Outdoors Queensland Symposium 2018

Friday, September 14 
Joseph Banks Ballroom 
Rydges Esplanade Hotel

Program (or download Cairns Program here)

(click links below for more info on individual presentations and presenters)

08:25 | Dom Courtney, QORF
Welcome/Housekeeping

08:30 | Gudjugudju
Welcome to Country

08:45 | Michael Healy, MP
Address

09:00 | MC
Theme, purpose & process

09:15 | Prof. Marcia Langton
Keynote

10:15 | Morning Tea

10:30 | Liz Horne
National Training Package 

11:15 | Ben Gall, Australian Heritage Specialists
Cultural Stewardship

12:00 | Phil Reeves, QFSR Skills Alliance
The skills and training landscape of the OR sector

12:30 | Lunch

13:15 | Madoc Sheehan
Developing Hervey’s Boulders

14:00 | John Rainbird

14:45 | Afternoon Tea

15:20 | Marie Taylor, Reef Magic Education
Reef Education to Sea Country connections: Innovation of co- learning for a sustainable future 

16:00 | Russell Boswell, Savannah Guides
How can Tour Guides be Protectors and Interpreters of their natural and cultural landscapes? 

16:45 | MC Close

Draft 1 of the Outdoor Recreation National Training Package

In February 2017 the Australian Industry and Skills Council (AISC) approved SkillsIQ, under the direction of the Sport, Fitness and Recreation Industry Reference Committee (IRC), to undertake a thorough review of all nationally recognised outdoor recreation training package products included in the SIS10 Sport, Fitness and Recreation Training Package.

The session has been designed to provide an overview of Draft 1 Outdoor Recreation Training package product that is currently open for national consultation. Liz will walk you through a brief history and overview of the main changes proposed in Draft 1.

SkillsIQ is a not-for-profit Skills Service Organisation (SSO) supporting industry in developing standards to equip the people-facing workforce with the right skills for jobs now and into the future. SkillsIQ is funded by the Department of Education and Training to support the Industry Reference Committees (IRCs) responsible for the development and maintenance of training packages.

Liz Horne
Skills IQ

Liz Horne is Skills Engagement Specialist for SkillsIQ.  Liz has worked full time in the outdoors community for 30 years. Liz brings her experience in working across the subsectors of outdoor recreation, education, residential camping and community recreation to enhance the Outdoor Recreation Update. 

Cultural Stewardship

Australian Heritage Specialists (AHS) are an expert team of heritage consultants with a track record of providing practical, strategic and cost-effective advice throughout Australia and New Zealand.  Our principal consultants are among Australia’s most experienced and respected cultural heritage specialists.  AHS services are as diverse as our clients, ranging in scale and complexity from preliminary advice through to complete ‘end to end’ assessment and management of heritage matters. Our specialties include heritage advice and assessments, heritage architecture, archaeology, Aboriginal heritage, cultural awareness training and interpretation.

Ben Gall
Australian Heritage Specialists

Ben has substantial experience delivering strategic outcomes for a wide variety of cultural heritage places across Australasia. As director of one of the country’s largest heritage firms previously, Ben has substantial experience running multi-disciplined teams of professionals including heritage architects, historians, planners, engineers and archaeologists.

Ben is highly regarded in the industry for his ability to achieve quality outcomes in difficult environments and projects, at all levels and has participated in a large number of regional studies and master plans, including adaptive re-use of heritage buildings and local heritage studies, overseeing the listing of more than 1500 local heritage places in Queensland since 2006.

Ben is recognised by his clients and peers as a leader in the delivery of strategic and practical solutions for a wide variety of heritage and cultural places across Australasia, including a significant number of landscape, archaeological and built heritage places.

Ben is a full member of the Australian ICOMOS, Association of Preservation Technology (Australian Chapter) and the Queensland National Trust. He has also held positions on the panel of heritage consultants to the Commonwealth Department of Defence, Queensland Transport, Energex, Local Buy Panel for local government for planning, design and heritage consultancy.

Mapping and guidebook development as a way to demonstrate and encourage stewardship in climbing.

Madoc Sheehan works with other climbers to develop and document bouldering at Harvey’s Marbles.

Madoc Sheehan 

Madoc Sheehan works as a chemical engineering lecturer at James Cook University in Townsville. He’s been an avid climber, biker and bushwalker for more than 30 years and has enjoyed these activities in locations across the world. He has a love of adventure and is enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge of the outdoors with others. In an effort to encourage others to enjoy and appreciate the intrinsic value of the natural world, he has developed and published maps, guides, and articles documenting his exploits.

The skills and training landscape of the OR sector

Skills Alliance will present the findings of recent research into the future skills and training needs of the fitness, sport, recreation and racing industry, with a particular focus on the outdoor recreation.  Presentation will also include an update on the future direction of Skills Alliance and what we can do to support the outdoor recreation sector workforce, including volunteers.

The Queensland Fitness, Sport and Recreation (QFSR) Skills Alliance is a not-for profit industry workforce development peak body that leads and influences workforce development and innovation in Queensland’s fitness, sport and recreation industry.  Our vision is that industry operates at maximum effectiveness, through a workforce that is skilled to meet the needs of the industry.  We work closely with industry on skills, training and workforce development issues and provide resources and advice to industry to support their operational needs.

Phil Reeves
QFSR Skills Alliance

John Rainbird

Reef Education to Sea Country connections: Innovation of co- learning for a sustainable future.

Reef Magic Education specialise in place-based learning on the Great Barrier Reef; connecting people, sea country and learning.  Projects allow for students, their teachers, pre-service teachers, academics, science undergraduates, marine biologists, researchers and sea country rangers to work together, allowing for participatory action and the sharing of stories.

Engaging youth and particularly indigenous youth is the objective of using the Great Barrier Reef as an immersive education experience, showcasing the natural and cultural assets as a key aspect of an innovate tourism strategy, sharing local education, training and career pathways.

Reef education is run by marine biologists, providing transport, food and drink with stinger suits, wetsuits and snorkelling gear. All citizen science resources are included.

Off shore reef education can be logistically difficult and challenging, however, partnerships between tourism, universities, Traditional Owners and local stakeholders promoting the importance of productive education relationships has allowed for the innovation of co-learning on the Great Barrier Reef.

Concern about the effects of climate change, the loss of Indigenous values and connections to the Great Barrier Reef and the recent mass bleaching events in 2016 and 2017, has presented the question of how we can best contribute to the custodianship of the Great Barrier Reef, promoting inclusive and sustainable communities.

The reef education programs highlight the social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits of the reef landscape, encouraging students and teachers to look at the larger entity of the reef as an extension of their community.

Marie Taylor
Reef Education Manager
Reef Magic Cruises
reefed@reefmagiccruises.com

Marie Taylor is a Marine Biologist with a Masters of Education for Sustainability. Marie has 18 years’ experience working on the Great Barrier Reef from Lady Elliot Island in the south to Lizard Island in the north. Currently Marie is working as the Reef Education Manager at Reef Magic Cruises.

Marie specialises in facilitating partnerships with local reef stakeholders, government and the education sector to promote “place based learning” pedagogy. The reef education programs present opportunities for students and teachers to connect to the reef, focusing on the local community as a primary resource for learnings. Marie has partnered with James Cook University and the Gunggandji, Djunbunji and Yirrganydji Land and Sea Country Ranger groups in presenting Indigenous Sea Country education to local and international students.

How can Tour Guides be Protectors and Interpreters of their natural and cultural landscapes?

Russell Boswell
Savannah Guides

Russell Boswell is the Manager of Savannah Guides and a regional tourism development and marketing professional. He has delivered various regional ecotourism initiatives in Australia, The Pacific and China, created and delivered varied soft adventure and interpretive products, and run the Ecotourism Program at TNQ TAFE College. Russell is also the Manager of Savannah Way Limited, promoting the drive route from Cairns to Broome.

Savannah Guides is a not-for-profit organisation delivering professional development for Tour Guides across northern Australia, including training, field schools and accreditation. Savannah Guides also operates the national EcoGuide program and the Wet Tropics Tour Guide Program and has links to Ulovane Environmental Training in South Africa.