About Me - Executive Overview
Hello! My name is Iain Williams and I currently reside in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. Tasmania is the the fifth state of Australia and is the only island state of the continent, being separated from southern Australia by Bass Straight. To return to "true" Australia is via a 50 minute airplane flight to Melbourne, or via a 8 hour sea trip by car ferry.
I currently work as an Environmental Geologist for a consultancy in Hobart. Although my formal training in geology was only completed relatively recently, I can remember collecting my first rock when I was about 8 years old. This was at about the same time that I discovered gold (actually pyrite FeS2) in my parent's backyard and also down the street! Since this age I've had a strong desire to learn about the earth, its structure and processes. Completing formal training in geology was only a matter of time.
My main interest in geology revolves around sedimentology, palaeontology and palaeoecology. Sedimentology is the study of sedimentary rocks and structures. An example is sandstone. Detailed examination of the rock constituents can provide clues as to how and when the sandstone was formed and under what palaeoenvironment it was deposited (i.e. flood, lake, delta, marine, river, etc). Palaeontology requires little introduction and I am fascinated by Quaternary megafauna. Megafauna were very large animals that evolved during the Cainozoic and became extinct at the conclusion of the Pleistocene Epoch some 2 million year go (2 ma). These animals lived worldwide and their reason for extinction is hotly debated by scientists; was it climate change, human induced predation, or a combination of both hypothesises that ended the reign of this exciting fauna?
Palaeoecology is the science of reconstructing how prehistoric ecosystems functioned. Clues from the fossil record enable palaeontologists to piece together a cohesive 'snap-shot' of which species composed a given biological community and what the local environment was like palaeoenvironment). For example, studying which species of plants or animals are usually found together allows palaeontologists to reconstruct floral or faunal associations. Similarly, analysing temperature-dependent ratios of certain isotopes (mass variants of an element) can reveal much about the local climate, such as temperature and humidity.
Interests & Employment
I am lucky in that I have a number of disparate interests (I can honestly say I am never bored with nothing to do), which since leaving high school in 1980 have lead me into a number of working positions. I have been involved in underwater diving since I was age 14 and SCUBA was a natural progression from snorkelling. To date I have logged over 2800 dives and have dived in a number of locations in Australia and overseas. I became instructor qualified in 1989 and have taught a number of individuals and groups to dive. I operated my own diving business (Australia Diving Services based in Brisbane, Queensland) and worked mainly with Japanese clientele. Most of my diving during this time was in southern Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef; Heron Island, Lady Musgrave Island, Masthead Island, North West Island and Lady Elliott Island were areas regularly dived with visiting Japanese. Locally (in Brisbane) my favourite dive haunt was Cook Island off the Gold Coast and Julian Rocks at Byron Bay, NSW. As I now reside in Tasmania, I am involved in temperate diving, however, I attempt to visit the tropics at least once a year on a dive trip. My favoured overseas locations are Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Indonesia and the Philippine Islands. Read my photography profile
Rather than just "jump in the ocean" for any dive, I prefer to target a particular animal, learn its characteristics and habits, then dive its known habitat in the hope of observing the animal in its own environment. I'm very keen to observe sharks and other large predatory animals. I am fascinated with the many symbiotic relationships that occur amongst ocean inhabitants and can spend endless hours observing interactions between species.
LEFT: Unit 86 "on the ramp" awaiting call out. Brisbane City Station, Queensland Ambulance Service (scanned from an old print).
Soon after completing high school, I joined the Queensland State Police and attended the Police Academy in Brisbane. Policing was not for me; I left soon after the completion of training and decided to join the Queensland Ambulance Service working as an Ambulance Officer. I was stationed in Brisbane, Mackay (northern Queensland), Moranbah (a coal mine in northern Queensland) and at Beenleigh (southern area of Brisbane). I also was involved for a short time with the Aerial Ambulance Service which operated from the central Queensland town of Rockhampton. The Aerial Ambulance Service operated with close ties to the Royal Australian Doctor Service (RFDS). Additionally, I worked for a brief period with the Coronary Care Unit located in Brisbane.
Coming from a military family, I was rail-roaded into joining the Australian Army Reserve. My first "stint" in the reserves was in the early 1980's working as a private soldier in the Infantry (9 RQR) and then with the Brisbane Water Transport Unit (BWTU); my first experience as a "cut lunch weekend warrior" was not that exciting and military life didn't exactly impress me. After a period away from the Army Reserve (and at an older age), I voluntarily re-joined the then re-named Ready Reserve. Because of my medical training acquired within the Ambulance Service I was allocated to the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC) as an Army Medical Technician (AMT) attached to the 2nd Field Mobile Hospital (similar to an American MASH unit). During this time I received additional advanced medical training and because of my flexible hours, was requested to deploy on several exercises each year providing medical support to a number of Army and Airforce units. I found this time interesting and very worthwhile, and take pleasure in knowing that although others were "playing war games", I was engaged in a fruitful manner tending to injured personnel. Injuries are injuries - whether sustained in a time of war or during exercises, and I welcomed the high level of responsibility and flexibility given to me by superior officers. Before deciding to resign from the reserves (early 2001 as a commissioned officer), I was was placed on full time service attached to 1 Training Group in the Australian Regular Army (ARA).
My other interests are quite diverse and include biology, zoology and other science related subjects (such as astronomy and climatology). I especially take a likening to severe weather events. I am as very keen surface and underwater photographer and recently changed from using 135 mm film to digital. Although I loath computers (especially when they malfunction) I am heavily involved with flight simulation. The program I use is Flight Simulator 2004 (cf FS9) and an assortment of add ons. Being involved with flight sim naturally leads to other areas of aviation such as flight planning, flight dynamics, weather forecasting, physics, and navigation.
I enjoy hiking and camping when the time (and weather) permits. Before moving to Tasmania I enjoyed visiting outback Australia. Jolanda and I would camp in many isolated regions and go hiking to study and photograph the geology and wildlife. Unfortunately, since moving to Tasmania and taking up full time employment, time and logistics have reduced the frequency of desert trips (Although we attempt to escape the island for a 2-3 week trip every year or second year).
On the more off-beat side, I am interested in military history and have a fascination with aviation history and memorabilia (I enjoy collecting pilot wings and military decorations). My interest particularly lies with United States Army Airforce (USAAF) units that served in Australia during the Second World War and with the Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF), Royal New Zealand Airforce (RNZAF) and Royal Airforce (RAF). I also have an interest in the collection of civilian pilot wings from the "Golden Years" of aviation (1910 - 1960).
Overseas
I have been fortunate to visit a number of overseas locations and to live in Yokohama, Japan and in Warsaw in Poland. I lived in Poland just after the fall of communism; a very interesting time in which Polish residents said they were "green" but in reality still had "red" colouring beneath their jacket collars (in other words they said they were now independent and capitalist but in reality were still thinking and behaving as communists). Living and working in Japan was an equally fascinating experience.
Qualifications
My formal qualifications (the "quals" that get you a job!) are a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Geology and Physical Geography with first class Honours in Geology. My studies were completed at the University of Tasmania (U of T) and the Queensland Institute of technology (QIT). My Honours degree centred around Cainozoic palaeontology (Megafauna in Australia & Extinction Methodologies). I also have a Certificate in Fine Arts (photography) from Seven Hills College of TAFE (Brisbane).
If you have bothered to read this far, you will realise that this website (although only very small) deals with many subjects. I will, as time allows, strive to change and add to the content on a regular basis. Thanks for looking and I hope you find the site informative and educational.