Australia – a unique
continent
Year 9 Geography
Syllabus Requirements
The Australian continent

locate and recognise Australia
on a world map using latitude
and longitude

compare Australia’s size and
shape with other continents and
countries

explain the origins of the
continent from an Aboriginal
and geographical perspective
Physical characteristics that make
Australia unique

identify and represent
Australia’s major physical
features and patterns on a
variety of maps

describe Australia’s major
physical features and patterns

explain the interrelationships
that exist in the physical
environment of Australia

explain adaptations of flora and
fauna to the Australian
environment
Agenda
 Australia’s geographical
dimensions:
 major landforms and
drainage basins
 relative size and shape
 patterns of:
 latitude and longitude
 climate
 the origins of the continent:
 Aboriginal perspective
 geographical perspective
 weather
 vegetation
 unique flora and fauna
 natural resources
Australia's
Size & Shape
(A) What Makes Us
Unique
 Complete the activity sheet:
What Makes Australia
Unique A-Z
(A)What Do
We Look Like
On an A4 page:
Draw a free-hand map of
Australia
1. Locate natural features
(a) Cape York, (b) Gulf of
Carpentaria, (c) Great Barrier
Reef, (d) Bass Strait,
(e)
Great Australian Bight, (f)
Shark Bay, (g) Cape Byron,
(h) South East Cape (i) Lake
Eyre, (j) Mt. Kosciuszko .
2. Locate state capital cities
3. Locate Australia's capital
city
4. Draw in state borders
The Natural
Features Of
Australia
The highest point in
Australia is = Mt Kosciuszko
at 2228m
The lowest point in
Australia is = Lake Eyre at
15m below sea level
The hottest recorded
temperature in Australia is =
Cloncurry 53.1°C
The coldest recorded
temperature is = -22°C at
Charlotte Pass
Top 10 Countries By Land Area
http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/world-top-ten-largest-countries-inarea-map.html
Origins
Aka “where do I come from?”
Indigenous Australians Perspective
Geographical perspective
Indigenous Australian
Peoples View of Australia
(a) Dreamtime
 Many Indigenous Australians also refer to the
Creation time as "The Dreaming". The Dreamtime
laid down the patterns of life for the Aboriginal
people
 Using the internet investigate the story of the
origins of Australia from the indigenous peoples of
Australia perspective
 Remember to use the 5 W’s to create a complete
answer
Geographical Perspective
of Origins
Get the drift?
 What is the continental drift?
 The continent of Australia has migrated across the Earth’s
surface for millions of years.
 When did it happen?
 By studying the age and structure of rock formations
geographers have been able to determine the continent’s
previous positions and its movements.
 Why is it important?
 The topography of Australia is the result of processes that
have taken place over millions of years.
 Plate movements have given the continent its basic form,
but the processes of weathering and erosion have shaped
the features.
Where Are We?
Hemispheres
(a) Activity
 On a blank map of the world
 Label the north, south, east and west hemispheres
(the map on the previous slide will help).
 State which 2 hemispheres Australia is in.
Latitude & Longitude
Latitude
 To locate places more accurately on a world map
geographers use latitude and longitude.
 The lines of latitude are parallel to the Equator and
are measured in degrees north and south.
 Their values range from 0° at the Equator to 90°N at
the North Pole and 90°S at the South Pole.
 Australia is found between 10°S and 44°S (the
Tropic of Capricorn passes through Australia)
Longitude
 Lines of longitude run from pole to pole and are not parallel. They
are measured in degrees east and west of the Prime Meridian,
which runs through Greenwich in London.

Their values range from 0° at the Prime Meridian to 180° on the
opposite side of the globe. The International Date Line follows the
180° line of longitude.
 Australia is found between 113°E and 154°E longitude.
 REMEMBER NORTH OR SOUTH BEFORE EAST OR WEST
 When locating a place using latitude and longitude the latitude
always comes before the longitude.

For example, the latitude and longitude of Canberra is 35°S 149°E.
(a) Parrot Island Activity

You have won the squillionaires
lottery (woohoo) and have the
opportunity to create your own
island. You have decided to
create an island with the
following attributes:







Beach
Mountains
Small Desert
Freshwater source
Resort Village (just for you and
your family)
Staff village (for all of the
people to who work for you and
their families.
A small reef for snorkeling &
diving

Draw a map of Parrot Island
and label. These should include :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
the latitude and longitude
Which Tropic ?
Which hemisphere it belongs to
Location
Geographic coordinates:
Land boundaries:
Total Area (incl a scale)
Area – comparative e.g. it’s the
size of Tasmania
9. Climate e.g. tropical monsoon
(Mar-Jun)
10. Weather mean (see over)
Parrot Island Weather
Asia Pacific Region
(A)
Neighbours
On a blank world map
draw:
•Australia’s neighbours.
•Country name
•Capital City
•Colour and label:
•The 7 continents
•the equator,
•both tropics and
• the prime meridian
(O° longitude)
Make sure to apply BOLTS (Border, Orientation,
Legend, Title and Scale)