Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
Learning about …
PAGE
7
1 Choose the most correct answer for each of the following statements.
a Australia can be described as:
i
an island
ii a country
iii a continent
iv all of the above.
b The two landmasses that make up Australia are:
i
mainland Australia and Antarctica
ii mainland Australia and Tasmania
iii the Australian Antarctic Territory and the Australian Capital Territory
iv Tasmania and Norfolk Island.
c
The main characteristic responsible for the unique features of Australia is its:
i
size
ii shape
iii physical environments
iv human environment.
d Australia is which of the following?
i
Tenth biggest country in the world
ii Second biggest country in the world
iii Sixth biggest country in the world
iv Fifth biggest country in the world
e Table [1.4] shows that the USA is how many million square kilometres larger
than Australia?
i
16.8
ii 1.68
iii 17.87
iv 178
3 Is it accurate to describe Australia as an island-continent? Give details.
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
4 Describe Australia in terms of its size.
5 Why is the sheer size of Australia responsible for many of its unique features?
6 Using map [1.7], copy and complete the following sentences.
a The total area of Australia is ______________.
b The largest state or territory is _____________________ with an area that
represents ________ of the total area of Australia.
c
The smallest state or territory is __________________. It has an area of ______
that is ________ of the total land area.
d The remaining states and territories have a total area of _____________ and
represent ________ of the total area.
Learning to …
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8
1 Use the map of Australia [1.7] to complete the following tasks.
a Give the scale of the map as a:
i
sentence
ii representative fraction
iii linear scale.
b Estimate the distance between:
i
Sydney and Perth
ii Hobart and Melbourne
iii Adelaide and Darwin.
c
State the direction of Kalgoorlie from:
i
Perth
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
ii Lake Eyre
iii Tennant Creek
iv Brisbane.
d Using an atlas to assist you, give the latitude and longitude for:
i
Albany
ii Launceston
iii Mt Isa
iv Kangaroo Island.
e Name the following features:
i
the body of water between Tasmania and Victoria
ii the northern-most point of Australia
iii the river border of New South Wales and Victoria
iv the body of water between Australia and Papua New Guinea
v the island north of Darwin
vi the geographical feature off the coast of Queensland
vii the lake at 28°S and 137°E.
f
Estimate the area of:
i
Lake Eyre
ii Melville Island.
g Which of the following has the smallest scale? Which one has the largest scale?
i
The satellite image of Australia [1.3]
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
ii The map of Australia [1.7].
2 Identify small-scale maps and large-scale maps in this textbook. Make a list of
three small-scale maps and three large-scale maps.
3 Using the map showing Australia’s size in relation to Europe [1.10] complete the
following.
a Name a country in Europe that is about the same size as Victoria.
b Approximately how many European countries could you ‘fit into’ Western
Australia? Name them.
4 Use the index of an atlas to record the full latitude and longitude (in degrees and
minutes) of:
a Sydney
b Melbourne
c
Brisbane
d Adelaide
e Perth
f
Hobart
g Darwin.
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
Learning about …
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14
1 How long have Aboriginal people occupied Australia? From where did they arrive?
2 Explain how Aboriginal people were able to make their way from Asia to Australia.
3 Use [1.17] to describe ‘Greater Australia’.
4 Describe the Aboriginal occupation of Australia 20 000 years ago.
5 Define the term ‘nomadic’ in your own words.
6 Explain why Aboriginal people have been able to survive for so long.
7 Outline the role played by women in ensuring the food supply.
8 Discuss the Aboriginal people’s view of the land. How does it differ from the
European view?
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
9 Explain why the Dreaming is significant to Aboriginal people.
10 How have Aboriginal people been dispossessed? What are the implications of this
for Aboriginal people?
Learning to …
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14
1 Read the article ‘Aborigines consent to ritual burial excavations’ to answer the
following.
a Describe the discovery in the sand dunes in the Willandra Lakes region.
b Where were Australia’s oldest human remains discovered? How long ago?
c
Describe the nature of the cooperation between the Aboriginal elders and scientists.
d Explain why discoveries like these may be important.
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
e Outline the Aboriginal elders’ response to the findings.
2 Use the map of ‘Greater Australia’ [1.17] to complete the following.
a Calculate the longest distance Aboriginal people might have travelled in their
journey to Australia.
b Name the islands from which Aboriginal people migrated. What nations are
these islands part of today?
Learning about …
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16
1 Describe the origins of Australia from a geographical perspective.
2 Explain the process of ‘continental drift’. How did it apply to Australia?
3 Explain the meaning of ‘tectonic plates’. What effects do their movements have?
4 How has climatic change affected the Australian continent? What evidence is
there of this?
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
5 Examine the photo of Palm Valley [1.26]. Describe the main features shown and
how they illustrate how central Australia might once have looked.
Learning to …
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16
1 Use the Internet to research more information on Australia’s geographical origins. Write
a report on the results of your research. Make a list of the most useful websites.
Learning about …
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20
1 What factors make Australia a unique country?
2 Name the four main landform regions of Australia.
3 How did the Great Dividing Range get its name? Why is it now deemed to be
inaccurately named? What is it called now?
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
4 Name Australia’s highest mountain. What is its height above sea level?
5 Which Australian mountains are fold mountains and which were formed by faulting?
6 Name the three drainage systems of the Central Lowlands. Which of these
systems is an inland system? What does this mean?
7 How were the Flinders Ranges formed?
8 What is artesian water? How is it formed and how can it be used?
9 Refer to [1.30] and describe the processes that have shaped Australia.
Learning about …
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26
1 Why does Australia have a variety of climatic types?
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
2 How would you describe Australia’s rainfall?
3 How is northern Australia’s climate different from that of southern Australia?
(Mention both temperature and rainfall in your answer.)
4 Study the three maps on Australia’s climate [1.40], [1.41] and [1.42].
a Describe briefly the climate for:
i
Darwin
ii Sydney
iii Adelaide
iv Hobart
v Alice Springs
vi Brisbane.
b In which season would Melbourne normally receive most rain?
c
In which season would Cairns normally receive most rain?
d What is meant by rainfall variability? Why is it useful in describing climate?
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
e Which areas of Australia experience the greatest variability of rainfall? Suggest
possible reasons for this.
Learning about …
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32
1 What is synoptic data? Give examples.
2 What is a synoptic chart?
3 What do isobars measure?
4 Study the typical weather map [1.43].
a Name the feature approaching Melbourne.
b What weather is usually associated with this feature?
c
Name the feature influencing Darwin’s weather.
d What weather is usually associated with this feature?
e What unit is used to measure the isobars on the map?
f
What is the highest air pressure shown on the map?
g Describe the weather that Perth experienced on that day.
h Name two areas that received rainfall in the past twenty-four hours.
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
i
State the wind speed and direction at:
i
Cairns
ii Port Hedland.
j
Refer to the pressure system influencing Hobart’s weather and estimate the
direction the wind is blowing.
k Name two places experiencing calm weather.
l
Is this map typical of a summer or winter Australian weather map? Explain.
5 What is a satellite image?
6 List three patterns that can usually be identified on a satellite image.
7 Refer to the weather map and satellite images [1.52]. Describe how the following
features appear on the satellite image:
a Tropical Cyclone John
b the low pressure system below the tropical cyclone
c
the high pressure system off Sydney
d the cold front to the south of Australia.
Learning about …
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35
1 Why has Australia developed a unique variety of flora and fauna?
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
2 Explain how natural vegetation is affected by climate. Refer to specific parts of
Australia.
3 What are tropical savannas? What variations could you expect to see in Australia’s
savannas?
4 Describe the specific characteristics of Australia’s desert vegetation.
5 Explain, using examples, what these types of animals are:
a marsupials
b monotremes.
6 Make a list of some of Australia’s best known fauna. Beside each one, write a
brief description of its distinctive features.
7 Make a list of some of the animals that have been introduced into Australia.
Beside each one mention what problems they have caused.
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
Learning about …
PAGE
42
1 Describe the main characteristics of Australia’s soils.
2 Which areas of Australia are likely to have the most fertile soils? Why?
3 What is meant by the term ‘land degradation’? Why is it a current geographic issue?
4 How did the discovery of gold help in the development and growth of Australia?
5 Make a list of Australia’s major mineral resources. Beside each one, name the
state or states where this mineral is found in significant quantities.
6 Where are Australia’s most recently discovered diamond mines?
7 Why is water also considered to be a natural resource? Why is it important to
Australia?
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.
Geography for Australian Citizens
Chapter 1 Australia’s physical environments
8 Write a paragraph each about the effects of overuse or misuse of the following
Australian resources:
a water
b soil
c
forests
d fishing grounds.
Copyright © Brian Parker, Kate Lanceley, Debra Owens, Rebecca Fitzpatrick 2004. Published by Macmillan Education Australia. Unauthorised copying prohibited.