Newsletter April – May 2025

Dear RST members,
It seems that there is always something to do in relation to the Royal Society of Tasmania. I hope that you will find ‘something to do’ in what we have on offer this year both in the north and the south of the State. It would please me very much if there was an occasion, or two, for all of our members to come to one of our lectures, dinners, or special events. The Events Committee works hard to find ‘something for everyone’ in our offerings. Please check on the updated southern Events Program 2025 which is included
in this edition.

We had a strong number of members who were able to attend the AGM in March. Our newly elected members to Council are Dr Anthony Sprent AM, Dr Victoria Jayde, Mrs Lorraine Polglase. Our retiring members of Council, Mr David Wilson and Mr John Williamson, were thanked for their wonderful
service. Both will continue to provide input and advice to the Society in their fields of expertise.
Prof Ross Large AO officially retired from the Council but has been co-opted for another 12 months to oversee key phases of the Art Committee’s work. A major milestone is the forthcoming full-colour Art Catalogue, which we expect to publish by the end of November.

This landmark volume will be the first comprehensive compilation of our historic Art Collection, serving not only as a significant historical record but also as an invaluable resource for scholars worldwide. Dr Anita Hansen, Hon Art Curator, and Marley Large have been leading the work, carefully preparing and editing the scholarly commentary that will accompany the artworks.

The result will be a stunning representation of Tasmanian history and a seminal publication for the Royal Society of Tasmania. Members will have an exclusive pre-sale opportunity to purchase the catalogue at a special discounted rate. I will keep you informed about the publication date and how to secure your copy.

I thank too our AGM speaker, the distinguished physical oceanographer, Professor Nathan Bindoff. His talk, now available on the RST website, was a deeply engaging exploration of ocean environment and the broader climate system. His talk provided a first-rate opportunity for members to reflect on and understand how the world is addressing climate change. Thank you, Nathan.

Celebrating Tasmania Reads 2025 was a great way to contribute to the UNESCO City of Literature status of Hobart. Some 75 lovers of reading gathered in the RST Rooms at TMAG to enjoy an hour with David Owen as he took us on a journey of his life as a writer and the author of 19 works of fiction and numerous non-fiction works. Readers have much to look forward to as David revealed what he has in store for Australia’s longest running police procedural series, his Pufferfish books.

I welcome our new members since February: Dr Ivan James, Dr Ian Broinowski, Ms Cecilia Broderick, Mrs Melissa Hughes, Mrs Maggie Row, Dr Barry Giles, Mr Warwick Oakman, Mr Don Rockliff, Ms Sue McKerracher, Dr George Prall, Dr Hannah Dawson, Mrs Sue Knop, Mr Peter Knop and Mrs Kathi Eland.

I will be in the north of the State for the annual Aboriginal Lecture given this year by Rob Anders on 25 May. I look forward to meeting Northern Branch members at this time, as well as, of course, hearing Rob’s address as he explores ‘How to better manage Aboriginal cultural landscapes in Tasmania’.

With best wishes,
Julie Rimes
RST President
President’s Message