the australian continent geographical dimensions of the continent origins of the continent © karen...

The The Australian Australian ContinentContinent

Geographical Dimensions of Geographical Dimensions of the Continentthe Continent

Origins of the ContinentOrigins of the Continent

© Karen Devine 2010

Australia is:Australia is: Australia is:Australia is:a)a) an island bordered by oceans.an island bordered by oceans.b)b) One of the continentsOne of the continentsc)c) Part of the Asia-PacificPart of the Asia-Pacificd)d) Bordered by the Pacific and Indian Bordered by the Pacific and Indian

OceansOceanse)e) Found in the Southern HemisphereFound in the Southern Hemispheref)f) Found in the Eastern HemisphereFound in the Eastern Hemisphereg)g) A nation rich in natural resourcesA nation rich in natural resourcesh)h) Lacking in inland seasLacking in inland seasi)i) The driest inhabited continentThe driest inhabited continentj)j) A nation with many desertsA nation with many desertsk)k) A low flat land mass with no large A low flat land mass with no large

mountain ranges.mountain ranges.l)l) Without a major world riverWithout a major world riverm)m) Not densely populatedNot densely populatedn)n) Very populated in urban areas. Very populated in urban areas. Play “This is Australia”.


Australia’s Geographical DimensionsAustralia’s Geographical DimensionsAustralia’s Dimensions

The land mass is 7682 square kms

It is 33% the size of Russia.

It is almost as large as the USA.

It is between latitude 10° S and 45° S and longitude 113° E and 153° E.

It is almost 4000k m east to west.

It covers 2 time zones.

It is almost 2500 km north to south.

It covers several climatic zones.

It has 7 external territories including Norfolk Island.

It is bordered by the Pacific and Indian Oceans.


The Origins of the ContinentThe Origins of the Continent

50,000 50,000 YEARS AGO.YEARS AGO.

ATSI’s ATSI’s migrated from migrated from Asia to Asia to Australia Australia during the last during the last Ice Age.Ice Age.



Their migration was Their migration was made easier by the made easier by the fact that the fact that the continent was continent was joined to PNG and joined to PNG and Indonesia in one Indonesia in one land mass. land mass. ((PangaeaPangaea))



When ATSI’s arrived When ATSI’s arrived Australia was:Australia was:

a)a) coldercolder

b)b) wetterwetter

c)c) temperate and temperate and subtropicalsubtropical

d)d) covered with lush covered with lush vegetationvegetation

e)e) covered by lakes and covered by lakes and rivers.rivers.



At the conclusion At the conclusion of the Ice Age in of the Ice Age in Australia:Australia:

a)a) temperatures rosetemperatures rose

b)b) glaciers retreatedglaciers retreated

c)c) sea levels rosesea levels rose

d)d) climates changedclimates changed

e)e) deserts formed.deserts formed.


Aboriginal Perspectives on the Aboriginal Perspectives on the Origin of the ContinentOrigin of the Continent

ATSI’s believe ATSI’s believe that the earth that the earth was formed was formed during the during the Dreamtime.Dreamtime.



ATSI’s use Dreaming ATSI’s use Dreaming stories to tell how stories to tell how their spirit ancestors:their spirit ancestors:

a)a) formed the landformed the land

b)b) gave customary lawgave customary law

c)c) taught all the ATSI’s taught all the ATSI’s how to survive and how to survive and keep the land alive.keep the land alive.



The Dreaming The Dreaming is the is the essence of Aboriginal essence of Aboriginal Spirituality.Spirituality.

The Dreaming is:The Dreaming is:a)a) a collection of storiesa collection of storiesb)b) a connection between a connection between

the present the present generation and the generation and the spirit ancestorsspirit ancestors

c)c) an explanation of the an explanation of the origin of life and origin of life and nature.nature.



There are many sacred There are many sacred sites in ATSI spirituality sites in ATSI spirituality in which the spirit in which the spirit ancestors dwell and ancestors dwell and preserve the site. preserve the site.

ATSI’s explained the ATSI’s explained the Dreaming in:Dreaming in:

a)a) storiesstoriesb)b) songsongc)c) dancedanced)d) paintingspaintingse)e) ceremonies.ceremonies.



Some ATSI Some ATSI artworks are like artworks are like maps to various maps to various sacred sites.sacred sites.

Other ATSI stories Other ATSI stories give details on give details on cures for illnesses cures for illnesses and other sacred and other sacred knowledge.knowledge.


Geographical Perspective on the Geographical Perspective on the Origin of the ContinentOrigin of the Continent

The Australian The Australian continent is the:continent is the:

a)a) oldestoldest

b)b) flattestflattest

c)c) driestdriest

d)d) lowest.lowest.



The Australian The Australian continent has a continent has a variety of landforms variety of landforms including:including:

a)a) mountainsmountains

b)b) plainsplains

c)c) valleysvalleys

d)d) tablelandstablelands

e)e) plateaux.plateaux.



The continent’s The continent’s vegetation vegetation includes:includes:

a)a) temperate temperate forestsforests

b)b) tropical tropical rainforestsrainforests

c)c) desert spinifex.desert spinifex.© Karen Devine 2010


The Australian The Australian climate can be climate can be hot and wethot and wet or or cold and cold and dry.dry.



Australia sits in the Australia sits in the middle of the Indo-middle of the Indo-Australian Australian tectonic tectonic plate.plate.

180 Million years ago 180 Million years ago all the floating tectonic all the floating tectonic plates were connected plates were connected and the continents and the continents formed one land mass formed one land mass known as known as PangaeaPangaea..



As the plates As the plates moved, the moved, the continents continents eventually formed eventually formed their positions seen their positions seen today. today.



Using the theory of Using the theory of continental drift, continental drift, these continental these continental plates continue to plates continue to slowly move today slowly move today causing:causing:

a)a) earthquakesearthquakesb)b) volcanic eruptionsvolcanic eruptionsc)c) tsunamis.tsunamis.



The movement of The movement of the continental the continental plates also causes plates also causes the development the development of mountain of mountain ranges and has ranges and has created Australia’s:created Australia’s:

a)a) Great Dividing Great Dividing RangeRange

b)b) Flinder’s RangesFlinder’s Rangesc)c) Stirling Ranges.Stirling Ranges.


Pause Point.Pause Point.

Watch the Film Watch the Film on on Plate Tectonics.Plate Tectonics.


Question Time?Question Time?

Explain how and Explain how and why the earth’s why the earth’s tectonic plates tectonic plates move.move.

Draw the main Draw the main tectonic plates on a tectonic plates on a map of the world.map of the world.

Based on this map, Based on this map, which countries are which countries are likely to experience likely to experience major earthquake major earthquake activity?activity?


the australian continent geographical dimensions of the continent origins of the continent © karen...

Documents