affiliation

La Trobe University

email

R.Lawrence[at]latrobe.edu.au

contact details

Dept of Outdoor Education & Nature Tourism, La Trobe University, PO Box 199, Bendigo VIC 3550, Australia, Tel: (03) 5444 7267, Fax: (03) 5444 7848

research interests

• Management of alpine areas
• Cultural heritage
• Hydrology
• Long-term monitoring

publications

Lawrence, R.E. (submitted) 'The impacts of hydro-electric construction works on the hydrology of a subalpine area of Australia.' Environmental Geology

Lawrence, R.E. 1999. 'Vegetation changes on the Bogong High Plains from the 1850s to 1950s.' Proceedings & Transactions of the Royal Society of Victoria, 111: xxix-lii

Lawrence, R.E. 1999. 'The impact of land cover changes on hydrological sustainability in the Victoria alpine area.' Proceedings & Transactions of the Royal Society of Victoria, 111: ix-xxii

Bruce, C., Lawrence, R.E. & Connelly, P. 1999. 'Vegetation regeneration in a small catchment on the Bogong High Plains, Victoria?' Proceedings & Transactions of the Royal Society of Victoria, 111: xxiii-xxviii

Lawrence, R.E. 1998. 'Historical ramifications of climate change in the Alpine National Park.' In: Celebrating the parks: a symposium on parks history: proceedings. Ed: E. Hamilton-Smith. Mt Buffalo Chalet, Victoria, 16 to 19 April 1998

Lawrence, R.E. 1995. 'The effects of grazing activity on the hydrology of the Bogong High Plains, Australia.' The Rangeland Journal, 17: 138-153

Lawrence, R.E. 1994. 'Environmental changes on the Bogong High Plains, 1850s to 1990s.' In: Australian Environmental History: Essays and Cases. Ed: S. Dovers. O.U.P. (Melbourne): 167-197

Lawrence, R.E. 1993. Huts of the Bogong High Plains Area. Voice of the Mountains, 16: 13-28

Lawrence, R.E. 1992. The use and abuse of water in the Victorian Alps. In: Cultural Heritage of the Australian Alps. Ed: B. Scougall. Proceedings of the Symposium held at Jindabyne, New South Wales, 16-18 October 1991. Australian Alps Liaison Committee (Canberra): 295-308

Lawrence, R.E. 1990. Alpine region conservation study: Water utilisation in the Victorian Alps. Report to the Historical Places Section of the Department of Conservation, Forests and Lands

Lawrence, R.E. 1990. The interaction between the environment, land use and hydrology of the Bogong High Plains Area from 1850 to 1985. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Geography, University of Melbourne

Lawrence, R.E. 1989. The highest cave in Australia moves mountains. Nargun, 22: 18,19

Lochert, P.B. & Lawrence, R.E. 1985. A land use history and statistical analysis of the hydrology of the Bogong High Plains. Department of Conservation Forests and Lands Environmental Studies Series Publication No. 410. D.C.F.& L. (Melbourne)

Lawrence, R.E. 1981. Effects of the 1939 bushfire on the summer hydrology of the Bogong High Plains. B.Sc.(Hons) Thesis, Department of Geography, University of Melbourne

current research or projects

(1) The impacts of gold mining activities in the Upper Dargo Valley on the fluvial environment of the valley.
Phase I of the project involves the spatial identification of settlement and mining activities in the Upper Dargo Valley from both field work (the area is very remote) and archival records. Phase II is the identification of the residual impacts of mining last century on the present environment. Phase I is almost complete. Long-term project.

(2) The history of Aboriginal occupation of north-eastern Victoria.
Project involves an examination of Aboriginal interactions with the land in the Omeo area, Upper Murray, Mitta Mitta, Kiewa and Ovens valleys. Part I of the project outlines the traditional lifestyle of the Aborigines of the region, Part II traces the demise of the Aborigines since European settlement and Part III documents the legacy of Aboriginal occupation in north-eastern Victoria. Part I of the project is complete and Parts II and III are about 50% complete.

(3) An assessment of environmental changes on the Bogong High Plains from the 1900s to 1990s as evidenced from a comparison of historical photographs and present day scenery.
Project involves the rephotographing of historical views of alpine and subalpine scenery preliminary to an assessment of the nature, magnitude and timing of environmental changes on the Bogong High Plains. Project is about 10% complete. Long-term project.

(4) An comparison of land use, vegetation, hydrological and sedimentological trends in a small subalpine catchment on the Bogong High Plains.
Project involves (a) documentation of land use activities for the Watchbed Creek catchment, (b) determination of vegetation cover changes by use of aerial photographs and Geographic Information Systems, (c) determination of hydrological trends for the catchment, and (d) analysis of a sediment core extracted from the catchment. Parts (a), (b) and (c) of the project are complete and Lead-210 dates are currently being determined in order to complete Part (d).