Note that this event is presently fully booked, however, if you have an interest in this trip we encourge you to join the waitlist in case of cancellations or if there is enough interest we may be able to arrange a similar trip in the future. (There is no obligation on your part in joining the wait list.)

Murray River Cruise and Royal Geographical Society of SA
1-8 May 2026

Join us for a Geotour cruise on the Murray River and a hosted visit to our sister Society, the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia in Adelaide.

Twin Share from $4075.00 pp; Single rate from $5830.00 pp

* As we have to book flights and cabins on the boat please register by 31 Jul 2025. On receipt of an offer, an Initial deposit of $1,000pp (partly refundable) is required by 15 Aug 2025 to secure cabins & flights.

Cost includes:

Itinerary includes:

This Geotour will include guided shore excursions covering geographical, ecological, historical, economic and cultural aspects of this part of the Murray River:

Enquiries:
RGSQ office +61 7 3368 2066 or email info@rgsq.org.au

It probably wasn’t planned that Ipswich, one of the earliest towns in Queensland that first emerged as a limestone mining settlement in 1827, and at one stage a candidate to be the state Capital, sit  within the same local government boundary as Springfield, the adjacent master-planned greenfield city development which has been emerging  since 2000. A group of RGSQ members visited Springfield in July 2024 and heard and saw something of how that is being achieved.

Thursday, 21^st August 2025 offers the opportunity for members to visit Ipswich to see, and hear about how that city has navigated the intervening near 200 years, and developed to the city it is today, while maintaining linkage to it’s fascinating past and heritage. 

The visit will commence (and end) at the Ipswich Rail Station.  There is a half-hourly train service to Ipswich (one end of the Caboolture line) and it is suggested that participants use the service that arrives at Ipswich at 9.56am. (It’s about a 60 minute journey from Central Station.)   The Journey Planner tab on the Translink website is useful in identifying travel options.

A coach will be used to convey the group to various locations including:

• -          the Ipswich Visitors Information Centre in Queens Park, for a short introductory talk and a Devonshire Morning Tea,
• -          a one and a half hour Heritage Tour, with accompanying commentary, visiting many of the significant historical and geographic points of interest in Ipswich and immediate surrounds.
• -          Lunch* at the historic Prince Alfred Hotel
• -          the Cooneana Heritage Centre (talk by a Centre volunteer and conducted walking tour).  Additionally, the Centre houses a museum of mining history, and exhibits covering the Ipswich district’s wartime history.
• -          return to the Ipswich Station around 3.15 pm.

The Event will conclude at 3.15 pm in time for the rail service from Ipswich towards Central Station at  3.37pm (and half hourly services thereafter.)

The Ipswich Station is located within the Ipswich CBD, and participants might wish to spend more time in the city precinct.

No difficult terrain will be encountered, and the Event is suitable for Members with reasonable fitness and mobility.

Cost:  (covers: coach hire;  morning tea; lunch*; Heritage Tours and entry fees);    $80 per head (Members)     Non-members $90 per head

•      *Lunch selections will be obtained from participants closer to the day.

Please register on-line (by 25^th July 2025).   Numbers are limited to 20.   A wait-list will operate.

RGSQ Traveller Coordinator: Roger Grimley

Severe Tropical Cyclone Alfred was a long-lived Coral Sea event that had a major impact over southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales including widespread coastal erosion, damaging winds causing widespread power outages and some structural damage, and widespread heavy rainfall and associated flooding. More than 500 000 customers were without power over southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales with many remaining without power for multiple days. Power outages were generally attributed to the windy conditions, including trees or tree branches falling onto power lines. The slow passage of Alfred southwards parallel to the Queensland coast produced large easterly swell that impacted the coastline of southeast Queensland and northeastern New South Wales causing significant coastal erosion. It is estimated that millions of cubic metres of sand were scoured from beaches leaving escarpments up to 6 metres high in some dunes during the prolonged event. [BOM].

Speakers

Dr Michael Hewson, Rockhampton North Campus, CQ University

Dr Michael Hewson teaches environmental geography from the Rockhampton North campus of CQUniversity. Michael’s research spans the topics environmental policy, creative reflection, spatial analysis of the weather, and threatened species habitat health monitoring and mapping using satellite remote sensing. Michael' research projects involve applying GIS and satellite remote sensing to spatial analysis of Earth systems.

Dr Annie Lau, University of Queensland

Dr Annie Lau is a coastal geomorphologist specialising in analysing past occurrences of coastal hazards (e.g. storms and tsunamis) through sedimentary, geomorphological and historical records for assessing the future threat in coastal areas. She is particular interested in understanding the coastal impacts created by waves, and how long those imprints would preserve in the landscape. 

Mr Reece Pianta

Reece is an experienced public policy campaigner in government and non-government roles. His work at the Invasive Species Council has helped secure funding and build community support for Australia’s fire ant eradication program. He was also involved in the early formation of Yellow Crazy Ant eradication efforts in the Townsville area. Visits to infestation areas in Cairns and Townsville and living in the Brisbane fire ant biosecurity zone left a deep appreciation of the mounting impacts that little invaders have on every aspect of life.

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 research.

Light refreshments are served on arrival. This is a chance to network with colleagues and friends interested in this topic.

Please post your questions on notice to: questionsonnotice@gmail.com

Date: Tuesday 26 August 2025

Time:  5:30 pm light refreshments – doors open @ 5:15 

             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 

          Free Students 

Please join us to celebrate the authors and their stories in the 2025 competition.

Certificates will be awarded to the authors of stories which were judged to have merit to move to the long list.

The Short List will be announced and later the Prize winners in each category.

Prize winning authors will be invited to read their stories.

Guest speaker: Mr Christopher Zinn

Christopher has been a journalist all of his professional life in print radio and television both here and overseas. He has written many long form features for magazines and TV and has authored a number of short stories. He is working on an epic fable called The Black Polar Bear.  

Announcement of the Short List: Ms Kaye Schwede

Announcement and Presentation of the Prizes: tba

Light refreshments will be served throughout the evening.

Date: 5 September 2025

Time: 5:30 – 8:00

Place: RGSQ Gregory Place. Level 1 / 28 Fortescue St. Spring Hill. 4000

Registrations:

Members $5.00

Non-Members $5.00                 

Dr Michelle Maloney (AELA)

Dr Michelle Maloney is Co-Founder and National Convenor of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA), Adjunct Senior Fellow, Law Futures Centre, Griffith University; and Director of the New Economy Network Australia (NENA) and Future Dreaming Australia. Michelle’s work focuses on creating systems change (across law, economics, education and ethics) to shift industrialised societies towards regenerative, Earth-centred governance.

Professor Rob White (University of Tasmania)

Rob White is Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Criminology at the University of Tasmania. He has written extensively in the areas of criminology, youth studies and eco-justice. Among his recent books are Theorising Green Criminology (Routledge, 2022), Advanced Introduction to Applied Green Criminology (Edward Elgar, 2023) and Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Crime (Edward Elgar, 2025). He has particular interests in the concept of ecocide, the rights of nature, and the impacts and ramifications of climate harms.

In this presentation, Dr Michelle Maloney and Professor Rob White will provide a lively and engaging discussion about the current challenges, and future possibilities, of environmental law in Australia. They'll begin with a critique of current environmental law in Australia, and then discuss emerging legal issues including ecocide, Rights of Nature and 'Earth laws'.

When: 9 September 2025

Time: 7:30 - 8:30 pm AEST

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.

Dr Annie Lau is a coastal geomorphologist specialising in analysis of past occurrences of coastal hazards (e.g. storms and tsunamis) through sedimentary, geomorphological and historical records for assessing the future threat in coastal areas. She has worked on several tropical coasts in Queensland, Southern China, and Pacific islands including Fiji, French Polynesia, and Tonga. She is a senior lecturer at the University of Queensland, teaching in a range of topics from marine science to disaster management.

Recently, Dr Lau’s research team discovered a huge tsunami boulder on Tonga that got some global media attention. In this presentation, Annie will explain her team’s research in Tonga, and share her experiences working in remote island communities with unique cultures and disaster histories. Media article on Tonga boulder: https://www.iflscience.com/worlds-largest-cliff-top-boulder-was-rolled-from-30-meter-high-cliff-by-ancient-tsunami-79314.

When: Thursday 25th September 2025

Time: 06:30pm – 07:30 pm

Cost: $5 for members, $10 for non-members

Location: 1/28 Fortescue Street, Spring Hill & Zoom