The last APIA Darwin Convention, which was held in 2003, was such a hit that the members who attended often recall it fondly – or with great gusto, depending on which part of the event they recall best.
Those who haven’t returned to Darwin since then will find that it’s a very different and increasingly vibrant city, with a new Convention Centre, a range of new accommodation options and many new facilities – including a famous wave pool, located right next to the Convention Centre.
In recent times, APIA has made a definitive return to Darwin. The first Darwin dinner was held in 2009 and the second was held in June of this year, with an excellent turn-out of 84 local members and guests who were very interested to hear about Inpex’s plans for its LNG development, to be located at Blaydin Point.
Australia’s northernmost capital has much to offer visitors. It’s close to the Kakadu and Litchfield national parks and the Tiwi Islands, and its Botanic Gardens and harbour are lovely. There is much for tourists to see and visit, including crocodile parks and a range of excellent museums and galleries.
Darwin is closer to Asia than it is to the rest of Australia; it’s seen as a gateway to Indonesia and East Timor, and it’s a comfortably multicultural place. The original inhabitants of the region are the Larrakia people, often described as the “˜saltwater’ people, whose land extends up to 50 km inland.
The city has been almost entirely rebuilt twice – once after Japanese air raids during World War II (there is an excellent WWII military museum on the edge of town), and again after the devastation of Cyclone Tracy in 1974.
Importantly, our northernmost capital also has a link to international scientific discovery. In 1836, the location became part of international scientific history as the HMS Beagle sailed into the harbour, with the ship’s lieutenant, John Clements Wickham, naming the region “˜Port Darwin’. The naming was in recognition of a visit to the Southern Hemisphere by the Beagle a few years earlier, then carrying the famous naturalist Charles Darwin. Then, when the town was first established as a settlement in 1869, it became known as Palmerston. In 1911, Palmerston was renamed Darwin in honour of Mr Darwin – whose publication The Origin of Species overturned scientific understanding about human origins and challenged the hold of the church over science.
The thesis has received quite a bit of publicity recently following the 150th anniversary of its publication, which was celebrated in late 2009. There were numerous articles, a BBC documentary and, now, a big-screen movie. It’s quite possible that Mr Darwin could make his presence felt at the APIA Annual Convention. For those who attend the Monday evening function, we’ll see you dressed as a Charlie, a Charles, a Charleton or a Carlos; or a female version of Charles: Charley, Charlize or (ahem) a Cheryl!
As well as the usual well-attended functions over four nights – the Welcoming Dinner on Saturday 11 September, the Opening Dinner on Sunday 12 September, the Fancy Dress evening on Monday 13 September and the black-tie Annual Dinner on Tuesday 14 September – the Business Sessions will provide information about a range of topics, including environmental and regulatory challenges, research and training, operation and maintenance, safety and construction challenges. In addition, there has been so much interest in coal seam gas that there will be two full sections of presentations on the topic, covering the full Monday afternoon of business.
Once again, I remind representatives of Full APIA Members who attend the Convention to ensure that they attend the Annual General Meeting at 8:30 am on Tuesday 14 September. As well as reports on APIA’s progress, you will be voting for four Directors on the APIA Board. APIA has been fortunate over the years to have a dedicated, enthusiastic group of Directors, and it is very important for the members to give serious consideration in regard to who they think… will provide the best and the most appropriate guidance for the Association.
I look forward to seeing as many members, partners and guests as I possibly can over the four days of our famous conference.