LAWRENCE (LAWRIE) SHERWIN
LachlanHunter's specialist in geological mapping and biostratigraphy is DR LAWRENCE SHERWIN, who before leaving the Geological Survey was Acting Chief Geologist in charge of regional mapping programs in New South Wales.
Lawrie Sherwin - sherwinl@netwit.net.au Resume Publications list After passing retiring age, Lawrie has left the Geological Survey position but remains active in geological mapping, now as a contractor (for contract geological mapping and supplier of stratigraphic services).
Lawrie also has ten years experience in Mineral Exploration Assessment, which gives him insight into exploration concepts and problems, geological as well as legislative, that may be involved in mineral exploration.
Lawrie's first major contribution to geology of the Lachlan region came in his Honours work year, in 1966. He investigated an area 25 km W of Orange where he discovered amongst other things highly interesting evidence for the presence of a palaeogeographic transverse depression upon the Molong Rise. Lawrie's Honours area also gave him a rich feast of Early-Mid Palaeozoic seafloor goodies, in the form of beetle- like trilobites, brachiopods, corals, and other bottom dwellers .... as well as the wafted-down remains of the floating organisms known as graptolites. Lawrie described all these very systematically and has been describing fossils ever since. Lawrie's work has contributed much to the biostratigraphy used to unravel many of the stratigraphic problems in the Cobar-Bourke region (including the well-known Cobar copper and gold field, which is significant to the NSW economy).
Over his years in the 'Mines Department' (NSW Geological Survey), which Lawrie joined as cadet geologist in 1963, he has been in, or seconded to, many different sections. He has experienced geological work in the Coal Division (Southern Coalfield), Regional Mapping Division, the Geological & Mining Museum, Specialist Services section (as Palaeontologist), Non-Metallics section, Southern/Metallics section, Information Division (Scientific Information Officer), etc.
Some of Lawrie's other miscellaneous activities have included:
- Acting as publications referee for the Geological Society of Australia, Linnean Society of NSW, Royal Society of NSW, and Geology Department Publications of the Ibn Saud University (Saudi Arabia).
- Being an external supervisor and examiner of thesis students, for Geology Departments of Wollongong and Sydney Universities.
- Assistance to exploration companies and contract geologists (BHP Gold, Newcrest, Geopeko, Renison Goldfields, Shell-Billiton, Rangott & Associates, Barrick Mining, Black Range Minerals and EZ).
- Alerting small miners to the market value of industrial minerals within their leases.
- Involvement with land use matters, commonly with potential or actual conflict with mineral resources, in the Central West region of the state.
- As an executive member of the Public Service Association, Lawrie had involvement in numerous negotiations with government departments and the Public Service Board for over ten years. As Lawrie (and all of us in LachlanHunter) are becoming increasingly aware, practical experience in negotiations is now almost a daily part of regional mapping. This is because of the need to arrange entry to an ever increasing number of private properties.
- Responsibility for all general media comment in the Central West on behalf of the Department (except for matters impinging upon Government policy or mines inspection/safety matters). Lawrie arranged TV, radio and media coverage for such events as the launch of new geological products (series geological mapping, etc.). He has been complimented (by the ABC) for ability to discuss geology with a minimum of jargon.
- Serving as office bearer in Geological Society of Australia, Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy, Royal Society of New South Wales, and Institute of Public Administration Australia.
