ISSN 1329-7759 RSWA Proceedings June 2011 ATTENTION LIBRARIANS: This publication should be catalogued under "Proceedings of the Royal Society of Western Australia" ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7:00pm, Monday 20th June 2011 Royal Society of Western Australia Ordinary Meeting

Kings Park Administration Building Off Fraser Ave., Kings Park

Isn’t Chemistry Wonderful?

Emeritus Professor Ian M. Ritchie Murdoch University

Over the years, we have seen an ever-increasing theoretical content in the T.E.E. Chemistry Syllabus. But chemistry is, above all, a practical subject which determines so much of what we can and can’t do.

Bring the family to enjoy this light-hearted talk, (with chemistry magic demonstrations!), where Professor Ritchie touches on many facets of how chemistry has affected our lives, ranging over such varied topics as food preservation, corrosion, pearls, mollusc predators, the hardness of water, pacemakers, stalactites, marble formation, lime manufacture, cement and the menace of increasing carbon dioxide in the air. Ian Ritchie graduated from Cambridge University, and obtained his PhD at Melbourne University, subsequently lecturing there and also at the University of Western Australia and Murdoch University, where he held the Chair of Chemistry between 1984 and 2002. Ian has made many novel discoveries in chemistry spanning an unusually wide range of research areas. Seen as THE international figure in hydrometallurgy – Ian has received two international awards for his work. Ian initiated and developed the Cooperative Research Centre in hydrometallurgy - the AJ Parker Centre. Even in retirement Ian continues to share the joy of chemistry with adults and school children alike Royal Society of Western Australia Disclaimer. -The Society works to maintain up-to-date information from reliable sources; however, no liability is accepted for any errors or omissions or the results of any actions based upon this information. Links to other websites - the RSWA does not necessarily endorse the views expressed on these websites, nor does it guarantee the accuracy or of any information presented there. It should also be noted that other sites linked from the Proceedings may use cookies that track visitors. Safety - safety is an important concern in all indoor and outdoor activities. When attending an RSWA function or excursion, the RSWA cannot anticipate the limitations of every participant or alert you to every hazard. As such, you are required to assume responsibility for own safety at all times.

Members, guests and visitors welcome http://www.ecu.edu.au/pa/rswa

This issue of the RSWA Proceedings was edited by Margaret Brocx <rswa@iinet.net.au>

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The Kimberley Marine and Coastal Science One Day Symposium, jointly facilitated by RSWA and WAMSI

Held on the 20th May 2011 at the Western Australian Maritime Museum Fremantle, over 220 participants including Royal Society Members, WAMSI staff and affiliates, representatives from Government and non-government bodies, researchers from across Australia, and Traditional Landowners attended this landmark one day Symposium.

Assembled under the directorship of a Steering Committee composed of WAMSI, a RSWA Council sub-committee, WA’s Department of Environment & Conservation, the CSIRO, Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), and the Kimberley Land Council, this timely Symposium encompassed physical aspects of the Kimberley Marine and Coastal environment, and biological components.

This Symposium and the Proceedings, published as the RSWA June Volume, bring to fruition nearly two years of planning, manuscript submission, peer-review, and the subsequent publication. From the outset, the Steering Committee decided to have the Special Issue published and available for distribution at the one-day Symposium, and this was achieved.

Such an ambitious endeavour is not normally attempted. This landmark Special Issue covers many aspects of Kimberley coastal and marine science, from the wholly abiotic to the complex ecological, and presents new and summary aspects of the science of the Kimberley coastal and marine environment into a single compendium, a first for the region. 4

Although the Kimberley coastal and marine region is a globally unique environment and thought to be in the last four per cent of undisturbed tropical marine ecosystems left on Earth, it would be true to say that the Kimberley region has not historically had the same focus of research funding and coordination as other marine regions in Australia, highlighting the importance of summarising what we currently know.

The objective of the Symposium therefore, was to bring together the latest research, and reviews of work carried out to date on the Kimberley marine and coastal environment into a single symposium and publish a seminal RSWA Special Issue Volume to provide Western Australian, national and global scientists with the available information in the public domain.

In view of the Aboriginal custodianship and traditional knowledge of the Kimberley region, representatives of Traditional Owners of the Kimberley Saltwater Country (the Kimberley rocky coast) and the Dampier Peninsula were consulted and involved in the planning and presentations at the Symposium and the Special Issue. In recognition and respect of the Aboriginal custodianship, the Symposium commenced with a Noongar Welcome to Country, and ended with Bibido McCarthy (a regional Bardi Jawi ranger) describing the monitoring and management of the coastal and marine environment under the auspices of the Aboriginal Traditional Owners.

The Symposium presentations were broadly organised into a sequence reflecting abiotic versus biological aspects of the region, with biological components arranged from the lower to the higher trophic levels. Presentations ranged from the global significance of the geological features of the Kimberley, to sedimentation, coral reefs, coastal vegetation and mangroves, plankton, invertebrate fauna, whales, fish, crocodiles, sharks, turtles and fisheries, covering nearly every aspect of the Kimberley environment, with reference lists that will enable readers to further research these fascinating natural history facets of the region.

At the end of the Presentations, following Steve Blake (CEO, WAMSI), Vic Semeniuk, on behalf of the RSWA, rounded off the day with thanks to WAMSI and the Steering Committee, the Major sponsors (AIMS, CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship, VCSRG and Woodside Energy), the Traditional Owners, the RSWA Editors, the authors, the reviewers, the Speakers, and the audience, who had all contributed to the success of the event.

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Snapshots from the Kimberley Symposium

Ari Gorring –Kimberley Land Council. Land and Sea Manager, Representing the Kimberley

Traditional Owners

Ian Cresswell – CSIRO Wealth from Oceans Flagship

Alec Coles – CEO WA Museum Lindsay Collins - Curtin University

An engaged Kimberley Symposium audience

From Left to Right, Vic Semeniuk, Senior Vice President, Hon Editor Kathy Meney, and Margaret Brocx, RSWA; Linda McGowan and Steve Blake WAMSI

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Journal of the Royal Societyof Western Australia

EDITOR’S REPORT May 2011 K Meney Email address: < rswa_ed@iinet.net.au> Manuscripts Accepted:

Influence of habitat characteristics on the distribution of the Australian water rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) in the greater Perth region, Western Australia: C Smart, P C Speldewinde & H Mills Eradication of feral cats on Rottnest Island, Western Australia: D Algar, G J Angus & M L Onus

The Royal Society of WA Library is held at the WA Museum, 49 Kew St Welshpool

Email: RSWA@museum.wa.gov.au Phone: 9212 3771

Facsimile: 9212 3882 View the Joint RSWA WAM Online catalogue http://library-srv.museum.wa.gov.au/menu.htm _____________________________________ Cambridge University Press is pleased to offer a one month 20% special discount to RSWA members. Each month Cambridge University Press will present a selection of their most popular and current books at a special price. See flyer encl.

This Calendar will be updated each month in order to provide RSWA members and guests with up-coming events which will include ordinary monthly meetings, and special events such as Public Forums, Symposia, and excursions. Watch this space!

Date Time Venue Event

June 20th 7 pm Kings Park Emeritus Professor Ian Ritchie, IYC 2011 Event Isn’t Chemistry Wonderful?

July 18th 7 pm TBA RSWA AGM and Medal presentation August 14-22nd TBA TBA Science Week Events National Science Week

International Year of Chemistry 2011 September TBA ECU RSWA Post-graduate Symposium October TBA TBA Blackwood Estuary Symposium November 21st TBA TBA Dr Michael Borowitzka December TBA WA Conservation

Science Centre (DEC). RSWA Christmas function

RSWA Events Calendar 2011

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