Highlights - AGC2017
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Australasian Groundwater Conference 2017 Highlights
With over 340 people in attendance from across the globe, the 2017 Australasian Groundwater Conference was a great success!
Held at UNSW's John Niland Scientia Building, NCGRT and IAH delivered a conference complete with over 260 oral presentations, including plenary and keynote presentations, panel sessions, posters and exhibitions showcasing the latest research and innovation in groundwater in the region.
There was an array of interdisciplinary and specialist talks which spanned across the conference themes. The 6 panels including an interactive panel discussion provided a robust platform to address critical groundwater issues.
Delegates experienced great opportunities to network including a sumptuous dinner at the Coogee Rooftop Pavilion, networking drinks and for some, a Trivia Night and field trip experiences to the Blue Mountains and Orica Botany Groundwater Cleanup Project.
We would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support. Without their involvement and generosity, we would not be able to achieve such a successful result.
Thank you to all who attended and contributed to the conference success. We hope you enjoyed your time and we look forward to seeing you at the next AGC.
Conference Opening Video
Welcome to Country by Uncle Peter McKenzie from the La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council
Prof Craig Simmons: Grand Challenges for Groundwater
Saul Holt: Groundwater &
the Law
Mark Cuthbert: Groundwater and Climate Change in Drylands
Chris McCombe: Groundwater and Mining
Dedicated Poster Session
Social Events
Networking Drinks at the Scientia foyer, kindly sponsored by Symbiolabs.
Great night at the Coogee Rooftop Pavilion for the Conference Dinner
The Early Career Hydrogeology Network Trivia Night proved to be highly competitive among colleagues. A lot of fun was had by all! Thanks to Anna Greve for coordinating this event.
Panel Presentations
The Australasian Groundwater Stocktake Panel explored current and future issues facing state governments and at a national level. This was followed by perspectives from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Finally a presentation on current and future technology was provided by Narelle Neumann.
The Climate Change Panel attracted robust discussion about difficulties to separate out effects of historic land use change from current climate change effects. Delegates asked questions only via online web tool Slido.
For the Energy Futures Panel, each panel member presented a few thought provoking facts related to coal and uranium mining, coal seam gas, carbon sequestration and using shallow geothermal energy. The most popular questions for discussion included: How should mining companies allocate responsibility for cumulative impacts between each other and with other historical water users in mining and other sectors? What are our viable options for carbon capture & storage and implications for groundwater?
The Future Innovations in Groundwater Panel found the audience brain storming ideas about groundwater future scenarios. Audience feedback about opportunities or challenges for groundwater over the next 30 years include geopolitical conflict, groundwater scarcity, population growth and climate change. Click here to read the summary report.
The Social License to Operate Panel tackled ideas about the lessons from court cases such as Adani and Carmichael, issues such as community trust, policy amendments and political motivations and scepticism.
The Modelling Outlook Panel chaired by High Middlemis, examined awareness of uncertainty-driven modelling workflows; methods of understanding and communicating uncertainty and dealing with its implications. There were great audience questions at the end to wrap up the last session of the AGC2017.
Award Winners
Congratulations to the winners in our four award categories:
Career Oral Presentation: Matthew Currell, RMIT University
Career Poster: Paul Cai, UNSW
Early Career Oral Presentation: Charlotte Iverach, UNSW
Early Career Poster: Moji Karbasi, DEWNR SA
Awards were presented and sponsored by The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, SA and CSIRO.
Exhibitors and Displays
Photo exhibition finalists
Darcy T-Shirts on display
Field Trips
Blue Mountains field trip by Katarina David
The Blue Mountain field trip was a great day out to see a small part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. On the way we stopped at the historical Lapstone zig-zag railway cuttings to look at the Lapstone monocline. We discussed the water supply bores installed as part of the Sydney Water supply project in the early 2000s. At Glenbrook swamp we had the bush picnic and then left for the upper Blue Mountains. The weather was beautiful which allowed the extensive views from Katoomba and Wentworth Falls over the Jamison Valley and Mt Solitary. We finished our tour at the historically important swamp and discussed the importance of groundwater in supporting the ecosystems and life of Gundungurra and Darug people.
Orica Groundwater Cleanup Project field trip by Graham Hawkes
The Orica field excursion was a huge success. A big thank from the AGC committee to Ben, Andrei and James from Orica for facilitating our visit and taking time to address us.
The team took their time to explain the origin of the CHC contamination at Orica, site history, field investigation programs, hydrogeological conceptualisation, hydraulic containment, remediation program and the water treatment plant was much appreciated. Orica were very forthcoming and answered the many difficult questions posed, some not necessarily technical. The bus ride around the site was very informative and as we found out there is nowhere else in the world that treats dissolved CHC contamination on this scale.
If you didn't get your Darcy's Law T-Shirts at the AGC2017, we will continue to take orders for delivery after the conference. Limited sizes are available. Order online only. No pickup unless at Flinders Uni. $30 including postage.
Thank you again to those who attended AGC2017 and helped make this event a great success! We look forward to the next conference.
