Conferences

Invitation - First Australian Regolith Geoscientists Association Conference

Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, SA, 21-27 February 2010

Members and the regolith geoscience community are invited to attend the first ARGA Conference at the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, South Australia, over 21-27 February 2010. Registration includes the $1 membership if you are not already a member.

Program

The conference program includes:

• Sunday 21 February - depart Adelaide 0700 by 4WD, arrive Arkaroola late evening
• Monday 22 February - presentations
• Tuesday 23 February - field sites
• Wednesday 24 February - presentations
• Thursday 25 February - field sites, conference dinner
• Friday 26 February - presentations
• Saturday 27 February - depart Arkaroola 0700, Arrive Adelaide late evening

Field sites include: Ridge Top tour, rangefront neotectonics, Paralana Hot Springs, Four Mile uranium deposit, Hidden Valley.

Download the final program here

Registration

Registration costs will be $300 per person plus accommodation (see below). Full time students receive free registration. Please fill out the registration form and return it to The ARGA Secretary together with a cheque or money order. Sorry - we do NOT accept credit cards. Registration includes 4 years' ARGA membership!

The ARGA Secretary
Dr Robert Dart
PO Box 3146
Rundle Mall
South Australia 5000

Email: Robert.Dart@adelaide.edu.au
Phone: +61 8 8303 6586
Fax: +61 8 8303 4347

Accommodation

Accommodation will be arranged by the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary on a first come, first served basis.

Please book your accommodation through the Arkaroola website and don't forget to mention that you are attending the conference.

The Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary are offering a special conference accommodation package, including all meals, for the duration of the conference:

The ARGA Committee is very grateful to the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary for these special prices. All accommodation is air-conditioned except for the Quandong Bunkhouse and the Gillii Cabins. The conference centre is air-conditioned. Campsites are air-conditioned, naturally.

Transport

Transport will be provided ex-Adelaide, departing the Mawson Laboratories (Department of Geology and Geophysics), University of Adelaide, at 0700 (7 am) Sunday 21 February 2010. Transport will return to the same site at approximately 1800 (6 pm) on Saturday 27 February 2010.

Registrants may make their own way to Arkaroola, but must have a fully equipped 4WD vehicle, including water, safety and recovery gear.

It is also possible to fly to Arkaroola from Parafield, Broken Hill or Mildura. Arrangements should be made separately with the Arkaroola Wilderness Resort management.

Abstracts

Abstracts are invited but need to be limited to one page of text only (please, NO diagrams) following the template provided.

Presenters please note: Oral presentations should be accompanied by a PC-format PowerPoint 97-2003 presentation. Older or newer versions of PowerPoint presentations are not guaranteed to function correctly.

Please submit abstracts to:

Dr Ian Roach
Geoscience Australia
Ph: (02) 6249 9683
Email: Ian.Roach@ga.gov.au

About Arkaroola

The Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary is owned and operated by Doug and Marg Sprigg, children of the late Reg Sprigg, doyen of South Australian geology. Arkaroola is in the northern Flinders Ranges of South Australia and is the gateway to Lake Frome and the Strzelecki Desert. The Arkaroola area has very exciting regolith geology including Mesoproterozoic and Neoproterozoic rocks of the Curnamona Craton and their weathering products which are set in one of Australia's most active neotectonic regions. This results in a dramatic landscape where ancient landforms are juxtaposed against recent ones.

The weather during February is normally hot and dry, with daytime temperatures typically into the mid-30s, occasionally mid-40s, centigrade. The nearest medical assistance is at Leigh Creek, about 135 km by road. However, Arkaroola does have a pool, a bar and an airstrip for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in case of emergencies. The conference centre and most accommodation is air-conditioned.

Travel to the venue is normally by road, but private arrangements can be made with the management to fly into the gravel airstrip or to be ferried from Parafield, Mildura or Broken Hill. Two-wheel drive vehicles can access most of the sites around the region, however, a well-appointed 4WD is necessary to access the full range of scenery.

2. Ian Roach