2022 JACK BEALE LECTURE
Sean Dooley | Richard Kingsford | Charlotte McConaghy | Ann Jones
A major upside to the pandemic has been a falling back in love with the natural world as people, confined to their homes, see their local landscapes through reinvigorated eyes. Birdwatching, and the citizen science of the backyard bird count, is booming.
So close, yet so far, these enigmatic creatures inspire the awe and affection of fans, who passionately lobby for their bird of the year and diligently record millions of informational gems in birdwatching apps.
But the news is not all good. As scientists and amateurs document worrying declines in bird populations, from climate change and development, there’s never been a more vital time to talk about what birds mean to us and what we can do to protect them.
Join this lively panel discussion, hosted by Ann Jones, presenter of the ABC’s What the Duck?!, in conversation with ecologist Richard Kingsford, writer and birdwatcher Sean Dooley, and bestselling author Charlotte McConaghy, and you’ll certainly be among friends. Find out why people love birds so much, how this love grew during the pandemic and why taking action to protect birds is more important than ever.
This event is presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and UNSW Science as part of National Science Week and Sydney Science Festival. Head here to see the full program.
ABOUT THE JACK BEALE LECTURE
The Jack Beale Public Lecture Series was established in 1999 by the Honourable Dr Jack Beale AO, a passionate advocate of environmental management and the first Minister for the Environment in Australia (NSW Parliament). The Jack Beale Lecture provides the opportunity for a prominent individual to examine Australia’s environmental responsibilities, opportunities and performance within a global context. Past speakers have included Professor Paul Ehrlich, Dr Rajendra Pachauri and Dr David Suzuki.
LIVE EVENT & VENUE
This event will take place live in Lower Town Hall at Sydney Town Hall. Please note this is a live event only, and will not be available via livestream.
VISITOR SAFETY INFORMATION
The health and safety of our patrons is our top priority. This event will abide by the Public Health Order prevailing at the time. Please follow our conditions of entry, and check back here for updated information prior to the event.
TICKETS
ACCESS
Wheelchair Accessible
Lower Town Hall's accessible entrance is via Druitt St (opposite the Queen Victoria Building). Accessible unisex toilet facilities are available on each publicly accessible floor of the build.
Assisted Listening
Lower Town Hall has a hearing loop. Patrons wishing to utilise this service should get in touch with the Centre for Ideas ahead of the event so that we can assist you at the event.
Auslan & Captioning
Auslan interpreting services and/or live captioning can be provided upon request.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT & PARKING
Sydney Town Hall is easily accessible via public transport. Buses and trains travel direct to Sydney Town Hall. For trip planning, maps and ticket info visit transportnsw.info or call 131 500.
There is limited street parking in the CBD. Patrons should use the car parking available at a number of parking stations close by. See the location of these and other car parks in the city by downloading City Car Park Locations PDF.
For additional transport info to Sydney Town Hall visit their website.
CONTACT
For all enquiries, please call the Centre for Ideas on 02 9065 0485 or email centreforideas@unsw.edu.au.
The Centre for Ideas is happy to receive phone calls via the National Relay Service. TTY users, phone 133 677, then ask for 02 9065 0485. Speak and Listen users, phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 02 9065 0485. Internet relay users, visit relayservice.gov.au, then ask for 02 9065 0485.
Sean Dooley is an Australian writer, conservationist and birdwatcher. His passion for birdwatching began as a child living in a bay side suburb of Melbourne. He vividly recalls getting out of bed as a small boy and following the coo of a spotted dove. Sean says everywhere he goes he is thinking about birds, and in family photos he can often be seen looking to the sky.
Sean is the National Public Affairs Manager at BirdLife Australia and is the founding editor of Australian Birdlife magazine, author of The Big Twitch and former holder of the Australian Big Year twitching record, when he held the national Australian birdwatching record for seeing the most birds (703 species) in one year. Sean Dooley is the Birdman.
Richard Kingsford is the Director of the Centre for Ecosystem Science at UNSW Sydney. He is a river ecologist and conservation biologist who has worked extensively across the wetlands and rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin and Lake Eyre Basin. Richard worked for the New South Wales Government Environment Agency from 1986–2004 and has also worked with numerous communities and local governments across this region. His research has influenced the policy and management of rivers in Australia, including through his involvement on state and federal advisory committees.
He also leads a reintroduction, or rewilding, project called Wild Deserts, in Sturt National Park, the Ramsar Wetlands project, as well as collaborating on the Platypus Conservation Initiative and Red-Listing of Ecosystems. He has a keen focus on creating effective and lasting conservation actions and policies through adaptive management approaches and engaging with communities.
Charlotte McConaghy is the author of the New York Times Bestseller Once There Were Wolves which won the Indie Book Award for Fiction 2022 and a Nautilus Gold Award. She also wrote the international bestseller Migrations, a TIME Magazine Best Book of the Year and the Amazon.com Best Fiction Book of the Year for 2020, which is being translated into over twenty languages and adapted for film. She has both a Graduate Degree in Screenwriting and a Masters Degree in Screen Arts, and lives in Sydney with her partner and son.
Dr Ann Jones is a journalist and presenter with an engaging and energetic approach to live events. She has the ability to observe the unusual and tell stories in sensitive and creative ways. She specialises in creating a strong connection with topics and can command a large audience with agility and flexibility, a skill she developed after years of daily live radio presentation.
Dr Ann Jones can be heard across Australia on ABCs RN, showcasing the best of nature, adventure and scientific research on her weekly program, Off Track as well as her latest podcast What The Duck! uncovering nature’s weirdness.
Ann Jones appears by arrangement with Claxton Speakers International.
