Stuart Watt (Warwick based Map Group member) has crafted an exciting 4 day event focusing on Toowoomba and Environs.  The Field Trip is tailored to Map Group members' interests and encompasses a diverse range of activities and educational opportunities.   The maximum tour size is 30.

Highlights include:

• Toowoomba – its history and development
• The explorers
• Drone mapping
• Infrastructure in depth
• Wellcamp airport tour
• Transport history
• Cobb and Co museum
• Bolton reading room
• and more

Download the comprehensive the information brochure here.

Transport:  Own transport to Toowoomba, members are encouraged to car pool for the trip.

Accommodation:  Participants to arrange own accommodation. Suggested accommodation location and website.

Entrance Fees:  Participants will pay entrance fees directly at the venue.

Cost:   $135.00 for RGSQ Members and $145.00 for non Society members which includes entry fees and meals for Wellcamp Airport ($35), the Cobb and Co Museum ($35) and Downs Steam ($45).

A full printed itinerary will be provided for all attendees.

Syd Kirkby

Syd will speak of how Australia, a nation which had no individual identity for almost all of the discovery phase of Antarctica's history became its biggest claimant. He will also review the remarkably successful Antarctic Treaty and what it really dose, rather than what it is widely thought to do.
 
Bio
 
Syd Kirkby is a long retired surveyor who considers himself blessed to have spent practically all his working life in "Big Picture" and exploration surveys.
 
Particularly satisfying undertakings over the years have included major very broad acres land classification, road location and delineation, surveys for opening new agricultural land in WA; the 1954 joint Commonwealth/WA Government Geology/Astronomical mapping control expedition to the Great Sandy Desert, at a time when its indigenous inhabitants still lived fully traditionally; and a 1959 survey in the Great Sandy Desert to provide control for the western down-range of the Woomera rocket range.
 
This period was interspersed with wintering (1956-57, 1960-61 and 1979-81) and summer (1961- 62, 1962 - 63 and 1964 - 65 and 1979 - 80)  engagement in Australia's Antarctic programme, undertaking extensive and prolonged sledging journeys for exploration and mapping.  In the early years of this work about 85% of Antarctica was unexplored. That is to say - had never been seen.
 
From about the mid 60s on his major focus shifted to the national Topographic mapping programme where he was heavily involved in such developments as Aerodist, the revolutionary airborne electronic survey system, the laser terrain
2 profiler, digital photogrammetry and ortho/photomapping. In 1975 he became Assistant Director of National Mapping, with responsibility for field surveys and map compilation for the programme, until the compilation of the last map in the series in 1984.
 
He was awarded the Polar Medal in 1958, made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1966 and made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2018.
 
He was awarded the Thompson Medal of the RGS, and the second highest and highest honours of the Australian Geographic Society.  He was cited by the Australian newspaper in its published review of the 20th Century as one of the ten great Australian adventurers of the century, and was included in the Australian Museum's "Trailblazers, Australia's Fifty Greatest Explorers"

Photo: Observing at Rumdoodle Peak. Courtesy of Syd Kirkby.

Location:
University Sunshine Coast, K Block, Lecture Theatre 2

This visit to the QSA is open to all members of RGSQ and will focus on early historic maps of Queensland - e.g. explorer's maps/charts of Queensland, including surveys and maps of AC Gregory, early land settlement maps and early town maps. If you have any requests or interest in particular areas or topics, please ask the organiser prior to the event.

While QSA has limited the number to 12 visitors, it may be possible to include additional visitors. Please add your name to the wait list even if the initial 12 spaces are booked.

Lunch:

Bring your own lunch. Tea and coffee available.

Organiser:

Daphne Stephens (07) 3366-2510, 0417 66 2515

Transport:
Car Parking: The QSA site layout Map below shows where the car park is located within the site – far eastern end.

Public Transport: Trains: the nearest railway stations are Fruitgrove and Runcorn. These may have a bus link to QSA. If intending to use train and bus transport, you will have to check these linkages yourselves.

Buses – Compton Road, fronting the QSA site and entrance, is a major bus route. Bus routes 138, 152, 156, 8028 and 8035 use Compton Road. The nearest “Arriving Bus Stop” is Stop 86 at Compton Road and Kyabra Street, adjoining the QSA site. One must then walk within the QSA site to arrive at the Main Building, next to the eastern car park. Please check Translink for further details or any changes.

Map - Queensland State Archives

GYMPIE DISCOVERY WEEKEND Draft Programme

Friday 1st November to Sunday, 3rd November

Come and join us for an interesting weekend at Gympie and Surrounds, including visits to the Woodworks and Gold Mining Museums as well as a ride on the Mary River Rattler and a visit to a Camel Dairy.

This event is for financial members only.

Accommodation: Various Motels and accommodation options.

Gympie Caravan Park will be the “Trip Centre”. https://www.gympiecaravanparkgympie.com/. There are reasonable costs for cabins or powered and unpowered sites, also pet friendly.

Draft Programme:

Friday 1 November: Check into accommodation (at own cost) at about 11am, and meet for lunch at 12pm at the Woodworks Museum and Interpretive Centre at 8 Fraser Road, on the Bruce Highway just North of the Town.  1pm. Guided Tour.

5pm Happy Hour at Caravan Park. 7pm. Possible Group dinner at a local restaurant at own cost.

Saturday 2 November: Gather at the Old Gympie Station, Tozer Street at 8.30am for a 9.00am departure on the Mary River Rattler to Aramoor arriving at 10am (One hour Stop and Turnaround). Return to Gympie by 12pm. https://www.maryvalleyrattler.com.au/.

12.30pm Meet at Gympie Gold Miming and Historical Centre for lunch and the Café. 1.30 Museum Guided Tour.

5.00pm Happy Hour at Caravan Park. 7.00pm. Possible Self Catering at Caravan Park.

Sunday 3 November: 9.30am. Gather at Caravan Park 10.00am Arrive at Camelot Camel Dairy, 49 Waugh Road, Scrubby Creek (about 20 minutes drive SW of Gympie) https://www.camelotcameldairies.com.au/. Tour of dairy and camel rides available! 12.00pm Lunch at Dairy Café. 1.00pm Depart for home via Scenic Route or of your choice.

Summary of costs, at $70/participant:

Inclusions: Entry and Guide for Woodworks Museum; Mary Valley Rattler Steam train (BYO snacks and drinks); Entry and Guide for Goldmining Museum.

Exclusions:  Accommodation costs, Meals and Transport.

Trip Organiser: Wayne McKenzie 0414 432 476

Julie Davis, Geography Teachers Association Queensland

Location:

Aim of Visit/Tour:

To understand how and where aboriginal habitation occurred in a part of the

Brisbane Region prior to European Settlement. Ray Kerkhove, a well known

researcher of Aboriginal Camp Sites and Pathways within the Brisbane Region prior to and after European settlement will undertake the Tour of Kedron Brook, Nundah.

Tour Requirements:

A bit of walking - along the pathways to Shaw Park - so good shoes, hat, water etc.

Extra Tour Element:

Ray can offer an additional Tour to German Station Park and the Nundah (German) Cemetery located there - to explain the attack that took place here and the camp on this site (the Cemetery is itself worth seeing being a remnant of the original German Station). This Offer is reliant upon numbers willing to register for it. It may extend the overall Tour by a little.

Lunch:

Italian bistro Royal Hotel, 1259 Sandgate Road Nundah

Information:

Ian Francis, email brisfran@gmail.com   mob. 0457 628 033

Google Map of Meeting point

Lets explore St Helena Island in Moreton Bay and probe its history.

Where: St Helena Island National Park – Moreton Bay.

When: 10 am Saturday 23rd November 2019 (Be at William Gunn Jetty, Manly, by 9:45 am)

Cost: Members $85; Non-members $90 (Includes ferry, lunch, and guided walking tour)

Transport: Own transport to Manly

Duration: Five hours or a little more

Parking: Google Maps shows an appreciable amount of car parking within 5 to 8 minutes walk. Trip Advisor indicates street parking is available within 5 to 8 minutes walk as well.

Details: St Helena Island lies about 5 east of the mouth of the Brisbane River and has an area of about 80 hectares excluding mangroves.

Evidence from middens shows that the island, known as Noogoon, was used by Aboriginal people for hunting dugong and flying-foxes and gathering shellfish.

St Helena was originally intended to be a quarantine station but the buildings constructed for this purpose were converted into prison accommodation and the island functioned as a high security prison. A proclamation declaring the island a place of detention was signed by the Queensland Governor, Sir George Bowen, on 14 May 1867.

By the end of the twentieth century, there were over 300 prisoners on the island, many of whom had been convicted of violent crimes. Prisoners were engaged in farming, with sugar, maize, lucerne and vegetables being produced; as well as ‘trade’ activities such as brickmaking, tailoring, and rope making.

The prison was in decline by the 1920s and most prisoners and workshops were moved to Bogo Road Gaol. A number of buildings were dismantled and the last prisoner left the island on 15 February 1933. The island was gazetted a National Park in 1979 and as the first Historic Area in Queensland in 1980.

Our guided tour with Cat O’Nine Tails Cruises will include buildings in the restricted zone and involve walking a little over 4 km. Lunch will be provided during the tour. Bring a bottle of water, sunscreen and a hat, and wear comfortable shoes.

Co-ordinator: Bob Reid 0412 625944 (Mary Comer from 14 September to 1 November). bob.reid@tpg.com.au

Celebration:

A fitting finale to an exciting year!  Members are encouraged to bring along an item of geographical significance and share the interesting points of that item with the group.

Group members to bring a plate to share at the end of year celebration.

Information:

Ian Francis, email brisfran@gmail.com  mob. 0457 628 033

Location Map

The President warmly invites its members and guests to enjoy a final get together for 2019. Come along and reminisce over your geographical adventures and catch up with your friends.

The registration cost will cover drinks, tea, coffee and Christmas Cake. It would be much appreciated if members are able to bring a plate to share.

I look forward to greeting you all on the night. On behalf of the RGSQ, I extend best wishes and season's greetings to all members and friends of RGSQ.

Location:

TREK TO LAMBERT CENTRE

This exciting 12 day trip includes return air-fares from Brisbane, a luxury 4WD Tour Coach with a driver/guide and camp cook. Many included attractions, as well as all breakfasts and dinners and most lunches. Some camping and some motels/cabins.

The Lambert Centre was created by the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland, as a Geographical Icon, to commemorate the Bicentenary of Australia in 1988. The monument is a flagpole modelled on parliament house in Canberra. The commemorative plaque will be replaced during this trek.

Along the way we will visit a number of significant sites in the 'centre', including the West MacDonald Ranges, Uluru & Kata-Tjuta National Parks, Coober Pedy and William Creek and finally Roxby Downs, Woomera and Port Augusta, before departing home from Adelaide.

There is a limit of 20 people. The cost is not finalised but is not expected to exceed $4500 per person twin share, with single supplement of $575. An initial deposit of $350 is required to confirm your registration ASAP. Further progress payments of $500 is required by 9/3/2020 and the final balance by 9/7/2020.

All payments are non-refundable (subject to conditions) and it is recommended that participants arrange appropriate travel insurance. Participants must also be financial members of RGSQ at the time of the trek.

The itinerary is available for viewing and members will be advised as costs and details are updated.

To learn more about the Lambert Centre please click here.