Presented by Philip Castle.  Philip is a retired print journalist and historian specialising in Australian history including our military conflicts and early white settlement exploration. He most recently retired as a QUT journalism lecturer and had undertaken his post graduate studies on Post Traumatic Stress on Journalists. He holds three degrees; his first BA in History and Political Science (ANU), a BA in Journalism and Professional Writing (Canberra University) and a research masters from QUT on PTSD and journalism.

Philip Castle will provide a lecture and power point presentation on the early colonies' most expensive overland venture known as the Robert Burke and William Wills exploration leaving Melbourne in August 1860 to 1861 which crossed the continent north to the Gulf and return. He will examine whether it was a major triumph or flawed tragedy particularly as nine members perished during the trek. He will closely examine the personalities of key members and whether the leader, Burke, was guilty of murder and whether there were needless deaths? Was it really worth it and how great was the coverup?

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

Limit:-  35 attending, zoom open.  Register and pay via the website. 

Coordinator:-  Len Lowry

The 2024 Annual General Meeting of The Royal Geographical Society of Queensland Ltd will be held on premises and online via Zoom.

A link to the Zoom AGM will be emailed closer to the event day.

Documents for the upcoming AGM can be accessed by members under the Membership tab>Members Portal>AGM-2024 on the RGSQ website (please log in to view the portal and access the 2024 AGM material).

During the AGM, Mr Bohao Dong, PhD Candidate with the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne, will give a special presentation about his research which was supported by an RGSQ grant in 2023. Bohao's research focuses on using giant clam shell geochemistry to understand past environmental change and human-environment interaction in the South Pacific.

We look forward to your participation on the night.

This tour has been arranged in two parts:

• Brisbane Airport by bus
• Boondall Wetlands Environmental Centre by personal vehicles

The bus will leave from Eagle Junction (Stop 27, Park Av) at 9.30 am to be at the airport by 10.00 am.

At the Airport, we will go ‘behind the scenes’ to learn about the operation of one of Australia’s fastest growing airports. Interesting, informative and fully guided, these tours are great for those interested in the fascinating world of aviation.

We return to EJ about 12.30 pm and transfer to our private vehicles.  For participants who have travelled to EJ by public transport, carpooling will be arranged.

We can have a picnic lunch at Nudgee Beach or the Boondall Wetlands Environmental Centre (BWEC).

AT BWEC, there will be a talk by one of the Rangers at 2.00 pm, followed by a walk on boardwalk and gravel track through the Wetlands, which adjoin Moreton Bay Marine Park which is listed as a Wetland of International Importance.  Expect to see migratory shore birds which have flown from the Northern Hemisphere,

We will return to EJ by 3.30-4.00.

Cost will be $25 per person for members, $30 for non-members. Limit of 20 participants.

Remember to bring a picnic lunch, water bottle, wind jacket, sunhat, sunscreen, camera and binoculars.

Speakers: Dr Mark Limb, QUT School of Architecture and Built Environment. Mark is a qualified urban planner with more than a decade of experience in strategic and statutory land use planning, and a full member of the Planning Institute of Australia. Dr Ruby Michael, Griffith Univ. School of Engineering and Built Environment. Ruby is an Ecological Engineer and the founder of Green Infrastructure Research Labs (GIRLS). Ms Anna Campbell, Qld Walks. Anna is the Executive Officer of Queensland Walks, a community based peak body that advocates for more walkable, rollable and strollable places. 

“Climate change is having a significant impact, particularly when we look at rising temperatures in our urban areas. However, from challenge there often comes opportunity, and the urban greening movement is all about looking at ways to make our urban environment cooler, more comfortable and also more socially connected.

Urban Greening is essentially increasing the amount of green infrastructure in and around urban areas.” CSIRO website.

This Geography in Conversation is being sponsored by The Spring Hill Community Group under a grant awarded by the Member for Brisbane, Stephen Bates. Spring Hill is one of Brisbane’s oldest suburbs. Its rich cultural diversity and easy walking distance to the CBD make it the perfect place to live and play. Under the grant Spring Hill Community Group is working with RGSQ Young Geographer’s and Map Group to study walkability and urban greening on routes through Spring Hill.

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,  and on issues relating to the Walkability and Urban Greening of Spring Hill.

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 22 October 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, Level 1, 28 Fortescue St. Spring Hill 

Cost: $5.00 for refreshments, included in registration. 

Cost: $5.00 Members 

          $5.00 Non-Members 

          $5.00 Students 

This training is being provided under the 2023-24 Volunteer Grants from the Commonwealth Department of Social Services through the Office of the Member for Brisbane, Mr Stephen Bates.

RGSQ is using the Grant to improve our meeting and event running skills. The skills which you will acquire over the 2-day training sessions will not only help RGSQ, you will also be able to take these skills into your volunteer activities with other organizations. It is expected that registrants will attend both days.

Trainer: Dr Ian MacColl

2 half day training sessions to be held at RGSQ.

Dates: 23 and 24 October

Time: 9:00 – 1:00

Place: Gregory House. Level 1 / 28 Fortescue St. Spring Hill

Course Content:

• Meeting technology setup
• ZOOM – joining events, setting up meetings – inviting guests – recording
• Social media – how to extend our reach and attract new members
• CANVA – design our notices to let us shine

Members: Free

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.

Presenters: Vanessa Beenders, Executive General Manager, Public Policy & Professionalism - Actuaries Institute of Australia and Emma Vitz, Finity

Vanessa leads the Actuaries Institute’s thought leadership program, working closely with actuaries across a wide range of areas to deliver insights on key societal issues in major reports, papers and submissions. She is also responsible for delivery of Institute support to its Practice Committees, providing technical and professional support to its members. Before joining the Institute, Vanessa worked across government, financial services and education, in both public and private sectors.

Emma is an actuary and a consultant at Finity. She advises insurers and banks on personal lines pricing and natural perils and climate risk assessment. Emma compiles the Australian Actuaries Climate Index on a quarterly basis, which quantifies the changes in the frequency of extreme weather in Australia.  She coordinates communication on the index with a variety of audiences, including the actuarial community and the wider public.

Vanessa and Emma will be joined in conversation by Christopher Zinn. Christopher has used a geographical perspective throughout his journalistic career in print, radio and television. He graduated with a Geography MA from Oxford and, after training in newspapers, left the UK to report from Asia and the Pacific. For the ABC, he covered the Royal Geographical Society's expedition for the Kimberley Research Project in WA in 1988. He has reported for Channel Nine, ABC Radio and TV as well as various newspapers in Australia and overseas. He recently moved to Brisbane and is intent on exploring Queensland and its people with a geographer's eye.

Vanessa and Emma will present the Institute’s Home Insurance Affordability Index and the Australian Actuaries Climate Index (AACI), key contributions which have received extensive coverage in the media and public policy discussions.

The most recent analysis of the AACI shows that once-extreme weather events have become increasingly common, highlighting the long-term trend of more frequent severe weather conditions. This shift significantly impacts insurance affordability.

The 2024 report on home insurance affordability finds that 15% of households are now "affordability-stressed", facing premiums of more than four weeks of gross household income. Recognising the broader implications of this stress on the financial system and society, the report includes a discussion about what this could mean for residential mortgages.

These analyses provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between climate change, extreme weather events and the insurance industry, offering a nuanced understanding of critical issues affecting Australia's environmental and financial future.

When: 13 November 2024    PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DATE IS A WEDNESDAY

Time: 7:30 PM - 8:30 pm AEST  

            8:00 – 9:00 pm ACDT

            8:30 – 9:30 pm AEDT

Location: Zoom Only

Please note: The ZOOM link for this event is included in the confirmation email which you will receive once you have registered. You will find it at the bottom of the notice Please keep this in a place where you can find it when needed. A reminder email will be sent with the link on the day of the event close to Close of Business hours.

This event may be recorded. If you have any questions, please email us at info@rgsq.org.au