invited speakers               provisional program               poster presentations

Dr Phil Playford (Australia)
Phillip Playford is an Honorary Associate of the Geological Survey of Western Australia and the WA Museum. He holds a BSc (Hons) and an Honorary DSc from the University of Western Australia and a PhD from Stanford University. He has had a career with both government and the oil exploration industry and is a former Director of the Geological Survey of WA. Phil is well known through his many publications and lectures on the geology and history of the State and is also recognised as an authority on Aboriginal cave art and culture in the Kimberley. Among the many honours he has received are the Lewis G Weeks Gold Medal of the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, a Special Commendation Award of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, a WA Premier's Book Award and honorary membership of the Petroleum Exploration Association of Australia, the Royal Society of WA and the National Trust of Australia (WA). In 1998 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia.

Hon Damien O'Connor MP (New Zealand)
Damien O'Connor is New Zealand's Minister of Tourism, Minister for Rural Affairs and Associate Minister of Health. Before becoming an MP, Damian worked in a variety of jobs in farming and tourism in both Australia and New Zealand, including establishing Buller Adventure Tours, an adventure tourism company, which he owned and operated in a partnership in New Zealand. He is past president of the Buller Promotion Association, a member of the West Coast Tourism Development Group, a member of the West Coast Business Development Board and a founding director of Buller Community Development Company. Damian was elected to Parliament in 1993 as MP for the West Coast, and became MP for West Coast-Tasman in 1996. He was Labour spokesperson on Tourism and Racing from 1996 till 1999. He retains a strong interest in tourism and regional development.


Steve Martin (United States of America)
Superintendent
Grand Canyon National Park
National Park Service
 "Lessons Learned from 100 years of Geotourism at Grand Canyon National Park"
Steve Martin is Superintendent of the Grand Canyon National Park in the USA. He is a career National Park Service veteran with 33 years experience as a park ranger, natural and cultural resource manager, business manager, superintendent and senior leader. As Superintendent at Grand Canyon, he manages all park programs and a staff of 500 who are responsible for this magnificent world icon. The 1.2 million acre park is a World Heritage site and listed as one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The park receives 4.5 million visitors a year and is the homeland to 11 affiliated tribes. Prior to becoming Superintendent, Steve completed a two year assignment as Deputy Director of the NPS in Washington, DC (the most senior career position). In this position he supervised all of the operations of the NPS including 390 park units, a $2.2 billion dollar budget and 20,000 employees. Key accomplishments included resolution of the controversy of the NPS Management Policies and leading the core team that initiated the Centennial Challenge, an initiative to bring much needed funding to national park operations. As Deputy Director, he also promoted cooperative conservation efforts with partners to achieve success in protected area management and use. Prior to these and other key management roles, Steve has had a long career in the field and has received more than 25 special achievement awards for leadership in park protection and cooperative conservation.

Rob King (South Africa)
Rob King is the Director of Stocks Building Africa (Pty) Ltd, one of the largest building contractors in South Africa. His responsibilities include Concessions, Business Development and Operations in the Gulf. He is a Civil Engineer and has an MBA from the University of Pretoria. As the Chief Executive Officer of Maropeng, Rob was instrumental in establishing Maropeng a'Afrika Leisure (Pty) Ltd (MAL). MAL is the Concessionaire in a Public Private Partnership with the Gauteng Provincial Government and the University of Witwatersrand. MAL has the responsibility for the design, construction, exhibition installation, operation and maintenance of the Interpretation Centre Complex for the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.

Patrick Maher (Ireland)
Patrick Maher is a Senior Geologist with CSA Global. He is with the CSA Group in Ireland and is currently on an assignment in Western Australia. He has over 15 years experience working at the interface of geology. Patrick has been involved in the development of geotourism with community groups and local government authorities in Ireland, since 1997. He graduated in Geology (BSc Hons) from the National University of Ireland, Galway in 1993.

Said Al Musharfi (Sultanate of Oman)
Said Al Musharfi is the Director, Tourism Product Development, Ministry of Tourism, Sultanate of Oman. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology and Diploma in Commerce. His duties with the Ministry of Tourism have been multi faceted and include that of Tourism Inspector, Secretary of the Internal Tender Committee and member of Oman’s Joint Omanization Committee (Tourism Sector). Said Al Musharfi has a special interest in utilising Oman’s rich archaeological heritage and environmental features to develop sustainable tourism products.

Andrew Lawrence (Sultanate of Oman)
Adviser to the Ministry of Tourism, Sultanate of Oman, Andrew Lawrence is a karst management professional with over 20 years experience in karst related conservation, tourism management and product development. Following an extensive career with government agencies in New South Wales, Australia, Andrew has more recently taken on a consultancy role in Oman, advising on tourism product development in a country that has a wealth of exotic geographic attractions and a commitment to developing a diverse range of geotourism products.

Dr Patrick McKeever (Northern Ireland)
Patrick McKeever is Principal Geologist, Geological Survey of Northern Ireland and manager of the Survey's Landscape Heritage sector. He has published widely on the geological heritage of Ireland and has established many geological walking and cycling routes in the north of Ireland. He is the leader of several EU funded projects aimed at developing the geological tourism potential of both Ireland and Europe. Patrick is the vice-coordinator of the European Geoparks Network and a member of UNESCO's Global Geoparks Bureau. As both an adviser and evaluator of new geoparks, he plays a key role in developing this new global geoheritage initiative.

Joane McKnight (Australia)
Joane McKnight is Chair of the Kanawinka Geopark Board. She has been involved in Geotourism since 2000, when she had a lead role in the community purchase of Mount Elephant. Subsequently in 2004 and using her background in Project Management, Joane was elected to the position of Chair of the Volcanoes Discovery Trail Cross Regional Committee, now re-branded as the Kanawinka Geopark. Through this work the region is now recognised as Australia’s first national Geopark and has been proposed for UNESCO Global Geopark status. Joane has a MSc (Bacteriology), Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) and a Diploma in Management. She has presented papers at the Australian Earth Sciences Convention, 2nd UNESCO International Conference on Geoparks in Belfast, Northern Ireland and Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Geoparks in Malaysia.

Dr Thomas Hose (United Kingdom)
Tom Hose is a principal lecturer in heritage and tourism management at Buckingham Chilterns University in the UK. He initially trained as an Earth scientist and is a Fellow of the Geological Society of London. Following a period of secondary school teaching, he was a museums education officer, then head of a new county museum education service during which time he completed an MA in museum and gallery administration. At Buckingham Chilterns University, he has initiated extensive UK, European and USA based fieldwork in developing the geotourism concept, the focus of his doctoral thesis. He has authored chapters for Geological Society books and numerous geotourism and geological interpretation journal papers and articles. Tom has extensive experience as a field geologist and naturalist and considerable expertise in natural heritage conservation and environmental education. He is a consultant on geotourism and geology-focused interpretative provision.

Professor Elery Hamilton-Smith (Australia)
Elery Hamilton-Smith is Professor of Environmental Studies at Charles Sturt University and Chair of the IUCN / WCPA Task Force on Caves and Karst. A sociologist by original discipline, he has worked in an immense range of projects and taught in diverse fields of scholarship in universities throughout the world. His experience had led him into a deep appreciation of and skill in holistic learning to the point where his speciality might be described as being a "Jack of all Trades". Since his "retirement" in 1994, he has worked harder than ever across a still-expanding diversity of interests. Basically, his primary role is now as a scholarly leader in nature conservation.

Dr David Newsome (Australia)
David Newsome is Senior Lecturer, School of Environmental Science, Murdoch University, Western Australia. David holds degrees in botany, soil science and geomorphology. Co-editor of Geotourism (Elsevier 2006), his principal research interests are geotourism, human-wildlife interactions and the biophysical impacts of recreation and tourism. He is also the lead author of Natural Area Tourism: Ecology, Impacts and Management (2002) and Wildlife Tourism (2005).

Tom Perrigo (Australia)
Tom Perrigo is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Trust of Australia (WA). It is the pre-eminent community body promoting the conservation and interpretation of Western Australia's unique heritage. As a leader in his field, Tom is committed to this cause and to educating the community about the use of heritage assets for the longterm social, economic and environmental benefits of the community. Tom has tertiary degrees in science and education, as well as post tertiary qualifications in science and management. He has served on a number of Boards, Committees and Community bodies, both at a State, National and International level.

Dr Cyd Martin (United States of America)
Cyd Martin, PhD is a career employee of the National Park Service, USA. She is the Superintendent of three parks in Northern Arizona including Canyon de Chelly, Navajo National Monument and Hubble Trading Post. In addition, she is Chief of Indian Affairs and American Culture for the Intermountain Region and National Program Coordinator for the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act program. Cyd is the wife of Superintendent Steve Martin.

Bram Collins (Australia)
Bram Collins is Managing Director of the Undara Experience. This amazing geotourism attraction is located in the remote Gulf Savannah region of North Queensland. Bram started work in the tourism industry in 1990 when his family developed the Undara Experience. Bram worked as a Savannah Guide and conducting tours of the Undara Lava Tubes. He has extensive experience in the many facets of the tourism industry from operational management through to marketing and promotions. Bram served for nine years on the board of Savannah Guides, including as secretary for three years and as President for three years. During his time on the board, the organisation experienced unparalleled growth, culminating by winning a Queensland Tourism award for Private Sector Industry Training and being named global winner of a British Airways award for Tourism Organisations. Bram has promoted the benefits of regional tourism through the Undara Experience and Savannah Guides, by being contracted to distribute the Discover the Atherton Tablelands regional brochure throughout far north Queensland. His principal focus is for the regional development of tourism in tropical north Queensland.

 


provisional program          speakers          poster presentations

Download a PDF of the current provisional program.

Please note that the program is provisional and some changes can be expected as we draw closer to the conference.

 

 


poster presentations         speakers           provisional program

Dramatic but dangerous: visitor risk management in Kalbarri National Park
Clare Atkins

Geotourism in volcanic environments: destinations with a risk factor?
Patricia Erfurt-Cooper

The Alcheringa Project: messages from the past; lessons for the future
Phil Creaser

Geo-interpretation working with graphic design
Gil Field

Conservation and development of Geological heritage resources in Mt Funiushan Geopark, China
Li Jiangfeng

The "Geotourism Guide" training at the Fernando De Noronha Archipelago - Brazil
Jasmine Moreira

Cretaceous geological records along the rocky coast of Busan, Korea as a geosite
In Sung Paik

Geotouristic attractions of national parks in southern Poland
Tadeusz Slomka and Elzbieta Slomka

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