The Queensland Association of Professional Anthropologists and Archaeologists (QAPAA) was formed in 1981 to provide a professional voice in Queensland on issues such as Aboriginal land rights, Queensland cultural heritage legislation, sand mining on Moreton Island, and the preservation of Aboriginal sites and relics. The University of Queensland's Bruce Rigsby was a founding member.

Emeritus Professor Bruce Rigsby was a Professor of Anthropology in the School of Social Science, University of Queensland. Rigsby is an American-Australian anthropologist specializing in the languages and ethnography of native peoples on both continents. He was a member of the Australian Anthropological Society and the American Anthropological Association. He died on 19 March 2022.