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

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

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, Goddard Building room 212 

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
Becoming permanently temporary: a population-level analysis of visa trajectories in Australia 2006-2023

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.

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 September 5 & 6th 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:

5 - 6 September 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.