2014 fieldwork competition: an excerpt from the President's opening address at the Arthur Phillip Awards Australian Catholic University, Strathfield Friday 8 May 2015

The Arthur Phillip Awards is an annual event organised by the GTA NSW to recognise outstanding achievement in school Geography. We like to acknowledge the work of both the students and their teachers. This event has been superbly organised for several years by GTA NSW Councillor Grace Larobina, with unwavering support and assistance from Shreela Pradhan and Bernadette Motulalo (PTC NSW office). Our guest speaker was Associate Professor Simon Pinnegar, Director of Discipline, Planning, Urban Policy and Strategy; City Futures Research Centre; Urban Planning and Policy at the University of NSW Simon started his career as a Geography teacher in England before moving in to the realm of urban planning and teaching at Universities. The focus of his keynote was the link between the study of Geography and a career in urban planning - ending with the suggestion that urban planners with a background in Geography don't just see a bus stop on the side of the road, they see it as a bus stop which is part of a metropolitan or regional transport strategy. Other distinguished guests in the audience included Professor Deirdre Dragovich (Faculty of Science and Geo-sciences, University of Sydney), Darren Tayler (HSIE Inspector, BOSTES) and Carlo Tuttocuore (HSIE Consultant Secondary, AISNSW). Please see the GTANSW website for further information about the Arthur Phillip Awards and our other events.