L
AST YEAR, the AG Society
supported a great many
projects, and raised funds and
awareness for a wide variety of causes.
We especially thank staff and patrons
of AG retail stores for their efforts in
support of our in-store fundraisers.
As we went to press, our 2013
fundraisers had yielded more than
$100,000 for causes such as the
rehabilitation of bushfire-affected
wildlife, and for groups working to
conserve tree kangaroos, Mary River
turtles, mahogany gliders, orange-
bellied parrots and Tasmanian devils.
In a continuing collaboration
with researchers at the University
of Queensland in Brisbane, and
University of Kent in the UK, we
supplied valuable data to researchers
studying how funds are raised in
conservation efforts. The results may
help us to improve our own efforts
for conservation in the future.
Throughout the year, we also
supported dozens of adventure,
science, conservation and community
projects, largely through grants given
to outstanding applicants. Notable
examples include an archaeological
expedition to explain ancient
African coins discovered in 1944 on
the NT’s Wessel Islands (see page
86), Professor Susan Hayes’ work in
Indonesia to reconstruct the faces of
prehistoric humans from fossils, and
young aviator Ryan Campbell’s solo
flight around the world.That effort made him the first
teenager to circumnavigate the
world by plane, and AG Society’s
2013 Young Adventurer of the Year.
The achievements of Ryan, and our
other awardees, were detailed in
the last issue. Well done to all our
sponsorship recipients and awardees.
To give our subscribers a taste of
the AG Society’s activities, we have
included with this issue a DVD film
about our 2012 Kimberley Scientific
Expedition. This important
scientific trip will be running once
again in 2015, and with limited
places for volunteers to participate,
we encourage you to apply early.
We look forward to what the rest
of 2014 will bring, and can’t wait
to share more exciting AGS stories
through the pages of this journal.AUSTR ALIAN GEOGR APHIC SOCIETY NEWS & INITIATIVES
115
A YEAR IN R EVIEW
We refl ect on the Society’s
achievements in 2013.117
DUGONG FUNDR AISER
Help scientists better understand
mysterious dugong deaths.118
UPCOMING EXPEDITIONS
Explore far and wide on these
special trips with the AGS.January–February 2014 115Patron: Dick Smith Advisory Council: Chris Bray, Ian
Connellan, Chrissie Goldrick, John Leece, Kerry Morrow,
Greg Mortimer, Jo Runciman, Todd Tai, Howard W helan
Chairman: Gregg Haythorpe AGS Administrator: Zoe
Patterson RossAGS CHAIR MAN'S R EPORTI
N 2012 WE INVITED two young
documentary-makers and former
AGS award winners – cameraman
Clark Carter and eagle expert Simon
Cherriman – to document our
Kimberley scientific expedition.
We wanted to show you, our
dedicated supporters, just how far
your generous donations go. We’ve
been running remote expeditions for
frontline research for more than 20
years, and this particular trip helped
scientists begin to understand the
effects of cane toads on the area.
Our documentary showcases the
raw, startling beauty of the Kimberley,
but also the reality of field research- scientists doing innovative, hard
and dirty work, very far from home.
We think what they do is vital to
Australia’s conservation effort and we
hope that, after watching this fantastic
documentary, you will too.
Kimberley
highlights
See how far your assistance gets us.
Gregg Haythorpe, AG Society ChairmanLOOKING BACK OVER A GR EAT YEAR
AG Society round-up
With more than $100,000 raised for conservation,
2013 was a good year for Society-sponsored causes.Armchair traveller. Free to subscribers with
this issue; our Kimberley documentary DVD.AGS MAJOR SPONSORS