24 November 2009
Geoscience Australia's
Geological TimeWalk
© Geoscience Australia
Now you can cover 4.6 billion years of the Earth's geological history while you enjoy an easy one-kilometre walk, following the official opening of Geoscience Australia's new Geological TimeWalk by the Minister for Resources, Energy, and Tourism, The Hon Martin Ferguson, AM MP, in Canberra today.
The TimeWalk has been established as a permanent exhibition to commemorate the 200th birth year of Charles Darwin, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book, On the Origin of Species.
"The Geological TimeWalk takes visitors on a unique journey where they can explore the geological, climatic and biological events that have shaped the Earth as we know it today," Minister Ferguson said at the official opening of the new TimeWalk today.
"It provides a physical dimension to help us appreciate the length of time and the complexity of the evolution of planet Earth."
The TimeWalk highlights the vast ages of most of Australia's mineral resources, dating back to the Mesoarchean Era and the Mesoproterozoic Era, some 1 200 million years ago. It also features many of Australia's tourist icons, including The Warrumbungles in northern NSW, the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. These tourist icons are all products of the geologically recent Neogene Period, between two and half million and 23 million years ago.
20 November 2009
As part of the Australian Government's commitment to improving access to government information, Geoscience Australia has adopted a dramatically simplified licensing process for its online products.
Design by Ben Crothers of
Catch Media CC BY 2.5
"Geoscience Australia is one of only two Australian Government agencies to have taken the lead in this direction, using the Creative Common Attribution 2.5 Australia Licence, commonly known as the Creative Commons Licence," said Chief Information Officer, Stuart Girvan.
"Our agency is custodian of a vast range of valuable geological and spatial datasets that are used by the public sector and private sector industries in the exploitation of resources, management of the environment, safety of critical infrastructure and the resultant well-being of all Australians. The Creative Commons licence has created a more efficient process for them to access this valuable information," said Stuart.
Creative Commons Licences are generic, off-the-shelf licences regulating the use of scientific, educational, artistic and other forms of intellectual property. They are designed to make it easier to mark creative works with the rights - to use, share, and re-use. Creative Commons Licences are particularly useful when the creators of a work wish it to be used as a public good, but also wish to retain some control and to limit their liabilities. Creative Commons Licences were developed by an international not for profit organisation and has been adapted to the legal codes of over fifty countries, including Australia.
20 November 2009
A newly released topographic map of the ACT and its surrounding region will provide significant benefits to wide sections of the community, particularly organisations involved in emergency services such as rescue and combating bushfires.
Section of the ACT region
1:100 000 scale topograpic map.
The 1:100 000 scale map was developed by Geoscience Australia using the latest in aerial photography acquisition techniques and mapping technologies.
The Acting Chief Executive Officer of Geoscience Australia, Dr Chris Pigram, said the map contained information which will be vital to emergency services in preparing for and responding to emergency and recovery activities.
"Through the whole of government collaboration between the Commonwealth, ACT and New South Wales agencies along with emergency service organisations from the ACT and surrounding region, the map provides accurate up-to-date information for use by the whole community," Dr Pigram said.
"The information on roads, tracks, water bodies, topography and emergency shelters will be of special interest to tourists and those involved in outdoor activities," he said.
Launching the map, the ACT Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Simon Corbell MLA, said the map would go a long way towards properly equipping ACT Emergency Service personnel with appropriate information.
"It is essential our emergency services personnel have access to the latest and most detailed information possible, and this map gives a great insight into the local topography in the ACT," Mr Corbell said.
"We are just heading into this years fire season, and this map will be readily available in the case of any emergencies, both in bushfire fighting and rescue operations," he said.
Copies of the ACT Region map can be obtained from the Geoscience Australia Sales Centre.