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Unit : Australia's physical environment

Topic 1 : The Australian continent

Pictures

Chapter: Geographical dimensions: size and shape

Image 1 - Australia's territory occupies an area of about 7 682 300 km.
Image 2 - Australia is the sixth largest country in the world.
Image 3 - Australia is considered by some to be part of a continent called Oceania.
Image 4 - Australia is divided into six states and two mainland major territories.

Chapter: Australia's location: regional and global

Image 1 - The world is divided into Northern and Southern Hemispheres and Western and Eastern Hemispheres.
Image 2 - Australia is located between the latitudes of 10 and 40 degrees south and between the longitudes of 110 and 160 degrees east.
Image 3 - This map shows some of Australia's closest neighbours.
Image 4 - New Zealand is located southeast of Australia.
Image 5 - Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are very close to Australia.

Chapter: Origins of the continent: Aboriginal perspective

Image 1 - Australian Aboriginal people have been in Australia for tens of thousands of years.
Image 2 - Australian Aboriginal communities have different cultures and traditions.
Image 3 - Aboriginal peoples use art and dance to tell Dreamtime stories.
Image 4 - Red is a spiritually important colour for some Aboriginal groups.
Image 5 -

Chapter: Origins of the continent: geographical perspective

Image 1 - Australia was once part of a giant landmass called Pangaea.
Image 2 - After Pangaea broke up, Australia was part of a landmass called Gondwanaland.
Image 3 - The Earth is made up of different layers.
Image 4 - Various geological processes take place at plate boundaries.
Image 5 - The Australian continent is old and flat.

Chapter: Volcanoes

Image 1 - This lake is found at the peak of the volcanic Mount Gambier in South Australia.
Image 2 - Volcanoes create new land out of molten lava.
Image 3 - Australia is located in the centre of the Indo-Australian plate.

Chapter: Topography

Image 1 - Australia has four major landform regions.
Image 2 - The coastal plains of Australia are lush and green because of their relatively high rainfall.
Image 3 - The Three Sisters of the Blue Mountains are found in the Eastern Highlands.
Image 4 - The Simpson Desert, with its sand ridges, is found in the central lowlands.
Image 5 - Uluru is found on the Western Plateau.

Topic 2 : Physical characteristics of Australia

Pictures

Chapter: Patterns of climate

Image 1 - Australia's rainfall varies from place to place.
Image 2 - The rain shadow effect prevents rain from falling on the leeward side of mountains.
Image 3 - El Niņo causes droughts in Australia.

Chapter: Major physical features

Image 1 - The Australian Alps are tall enough that snow falls there.
Image 2 - Lake Eyre is normally dry, but it can fill with water in times of heavy rainfall.
Image 3 - The Nullarbor Plain is a vast, treeless plain that was once a sea floor.

Chapter: Natural resources

Image 1 - Australia has many natural mineral and energy resources.
Image 2 - Mining is a major source of income for many Australians.
Image 3 - A majority of Australia's coal is exported to places like China.
Image 4 - Uranium mining is highly controversial.

Chapter: Flora and fauna

Image 1 - Eucalypts are the most common plant in Australia.
Image 2 - Banksias are a native Australian flowering plant.
Image 3 - Echidnas are a type of monotreme.
Image 4 - Wombats are a type of marsupial.
Image 5 - Bats are a type of placental mammal.

Chapter: Rainforests

Image 1 - Rainforests have many layers
Image 2 - Rainforests are rich in plant life
Image 3 - Tree kangaroos live in Australian rainforests
Image 4 - Temperate rainforests are much cooler than tropical rainforests

Chapter: The Great Barrier Reef

Image 1 - The Great Barrier Reef extends for thousands of kilometres.
Image 2 - The Great Barrier Reef has many islands like this one.
Image 3 - Coral is a vital part of the coral reef ecosystem.
Image 4 - Polyps generate new coral.
Image 5 - Schooling fish can present the appearance of a larger animal.

Topic 3 : Natural hazards

Pictures

Chapter: Drought and drought in Australia

Image 1 - Drought strongly affects inland rural regions.
Image 2 - Drought can harm livestock and crops.
Image 3 - When crops are damaged by drought, food prices in the city often rise.
Image 4 - Drought can render soil dry and unfertile.

Chapter: Bushfires and bushfires in Australia

Image 1 - Australia has a long history of bushfires.
Image 2 - Eucalypt trees are especially flammable.
Image 3 - Fire-fighters help extinguish bushfires.
Image 4 - Bushfires can have natural or man-made causes.

Chapter: Storms and a major storm in Australia

Image 1 Cumulonimbus clouds cause thunderstorms.
Image 2 Hailstones are usually small, but they can be very large.
Image 3 Lightning is common during thunderstorms.
Image 4 Dust storms, like this one in Saudi Arabia, can lower visibility significantly.

Chapter: Tropical cyclones and a major tropical cyclone in Australia

Image 1 - Tropical cyclones are very large, destructive storms
Image 2 - The northern part of Australia is especially prone to cyclones
Image 3 - Tropical cyclones have relatively calm eyes at their centres
Image 4 - Tropical cyclones damage crops and buildings
Image 5 - Cyclone Tracy did extensive damage

Chapter: Floods and a flood in Australia

Image 1 - Floods are an annual occurrence in Australia.
Image 2 - Flash floods can take a person by surprise.
Image 3 - Dams can be used for flood mitigation.

Chapter: Earthquakes and an earthquake in Australia

Image 1 - Even though Australia is in an intraplate region, it still encounters tectonic activity.
Image 2 - The focus of an earthquake is often deep within the Earth.
Image 3 - Tsunamis are especially large waves that are caused by earthquakes.
Image 4 - Seismographs are devices used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes.
Image 5 - The earthquake in Newcastle did extensive damage even though it had a moderate magnitude.

Study guides

This unit includes

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