Afternoon Reception in Support of the Royal Society of Queensland

Our Society President, Dr Ross Hynes and fellow Councillors; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I at once acknowledge the traditional owners of these lands and extend respectful greetings to Elders and emerging leaders.

As Governor of Queensland and Patron of the Royal Society of Queensland, I am delighted to welcome you to Government House for this special event in the life of this important institution – special, because it is the first time in the Society’s long history that two annual issues of proceedings and three Special Issues of the journal are being published and officially launched.

Indeed, I understand last year was the most active publishing year in the Society’s distinguished now 137-year history, which is a remarkable achievement given the limitations of a pandemic.

The 2019 and 2020 proceedings are a vital part of the Society’s records while the three special issues cover a multitude of subjects from a wide range of perspectives, drawn together under overarching titles including A Rangelands Dialogue, The Biodiversity and Ecology of the Eungella Rainforests and The Springs of the Great Artesian Basin – I was honoured to be asked to prepare a foreword for the latter. 

The result is material of direct and immediate relevance to our State and its future.

I was in Eungella in January 2019, incidentally, just after devastating bushfires passed through that region. I was very glad to see the Society turn its attention to the ecological impact of that event in the special Eungella edition I will tonight launch.

I am amazed, frankly, by the coverage of your journals, in practically and directly filling the gaps in the scientific knowledge of our State.

On the way back to Mackay, by the way, I stopped at the Pinnacle Hotel outside Finch Hatton. The Mayor, Cr Greg Williamson, told me they had the best pies in Queensland!

This is not a scientific assessment, but I expect it will be peer-reviewed: those pies are a real challenge to some of the other well-known establishments around South East Queensland!  

Returning to task, and the publication of these five issues is a moment of justifiable pride for the Society. I congratulate and commend everyone who has taken a part in bringing them to fruition.

It will also be my privilege this evening to present Life Memberships to two members who have made outstanding contributions to scientific understanding in our State.

I congratulate Dr Griffiths and Mr Walton on the honour they are being awarded tonight.

On behalf of all Queenslanders, I have the further honour of thanking them for the contributions they have made to the work of the Society.

I further acknowledge and applaud all members and supporters of the Royal Society of Queensland – a Society whose traditional roots, in the encouragement of rigorous scientific analysis and promotion of communication between scientists, remains of vital importance to contemporary Queensland life.

It is now my great honour to officially launch the Society’s Proceedings, Volumes 124 to 128 – congratulations to you all.