The Scone ADFAS is pleased to present Dr Wej Paradice AM with his lecture “Antarctica”. Wej will share stories about the fascinating history, stunning scenery, and the future challenges of Antarctica, a magical place at the bottom of the world.
Tuesday March 11th 2025, 6.30pm
Scone Arts & Crafts Hall Kingdon St, Scone
Members free, Guest $30
Refreshments will be served after lecture. Note: cash, cheque or bank transfer prior to the lecture only (no credit card).
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Dr Wej Paradice AM
Wej was born and bred in Scone. He attended Scone Public School, before becoming a boarder at the The Kings School Parramatta. He then studied Natural Resources at the University of Armidale, followed by post graduate training in Colorado and Idaho in the USA.
On returning to Australia Wej spent 30 years as CEO and Director of Research at the Hunter Valley Research Foundation. He was also a Trustee of the Hunter Catchment Management Trust and the Chair of the Hunter Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority as well as involvement in numerous other committees and organisations.
Wej now shares his time between managing the family farm at Scone and helping with grandchildren in Nelson Bay and Sydney.
During his 7 years in the US he was able to enjoy many outdoor adventures on the rivers and in the mountains of the Rockies and Alaska. This with his boyhood love of sailing fostered his dreams to explore the Antarctica region.
ANTARCTICA
Wej will share stories about the fascinating history, stunning scenery, and the future challenges of Antarctica, a magical place at the bottom of the world.
Wej’s love of sailing was fostered on the local Glenbawn Dam in a 12ft Heron built in the garage by his father. He graduated to large boats over the years. In 2013 he realised a dream to sail around Cape Horn. Wej joined the crew of the Dutch tall ship, Bark Europa, sailing from New Zealand to the Falkland Islands qualifying to join the Dutch based Cape Horn Society.
Three years later he joined the Bark Europa crew again. This time they sailed from Punta Arenas, Chile, through the Straits of Magellan and the Beagle Channel to Cape Horn, then on to Antarctica, South Georgia Island, and finally to Cape Town, South Africa via Tristan da Cunha. A highlight was retracing Shackleton’s journey across the Scotia Sea from Elephant Island and then part of his hike across South Georgia Island to the now abandoned whaling station at Stromness.
A few years after that adventure, Wej returned to Antarctica on a Russian Icebreaker ‘Akademik Sergey Vavilov’ as part of a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) voyage.
While this voyage included some familiar locations in the South Shetland Islands they also spent more time on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsular in the Lemaire Channel including camping out on Kerr Point on Ronge Island.
Information courtesy of Scone ADFAS.