2015 Leichhardt Award

The Leichhardt Award was conferred on Professor Joan Esterle at a dinner at Heritage Village, Rockhampton. The award dinner followed the first day’s proceedings of the  joint ACARP-BBGG meeting recently held at Central Qld University on 7-8th July, 2015. The award recognises Joan’s longstanding contribution to advances in coal geology research through her association and leadership within BBGG / ACARP / CSIRO and the University of Qld.  As an educator Joan has been a “teacher, coach, mentor, trainer, guide, challenger, advisor and gentle-cajoler to an innumerable number of students and coal geologists during her career in Queensland”. Her 2015 Leichhardt Award citation is as attached.

Many thanks to ACARP, Central Qld University, Velseis, Geoconsult and the Coal Geology Group for their continued support of this event.

 Previous winners of the Leichhardt Award are listed below:

  • 2001 QCAT CSIRO Exploration and Mining Division (meeting held at, and award made at Maraboon Tavern, Emerald)
  • 2003 Gary Fallon (meeting held at CQU Gladstone, award made at Gladstone Sailing Club)
  • 2005 John Draper (meeting held at CSIRO QCAT, award made at St Lucia Golf Course)
  • March 2007 Peter Goscombe (meeting held at CQU Rockhampton, award made at Rockhampton Heritage Village)
  • July 2009 Lance Grimstone (meeting held at CQU Rockhampton, award made at Rockhampton Heritage Village)
  • July 2011 Jim Beeston (meeting held at CQU Rockhampton, award made at Rockhampton Heritage Village)
  • July 2013 Andrew Willson (meeting at CQU Mackay, award made at BURP Restaurant Mackay)