Global Geotourism Conference 2008
Discover the Earth Beneath Our Feet
Bernard Joyce 1 & Mirjam Bröhl 2
The University of Melbourne 1 , Humbold-Universität zu Berlin 2
School of Earth Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052 Australia 1
Mirjam Bröhl, Boxhagener Str. 65, D- 10245 Berlin, Germany 2
Abstract
After nearly fifty years of work by members of the Geological Society of Australia and other workers, developing a systematic approach suitable for Australia in association with the Australian Heritage
Commission, and working with overseas organisations including UNESCO, we have arrived at a more or less accurate assessment of geosites across the continent. Selected geological and geomorphological features of the Australian landscape (i.e. Geosites in the UNESCO terminology) will be demonstrated, with some emphasis on volcanic landforms, relevant to Australia’s first Geopark. How can geotourism workers best make use of this information? Geologists and geomorphologists here and overseas have noted for many years that few biologists and ecoscientists make use of or even notice geomorphology and soils, and fully understand their relationship to the ecosystems - there is a danger that Geoparks may turn into Bioparks! In a time of climate change debate, and concerns about resources, and with
2008 the International Year of Planet Earth, people around the world are becoming more conscious of nature and are starting to recognize the importance of protecting their natural heritage, including landforms, landscape and geology. This concern with protection, and the recent development of a geotourism industry, can be brought together in the concept of geoparks. Starting in Europe and now spreading around the globe, geoparks supported by UNESCO are rapidly being established, and
Australia’s first geopark, the Kanawinka Global Geopark of southeastern Australia , was accredited by
UNESCO in June 2008. We conclude by showing what can be possible when the tourism industry and heritage workers together and look for new ways to attract more people to visit such parks, as is happening in Germany, where public education is bringing a better understanding of nature and especially earth sciences.
Keywords:
Geological Society of Australia, Geosites, Geoparks, Kanawinka, Australia, volcanic landforms,
Germany, education.
Geosites of Australia
Geological heritage in Australia includes fossil localities, stratigraphic exposures and mineral sites, but also landforms and landscapes such as those in our volcanic, coastal and desert regions. Australia has a coastline of around 32,000 km, with varying rock types and structure, coastal types and climate.
Special and representative coastal sites form a significant part of the Australian inventory. Major terrains include inland deserts (Simpson Desert dunefield), northern tropical savannah (Kakadu World
Heritage Region), glacial and periglacial uplands in the south (Tasmania), broad inland riverine plains
(Murray Basin), and the young volcanic province of southeastern Australia. There are also karst and cave sites (the Nullarbor Plain), and many palaeoweathering landforms in central Australia, as well as representative stratigraphic sites, rock and mineral sites, and structural and tectonic sites. Viewpoints are also included, and sites related to the history of geology (e.g. Charles Darwin and the Blue
Mountains of NSW). Important fossil sites range from the Proterozoic stromatolites of the Pilbara of northwestern Australia to the World Heritage Tertiary mammal fossils of Riversleigh and Naracoorte
(Joyce 1999).
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Global Geotourism Conference 2008
Discover the Earth Beneath Our Feet
Work of the Geological Society of Australia
Nearly fifty years of work by members of the Geological Society of Australia (GSA) has provided a more or less accurate assessment of geosites across the continent (Cochrane & Joyce 1986, Joyce
1995). The Geological Society of Australia has been the main body concerned with geological heritage in the past, and some thirty reports have been prepared, covering most parts of Australia. Many of the sites described by the GSA are listed on the Register of the National Estate set up by the Australian
Heritage Commission (AHC).
The GSA has worked for many years with the AHC, and also with other groups including the national government’s geological survey, Geoscience Australia, state government geological surveys and departments of environment and conservation, and the Australian government’s World Heritage section. In Tasmania more recently the Department of Primary Industries and Water has set-up a separate Tasmanian Geoconservation Database.
Providing information for geotourism in Australia
The Register of the National Estate, established by the Australian Heritage Commission in Canberra in
1976, is the main publicly accessible database of geological heritage sites. Through its geological heritage subcommittees in its Divisions in each state and territory, the Geological Society of Australia has contributed sites to the Register, and was recognised by the Australian Heritage Commission as an expert nominator. Although now no longer being added to, the Register remains the main source of public information on heritage. The 30 or so reports of the GSA subcommittees, and their related electronic and paper databases, provide further and more up-to-date information on geological heritage, and can help identify areas with geotourism potential.
Recent guidebooks sponsored by Geological Society of Australia on scenery in National Parks in southern Queensland are part of a series prepared and published by the Queensland Division of the
Geological Society of Australia. For the recently declared World Heritage area of the Blue Mountains in NSW, a 34 page A4 colour booklet has been prepared by the NSW Department of Mineral
Resources, in conjunction with the Geological Society of Australia, NSW National Parks and Wildlife
Service, and the University of Sydney.
The major icons of central Australia, Uluru and Kata Tjuta, listed as World Heritage in 1987, have a detailed geological account as the first in a number of publications by the Australian Geological
Survey Organisation (now Geoscience Australia). This series includes the relatively newly recognised
Bungle Bungle Range, in the East Kimberley of Western Australia, only proclaimed as the Purnululu
National Park in 1987. With the Geological Society of Australia as a sponsor, a guide for the World
Heritage area of Kakadu and Nitmiluk National Parks, in the Northern Territory of Australia, was published in 2000, and covers rocks, landforms, plants, and animals, the Aboriginal culture of the region, and the effects of human impact.
Where we are now: finding and using the data sets
A full set of the GSA’s grant-supported reports is in the library of the (former) AHC in Canberra.
Recently these volumes have been reviewed and summarised for the AHC by Yeates (2001a & b).
Copies of GSA reports have also often have gone to state government departments, and sometimes local government bodies.
In Victoria, copies of some studies were printed by and offered for sale by the Geological Survey of
Victoria. Details of sites have been included in a Geological Survey of Victoria database. In South
Australia, details of sites were included in a Geological Survey of South Australia and South
Australian Museum database. Recently a set of CDs of all the South Australian GSA heritage reports
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Global Geotourism Conference 2008
Discover the Earth Beneath Our Feet was made available. However, geological heritage publications on Australia, particularly of some
GSA Divisions (i.e. State Branches) can be difficult to locate.
For geotourism workers to access the various data sets of the GSA and other organisations, they need to know what is available, and how it can be found. To help with this, a web site is being set up which will explain and list the datasets available, and how they may be accessed: Geosites of Australia
(http://vic.gsa.org.au/geosites.htm). These data sets will also be linked to and from a Geotourism in
Australia web site (http://vic.gsa.org.au/geotourism.htm).
The Kanawinka Geopark of SE Australia as an example
Landforms due to volcanism have been constructed during all phase of the earth’s history, and subjected through time to erosional processes which have modified the original landforms (Joyce in press for 2009).
Volcanic landforms are particularly relevant to Australia’s first geopark. The Kanawinka Global
Geopark is part of the Newer Volcanic Province of SE Australia. The young volcanic areas of the
Western Plains of Victoria and adjacent South Australia have more than one hundred small scoria cones, maars and lava shields, built up by Strombolian/Hawaiian eruptions over the past 5 million years. Fluid basalt flows have spread laterally around vents, and often for many tens of kilometres down river valleys (Figure 1). These plains are a part of a larger region known as the Newer Volcanic
Province of SE Australia, which includes a contrasting Uplands volcanic region to the immediate north of the plains, in Central Victoria.
Figure 1: The new roadside interpretive sign above the Byaduk valley lava flow of late Quaternary age, with Mt Napier lava shield and scoria cones on the skyline, in the new Kanawinka Global
Geopark in Victoria, SE Australia.
The geology of the geopark, which stretches from near Colac in Western Victoria, to Mt Gambier and beyond in South Australia, is based on scientific study going back over 150 years, and the area is one of the best studied of the world's young basaltic lava fields. Equally important to the success of the application have been the studies of local history, plants and animals, and indigenous features, as well as cultural aspects including art and architecture (Joyce 2007).
Significant geological features and sites have been documented over many years (Joyce 2006a), including the internationally significant lava caves. The indigenous heritage of the area includes a complex of Aboriginal fish and eel traps and the remains of stone houses in the stony rise flow landscapes of the Mount Eccles volcano. Historic “bluestone” (basalt) houses, bridges, churches, other town buildings and many striking stonewalls record European post-contact settlement. These
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Discover the Earth Beneath Our Feet cultural features, supported by a detailed geological and geomorphological story, help make the area an ideal candidate for nomination as a geopark (Joyce 2006b).
After four years of work by local people, UNESCO approved the proposed Kanawinka Global
Geopark in Western Victoria and SE South Australia on Monday the 23rd June 2008 at a meeting in
Germany. It is Australia's first geopark, and one of only a few in the Southern Hemisphere. The proposed network of Australian Geoparks will have a significant role to play in Australian geotourism.
Protecting our natural heritage, including landforms, landscape and geology
Australia has unusual and extensive natural landscapes which offer much to geotourists, whether local or from other countries. Tourism of geological and geomorphological sites can be used to harness the public’s growing interest in environment and ecology, and educate them in the story behind the landscape. And at the same time geotourism can provide tourists with a better understanding of the whole environment, and by using links between geological and cultural heritage, better explain the place of humans in the landscape.
With geotourism increasing in Australia, geoparks provide a way to integrate geological heritage with botanical and zoological heritage, and cultural features such as local history, archaeology, art and music.
Geologists and geomorphologists here and overseas have noted for many years that few biologists and ecoscientist make use of or even notice geomorphology and soils, and fully understand their relationship to the ecosystems - there is a danger that Geoparks may turn into Bioparks!
In a time of climate change debate, and concerns about resources, and with 2008 the International
Year of Planet Earth, people around the world are becoming more conscious of nature and are starting to recognize the importance of protecting their natural heritage, including landforms, landscape and geology.
Some examples from Germany
In Germany public education is bringing a better understanding of nature, and especially of the earth sciences. The tourism industry is working with heritage workers and looking for new ways to attract more people to visit geoparks. Why is public education so important and how can it be used by the tourism industry to attract more people to visit geoparks?
More and more people are becoming aware of the damage we have done to the earth. We live in a world of global change and no matter where we live we are all involved. Overexploitation and pollution is resulting. Most of the public do not know how to handle this change or do not even react to it, because basic education is missing. Therefore it is important to show the public how close geosciences are connected to society (McKeever & Zouros 2005) . The whole of human development is linked to the resources our ancestors experienced from the Stone Age until today, and there is no better place to show that than in geoparks.
Geoparks provide the perfect didactic tool. We might start by showing the visitor that the limestone they can see and touch is one of the basic ingredients of the toothpaste they use everyday, and that the basalt of their garden path made its way to the surface from deep within the earth. It is important to show the features in such a way that anyone, whether educated or not, can understand. It is of no use to present a geosite as it would be described in the scientific literature. We have to find a way to bring back to people an understanding of the important processes that control our planet.
The society we live in is strongly driven by new technologies, and not only children but also grownups are addicted to our computerized world. Instead of denouncing that, we should make use of the
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Discover the Earth Beneath Our Feet wide field of opportunities we are given by these new technologies. Not only in museums but also in the open air we need a technological revolution in the geosciences. This might be the only way to attract the public to nature.
As the German “Geopark Harz-Braunschweiger-Land-Ostfalen” (http://www.geoparkbraunschweiger-land.de/) demonstrates, it is of enormous importance to keep up the Internet presence up-to-date. A geotourist starts his journey at home, and research has shown at least one half of the tourists prefer looking up their journey in the Internet instead of a book. And the other half only prefers the book because the technological advance has not reached them yet, although it is only a question of time until new technologies like GPS or pocket computers have reached every household.
The Geopark Harz-Braunschweiger Land-Ostfalen provides on its homepage the opportunity to make use of a GPS-Infosysten (http://koenigslutter.i-ventions.de/) which has been created by the company monavista | GmbH & Co. KG. (Figure 2).
Figure 2: GPS Infosystem on the Homepage of the Geopark Harz Braunschweiger Land Ostfalen
(http://koenigslutter.i-ventions.de/)
With this system the user can look up all the tour trips on a map, get interesting information about the sights and choose his own tour. When the user has done all this, he can download the tour on his PDA to take it with him on the journey. The Geoinfomatic Industry has made large advances over the last few years, and this is exactly where the future of geotourism is based. Beside the existing GPS-
Infosystems and the technique of geocaching, the future lies in a mobile Geotourist-Information system for geoparks. The Geographic Institut of the University of Heidelberg together with European
Media Laboratory (EML) and many other international companies have already created a system that is based on these concepts, called “Deep Map”. The developers describe it as follows: “Deep Map is a research framework that aims at building the prototype of an intelligent next generation spatial information system. Deep Map realizes the vision of a future tourist guidance system that works as a mobile guide and as a web-based planning tool...In the long run, Deep Map will be a mobile system able to generate personal guided walks for tourists through the city of Heidelberg and to aid tourists in navigating through the city. Such a tour shall consider personal interests and needs, social and cultural backgrounds (age, education, gender) as well as other circumstances (from season, weather, traffic conditions to time and financial resources). Even though Deep Map is a long term research project, the current prototype already provides a good impression of the tourist guide for the future.”
(http://www.smartkom.org/Vortraege/EML/Challenging_IT_Research.pdf).
To promote future education in geoparks there should be a system based on the concept of Deep Map.
A digital terrain model of the geopark has to be created. The idea is to have a mobile system which can give all the information on the geopark that is needed for the understanding of the geological processes. The user should be able to look at the digital map and compare it to what he sees.
Connected to that is an information database. If, for example, the user looked at a geological formation a non-geoscientist would probably not be aware of what he sees, so he asks his mobile system. This would first show the recent map, then the user would have the choice to look at a 3D topographical
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Discover the Earth Beneath Our Feet map, geological map and so on. Then the user could ask for a sequence that would show a short animation demonstrating the area’s earth history, for example with tectonic processes, or it could show different flora and fauna but animated in the same area, like the Museum für Naturkunde der
Humboldt Universität in Berlin presents their dinosaurs.
The system would be able to use an animation to cut the mountain the user sees in front of him in half and show the geological layers, or demonstrate how it had been formed by a volcanic eruption. The field of information is wide spread and has to be designed for each geopark separately. The system would provide a text or audio guide and it would also be able to lead the user along nature trails or by geocaching. A user that travels by car or a user that travels by foot needs different information. It could tell the user where the next restaurant or the next camping place is located. This same system would be compatible with the Internet so the user could plan his journey at home before leaving. Also there should be the possibility of downloading information on a PDA, as the example of the GPS-
Information System of the Geopark Harz-Braunschweiger Land-Ostfalen shows, or an audioguide using a podcast. These are all possibilities to bring education to the public in a way which would combine the new technologised world with Nature.
And all those who do not want to do this would still be able to use a guidebook made out of paper!
References
Cochrane, R.M. and Joyce, E.B., (1986). Geological Features of National and International
Significance in Australia. A report prepared for the Australian Heritage Commission, May, 1986.
Federal Committee for Geological Monuments, Geological Society of Australia Inc.
Joyce, E. B. (1995). Assessing the Significance of Geological Heritage: A methodology study for the
Australian Heritage Commission. A report prepared for the Australian Heritage Commission by the
Standing Committee for Geological Heritage of the Geological Society of Australia Inc.19pp.
(http://web.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/Joyce/heritage/heritage.html)
Joyce, Bernie. (1999). Different thinking: The oldest continent. Earth Heritage 12: pp.11-13.
Joyce, E. B., (2006a). Geological heritage of Australia: selecting the best for Geosites and World
Heritage, and telling the story for geotourism and Geoparks, AESC 2006 Extended Abstract, 3pp.
Joyce, E. B. (2006b). Foreword, Kanawinka Geopark, Application to UNESCO for Global Geopark
Status, Volume 2, The Application, pp.3-4.
Joyce, Bernie. (2007). Geotourism, Geosites and Geoparks: working together in Australia, The
Australian Geologist, September 2007, pp. 26-29.
Joyce, Bernie. In press for 2009. Geomorphosites and Volcanism, Thematic Chapter for IAG Working
Group book on Geomorphosites, International Association of Geomorphologists.
McKeever , Patrick J. and Zouros , Nickolas, (2005). Geoparks: Celebrating Earth heritage, sustaining local communities, December 2005, Episodes vol 28 , No. 4:274
Yeates, A. N. (2001a). An assessment of progress made towards the nomination of Australian geological sites having National or International significance. Volume 1: rocks and landforms. Report for the Australian Heritage Commission, 341pp.
Yeates, A. N. (2001b). An assessment of progress made towards the nomination of Australian geological sites having National or International significance. Volume 2: fossils. Report for the
Australian Heritage Commission, 182pp.
Web sites
Geosites of Australia - data sets of the GSA and other organisations – a web site:
(http://vic.gsa.org.au/geosites.htm).
Geotourism in Australia – a web site (http://vic.gsa.org.au/geotourism.htm).
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