Speakers: Mr Chris Walker, founding member and Secretary of the community group Redlands2030 which has advocated against inappropriate development at Toondah Harbour for over a decade. Ms Una Sandeman, Australian Conservation Foundation Bayside’s creative advocacy lead and Dr Robert Bush, president of the Australasian Wader Study Group, who has a vast experience throughout the world in medical and epidemiological positions.

The panel will share with us the science and the community action which resulted in the Minister for the Environment and Water the Hon Ms Tanya Plibersek, rejecting an application for development and the withdrawal of the Walker Corporation’s application under the national environment law.

The wetlands where this project was proposed are rare, unique and are important to prevent the extinction of animals. These include loggerhead and green turtles and the critically endangered eastern curlew, which migrates 12,000 kilometres from Russia to Australia and relies on Moreton Bay as habitat for feeding and roosting. The project would also have had significant impacts on a range of other species including iconic Australian animals like dugongs and dolphins. The proposed dredging and land reclamation would have also destroyed and disturbed 58.7 hectares of the internationally protected wetland of Moreton Bay – that’s around 24 times the size of the Gabba. (Plibersek website).

Theregion is part of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and is home to internationally significant wetlands listed under the RAMSAR Convention — a global treaty established to “halt the worldwide loss of wetlands.” These wetlands provide critical habitat for global populations of migratory bird species — including six per cent of all Eastern curlews and 50 per cent of all Grey-tailed Tattlers. It’s a last remaining stronghold for these birds in Australia’s East Asian Australasian Flyway.

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 roles in the “fight for Toondah Wetlands” and what’s next?

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 26 November 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 

          $10.00 Non-Members 

          $5.00 Students 

Photo - supplied by Chris Walker

Map Group's end of year event will follow a “tried and tested” formula where members will present a 5 minute segment on an interesting item they have collected. The item could have some geographical connection or be as broad as you wish.  Some suggestions to get you thinking; the item can be a book, holiday souvenir, piece of equipment, some photographs or maps.  It is surprising how entertaining this segment of our program can be and it usually creates much laughter.  This will be followed by a special morning tea and the usual camaraderie.

Cost:-  $5.00.  Morning tea provided

Limit:- 30.  Registration on the website required.

Coordinator:-  Kay, Neville and Len

The RGSQ Traveller Committee welcomes you to the 2024 Christmas Party to be held in our premises at Gregory Place, Level 1/28 Fortescue St, Spring Hill, on Tuesday 3rd December at 7.15pm.

The formal part of the evening will start at 7.30 with short presentations and slides, covering the the Society's  events during 2024, as well as the results of the Photo Competition.

This is a free event for members and $10 for non-members and guests, including supper and drinks.

Everyone is very welcome.

Five Deeps Expedition

Presented by Keith Treschman

This topic covers the attempt by one explorer, backed by his crew, to reach the deepest part of each of the 5 oceans in a submersible. How are the oceans demarcated? How does one measure these large depths? How does one determine the deepest part of an ocean?

Image:  Victor Vescovo and his submersible "Limiting Factor"

Keith has taught Science for over 40 years in Queensland secondary schools. He holds a PhD in Astronomy, an area in which he is passionate. He has visited the 7 continents and enjoys geographical places, for example, Hawaii, Great Rift Valley of Africa, Galápagos Islands, Jordan River, Central Asia and Antarctica.

His past talks to the Map Group have been: a. Mapping the Night Sky; b. Areography (Geography of Mars); c. Struve Geodetic Arc; d. Seabed 2030; e. Life on Europa? An Application of Geography; f. Plate Tectonics; g. How the USA States got their Shapes

Costs:  $5:00 which includes a special morning tea.

Limit:  35

Register and pay on the website

Coordinator:  Kay Rees