Staff Profiles

Amanda is an economic geographer who joined Curtin in July 2009. Her current research looks at the spatial unevenness of population ageing. The focus of this research is on international retirement migration and naturally occurring retirement communities.

Amanda has recently completed research on rural population ageing, rural labour force migration, issues of place and identity associated with seasonal retirement migration, coastal planning and sustainable fisheries management.   

Amanda is currently supervising a number of research masters and PhD students across a range of subjects from sustainable urban development to the role of women leaders in international NGOs. She has successfully supervised students to completion, and welcome expressions of interest from current or potential graduate research students.

For a full list of current and recently completed research projects, consultancies and publications please email a.davies@curtin.edu.au

• Spatial patterns of population ageing. 
• Spatial patterns of regional investment and regulation.
• Population transitions and the re-imagining/ re-development of place. 
• Collaborative planning in urban and regional environments. 
• Rural and regional coastal development, landuse, and planning

2010 (with Dolin T. and Jones R.) 'Leisure, Tourism and Western Australian Regional Imaginaries', Curtin University of Technology.

2009 'Resilient Rural Communities', Ex National Competitive Grant UWA.

2008 'Australia's Ageing Population', University of Western Australia.

2008-2009 (with Tonts M.) Addressing Human Use Threats to Coastal and Marine Values on the Kimberley Coast, Rangelands NRM.

2008 - 2009 (with Tonts M.) Addressing Human Use Threats to Coastal and Marine Values: Unregulated Camping, Rangelands NRM.

2007-2009 (with Tonts M.) What Makes a Rural Community Resilient?, Rural Industries Research Development Corporation.

2007-2008 (with Tonts M.) Addressing Human Use Threats to Coastal and Marine Values, Rangelands NRM.

2007 (with Tonts M.) Provision of a Strategic Regional Workforce Plan for the Goldfields Esperance Region, Department of Education and Training.

2006-2008 (with Tonts M.) Regional Development and Diversification and Addressing Rural Skilled Labour Shortages, Rural Industries Research Development Corporation. 

2006-2008 (with Tonts M.) Socio-Economic Values of Western Australia's Marine Environment, South Coast NRM.

2006-2007 (with Tonts M.) Youth Education, Employment and Locational Choices and the Western Australian Wheatbelt, Wheatbelt Development Commission. 

Council Member of the Institute of Australian Geographers

2010 - Curtin University Faculty Publication Award

2009 - Institute of Australian Geographers Commendation (for research)

2009 - Winner Institute of Australian Georaphers Postgraduate Award

2009 - Western Australian State Coastal Conference Award for Research Excellence (team)

2007 - National Finalist Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award

2006 - Griffith Taylor Centenary Award in Geography (for research)

Books (Authored, Research)

• James , A, and Davies, A. 2011. Geographies of Ageing: Social Processes and the Spatial Unevenness of Population Ageing. United Kingdom: Ashgate.

Book Chapters (Authored, Research Quality)

• Davies, A. 2011. Local Leadership and Rural Renewal through Festival Fun: The Case of SnowFest. In Festival Places: Revitalising Rural Australia, eds Chris Gibson and John Connell, 61-73. Bristol, UK: Channel View Publications.
• Davies, A, and Farrelly, F. 2010. Community participation and collaborative planning: emerging trends in Coastal Western Australia. In Planning Perspectives From Western Australia: A Reader in Theory and Practice, eds I. Alexander, S. Greive and D. Hedgcock, 138-152. North Fremantle: Fremantle Press.

Refereed Articles (Scholarly Journals)

• Davies, A, and Yiannakis, J. 2012. Diversifying rural economies through literary tourism: a review of literary tourism in Western Australia. Journal of Heritage Tourism 7(1): 33-44.
• Davies, A. 2011. On constructing ageing rural populations: 'Capturing' the grey nomad. Journal of Rural Studies 27: 191-199.
• Davies, A, and Tonts, M. 2010. Economic diversity and regional socioeconomic performance: an empirical analysis of the Western Australian grain belt. geographical research 48(3): 223-234.
• Davies, A, and Human, B. 2010. Stakeholder consultation during the planning phase of scientific programs. Marine Policy 34(3): 645-654.
• Davies, A. 2009. Understanding local leadership in building the capacity of rural communities in Australia. geographical research 47(4): 380-389.
• Davies, A. 2008. Declining youth in-migration in rural Australia: The role of perceptions of rural employment and lifestyle opportunities. geographical research 46(2): 162-171.
• Davies, A. 2007. Organic or orchestrated: The nature of leadership in rural Australia. rural society 17(2): 139-154.
• Davies, A, and Tonts, M. 2007. Changing electoral structures and regional representation in Western Australia: From countrymindedness to one vote one value. Space and Polity 11(3): 209-226.