The Australian Geoscience Council (AGC), which is the Peak Council of geoscientists in Australia representing eight major Australian geoscientific societies with a total membership of over 8,000 individuals, is currently consulting with state/territory government agencies with the aim of developing a national strategy predicated on consideration of a number of broad topics which include identifying mechanisms for collaboration with providers of other areas of natural (bioregion) and cultural heritage content, inclusive of mining heritage. Through the auspices particularly of the Heritage Committee of the AusIMM (an AGC member), it has been recognised that much of Australia’s rich mining heritage, including many outstanding mineral collections, has not been adequately integrated into tourism product development. Presentation to the Annual Conference of the Australasian Mining History Association, Atherton, Queensland, 9th July 2019.

1. ' Geotourism, Mineral and Mining Heritage’
AMHA Conference, 9th July, 2019
Angus M Robinson FAusIMM (CP), Coordinator
National Geotourism Strategy, Australian Geoscience Council
Herberton Mining Centre and Walking Trails

2. ‘Modern Day Explorers’ – 1978
An Early Geotourism Awakening!
Whilst working in the tourism
industry, I wrote a feature
article in a tourism publication
entitled ‘modern day explorers’
and described the ‘natural
heritage’ of the mining area of
Chillagoe, FarNQ based on my
observations as an exploration
geologist in the early 1970s.

3. Today’s Agenda
 Natural Heritage, Ecotourism, & Geotourism.
 National Geotourism Strategy.
 Geosites, Mining Heritage Sites & Geotrails.
 Etheridge Scenic Georegion & Mineral/Mining
Heritage.
 Public Mining & Mineral/Fossil Collections
and Tourist Mine Sites.
 Melding Geotourism, Mineral & Mining Heritage.
 Take Aways – all about collaboration.

4. Understanding
Natural
Heritage
Natural heritage is the
legacy of natural objects
and intangible attributes
encompassing the
countryside and natural
environment, including
flora and fauna,
scientifically known as
BIODIVERSITY, and
geology, landforms and
soil landscapes, i.e.
GEODIVERSITY.

5. Ecotourism and Geotourism Concepts
 Ecotourism is ecologically sustainable tourism
with a primary focus on experiencing protected
natural areas that fosters environmental and
cultural understanding, appreciation and
conservation.
 But ecotourism per se is too narrowly defined and is
increasingly seen as a niche market.
 However,'geotourism is holistic, nature-based and
cultural tourism that focuses on an area's geology &
landscape as the platform for providing visitor
engagement, learning and enjoyment'.

6. Geotourism
comprises the following features of both natural and
cultural heritage:
 Abiotic – non-living aspects such as the climate &
geology e.g. landscape and landforms:
GEODIVERSITY.
 Biotic – the living parts eg. fauna (animals) and
flora (plants): BIODIVERSITY.
 Cultural – past & present, indigenous and post
European settlement, non-living and built.
Holistic in scope, geotourism is booming globally and
a key driver for tourism, particularly in Europe and
Asia.

7. 7
Geotourism – Diversity of Places

8. Geotourism Delivery Mechanisms
1. Geosites & Mining Heritage Sites.
2. Geological Time Walks.
3. Geotrails.
4. Geoparks- both national and UNESCO global.

9. Ulladulla Geological Time
Walk - Conceived and
Created by Phil Smart,
Retired Government
Geologist
Supported by a fossil walk and
museum.

10. John Nethery and the Chillagoe ‘Hub’

11. National Geotourism Strategy – Discussion Topics
1. Geotourism as a means of celebrating geoheritage.
2. Enhanced coordination nationally of geoheritage data bases.
3. Establishment of a national set of administrative procedures
for ‘georegional’ assessment.
4. New geotrail development.
5. Geotourism to strengthen Australia’s international geoscience
standing.
6. Training of geologists to improve communication skills for
geosite interpretation.
7. Collaboration with providers of other areas of natural
(bioregion) and cultural (particularly MINING) heritage content.

12. C: Australia’s Mineral Heritage
Source:
Mel Davies

13. Geotourism and
Mining Heritage
• Existing and abandoned mining sites.
• Old mining towns e.g. Broken Hill.
• Historic mining regions e.g. West Coast
Tasmania, Herberton and Etheridge, Far
NQ; Blinman, SA.
• Economic Geology geosites e.g. gossans,
alteration zones e.g. Broken Hill and
Arkaroola.
• Old mine site complexes combining
mining, museums, ecological
interpretation, history and culture e.g.
Hill End, NSW, Illawara and Lithgow
Coalfields, NSW.
• All underpinned by RICH STORIES.

14. Gossan of the Broken Hill Orebody

15. Jinguashi Gold Ecological Park, Taiwan
Chillagoe Smelters Heritage Site

16. Chillagoe Smelters Heritage Trail

17. Chillagoe Smelters Heritage Trail

18. Herberton Mining Centre

20. Hill End Historic Site, NSW - NPWS

24. Headframe, Former North Broken Hill Mine

26. Lithgow State Mine and Heritage Park

27. Lithgow State Mine and Heritage Park

28. Photo by Henry Gold

32. Mount Painter, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary

33. Best Practice Geotrails
1. Should be constructed around routes currently used
by tourists; geotrails should form logical journeys
linking accommodation destinations.
2. Should meld the geological heritage features of a
region with a cohesive STORY.
3. Should incorporate and package in the biodiversity
and cultural components (including mining heritage)
of the region through which the geotrail traverses.

34. Exemplar: Port Macquarie Coastal Geotrail, NSW
"The collaborative geotrail project has been led by the University of
Newcastle (A) & supported by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, the
Geological Survey of NSW (A), NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
(B) & Birpai Local Aboriginal Land Council (C). Supported by a
brochure, website & smartphone app, the Port Macquarie Coastal
Geotrail is a four kilometre walk from Shelly Beach to Rocky Beach
that tells the story of plate tectonics & how the Earth’s crust was
formed along the stretch of coastline over the past 460 million years".

35. ‘The Living
Earth’ –
Cradle Coast
Geotrail

36. ‘The Living Earth’ – West Coast Geotrail

37. Etheridge ‘Scenic Georegion’, Queensland
Comprising the entire Shire of
Etheridge, and including areas
of outstanding volcanic and
mining heritage - some 40,000
sq km in area.
Embracing 1.7 billion years of
geological history.
Only 950 people, mainly cattle
farmers.

38. .

39. Etheridge Scenic Georegion – A ‘Defacto’ Geopark
 Geosites – In abundance, with Undara as a global icon.
 Geo villages – Four small townships, all with community
engaged geosites (including agate, sapphire and gold fields);
key established ecotourism resorts of Undara & Cobbold
Gorge; and the indigenous Talaroo Hot Springs development.
 Geotrails – The Savannah Way (Lava tubes, Gems and Gorges
Trail) with connections to nearby mining heritage locations.
 National Parks – Undara Volcanic Park & six other park areas.
 TerrEstrial Mineral/Fossil Museum– Most significant mineral
museum in Qld.
 Many heritage mining sites & small gold mining operations
underscores Etheridge’s status of one Australia’s most
diversified mineralised areas.

40. TerrEstrial Centre, Georgetown, FarNQ

41. TerrEstrial Centre, Georgetown, FarNQ

42. Ted Elliott Mineral Collection

43. Value of Museum Mineral Collections
“National and local museums can be a valuable
source of information from an exploration
perspective. If there is a comprehensive collection
of minerals and ore suites from former and existing
mines, an exploration geologist can quickly view the
various styles of mineralisation and ore deposit
types”.
Douglas J Kirwin
President 2019
Society of Economic Geologists

44. Public Mining & Mineral/Fossil Collections
and Tourist Mine Sites - Queensland
Queensland
Museum
Brisbane
Various research-
only state
collections
Brisbane
School of Earth &
Environmental
Sciences, University
of Queensland
Ted Elliott
Collection
TerrEstrial
Georgetown
Herberton Mining
Museum
Herberton
Crystal Caves
Atherton
Opal
Museum
Brisbane
Mount Morgan
Historical Museum
Mount Morgan
Australian Age of
Dinosaurs
Winton
Key: Gold font indicates mineral collections available for public viewing

45. Public Mining
&
Mineral/Fossil
Collections
and Tourist
Mine Sites –
New South
Wales
Australian
Museum
Sydney
Australian Fossil
Mineral and
Museum
Bathurst
Howard Warner
Collection,
University of
Wollongong
Albert Kersten
Mining
Museum,
Broken Hill
Crystal
Kingdom,
Coonabarabran
GSNSW,
Londonderry
and/or Maitland
(by prior
arrangement)
Great Cobar
Heritage
Centre, Cobar
Daydream
Tourist Mine
Broken Hill
History Hill
Tourist Mine and
Visitor Centre
Hill End
Kandos
Bicentennial
Industrial
Museum Kandos
Lithgow State
Mine and
Heritage Park
Lithgow
David
Edgeworth
Museum
Kurri Kurri
Age of Fishes
Museum
Canowindra
Key: Gold font indicates mineral collections available for public viewing

46. Public Mining &
Mineral/Fossil
Collections
and Tourist Mine
Sites - Victoria
• Museum Victoria (including
Geological Survey Collection)
Melbourne.
• Gold Museum
Ballarat.
• Sovereign Hill
Ballarat.
• Other smaller sites, e.g. Bendigo,
Walhalla, Korumburra, Wonthaggi.
Key: Gold font indicates mineral collections available for public viewing

47. Public Mining & Mineral Collections
and Tourist Mine Sites – Tasmania
• West Coast
Heritage Centre,
Zeehan.
• Tasmanian
Museum and Art
Gallery, Hobart.
• GSTas, Hobart
• Queen Victoria
Museum & Art
Gallery (not
public),
Launceston.
• UTAS, Hobart.
Key: Gold font indicates mineral collections available for public viewing

48. Public Mining & Mineral/Fossil Collections
and Tourist Mine Sites – South Australia
• South Australian
Museum (inc Geol
Survey SA collection),
Adelaide.
• Umoona Opal Mine
and Museum, Coober
Pedy.
• Jeff Morgan Gallery,
Hawker.
• Radium Hill Museum,
Peterborough.
• Moonta Mines State
Heritage Area &
Museum.
Key: Gold font indicates mineral collections available for public viewing

49. Public Mining & Mineral/Fossil Collections
and Tourist Mine Sites – Western Australia
 West Australian Museum (incl GSWA), Perth.
 Edward de Courcy Clarke Earth Science Museum,
University of Western Australia.
 Museum of the Goldfields, Kalgoorlie.
 WA School of Mines, Kalgoorlie.
 Mining heritage displays in the towns of Southern
Cross, Cue and at the Gwalia Museum near
Leonora.
 Hannans North Tourist Mine, Hannans.
 Perth Mint, Perth.

50. Public Mining & Mineral/Fossil Collections
and Tourist Mine Sites – NT and ACT
 Museum of Central Australia, Alice Springs.
 Battery Hill Mining Centre, Tennant Creek.
 Geoscience Australia, Canberra.
 National Rock Garden, Canberra.
 National Dinosaur Museum, Nicholls.
Key: Gold font indicates mineral collections available for public viewing

51. Melding Geotourism, Mineral & Mining Heritage
 Continuing need to link through geotrails mining heritage into
established tourism infrastructure and product offerings.
 Opportunity to link through geotrails, and cross promote
mineral and fossil museums (with their outstanding
collections) to existing popular museums such as the Age of
Dinosaurs.
 Opportunity to develop and promote tourist mines e.g.
Blinman Mine, Flinders Ranges.
 Opportunity to develop major national mining parks e.g.
Hunter Valley, NSW and national geoparks e.g. Destination
Pagoda, Lithgow.

52. Proposed Hunter Valley National Mining Park
“A Vision Beyond Mine Site Rehabilitation -
the largest national mining park in the world to
be established to celebrate the significant role
that mining has played for Australia’s
development.”
http://www.leisuresolutions.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/abstract_robinson-et-al_rev.docx
• Native flora and fauna habitat conservation – all connected through corridors;
• ‘Soft adventure’ recreation.
• Coal mining heritage sites, geosites and geotrails.
• Areas set aside for renewable energy generation (solar arrays, wind farms,
biomass production) embracing light industrial sites and ‘value adding’
manufacturing.
• Engagement with the six strategic hubs of the Strategic Aboriginal Culture and
Enterprise Scheme of the Wonnarua Nation Aboriginal Corporation.

53. Collaboration with Providers of Mining Heritage
 Work with museums, Geological Surveys and community
groups to identify, link and promote ‘mining’ museums
and heritage centres both nationally and state wide.
 Work with state tourism agencies to promote geotourism
and new product development that can include museums
and mining heritage sites linked through geotrails.
 Encourage the mining industry to sponsor mining heritage
projects as an opportunity to enhance ‘social licence’
and Community Social Responsibility commitments.
 AGC will be conferring with its constituent professional
societies (e.g. The AusIMM, AIG, PESA etc) to determine
whether this can be a leadership role for mining
professionals.

54. Contact Details
angus@leisuresolutions.com.au
Tel: 0418 488 340
https://www.slideshare.net/leisuresolutions
http://www.leisuresolutions.com.au/index.php/geotourism-industry-groups/
Information about Australian Geotourism and Geopark Development Activities
https://ausimm.com/our-communities/heritage-committee/
AusIMM Heritage Committee