A BRIEF HISTORY OF ACKMA Inc

Conferences on Cave and Karst Management have been held in this region since 1973. From then until 1987, they were organized under the auspices of The Australian Speleological Federation, the first five being termed Australian conferences on Cave Management and Tourism.

In 1987, The Australasian Cave Management Association (ACMA) was formed at a meeting held at Yarrangobilly Caves during the 7th Conference in NSW. All conferences since have been referred to as Australasian Conferences on Cave & Karst Management.

The Association re-named itself The Australasian Cave & Karst Management Association (ACKMA) at the subsequent biennial General Meeting associated with the 8th Conference held at Punakaiki, New Zealand, in 1989. At the 1995 biennial General Meeting at Derwent Bridge, Tasmania, during the 11th Conference, the Association became incorporated as ACKMA Inc. Prior to that date Officers of the Association were elected to two year terms. The tenure of officers is now twelve months. The Proceedings of all twelve Conferences thus far held have been published.

The first edition of The ACMA (later ACKMA) Newsletter was published in June 1988 - a mere 12 pages. It was thereafter published half-yearly until 1993. For the subsequent 18 months, it was published quarterly, with two full "Journal Editions", and two (minor) "Newsletter Editions". The publication was permanently renamed the ACKMA Journal from edition 16 issued in September 1994, and from edition 19 (June 1995) it was been issued quarterly as a full Journal.