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The Governor-General highlighted the role of women in Australia and the importance of Indigenous culture as portrayed in the exhibition as she took a retrospective look at where we have come from in 100 years and where we may go in the next 100 years.

Artist Jo Bertini talks about her portrait of her friend and colleague, desert archaeologist Dr Mike Smith. Jo also outlines Mike’s great passion for desserts, and presents a book of dessert recipes compiled by his friends.

Dr Mike Smith’s former colleagues investigate the layers of Mike’s career, discussing digs through which Mike developed his knowledge of the human past in Australia, and how museums have contributed to mainstream knowledge of desert archaeology.

Artist Mandy Martin reflects on her work with desert archaeologist Dr Mike Smith. Mandy and Mike worked together in multi-disciplinary teams studying the Puritjarra rock shelter in the Northern Territory and Paruku, or Lake Gregory, in north-eastern Australia.

This session reflected on the speakers’ travels by camels and in four-wheel drives as well as work with Dr Mike Smith in deserts and museums as well as the partnerships Mike formed with artists and Indigenous communities.

Photographer Peter Eve reflects on an expedition into the remote southern Simpson Desert that he shared with archaeologist Dr Mike Smith. Peter praises Mike’s ability to bring the buried landscapes and humanities of deep time to life.

An introduction to the work of pioneering desert archaeologist Dr Mike Smith by Andrew Sayers, Director of the National Museum of Australia, followed by a reading by Mark O’Connor of his poem ‘Desert Archaeology’.

Peter Stanley chairs an open mike session as a tribute to Mike Smith. Short contributions were made from Calogero Santoro, a colleague from Chile, other colleagues and students who have worked with Mike, with the day finishing with comments by Mike Smith.

A tribute to pioneering desert archaeologist Dr Mike Smith. Speakers June Ross, John Mulvaney, Barry Cundy, Giles Hamm and Chris Turney reflect on their time teaching and working with Mike, and the developing field of desert archaeology in Australia.

An overview of the work required bring a rich collection of hundreds of objects from a family museum at an historic grazing property into the National Historical Collection.