1. Earth Science Plate tectonics That Land Down Under... and the Other Land Down Under

2. OZ…

3. … and ANTARCTICA

4. Continental Drift (more detail) Pangea broke up into Laurasia and Gondwana. Australia separated from Gondwana about 65 million years ago. Notice India’s movement!

5. The Plates Remember, Australia and India are on the same plate Both countries were attached to Antarctica about 125 million years ago

6. Australia Nicking Off. Australia stayed connected to Antarctica by Tasmania Then about 40 million years ago, Australia became an island continent. Now, Australia is the only place in the world that is an ISLAND, a COUNTRY and a CONTINENT

7. Australia Nicking Off. It’s isolation caused it to develop completely unique flora and fauna. (know what they are?) Yes, they are plants, and animals. 80% of Western Australia’s plant life cannot be found anywhere else on the planet.

8. Types of Movements Australia is dominated by marsupials, very cute and cuddly.