Australian Capital Territory

All webinar times are given in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) or Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT). Attendees in all other States and Territories will need to adjust for time zone diffferences accordingly.

RocksExpo 2-PD Introducing Our Dynamic Planet @ Canberra

December 04, 2023 @ 9:00 AM

RocksExpo 2-PD Introducing Our Dynamic Planet:

Monday 04/12/23 – Plate tectonics and the rock cycle

  • This workshop includes a ~2-hour afternoon self-drive field trip to Red Hill. An optional stop to examine the Deakin Anticline with a 4pm finish is also available.

Tuesday 05/12/23 – Critical minerals in the energy transition

  • This workshop will include hands-on activities to look at mineral properties, presentations by Geoscience Australia (GA) geoscientists on Australia’s critical minerals, and will include access to mineral and rock samples from the GA’s National Mineral and Fossil Collection.

Workshop: Plate tectonics and the rock cycle
Date: Monday 4 December 2023
Time: 9am to 3.30/4 pm Cost: $70
Venue: Starts at the Geoscience Australia’s Education Centre (101 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Symonston, ACT), finishes at Red Hill at 3.30pm or Deakin shops at 4pm.

Workshop: Critical minerals in the energy transition Date: Tuesday 5 December 2023
Time: 9am to 3 pm Cost: $70
Venue: Geoscience Australia’s Education Centre (101 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Symonston, ACT

Download the flyer and registration form here (PDF).

Download the flyer and registration form here (WORD).

Riding the Climate Rollercoaster Webinar Series 3 T4 2024

November 06, 2024 @ 4:30 PM

Riding the Climate Rollercoaster T4 webinar series

3. Climate Change Drivers I: Tectonics, Volcanism and the Biosphere

In this episode we will look at the formation of supercontinents, like Pangaea and their break up all have had an effect on climate. Moreover, volcanoes, and a multitude of super-volcanoes (known as traps), have related millions of tonnes of CO2 into the early atmosphere and drastically changed the climate. Today we sometimes get glimpses of these events may have been like, such as the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Phillipines in the early 1990s.

EET image 1

Covers the new Version 9.0 Australian Curriculum (Earth and Space Sciences), namely, AC9S7U03, AC9S7101 (Year 7); AC9S8U03, AC9S8U05, AC98U106 (Year 8); AC9S9U03, AC9S9U06 (Year 9); AC9S10U04, AC9S10I01, AC9S10I08 (Year 10).

This webinar will take no more than 45-60 minutes of your time. Extra time for Q&A can follow as required.

All attendees will receive a certificate of attendance from the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA), as well as a pdf copy of the slide set and access to a video recording of each episode.

Riding the Climate Rollercoaster Webinar Series 4 T4 2024

November 13, 2024 @ 4:30 PM

Riding the Climate Rollercoaster T4 webinar series

4. Climate Change Drivers II: Cosmic Rays, Earth's orbit and Bolide Impacts

Did you know that the Earth's orbit around the our Sun and changes in our planet's tilt range create cycles of climate change? This episode we will delve into the Milanovitch cycles, and other extra-terrestrial factors that can affect our climate over time. The episode will include how solar flares and cosmic rays can alter our climate over short and long term, and the how the Earth repells the deadliest of these.

EET image 1

Covers the new Version 9.0 Australian Curriculum (Earth and Space Sciences), namely, AC9S7U03, AC9S7101 (Year 7); AC9S8U03, AC9S8U05, AC98U106 (Year 8); AC9S9U03, AC9S9U06 (Year 9); AC9S10U04, AC9S10I01, AC9S10I08 (Year 10).

This webinar will take no more than 45-60 minutes of your time. Extra time for Q&A can follow as required.

All attendees will receive a certificate of attendance from the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA), as well as a pdf copy of the slide set and access to a video recording of each episode.

RocksExpo 4-PD Introducing Our Dynamic Planet @ Canberra

December 09, 2024 @ 9:00 AM

RocksExpo 4-PD Introducing Our Dynamic Planet:

Monday 9 December, 9am to 12.15pm: Chemistry of the Rock Cycle, Plate Tectonics and Critical Minerals discusses why and where different minerals form, and subsequently where different rocks form due to plate tectonics. The workshop will discuss the geochemistry of the mantle and the crust, controls on mineral formation like temperature and pressure, why economic and critical minerals only form in certain geological conditions, and volcanoes and natural hazards related to Earth processes. The workshop will integrate hands-on activities to describe rocks, rock cycle examples, and explore how the properties of rocks provide resources for humans, including for First Nations Australians and for the energy transition.


Monday 9 December, 1.30 to 3.30pm: Field excursion at Red Hill provides an opportunity to learn some basic geological mapping skills including rock descriptions and measurements, discuss local ACT geology, and examine how the underlying geology influences soil, water and vegetation. The field trip will be self-drive, with participants to meet at the Red Hill summit car park at 1.30pm, and will finish at the same location at 3.30pm. An optional stop to examine the Deakin Anticline with a 4.30pm finish is also available. A field trip worksheet will be provided.

Tuesday 10 December, 9am to 12pm: How Geology influences Biology and the Big 5 Extinctions discusses Fossils, Evolution & Extinctions, including life explosions and the Big 5 Extinction events. The workshop will examine how plate tectonic/volcanic/climate/solar system-related events and processes have influenced the evolution of life and led to mass extinctions, and will chronicle life explosions and extinctions throughout the history of the Earth. The workshop will include a hands-on opportunity to view fossil, volcanic and meteorite samples.

Tuesday 10 December, 1 to 3.30pm: Our Place in Space discusses the evolution of Earth and our Solar System, compares out planet to Mars, the causes and effects of rotations, orbits, tides and meteorites, and how First Nations Australians viewed and used the night skies. The workshop will include a hands-on opportunity to view meteorite samples and touch a piece of the Moon!

The PD workshops, held in the Education Centre at Geoscience Australia (GA), will include hands-on classroom exercises, an overview of the integrated TESEP rock kit, critical minerals kit, plate tectonic poster and online resources, and an opportunity to learn more about the role of GA and Education Centre. A $10 voucher for the Blackstone Café at GA will be available to attendees in the morning PD sessions to help contribute to their lunch costs.
The field trip starts and finishes at Red Hill, with an optional extension to Deakin shops.

Download the flyer and registration form here (PDF).

Download the flyer and registration form here (WORD).