16th Annual
V.M. Goldschmidt Conference 2006

27 August - 1 September 2006
Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, Melbourne , Australia

Fields Trips

Australia is well known to geoscientists for its diversity of geological sites that have figured in international literature. Some of these (listed below) are featured in the field trip program we have put together to compliment the Goldschmidt meeting in Melbourne.

  • The Great Barrier Reef: A record of Holocene environmental change.
  • Mt Isa: Precambrian tectono-magmatic evolution of the Mount Isa Inlier: insights into the metallogenic and geodynamic significance of potassic 'A-type' magmas.
  • Proterozoic mineralisation and metamorphism at Broken Hill.
  • The Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand: Geochemistry in volcanic systems.
  • Looking below Lachlan Batholiths: Partial melting and intrusive mechanisms in Mid Palaeozoic batholiths, southern NSW.
  • The Pilbara Region of Western Australia: Early Archaean environments and evidence for early life.
  • A geological tour of Western Victoria. :The Neogene to Recent within plate basalt and mantle xenolith province of eastern Australia and particularly western Victoria


Accordingly we have assembled a potential program of field tours that will visit many of these highlighted localities. There will be pre- and post-conference programs, and in many cases it will be possible to coordinate your arrival or departure travel to facilitate your rendezvous with your chosen tour. We have initially offered a considerable number of tours and urge interested participants to contact us as soon as possible as we will only be able to run those tours we know to be well patronised

The following field trips have been organised by key members of the geological society for the 16th Annual Goldschmidt Conference 2006.

IMPORTANT Please note: All field trips are subject to a minimum number of participants being reached. Trips will not be confirmed until 15 June 2006 (subject to bookings received until that date) and therefore we urge you to book and pay for your field trip participation as soon as possible. If you should book on a trip that is not run due to insufficient numbers (notified on 16 June 2006), you will be refunded the field trip fee. Please be aware when making your flight arrangements to/from the tour starting point that confirmation of the tour proceeding will not be known until 15 June 2006.

Pre-Conference field trips include:

For a detailed summary of each field trip please click on the trip title. Please note airfares are not included in the cost of field trips.

Dates: 19 – 25 August 2006
Trip begins:19/08/06 in Mt Isa, QLD Australia
Trip Concludes:25/08/06 in Mt Isa, QLD Australia

Minimum Number:to be notified
Maximum Number: to be notified

Cost (per person): to be notified
Includes:to be notified

Enquiries to:Dr Geordie Mark: Geordie.Mark@jcu.edu.au
Bookings: to be notified

Dates: 23 – 27 August 2006
Trip begins in: 23/08/06 in Cairns, QLD Australia
Trip Concludes: 27/08/06 in Cairns, QLD Australia

Minimum Number: 30 participants
Maximum Number: To be notified

Cost (per person): Depends on accommodation choice, please see booking form below
Includes: Accommodation, activities/tours as chosen. (Airfares to/from starting point not included)

Enquiries to:Andrew Christian: andrew.christian@anu.edu.au
Malcolm McCulloch:  Malcolm.McCulloch@anu.edu.au
Bookings: Please complete the attached form and return it to the address listed on the form.

Download Goldschmidt Tour Booking Form (PDF File)

Dates: 21 - 25 August 2006
Trip Begins: 21/08/06 in Canberra, ACT Australia
Trip Concludes: 25/08/06 in Canberra, ACT Australia

Minimum Number: 10 participants
Maximum Number: 22 participants

Cost (per person): AUD800.00
Includes: Transport, meals, accommodation (airfares to/from starting point not included).

Enquiries to: Prof Bill Collins: bill.collins@jcu.edu.au
Bookings: CANCELLED

Dates: 22 – 26 August 2006
Trip begins: 22/08/06 in Auckland, New Zealand
Trip Concludes: 26/08/06 in Auckland, New Zealand

Minimum Number: 20 participants
Maximum Number: 30 participants

Cost (per person): AUD1100.00
Includes: Transport, meals, accommodation (airfares to/from starting point not included).

Enquiries to: Ian Smith: ie.smith@auckland.ac.nz
Bookings: CANCELLED

Dates: 22 – 26 August 2006
Trip begins: Melbourne, VIC Australia
Trip Concludes: Melbourne, VIC Australia

Minimum Number: to be notified
Maximum Number: to be notified

Cost (per person): AUD590.00
Includes: Transport, meals, accommodation.

Enquiries to: Dr. Jon Woodhead: jdwood@unimelb.edu.au
Bookings: On-line Registration Form

Post-Conference field trips include:

Dates: CANCELLED
Trip begins: 02/09/06 in Noumea, New Caledonia (assemble by 1700hrs)
Trip Concludes: 10/09/06 in Noumea, New Caledonia (A.M. return)

Minimum Number: 12 participants
Maximum Number: 20 participants

Cost (per person): CANCELLED
Includes: Transport, petrol, national park entry, camping fees, accommodation in Noumea. (Airfares to/from tour starting point and food not included)

Enquiries to: Katy Evans: u4252639@anu.edu.au
Bookings: CANCELLED

Dates: 2 - 6 September 2006
Trip begins: 02/09/06 in Melbourne, VIC Australia
Trip Concludes: 06/09/06 in Melbourne, VIC Australia
Minimum Number: To be notified
Maximum Number: To be notified

Cost (per person): AUD1400.00
Includes: All inclusive accommodation, meals, transport including chartered flights to/from Broken Hill. (DC3 Charter flight operated by AirNostalgia DC3 (see www.airnostalgia.com.au)
Enquiries to: Ian Plimer: ian.plimer@adelaide.edu.au
Bookings: Via the Conference On-line Registration Form

Dates: 02 – 09 September 2006
Trip begins: 02/09/06 from Perth Domestic Airport on a flight to Port Hedland at 15:10.
Trip Concludes: 09/09/06 at Perth Domestic Airport arriving from Karratha at 18:35.

Minimum Number: To be notified
Maximum Number: To be notified

Cost (per person): AUD1500.00 (to be confirmed)
Includes: transport, meals, accommodation, return flights from Perth to Pilbarra

Additional Information:
1. Participants will need to make their own way from Melbourne to Perth to arrive on either the night of 1 September 2006 or the morning of 2 September 2006. Delegates are responsible for the organisation and cost of their own flights from Melbourne to Perth.
2. Participants should let Prof Van Krankendonk know if they require accommodation in Perth for the night of 9 September 2006 and field trip organisers can endeavour to arrange a group booking at cheaper rate, but his will be in addition to the fieldtrip cost.

Enquiries to: Dr. Martin Van Krankendonk:  martin.vankranendonk@doir.wa.gov.au
Bookings: On-line Registration Form

The final costs for each field trip will be available in April through this website. Check this website regularly for updates.

Field Trip summaries