Handbook: Australian/International Optometric Congress

Historical Significance: The national Australian Optometrical Association ran a number of very successful national conferences of which this is an early one. It was a four day conference held at the Southern Cross Hotel in Collins Street. Arthur Ley was the President at the time and Damien P Smith was the Executive Director. There were overseas speakers including Henry Hofstetter from Indiana University, Alfred A Rosenbloom President of the Illinois College of Optometry, Harold Bailey Director of the American Optometric Association and David Pickwell from the University of Bradford. Local speakers included Jack Alexander, George Amigo, Ian Bailey, Barry Clark, David Cockburn, Barry Cole, Barry Collin, Leon Garner, Donald Ezekiel, Wolf Gartner, Brien Holden, John Nathan, Charles McMonnies, Damien Smith and Rod Watkins, most of whom would dominate the academic landscape for the next two decades.