TAG - Geological Society of Australia
TAG - Geological Society of Australia
TAG - Geological Society of Australia
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<strong>Society</strong>UpdateBusiness ReportThe September issue <strong>of</strong> <strong>TAG</strong> brings you news aboutmany <strong>of</strong> the Division and Specialist Group activities, aswell the standing committees and local conferencesand symposia. We have more features and special reports thanusual and the Letters to the Editor are more than abundant.As always there is news about the National Rock Garden andwe showcase two Young Earth Scientists working in differentfields. Changes with accessing AJES online are included and JonHronsky discusses the importance <strong>of</strong> A guide for mineralexploration through the regolith in the Yilgarn Craton, Western<strong>Australia</strong> by Ravi Anand and Charles Butt, published in a recentissue <strong>of</strong> AJES (Vol 57; No. 8), and its relevance to explorationgeologists. Special thanks to Trevor Powell, former President <strong>of</strong>the <strong>Australia</strong>n Geoscience Council, for his comprehensive review<strong>of</strong> the council’s report on Geoscience Education at <strong>Australia</strong>nUniversities, which <strong>of</strong>fers hope for the future: “the situation <strong>of</strong>geoscience in <strong>Australia</strong>n universities is stronger now than at anytime over the past 15 years”.HEDG (Hunter Earth Sciences Discussion Group) has beenactive, with trips to vineyards to look at the soil and rocks (<strong>of</strong>course), as well as local talks at Newcastle University. TheQueensland Division held another highly successful booth atEkka, which is the annual agricultural show <strong>of</strong> Queensland. Thebooth is a collaborative effort with the GSA, AIG, theQueensland Museum and the <strong>Geological</strong> Survey <strong>of</strong> Queenslandworking together to promote Earth Sciences as a viableeducation path. The GSA provides hundreds <strong>of</strong> Fact-ites to giveaway to students. More news about this event will be includedin the December <strong>TAG</strong>.On the near horizon, upcoming GSA events include theSpecialist Group in Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Petrologybiennual conference to be held November 20-25 at theMurramarang Beachfront Nature Resort on the NSW southcoast — look for their advertisement in this issue <strong>of</strong> <strong>TAG</strong>. TheSpecialist Group in Tectonics and Structural Geologyconference is to be held 29 January – 3 February 2012 atWaratah Bay, Victoria. Also the annual South <strong>Australia</strong>Explorer’s Conference will take place on 2 December and do notforget the Sprigg Symposium on 1 December in Adelaide.This 1959 covercommemorated the opening <strong>of</strong>the Wilkes post <strong>of</strong>fice.The 2011-2012 Antarcticexpedition season marks 100 years<strong>of</strong> <strong>Australia</strong>n involvement inAntarctic research. Those goingsouth this season join a traditionestablished a century earlier by the first Australasian AntarcticExpedition (AAE) <strong>of</strong> 1911–14, led by Douglas Mawson. In theheroic age <strong>of</strong> Antarctic exploration, <strong>Australia</strong>ns were involvedin several expeditions. However, Mawson’s 1911–14 expeditionwas the first wholly <strong>Australia</strong>n undertaking. The AAE, togetherwith the 1929–1931 British, <strong>Australia</strong>n and New ZealandAntarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE) (also led byMawson), were important for establishing <strong>Australia</strong>'s claim forAntarctic territory. <strong>Australia</strong> has issued postage stamps for the<strong>Australia</strong>n Antarctic Territory since 1957.The first stamp issued specifically for the territory was atwo-shilling blue stamp with a design <strong>of</strong> explorers and anAntarctic map.In this and coming issues <strong>of</strong> <strong>TAG</strong> we will celebrate thecontribution made to <strong>Australia</strong>n Antarctic Expeditions. Pat Quiltywrites a two-part account <strong>of</strong> Early <strong>Australia</strong>n Earth Scientists inthe Antarctic in this and the next issue <strong>of</strong> <strong>TAG</strong> and some <strong>of</strong> thenumerous centenary activities are mentioned in this issue.The International <strong>Geological</strong> Congress is fast approachingand the GSA has booked many <strong>Society</strong> meetings, including theCouncil Meeting to be held on Sunday 4 August; the AnnualGeneral Meeting to be held on Monday 5 August, andnumerous meetings on Tuesday–Thursday nights. The GSA hassecured 20 discounted tickets and the first members to contactthe GSA and make payment will be given these tickets — see<strong>TAG</strong> pages 6 and 21 for more details.The GSA website has links to many conferences on thecalendar page: http://www.gsa.org.au/events/calendar.htmlSpecial thanks to Tony Cockbain and Bill Birch for editingthe September issue <strong>of</strong> The <strong>Australia</strong>n Geologist.By the time you receive this issue <strong>of</strong> <strong>TAG</strong> we will beapproaching the member renewal period, so if you have movedor changed any <strong>of</strong> your contact details or wish to add aSpecialist Group, now is the time to do so, please emailinfo@gsa.org.au or phone the <strong>of</strong>fice on 02 9290 2194.SUE FLETCHERExecutive Director<strong>TAG</strong> September 2011|3
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