Geographic Features of Australia Unit 10 Notes

I. Australia’s Political Features

GPS/EQ Z SS6G12 The student will be able to locate selected features of Australia. a. Locate on a world and regional political-physical map: the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Ayers Rock, and Great Victoria Desert. SS6G13 The student will explain the impact of location, climate, distribution of natural resources, and population distribution on Australia. a. Describe how Australia’s location, climate, and natural resources have affected where people live. b. Describe how Australia’s location, climate, and natural resources impact trade EQ: What are the major physical features of Australia, and where are they located on a map (Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Ayers Rock, and Great Victoria Desert)?

Australia… ZIs divided into 2 territories and 6 states: ZStates: Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland ZTerritories: Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory

Tasmania ZIsland off the southeast coast of the mainland ZAlmost ½ is unspoiled land that is protected by the government

Tasmanian Devil?

Victoria ZState closest to Tasmania ZSoutheast part of the mainland ZCapital is Melbourne; it’s the most urban state in Australia ZThe many rivers of the region are a good source of fresh water for farming

South Australia ZState in south-central Australia ZThe Great Victoria Desert is located here…

Western Australia ZLargest state; makes up 1/3rd of the mainland ZMost of Western Australia is desert (Great Victoria Desert and Great Sandy Desert are located here)

Great Sandy Desert

New South Wales ZNorth of Victoria, on the eastern coast ZHas more people than any other Australian state ZThe capital, Sydney, is the most populated city in Australia /2 million people live there! ZAustralian Capital Territory is located here

Sydney, New South Wales

Queensland ZSecond largest state; 7 times the size of England! Z In the northeastern part of the mainland ZGreat Barrier Reef is located off the coast in the Coral Sea ZMore than half of Queensland’s population lives in the capital: Brisbane

Brisbane

Northern Territory ZNorthern coast of the mainland, between Western Australia and Queensland ZLargest population of Aborigines in Australia

Australian Capital Territory ZLocated in New South Wales ZThe national capital, Canberra, is located here

Canberra (Australia’s Capital)

II. Australia’s Physical Features

Australia… ZThe world’s smallest and flattest continent… ZHas Earth’s oldest and least fertile soils ZOnly Antarctica receives less rainfall! ZCommonwealth of Australia also includes Tasmania, an island south of the mainland ZIt’s surrounded by the Indian and Pacific Oceans

ZHuge desert plains stretch across the country’s middle--central Australia’s climate is hot and dry ZMilder climates along the southeastern and southwestern coasts ZMost Australians live in the southeastern coastal region

Great Barrier Reef ZWorld’s largest coral reef! ZLies off the northeast coast of Queensland--over 1,200 miles long ZContains an amazing variety of marine life, including the world’s largest collection of coral Z400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish, & 4,000 mollusks (snails, clams, octopi, & squid) ZAlso includes rare species like the sea cow and the large green turtle

Great Barrier Reef from space

Coral Sea ZAn important source of coral for the Great Barrier Reef ZPart of the Pacific Ocean ZOff the northeast coast of Australia ZWhen the earth’s crust moved millions of years ago, it created the Coral Sea and the Great Dividing Range (largest mountain range in Australia) ZCoral Sea islands are scattered over thousands of miles of ocean--no one lives on the islands except for a small group of weather specialists

Ayers Rock ZA huge, reddish rock in the center of Australia ZVery close to the geographic center of the continent… ZIt’s a monolith, which is a single, large rock sticking out of the earth ZAppears reddish because its iron content “rusts” at the surface ZNearly 12 stories high and almost 6 miles wide!

Ayers Rock ZAborigines call it “Uluru”, which is its official name ZEuropean surveyor visited the rock in 1873 and named it after Sir Henry Ayers, an English government official in South Australia ZIn 1950, Australia created Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park around Ayers Rock ZBoth are located in the southwest corner of the state called Northern Territory

Great Victoria Desert ZStretches through the states of South Australia and Western Australia ZReceives only 8 to 10 inches of rain each year, and it never snows! ZSome grasslands in the desert along with sandhills and salt

Great Victoria Desert ZFirst Europeans to cross the desert named it after British Queen Victoria in 1875 Z160,000 miles long & is a protected wilderness area ZVery few Australians live here because it’s too hot and dry

Design-A-Plate ZThere is a new Australian restaurant in Suwanee! The restaurant owner is planning to serve yummy Australian foods, like Down Under Cheese Hoppers and Sydney Spicy Shrimp. Even though he has an awesome Australian menu lined up, he has one small problem…He doesn’t have any plates to serve the food on! The owner needs your help in designing plates that could be used in his restaurant. He wants you to create a plate that includes the important physical features of Australia: Ayers Rock, Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, and the Great Victoria Desert. Feel free to add any additional illustrations to your plate design—the more Australian, the better! The plate should be colorful, informative, and creative.