[Aqualist] 'competing bids' for the next AQUA Biennial meeting

[Scott Mooney]

Hi AQUA people,


You might have noticed that there is an item on tomorrow's AGM Agenda re the next AQUA meeting. I have received two potential bids to host this… and here are details. (Please NB that AQUA-list strips all formatting so this is bare-bones:  I will post something onto our Facebook account asap.

OPTION 1 Wollongong 2018

Organising committee:
Tim Cohen
Colin Murray-Wallace
Anthony Dosseto
Sam Marx
Alexandru Codilean
Helen McGregor

The region and climate:
Wollongong lies 100 km south of Sydney and can be reached via a 1.5 hr train, bus or car ride from Sydney airport. The November and December climate is characterised by mean daily temperatures of 21 – 23 degC with equivalent ocean temperatures. The population of the city is ~ 200,000 and the CBD lies ~ 4 km from the University of Wollongong (UOW).

The venue:
The biennial meeting would be held at a UOW conference venue on the campus outside the university term (most likely between the 15th November and mid December 2018; avoiding AAA and AGU). All organisation would be done through the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES). The ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH) is based out of SEES-UOW and therefore represents a major hub of Quaternary research: it is envisaged that CABAH would host a workshop either side of the AQUA meeting.

Accommodation:
Accommodation varies in Wollongong from backpackers to university accommodation to hotels and the CBD is linked to the campus via a free bus service.

Mid-conference field trip:

World Heritage Thirlmere lakes (~50 km from UOW)

Sandstone peat on Coastal Upland Swamp (an Endangered Ecological Community) on the Woronora Plateau/Wingecarribee Swamp (<50 km from UOW)

Coastal barriers and sea levels of the Holocene (< 25 km from UOW)

The Shoalhaven River and geomorphology

Pre-conference field trip:

Canberra to Wollongong via Lake George, southern highlands (Upper Shoalhaven).



OPTION 2: Canberra/Snowy Mountains region 2018

Led buy Duanne White at UC, support from Tim Barrows, Brad Pillans and Simon Harberle at ANU, Dan Clark, Andrew Macpherson at Geoscience Australia and Paul Hesse at MQ.

Options for the conference venue:
In Canberra: Geoscience Australia, on campus at UC or ANU or off-campus like Albert Hall.
Near-Canberra options include: Birragai Education Centre (near Tidbinbilla 30 min outside Canberra, NPWS facility) and Camp Cottermouth (camping, accommodation and conference at the junction of the Murrumbidgee and Cotter rivers) both of which have cabin-based accommodation. They are also close enough to stay in Canberra and drive each day.
Snowy Mountains: Thredbo resort (lots of accom options in summer including camping and cabins) or Jindabyne.

Field trip locations or sites:
Glacial and periglacial records of the main range, Kosciuszko – the “classic” glacial features of the Australian mainland;
Landscape evolution and the Kosciuszko uplift – new work around Lake George and the south eastern uplands from Canberra to Kosciuszko, documenting significant Quaternary fault rejuvenation
Quaternary fluvial history in the inter-montane areas – pockets of history of fluvial change and aeolian deposits along the Molonglo or any number of other rivers toward the Snowies
Giant boulder bars on the Snowy River – when did these last move?
Upland mires (swamps) of the ACT and Kosciuszko National Park (vegetation, fire and human impacts and restoration)
Soil production rate and erosion history studies on the SE highlands evidence for episodic stripping and slow movement.

Other Attractions:
Canberra wineries and the attractions of the Australian capital (museums, galleries, restaurants etc).

 sdm



A/Prof Scott Mooney FIAG

School of BEES
Faculty of Science

The University of New South Wales,
NSW, 2052.
Australia.

Ph  +61 2 9385 8063
Fax +61 2 9385 1558

http://www.bees.unsw.edu.au/school/staff/mooney/mooneyscott.html
http://www.bees.unsw.edu.au/school/staff/mooney/mooneyresearch.html
http://www.bees.unsw.edu.au/school/staff/mooney/mooneypublications.html

CRICOS Provider Code: 00098G