About us

The Australian Regolith Geoscientists Alliance (ARGA) is a not-for-profit learned body of regolith practitioners from throughout Australia, and became a specialist group of the Geological Society of Australia in 2019. ARGA was set up to to provide a mechanism through which people interested in regolith geoscience could keep in touch and share their experiences via newsletters, email, the internet, field workshops, a biennial field conference and the GSA national conference.

The objects of ARGA are to further the study of regolith geoscience and allied disciplines by:

1. Facilitating the exchange of information among members of the association, and, in general, all those interested in regolith science;
2. Stimulating interest in regolith geoscience;
3. Encouraging the practical applications of regolith geoscience research.

ARGA welcomes members from all disciplines that may have involvement in regolith geoscience including geology, geochemistry, geophysics, pedology, biology, hydrology, meteorology, agronomy, forestry, critical zone studies, etc.

Full membership is available through the Geological Society of Australia. It is also possible to become a "Friend of ARGA" and attend conferences and workshops without needing to join the GSA. To become an ARGA member please read the details on the Membership page.

History of ARGA

ARGA was established as the Australian Regolith Geoscientists Association, a not-for-profit learned association incorporated in South Australia, after the closure of the Cooperative Research Centre for Landscape Environments and Mineral Exploration (CRC LEME) in 2008.

The objectives of the original ARGA were the same as those of the new GSA specialist group, where the Association was to provide a forum for ex-CRC LEME researchers and students, and other interested parties, and make opportunities for knowledge exchange.

At the 2016 Annual General Meeting (ARGA 2016 Conference in Thredbo) members discussed methods to increase the membership and relevance of ARGA, and proposed joining the GSA as a specialist group. At the 2018 AGM (2018 Wallaroo ARGA Conference), a majority vote agreed to approach the GSA to formalise this relationship. This would increase ARGA's reach and membership, and make ARGA more relevent in the face of Australia's changing priorities for mineral exploration, groundwater resources and education, e.g., the Australian Academy of Science's UNCOVER Initiative and the Council of Australian Government's National Mineral Exporation Strategy.

In November 2019 ARGA and the GSA signed a memorandum of understanding whereby ARGA would become a specialist group of the GSA. ARGA changed its name from the Australian Regolith Geoscientists Association to the Australian Regolith Geoscientists Alliance (in keeping with the GSA's governance rules).

ARGA website

The ARGA website is a living document which details historical activities like conferences and uses the old name ("Association" rather than "Alliance") for events occuring prior to November 2019 where relevant.