Overview

The next Australasian Quaternary Association biennial meeting will be held on 24-28th June 2024 on Minjerribah/North Stradbroke Island – one of Queensland’s iconic sand islands near Brisbane with a long history of Quaternary research. The conference will be held at the University of Queensland Moreton Bay Research Station which has lecture rooms and accommodation.

There will be pre-conference workshops and an ice breaker at MBRS on Monday (24th of June). The conference program will run from Monday evening to Friday lunchtime and will consist of talks and poster presentations. There will also be a mid-week field trip to visit sites of interests on Minjerribah (and possible whale watching and beach swim).

Conference registration will cover the cost of lunches, morning/afternoon teas, dinners, light refreshments at social events, and the mid-week field trip. Accommodation at MBRS (shared rooms) are available at extra cost. Participants can also find other accommodations on the island. Please note that MBRS is in the town of Dunwich, close to the Car and Passenger ferry terminals. Private cars are needed to travel to other towns (Point Lookout and Amity Point) on the island as there is limited public transport or taxi options.

Important Links

Registration – registration to attend online is still available.

Field trip and workshop details are up!

Student travel award applications are closed!

The program is available here

Abstracts can be downloaded here

Field guide can be downloaded here

Important Dates

23rd Feb: Student travel award applications due

15th March: Abstract submission closes

17th April: Registration closes (in-person attendance)

Schedule

Workshops and Field trip

Pre conference workshops: 24th June held at Moreton Bay Research Station from 10am to 4pm.

Workshop 1 – Ground Penetrating Radar techniques – run by Allen Gontz

Workshop 2 – Geochronology: From the field to models – workshop with an introduction to Optically Stimulated Luminescence and Radiocarbon dating and a hands on Bayesian modelling workshop introducing users to rbacon, rplum and OxCal.

Post-conference workshop – 29-30th June (Saturday and Sunday) at Queensland University of Technology in central Brisbane

Workshop 3 – 2 day NEOTOMA pollen database training workshop for 8-12 people – run by Simon Haberle and Annika Herbert

Pre-conference field trip details – 22-23rd June (Saturday and Sunday)

Optional pre-conference field trip to visit theGondwana Rainforest World Heritage Area (Cunningham’s Gap) for short bush walk. Stay overnight at Clifton in local pubs (~$100 per room – but sharing may be required as small town). Visit the private Pleistocene megafauna museum and walk along a fossil deposit at King Creek. <$150 depending on numbers.

Getting to Minjerribah

Minjerribah is close enough to the mainland that commuting is possible! Be aware that the last ferry leaves at 7:55 pm.

  1. By train, bus, and passenger ferry

-Take the Airtrain from the airport, change to Cleveland line, get off at Cleveland Station (1.5 hours)

-Change to the free “Stradbroke Flyer bus” from Cleveland Station to the ferry pier (10 mins)

-Take the “Stradbroke Flyer Gold Cats” to One Mile Jetty, Dunwich (25 mins) https://flyer.com.au/

-Walk along the beach for 5 minutes to reach MBRS

2. By taxi and passenger ferry

-As above but replace the train and bus journey with a taxi/uber. Cheaper and quicker option for 3-4 people travelling together. ($80-100, 40mins non-peak hour)

3. By car

-Drive to Cleveland “Sealink” terminal for “North Stradbroke Island Ferry”

-Use the vehicle ferry from Cleveland to Dunwich (advance booking required https://www.sealink.com.au/north-stradbroke-island/ferry-information/timetable/ )

-In Dunwich, MBRS is 5 minutes’ drive from the Sealink terminal at Junner St

More Travel and MBRS information: https://www.uq.edu.au/moreton-bay-research-station/plan-your-visit/travel-and-island-information

Miscellanea

  • Please BYO cup/mug and waterbottle
  • There is accommodation at MBRS, but you are welcome to camp, glamp, or find a holiday house elsewhere on the island.
  • Note that while there is a bus that services Point Lookout, it is infrequent and the last service from Dunwich to Point Lookout leaves at 6:55 pm.