other publications. By attending an RGSQ event, you consent to the use of your likeness for these purposes, unless you inform the event organizer or photographer otherwise.