Pioneers of South Australia's geological heritage

This presentation will use items from the Society's collection to illustrate how understanding of South Australia's geology began.

This presentation, by Frances Williams, Honorary Research Associate in Earth Sciences at the University of Adelaide, will use items from the Society's collection to illustrate how understanding of South Australia's geology began, with the insights of the Aboriginal people and moved onward through the acute observations of the early explorers to the great geological pioneers such as Tenison-Woods, Sir Douglas Mawson, Herbert Basedow and many others. The Tate Museum, named for the University of Adelaide's first Professor of Natural Sciences, Ralph Tate, contains a wealth of geological treasures and memorabilia illustrating the contributions made by these early pioneers.  Frances has kindly provided the text of her session.

This session has two parts; first in the Jervois room of the State Library and the second in the Tate Museum of the University of Adelaide, with a 10–15-minute walk between the two locations. For this reason, the session may extend beyond the normal finish time of 12noon.

Image courtesy of University of Adelaide