Thursday 23 October

Geological Discovery Group 1

PORT OF TOWNSVILLE / MAGNETIC ISLAND
Departs Rydges at 7.15am – 3.00pm

Geological Discovery Group 2

PORT OF TOWNSVILLE / MAGNETIC ISLAND
Depart Rydges at 8.15am – 4.00pm
We are excited to announce the “Geological Discovery” Tour, which has been designed to provide delegates with both industry insight and applied field experience. We will conduct a Port of Townsville tour, then ferry to Magnetic Island, for a geological mapping exercise, lunch, and a keynote presentation from John Eckersley.
Port of Townsville, The day will commence with a technical tour of the Port of Townsville, a critical gateway for Northern Australia’s resources sector. Delegates will gain an understanding of the port’s infrastructure and its role in supporting large-scale mining, processing, and tailings management projects. The tour will also include an overview of the CU Dredge Pond – a key component of the Port’s Channel Upgrade project – showcasing how dredged material is managed, treated, and beneficially reused within the port’s reclamation area.
Magnetic Island, located off the coast of Townsville in Queensland, is a geological marvel formed over millions of years through volcanic and tectonic activity. The island’s foundation is predominantly composed of coarse-grained granite, dating back around 275 million years to the Carboniferous period. This granite, rich in quartz, feldspar, and biotite minerals, gives rise to the island’s characteristic boulder-strewn landscapes and rugged headlands. Over time, tropical weathering and erosion have broken down these formations into sandy soils derived from decomposed granite, creating well-drained but nutrient-poor ground conditions. These geological processes have shaped not only the island’s dramatic terrain but also its distinctive ecosystems, where hardy eucalypts and acacias thrive in the shallow, granitic soils against a backdrop of striking coastal rock formations.

Group 1 Agenda

Time Activity
7.00 Meet at Rydges foyer
7.15 Leave Rydges
7.30 - 8.40 Port of Townsville
9.00 - 9.40 Ferry leaves for Magnetic Island
10.00 - 12.00 Discovery Activity Location A
12.15 - 1.45 Lunch Peppers Magnetic Island
12:30 - 1.15 Keynote Speaker John Eckersley
2.00 - 2.40 Ferry back to Townsville

Group 2 Agenda

Time Activity
8.15 Meet at Rydges foyer
8.30 Leave Rydges for the Ferry
9.00 - 9.40 Ferry leaves for Magnetic Island
10.00 - 12.00 Discovery Activity Location B
12.15 - 1.45 Lunch Peppers Magnetic Island
12.30 - 1.15 Keynote Speaker John Eckersley
2.00 - 2.40 Ferry back to Townsville
2.50 - 4.00 Port of Townsville tour

What to bring / wear:

  • Long clothes
  • Sun hat / sunglasses
  • Water
  • Good walking shoes
  • Swimmers and Towel (Optional)