THE AUSTRAL REALM
(FOCUS ON AUSTRALIA)
(CHAPTER 11)
MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC
QUALITIES

RELATIVE LOCATION AND ISOLATION – developed
during the breakup of Gondwanaland (Pangaea). Led
to development of some of the most unique animals
and plants on the planet – Kangaroos, Koalas, ant
eaters, eucalyptus, etc.
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PERIPHERAL DEVELOPMENT/ HIGHLY CLUSTERED
URBAN POPULATIONS – around the sea.
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CHANGING HUMAN GEOGRAPHY – through Asian
immigration & Aboriginal activism
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EXPORTERS OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS
BIOGEOGRAPHY
A SUB-FIELD OF GEOGRAPHY- THE SPATIAL
ARRANGEMENT OF FLORA AND FAUNA
 EVOLVED FROM THE OVERLAP BETWEEN
GEOGRAPHY AND BIOLOGY
 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT (1769-1859) IS
RECOGNIZED AS THE FOUNDER
 SUBDIVIDED INTO 2 MAIN BRANCHES:
– ZOOGEOGRAPHY – study of animal life
– PHYTOGEOGRAPHY – study of plant life

AUSTRALIA’S
PHYSIOGRAPHIC
REGIONS
It’s ten times the
size of Texas!
CLIMATE
AUSTRALIA
A FEDERAL STATE SINCE 1901
 POPULATION OF 20.3 MILLION
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–
–
–
–
ABORIGINAL POPULATION OF 400,000 (2%)
ARITHMETIC DENSITY OF 6.8/SQ MI
PHYSIOLOGIC DENSITY OF 113/SQ MI
GNI OF $28,290
91% URBANIZED
 MAJOR URBAN CENTERS

– SYDNEY (4.5 MILLION)
– MELBOURNE (3.7 MILLION)
– CANBERRA (345,000)- CAPITAL
SYDNEY
POLITICAL
DIVISIONS
THE OUTBACK
EXTENSIVE GRASSLAND PASTURES
 SUPPORT ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST
SHEEP AND CATTLE INDUSTRIES
 A FRAGILE ENVIRONMENT

THE INTERIOR
AUSTRALIA’S ECONOMY
PRINCIPAL PATTERNS:
– EXPORTS RAW MATERIALS
– BASED HEAVILY ON THE PRIMARY
SECTOR ACTIVITIES
– DEPENDS ON WORLD MARKETS
 IMPORT-SUBSTITUTION INDUSTRIES
 SMALL DOMESTIC MARKET
 TRADE LINKS WITH ASIAN TIGERS

AGRICULTURE
&
MINERAL
RESOURCES
ABORIGINAL ISSUES
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POPULATION DATES FROM 50,000-60,000 YEARS
AGO, pg 584.
1980s - CAMPAIGN AGAINST MINING AND
EXPLORATION OF TRADITIONAL LANDS
1992: ABORIGINES CAN CLAIM TITLE TO
TRADITIONAL LAND
1993: NATIVE TITLE BILL – Natives could now
obtain titles to their “vacant” land
1996: LEGAL REVIEW OF PASTORAL LEASES
CURRENT LAND ISSUES
ABORIGINAL
CLAIMS
IMPACT OF FIRE IN NEW SOUTH WALES
E.J. PALKA
BEACH ALONG AUSTRALIA’S EAST COAST
NORTH
QUEENSLAND
SUGARCANE FIELD
E.J. PALKA
TEA PLANTATION
E.J. PALKA
THE AUSTRAL REALM II
(NEW ZEALAND)
NEW ZEALAND
TWO MAJOR ISLANDS (NORTH AND
SOUTH) AND MANY SMALLER
 MOUNTAINOUS ENVIRONMENTS
 POPULATION OF 4.2 MILLION, OF
WHICH 75% ARE EUROPEAN
 MAORI HERITAGE (POLYNESIAN
ROOTS), BUT A MINORITY TODAY OF
LESS THAN 600,000
 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES - herding

NEW ZEALAND’S RELATIVE LOCATION
(ASTRIDE PLATE BOUNDARIES)
THE IMPACT
POPULATION OVERVIEW
4.2 MILLION PEOPLE
 MAORI MINORITY OF ABOUT 14%
 ARITHEMETIC DENSITY: 39.8/SQ MI
 LIFE EXPECTANCY: MALE (76);
FEMALE (81)
 78% URBANIZED
 GNI: $21,120
 AUCKLAND: 1.2 MILLION

LAND-USE
PATTERNS
COMMONALITIES
(AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND)
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BRITISH HERITAGE
PASTORAL ECONOMIES
SMALL INTERNAL MARKETS
CHALLENGES OF DISTANCE AND REMOTE
LOCATION
HIGH % URBANIZATION
PERIPHERAL DEVELOPMENT
CONCERNS WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
EXCELLENT QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MOST
AUCKLAND, NORTH ISLAND
HIGHLY URBANIZED ON COASTAL MARGINS
THE MAORI
FACTOR/COMPLAINTS
• TREATY OF WAITANGI, 1840
• LAND AND FISHING RIGHTS
• LACK OF INTEGRATION INTO REST OF SOCIETY
•HISTORICAL LAND CLAIMS (SOUTH ISLAND)