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NOTICE OF MEETING

PALAEOBIOGEOGRAPHY OF AUSTRALASIAN FAUNAS AND FLORAS 
FIRST CIRCULAR

DATES:  					December 8-11, 1997.
STEERING COMMITTEE:	Tony Wright, John Talent, Gavin Young.
VENUE:					School of Geosciences, University of Wollongong, New South Wales,  
Australia.

A conference with the above major theme is planned for the period Sunday 8 -
Wednesday 11 of December, 1997.  As for recent conferences at Macquarie
University, this meeting will be run under the auspices of the Association of
Australasian Palaeontologists.  This will be the only AAP-sponsored conference
in 1997, so papers on other palaeontological themes (e.g., precision in
biostratigraphy) will be welcomed and programmed appropriately.

All interested scientists are cordially invited to attend and submit titles
for publication and/or oral presentation.  Papers dealing with the
biogeography of any group for any geological period are particularly welcomed.
 Please pass this notice to colleagues not on the PaleoNet.

The rationale behind the conference is the urgent need for a comprehensive
monographic publication summarising the changing patterns of biogeographic
affinities of the Australasian region through geological time.

PUBLICATIONS.  Publications resulting from this conference (PAFF) will help
fill the gap in published information on historical biogeography of the
Australasian region.

Publication format will partly depend on manuscript submission from
participants.  Comments and suggestions on our proposed format are welcomed. 
Two modes of publication are under consideration:

1.	A thematic volume will focus on the biotas of the various segments of the
geological timescale in the region.  We also invite papers providing overviews
of major related topics, such as the history and biogeographic affinities of
major biotic groups.
	Each chapter will deal with a single period or related topic.  One or more
authors will be responsible for each chapter, and will coordinate
contributions from relevant experts (e.g., on various faunal groups).  All
written contributions should be submitted before the close of the meeting. 
Discussions concerning publication of the conference proceedings in the Oxford
Biogeography Series have commenced.

2.	A second collection of papers on biochronology and other topics may be
appropriate, depending on submissions;  a possible medium for publication is
Historical Biology.

CONFERENCE FORMAT.  Sessions will be organised around a series of themes, with
pivotal papers focussing on major aspects or time-slices and other papers
dealing with associated topics.  Depending on the number of contributions, we
will minimise the number of concurrent strands.

ACCOMMODATION.  Good quality student-style accommodation will be available on
campus;  there will be a special rate for bona fide students.  This
accommodation is within easy walking distance of lecture theatres, the
University Union, bar, general shop, banks, food outlets, and bus transport to
the city of Wollongong.

WOLLONGONG.  The city of greater Wollongong, with a population of about
183,000, is located about 80 km south of Sydney on a very attractive
coastline.  The expected December daily maximum temperature is about 25o C,
and the prevailing wind is from the NE. Wollongong is easily reached by car,
bus and frequent trains from Sydney.

FIELD TRIPS.
1.	The Illawarra region is ideally situated for a 1 day mid-conference field
trip to examine typical Permian, shallow marine Shoalhaven Group exposures
(e.g., at Gerroa); rainforest at Minnamurra Falls; and present-day rocky
coastal communities.

2.	We seek indications of interest in a 5 day field trip through the southern
Alps of NSW and the Wee Jasper-Taemas-Yass district of NSW.
	This will be a blend of mid-Palaeozoic biostratigraphy and plant communities
of the Snowy Mountains and tablelands region of SE Australia:  rain forests,
savannah and subalpine woodlands, tussock grasslands, alpine herbfields,
Sphagnum bogs, and the most richly fossiliferous mid-Palaeozoic sequences of
SE Australia at Bungonia, Windellama, Quidong, Ravine, Coolamine, Wee Jasper,
Taemas and Yass.  There will be ample opportunity for sampling from measured
stratigraphic sections;  much new data will be available on both macrofaunas
and microfaunas. 	Accommodation:	motels.
Transport:		4-wheel drive vehicles.
Cost:			approximately A$700 - including 5 nights' accommodation, transport and
meals.
Leaders:		Ruth Mawson and John Talent.

PROPOSED ITINERARY.
Day 1.	Sydney-Bungonia (Silurian; lunch al fresco);  Windellama (Lochkovian);
Cooma (overnight).
Day 2.	Cooma-Quidong (Silurian; lunch al fresco);  Dandalong (Silurian);
Adaminaby (overnight).
Day 3.	Adaminaby-Kiandra (subalpine woodlands);  Ravine (late Pragian-Emsian);
 Cabramurra (lunch);  Kings Cross (alpine herbfields); Coolamine (Silurian); 
Cooinbul (Silurian (herbfields and bogs);  Tumut (overnight).
Day 4.	Tumut-Wee Jasper (Indi-Long Plain suture;  Micalong Creek (Silurian);
Wee Jasper (lunch;  late Pragian-Emsian);  Yass (overnight).
Day 5. 	Taemas-Hume Park (late Pragian-Emsian);  and Yass-Bowning
(Wenlock-Lochkovian);  travel to Wollongong.

PLEASE INDICATE YOUR PREFERENCE FOR A PRE- OR POST- SYMPOSIUM CONFERENCE BY
E-MAIL, FAX OR LETTER.

CONTACT INFORMATION.

Tony Wright:	Phone 61.42.213.329;  fax 61.42.214.250;
e-mail t.wright@uow.edu.au
John Talent:	Phone 61.42.850.8336;  fax 61.42.850.8428;
e-mail jtalent@laurel.ocs.mq.edu.au
Gavin Young:	Phone 61.62.499.391;  fax 61.62.499.983;
e-mail gyoung@agso.gov.au

27 May 1996