The Lake Eyre Basin
A unique river system worth maintaining
Teacher guide and lesson plans
Lower secondary
1 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
The Lake Eyre Basin: A unique river system
worth maintaining
Teacher guide and lesson plans – Lower
secondary
ISBN: 978-1-74200-128-9
SCIS order number: 1523398
Full bibliographic details are available from
Education Services Australia.
Published by Education Services Australia
PO Box 177
Carlton South Vic 3053
Australia
Tel: (03) 9207 9600
Fax: (03) 9910 9800
Acknowledgments:
Front cover: NASA, above (left), below (far
right); © Commonwealth of Australia –
photograph by Paul Wainwright, above
(centre), below (centre left and centre right); ©
Commonwealth of Australia – photograph by
Allan Fox, below (far left).
Back cover: © Commonwealth of Australia –
photograph by Allan Fox, above; ©
Commonwealth of Australia – photograph by
Paul Wainwright, below (far left, centre left,
centre and far right).
Background image (page 4): NASA.
Front and back cover images are repeated in
the banners throughout the document.
Email: sales@esa.edu.au Website:
www.esa.edu.au
This resource is copyright Commonwealth of
Australia, except where otherwise indicated.
You may use this resource for non-commercial
educational purposes, provided you retain all
acknowledgements associated with the
resource.
In relation to material that is owned by third
parties and which has been licensed for
inclusion in this resource, you are permitted
until 30 December 2016 to use this material for
non-commercial educational purposes,
provided you retain all acknowledgements
associated with the material.
Apart from any use specified above or under
the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are
reserved.
Project director: David Brown
Production manager: Louise Poultney
Production coordinator: Melissa Kaulfuss
Copyright and permissions officers: Susan
Trompenaars and Kelly Williams
Editors: Helen Bethune Moore and Zoe
Naughten
Layout: Suzie Pilcher
2 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
CONTENTS
Big Idea: How do we ensure that Australia’s water use is sustainable?
4
The Lake Eyre Basin – Overview
5
Investigation 1 How does the Lake Eyre Basin differ from other Australian river systems?
9
Lesson 1.1 What makes Lake Eyre unique?
12
Lesson 1.2 How do the Lake Eyre Basin catchments work?
18
Lesson 1.3 What affects the rate of evaporation?
24
Investigation 2 How is the Basin transformed after long dry periods?
28
Lesson 2.1 What is the recent history of the levels of Lake Eyre?
31
Lesson 2.2 What happens to river systems during extended dry periods?
39
Lesson 2.3 How does water transform the Basin?
42
Investigation 3 How do we manage the Lake Eyre Basin sustainably?
49
Lesson 3.1 What are the possible effects of diverting water from rivers in the
Lake Eyre Basin?
52
Lesson 3.2 How do we move from conflict to mutual benefit?
Glossary
59
63
Teacher guide and lesson plan | 3
BIG IDEA
How do we ensure that Australia’s water use is sustainable?
In a dry arid country such as Australia, our water resources are already
stressed, largely as a result of our extraction of water to suit our nation’s
needs. The river systems in the Lake Eyre Basin experience highly
variable and unpredictable flows. However, they are in good condition.
How do we manage the competing needs for water resources in the Lake
Eyre Basin to ensure their health and biodiversity is maintained for future
generations?
4 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
The Lake Eyre Basin
Overview
The Lake Eyre Basin is an internal drainage basin
that makes up an area of nearly one-sixth of the
continent (16 per cent). Groundwater systems
feed springs that are a source of cultural,
economic and social importance. The highly
variable climate affects river flows with periods of
low or no flow and periods of flooding. In times of
extended dry periods the springs and large
permanent waterholes provide vital habitat for
wildlife, livestock and communities. Periods of
flooding reconnects isolated waterholes,
recharges groundwater storage systems,
revitalises aquatic and grassland ecosystems and
infrequently leads to the filling of Lake Eyre, the
lowest point in the Basin. The episodic floods that
extend over vast floodplains result in increased
yields of pasture grass that feeds livestock for
months after the flooding. The survival of living
things is influenced by the continual cycle of
flooding and drying and leads to periods of boom
and bust. When water is plentiful it seems an
attractive and viable option to divert the water for
other needs. The storage of water in this climate
is impractical due to high evaporation rates and a
very flat topography. So how can water resources
be sustainably managed in such a harsh,
unpredictable and variable climate?
Map 1.1 The Lake Eyre Basin
© Lake Eyre Basin Analogues Research Group, University of
Adelaide; using topographic map data © Commonwealth of
Australia
Teacher guide and lesson plan | 5
At a glance
Guiding
investigations
1 How does the
Lake Eyre Basin
differ from other
Australian river
systems?
2 How is the Basin
transformed after
long dry periods?
3 How do we manage
the Lake Eyre Basin
sustainably?
Lessons
Outcomes
1.1 What makes
Students describe what they know about Lake Eyre and
Lake Eyre unique? what they want to find out about it. They follow a guided
inquiry to answer questions of interest.
1.2 How do the
Lake Eyre Basin
catchments
work?
Students use a model to demonstrate how water flows
in a catchment. They represent the Lake Eyre Basin
catchment using suitable materials.
1.3 What affects
the rate of
evaporation?
Students investigate factors that affect the rate of
evaporation and relate their findings to the Lake Eyre Basin.
They investigate and measure the electrical conductivity
(EC) of a solution containing salt as it evaporates over time.
They relate their findings to Lake Eyre.
2.1 What is the
recent history of
the levels of Lake
Eyre?
Students graph and interpret data of Lake Eyre flood
levels.
2.2 What
happens to river
systems during
extended dry
periods?
Students describe the effect of extended dry periods
on river ecosystems.
2.3 How does
water transform
the Basin?
Students describe adaptations and behaviours of animals
and plants that assist their survival in an arid environment
that undergoes periods of boom and bust.
3.1 What are the
possible effects
of diverting water
from rivers in the
Lake Eyre Basin?
Students describe the possible effects on various land
users in the Lake Eyre Basin if water was diverted for
use elsewhere.
3.2 How do we
move from
conflict to
mutual benefit?
Students describe an issue, analyse the key points
and work towards a solution of mutual benefit.
6 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Australian Curriculum Links
Science – Year 7
Science Understanding
Science as a Human
Endeavour
Science Inquiry Skills
Biological sciences
Nature and development of
science
Planning and conducting
 There are differences within
and between groups of
organisms; classification helps
organise this diversity
 Interactions between
organisms can be described in
terms of food chains and food
webs; human activity can
affect these interactions
Chemical sciences
 Mixtures, including solutions,
contain a combination of pure
substances that can be
separated using a range of
techniques
Earth and space sciences
 Some of Earth’s resources are
renewable, but others are nonrenewable
 Water is an important resource
that cycles through the
environment
 Scientific knowledge
changes as new evidence
becomes available, and
some scientific discoveries
have significantly changed
people’s understanding of
the world
 Science knowledge can
develop through
collaboration and
connecting ideas across
the disciplines of science
Use and influence of
science
 Science and technology
contribute to finding
solutions to a range of
contemporary issues;
these solutions may impact
on other areas of society
and involve ethical
considerations
 Science understanding
influences the development
of practices in areas of
human activity such as
industry, agriculture and
marine and terrestrial
resource management
 Collaboratively and individually plan
and conduct a range of investigation
types, including fieldwork and
experiments, ensuring safety and
ethical guidelines are followed
 In fair tests, measure and control
variables, and select equipment to
collect data with accuracy
appropriate to the task
Processing and analysing data and
information
 Construct and use a range of
representations, including graphs,
keys and models to represent and
analyse patterns or relationships,
including using digital technologies
as appropriate
 Summarise data, from students’ own
investigations and secondary
sources, and use scientific
understanding to identify
relationships and draw conclusions
Evaluating
 Reflect on the method used to
investigate a question or solve a
problem, including evaluating the
quality of the data collected, and
identify improvements to the method
 Use scientific knowledge and findings
from investigations to evaluate claims
Communicating
 Communicate ideas, findings and
solutions to problems using scientific
language and representations using
digital technologies as appropriate
Teacher guide and lesson plan | 7
Geography (from Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography)
Geographical knowledge and
understanding
Weather and water


Developing a geographical question

Year 7

Geographical inquiry and skills
the hydrologic cycle describes the
movement of water between the
atmosphere, land and oceans
weather can be a hazard, but the
risks can be reduced through
human adjustment to the
conditions presented
water is a difficult resource to
manage because it is integrated
into environmental systems in
complex ways, can be highly
variable over time and across
space, and has many competing
uses
observation can lead to questions for investigation
Planning a geographical inquiry

some geographical features can be explained by cause and
effect relationships with other places
Collection, evaluating and managing information

primary and secondary data must be evaluated for accuracy
and bias before being analysed

census data can be used to describe the growth, movement
and characteristics of the populations of places

information collected in a survey should be evaluated for
reliability
Making sense of the information

mapping the spatial distribution of a characteristic such as
rainfall, can be a first step in developing an understanding
of that characteristic and suggesting possible causal
relationships
Communicating

each type of communication has conventions that should
usually be followed for communication to be effective

the climate of place can be represented by a graph of
average monthly temperature and precipitation
Planning and implementing actions

finding a way of resolving a problem depends on an
understanding of the causes of that problem
Reflecting on the investigation

each investigation should be evaluated for what has been
learned about the topic investigated and what has been
learned about the process of investigation
8 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
INVESTIGATION 1
How does the Lake Eyre Basin differ from other Australian river
systems?
Introduction
The Lake Eyre Basin is a unique river system,
which covers a significant area of the continent’s
arid to semi-arid bioregions. It is home to a variety
of flora and fauna, many of which are endemic,
and it is one of the few unregulated dryland river
systems in the world. While the rivers are in good
condition they experience variable flows with
periods of flood and no flow over extended dry
periods.
The Lake Eyre Basin landscape is crossed by
numerous meandering rivers, most of which do not
flow permanently. The Lake Eyre Basin covers
more than one million square kilometres (one-sixth
of Australia), and is about the size of the MurrayDarling Basin. However, in contrast to the MurrayDarling Basin, the Lake Eyre Basin is an inland
drainage system. No water flows from the Basin to
the sea. It is one of the biggest inland drainage
systems in the world.
Access to water influences settlement patterns.
Aboriginal people have lived in the area for
thousands of years and have many culturally
significant sites with strong connections to water.
Settlement across the Basin is limited and land
use is greatly influenced by climate and availability
of water resources.
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 1 | 9
Australian Curriculum links
Science – Year 7
Science Understanding
Science as a Human
Endeavour
Science Inquiry Skills
Biological sciences
Use and influence of
science
Processing and analysing data and
information
 Science understanding
influences the development
of practices in areas of
human activity such as
industry, agriculture and
marine and terrestrial
resource management
 Construct and use a range of
representations, including graphs,
keys and models to represent and
analyse patterns or relationships,
including using digital technologies
as appropriate
 Summarise data, from students’ own
investigations and secondary
sources, and use scientific
understanding to identify
relationships and draw conclusions
 Interactions between
organisms can be described in
terms of food chains and food
webs; human activity can
affect these interactions
Chemical sciences
 Mixtures, including solutions,
contain a combination of pure
substances that can be
separated using a range of
techniques
Earth and space sciences
Evaluating
 Water is an important resource
that cycles through the
environment
 Use scientific knowledge and findings
from investigations to evaluate claims
Communicating
 Communicate ideas, findings and
solutions to problems using scientific
language and representations using
digital technologies as appropriate
10 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Geography (from Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography)
Geographical knowledge and
understanding
Year 7
Weather and water



the hydrologic cycle describes the
movement of water between the
atmosphere, land and oceans
weather can be a hazard, but the
risks can be reduced through
human adjustment to the
conditions presented
water is a difficult resource to
manage because it is integrated
into environmental systems in
complex ways, can be highly
variable over time and across
space, and has many competing
uses
Geographical inquiry and skills
Developing a geographical question

observation can lead to questions for investigation
Planning a geographical inquiry

some geographical features can be explained by cause and
effect relationships with other places
Collection, evaluating and managing information

primary and secondary data must be evaluated for accuracy
and bias before being analysed

census data can be used to describe the growth, movement
and characteristics of the populations of places
Making sense of the information

mapping the spatial distribution of a characteristic such as
rainfall, can be a first step in developing an understanding
of that characteristic and suggesting possible causal
relationships
Communicating

each type of communication has conventions that should
usually be followed for communication to be effective

the climate of place can be represented by a graph of
average monthly temperature and precipitation
Planning and implementing actions

finding a way of resolving a problem depends on an
understanding of the causes of that problem
Reflecting on the investigation

each investigation should be evaluated for what has been
learned about the topic investigated and what has been
learned about the process of investigation
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 1 | 11
Lessons
Lesson 1.1
What makes Lake Eyre unique?
Outcome
Students describe what they know about Lake Eyre
and what they want to find out about it. They follow
a guided inquiry to answer questions of interest.
Background
This lesson is designed to enable students to
connect with the Lake Eyre Basin by looking at
its unique features and characteristics, and
through this activity raise their awareness about
the climate and variable flows that have a large
influence on daily life.
The dry and wet periods influenced patterns of life of
the early Aboriginal inhabitants of the Lake Eyre
Basin. Floodwaters and localised rains impacted on
food availability. The scattered springs and
waterholes provided refuge during dry periods.
These water resources are still an integral part of
Aboriginal culture and life on their traditional country.
Resources and preparation
Part A
Figures, graphs, maps and tables
Figure 1.1 The Lake Eyre Basin in flood
Figure 1.2 The Lake Eyre Basin in flood – close
up
Map 1.1 The Lake Eyre Basin (page 5)
The Lake Eyre Basin is an arid environment with
high summer temperatures and highly variable
rainfall. The Basin has a sparse population of less
than 60,000 spread across 1.2 million square
kilometres (0.05 people per square kilometre or 20
square kilometres per person). In contrast Sydney’s
population density is 2,000 people per square
kilometre.
Ephemeral rivers crisscross the landscape
however reliable water comes almost entirely from
natural springs or bores drilled into the ground to
tap into groundwater from the Great Artesian Basin
that extends under much of the Lake Eyre Basin.
Video
Behind the News, ABC,
www.internationalbenchmarking.org/btn/story/s257
8003.htm
Student worksheets
Student worksheet 1.1 Know, What, How,
Learned (KWHL) chart
Part B
Student worksheet
Student worksheet 1.2 Data chart: What makes
Lake Eyre unique?
12 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
References
Australian Desert Fishes, Rivers in Central
Australia,
www.desertfishes.org/australia/habitats/rivers/
rivergen.shtml
Australian Government, Lake Eyre Basin
Agreement, Lake Eyre Basin and its importance,
www.lebmf.gov.au/basin/index.html
Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Well-timed pulse of
water set to rejuvenate life on Kalamurina,
www.australianwildlife.org/AWCSanctuaries/Kalamurina-Wildlife-Sanctuary.aspx
Aerial Video Australia, Video of Innamincka,
www.aerialvideo.com.au/innamincka.html
Bureau of Meteorology, Daily rainfall totals for
Australia,
www.bom.gov.au/jsp/awap/rain/index.jsp
Commonwealth of Australia, GAB and Lake Eyre
Basin Overlap,
www.gabcc.org.au/tools/getFile.aspx?tbl=tblCont
entItem&id=77
Department of Sustainability, Environment,
Water, Population and Communities, and the
Queensland, South Australian and Northern
Territory governments, Drainage,
www.lebmf.gov.au/basin/drainage.html
Department of Sustainability, Environment,
Water, Population and Communities, and the
Queensland, South Australian and Northern
Territory governments, Flooding in the Cooper
Creek Catchment, January 2008,
www.lebmf.gov.au/photos/cooper-creek.html
Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group, Lake Eyre
Basin, www.lakeeyrebasin.org.au/index.html
Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group, Land Use
in the Basin,
www.lakeeyrebasin.org.au/land_use/land_use.ht
ml Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group
National Parks in the Outback,
www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/pdfs/parkspdfs-guide-flinders.pdf
Commonwealth Government, Lake Eyre Basin
Agreement,
www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/envir
onmental/rivers/lake-eyre/pubs/assessment.pdf
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 1 | 13
Lesson outline
©
Commo
nwealth
of
Australi
a
Photogr
aph by
Paul
Wainwri
ght
Part A: Know, What, How, Learned (KWHL)
chart
Ask: What makes Lake Eyre unique?
This question will open discussion and reveal what
students know about Lake Eyre, whether they
have visited the region or what they have learned
through mass media.
Show students Map 1.1 on page 5 in order to
establish the area of the Lake Eyre Basin, the
Territory and States it covers, the towns and the
location of Lake Eyre and Figure 1.2.
Show students Figure 1.1 and Figure 1.2 and the
video of the ABC’s Behind the News program
www.internationalbenchmarking.org/btn/story/s257
8003.htm
Figure1.2 The Lake Eyre Basin in flood (close up)
Provide relevant access to information, images or
video to enable students to follow up research
questions that arise from discussion and recorded
questions on the KWHL chart.
Part B: Data chart and brochure
Set the task of creating a brochure highlighting
what makes the Lake Eyre region unique. In the
brochure include:
Figure 1.1 The Lake Eyre Basin in Flood
Use Student worksheet 1.1 to record students’
ideas about Lake Eyre together with their
questions, which can be used as a guide to their
research. Focus on completing the first two
columns. The remaining two columns can be
completed as students progress through the topic.

a map of the Lake Eyre Basin (using Border,
Orientation, Legend, Title, Scale [BOLTS])

a description of the climate and tips about
how to survive and when to travel/not travel

features and characteristics of the area

locations and places of interest.
Provide Student worksheet 1.2. This will help
guide and focus students’ research and enable
them to summarise their findings sourced from
four suggested websites.
14 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Students share their brochures about what makes
the Lake Eyre region unique.
Developing vocabulary

The region experiences a highly variable
climate, high temperatures and extreme
evaporation rates during long periods of dry,
followed by periods of extensive rain and
flooding.
Create a word wall of terms that students come
across in their inquiry which are unfamiliar and
require further explanation. One idea could be to
have individual words on cards, such as
‘ephemeral rivers’, and on the back of the card its
meaning – ‘non-permanent flowing rivers’. These
could hang down from string. Alternatively a word
wall could be set up with the words on cards with
the description beside it.

Rivers in the Lake Eyre Basin do not
permanently flow and often rely on rains from
across the Great Dividing Range, which can
take up to four months to bring water into the
area via the ephemeral river system.
Another option is to provide students in pairs with
an unfamiliar word and using a graphic organiser
with the word written in the centre, establish a
definition, characteristics and a relevant example
and non-example. See the model below.

Rivers in the dry spell are a series of
disconnected waterholes but in the wet can be
likened to a slow moving inland sea.
Unfamiliar terms may include underlined glossary
terms

The dry salt pans of Lake Eyre are transformed
into breeding sites for migrating birds when
sufficient flows reach Lake Eyre.
Use the key ideas developed in the brochures to
draw out the main reasons that Lake Eyre is
unique. Some of these ideas may include:

Mound springs, which are culturally significant,
have been used by Aboriginal people for
thousands of years as a source of water.

The native flora and fauna have adapted to a
harsh arid to semi-arid environment and
populations respond to situations of ‘boom or
bust’.
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-examples
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 1 | 15
Student Worksheet 1.1
Know, What, How, Learned (KWHL) chart
What I know
K
What I want to know
W
How I found out
H
16 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
What I learned
L
www.lakeeyrebasin.org.au/i
ndex.html
www.australianwildlife.org/A
WCSanctuaries/KalamurinaWildlife-Sanctuary.aspx
monthly, month to date, 3
monthly, 12 monthly, year to date
and over 36 months)
(1 day, 7 days,
www.bom.gov.au/jsp/awap/rain/in
dex.jsp
Compare data over various
periods
ex.html
What are the unique
features of the Lake Eyre
What attracts people to
live in or visit the Lake
www.lebmf.gov.au/basin/ind Eyre Basin? Basin
Suggested internet
sources
What attracts people to
live in or visit the Lake
Eyre Basin?
How does the climate
affect daily life and
survival of living things in
the area?
Student worksheet 1.2
Data chart: What makes Lake Eyre unique?
Use the following internet resources to locate information to help you answer the questions. Write a
summary of what you found out in the table provided.
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 1 | 17
Lesson 1.2
How do the Lake Eyre Basin
catchments work?
Resources and preparation
Part A
Figures, graphs, maps and tables
Figure 1.3 Different types of catchments
Outcome
Students use a model to demonstrate how water
flows in a catchment. They represent the Lake
Eyre Basin catchment using suitable materials.
Materials

a funnel, a bucket, a tarpaulin (6 m x 4 m),
several chairs
Background

access to a large space outside
In the previous lesson it was established that the
Lake Eyre Basin is made up of an extensive nonpermanent river system. This section can be used
to develop students’ understanding of a
catchment, waterflows and their relationship to the
topography.
Part B
Floodwaters that reach Lake Eyre are often the
result of cyclones and tropical rains in Far North
Queensland. When heavy rain occurs, water flows
into the catchments of the channel country and as
a result upper reaches of the ephemeral rivers
begin to flow. Creek flows and floods then slowly
move across the flat landscape toward Lake Eyre.
Floodwater from these rain depressions can take
up to four months to reach Lake Eyre.
The channels of these rivers can fill from localised
rainfall, but the most dramatic surges follow flood
rains in the north. Sometimes rain enters the Lake
Eyre Basin from the west to recharge the western
rivers, but these are less frequent and usually
smaller.
Figures, graphs, maps and tables
Map 1.2 Queensland’s channel country rivers
Map 1.3 Topographic map showing the elevation
of the Lake Eyre Basin
References
Australian Government, Map of Lake Eyre Basin,
www.environment.gov.au/water/locations/leb/pubs/
leb-map.pdf
Australian Government, Regional Profile of the
Lake Eyre Basin Catchments,
www.desertknowledgecrc.com.au/resource/DKCR
C-Report-45_Ch2_Regional-profile-of-the-LakeEyre-Basin-catchments_Herr-et-al.pdf
Cooper Creek Catchment Committee, Cooper
Creek Catchment Strategic Plan,
www.lakeeyrebasin.org.au/archive/media/cooper.p
df
Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity
Conservation, The Lake Eyre Basin and Dryland
Rivers, South Australia,
www.lebmf.gov.au/publications/pubs/lebproceedings-07.pdf
18 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Lake Eyre Basin Coordinating Group, The Lake
Eyre Basin and Its Importance,
www.lakeeyrebasin.org.au/archive/pages/page03.
html
Monroe, MH, Australia: The Land Where Time
Began, http://austhrutime.com/index.htm
New South Wales Government, Book 1 Dryland
Salinity: The Basics,
www.naturalresources.nsw.gov.au/salinity/solution
s/solutions_book01.htm
Lesson outline
Part A: Modelling a catchment
Developing a concept of a catchment is difficult for
students to grasp given the enormity of the area
being discussed and the knowledge required
about the topography, surface coverage and how
water interacts and flows, both across the surface
and infiltrating the soil.
This task can be used to generate discussion
about how water flows in a catchment, relating
direction of flow to differences in topography.
captured in a wide area and directed to converge
into a smaller area following the slope of the land.
Explain that a very large catchment or a series of
large, connected catchments are sometimes called
a drainage basin or river basin. Ask: How does the
height of the land change the way the water flows?
Ensure students are actively involved in creating
the model. Organise a group of four to five
students to hold ends of the tarp to create various
catchments. Chairs can be used to create changes
in topography. Water can be poured using the
watering can to represent rain. Swap groups of
students after each scenario. Explore the following
scenarios:

a flat landscape, then a flattish landscape with
a slight slope. Observe that water collects
across a wide area, while the water flows
down the sloping section.

a valley between two high mountainous
regions; observe the water flowing between
the two mountains through the valley and
relate to a river flowing.

a mountainous region that flattens out to
floodplains with rivers flowing to the sea.
Discuss how the floodplains often contain
wetlands and slow the flow of water (similar to
the Murray-Darling Basin).

a flat landscape with low hills around all the
edges. Observe that the water collects in the
lowest point, similar to what happens in the
Lake Eyre Basin. Describe this as an inland
basin. Demonstrate how rain events in the far
north of the catchment lead to the filling of
Lake Eyre.
This activity is best undertaken outside in a grassy
area where water wastage can be minimised.
What to do
Explain that you are going to use a model to
discuss a catchment and describe how a
catchment works. The model will use a tarpaulin to
represent a large area of land. Relate this area to
a familiar location so students get a sense of the
expanse of area.
Refer to the funnel and make the connection that a
catchment is like a huge funnel where water is
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 1 | 19
What happened?
Summarise student observations and responses to questions, for example:

Where does water flow? (from higher to lower points)

Where do rivers often form? (in a valley between two higher land forms. Tributaries are branches off
rivers.)

Rivers often flow out to sea.

In an inland basin, rivers terminate at the lowest point (lake).
Alternative: If not modelling a catchment, use Figure 1.3 to demonstrate and discuss waterflows.
Figure 1.3 Different types of catchments
© With kind permis
Office of Heritage a
Environment, NSW
20 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Part B: Creating a model of the Lake Eyre Basin
This task enables students to apply what they know about the Lake Eyre Basin catchment to explain how
water flows in the Basin.
Use Map 1.2 to explain that the Lake Eyre Basin is made up of several major catchments. The channel
country is made of three river catchments. The Cooper Creek catchment comprises both the Thomson and
Barcoo rivers.
Using Google maps or an atlas, students locate the Georgina and Diamantina rivers and Cooper Creek and
trace their source and tributaries.
Ask: Where do the waters come from that fill Lake Eyre?
© The Wilderness Socie
Map 1.2 Queensland’s channel country rivers
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 1 | 21
Show students Map 1.3.
©
Ninti
One
Limit
ed
2009
Map 1.3 Topographic map showing the elevation of the Lake Eyre Basin
22 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Provide relevant options to create a model to
visually present the Lake Eyre Basin to show how
water flows in the Basin. The options you offer will
depend on time available, resources and student
skills and experience.
Questions

Lake Eyre is called a closed or terminal basin.
What does this mean?

So why doesn’t Lake Eyre remain filled if the
water flows to the lowest point?

What factors affect the filling of Lake Eyre?
Options include:

3-D modelling using clay, papier-mâché

2-D drawing, bird’s-eye view/crosscut to show
elevation
Developing vocabulary

an electronic presentation, using Lake Eyre
Basin images with animated text, arrows and
colour.
Add any unfamiliar terms to the word hanging,
word wall or graphic organiser. Ensure students
have a good understanding of the underlined
glossary terms.
Using their model, students could include:

names of major rivers of the Lake Eyre Basin

a scale to indicate distance

waterflows.
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-examples
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 1 | 23
Lessons
Lesson 1.3
What affects the rate of
evaporation?
Evaporation is the changing state of a liquid –
such as water – to water vapour – a gas. Water
vapour enters back into the atmosphere. Variables
such as surface area, water temperature, air
temperature, pressure and density, wind speed
and humidity all affect evaporation rates.
Resources and preparation
Part A Materials
Outcome
Students investigate factors that affect the rate of
evaporation and relate their findings to the Lake
Eyre Basin. They investigate and measure the
electrical conductivity (EC) of a solution containing
salt as it evaporates over time. They relate their
findings to Lake Eyre.
Background
From the previous lessons, students will realise
that the climate of the Lake Eyre Basin is
characterised by variable rainfall and extensive dry
periods. However, they may wonder why the
majority of rivers do not flow continuously. The aim
of this lesson is to link rates of evaporation, and
factors that affect evaporation, to the lack of
surface water at various times in the Lake Eyre
Basin.

two containers each filled with 50 mL of water

suitable containers to investigate evaporation,
such as plastic takeaway containers
Part B Materials

container with rock salt and tap water

shallow container marked with graduations

EC meter if available (to measure electrical
conductivity)
Ephemeral rivers fill from flooding rains which
reconnects isolated waterholes. Except for rare
very large floods, water in the Lake Eyre Basin
rivers evaporates in the hot, dry winds of the arid
landscape before reaching Lake Eyre.
This high evaporation rate contributes to Lake
Eyre’s low water levels and explains why it is
empty for long periods. However, this is not the
only reason; the typical inflows are generally
insufficient to maintain any significant water levels.
Also, water infiltrates the soil and seeps
underground.
24 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Lesson outline
Part A: Exploring the rate of evaporation
Establish or review the variable climate conditions
of the Lake Eyre Basin using the web resource:
Daily rainfall totals for Australia, Bureau of
Meteorology,
www.bom.gov.au/jsp/awap/rain/index.jsp .
Designing a scientific investigation
When discussing the process students should use
to investigate evaporation, model and discuss the
scientific process. An example is provided.

Begin with a question that can be investigated
– for example, ‘Does surface area affect
evaporation?’

Take the question and then turn it into a
statement that is testable – an ‘If . . . then’
statement. If surface area affects evaporation,
then water in a shallow tray will evaporate
faster than in a narrower, deeper container of
water.

Set up the investigation. Make the point of
making the test fair or controlled; change only
one variable and keep everything else the
same. In this case, change the container
shape only, and keep the location, amount of
water, and temperature of the water the
same.

Now make a prediction. The prediction could
include a measurement of time or volume,
which can be compared with the results
collected.

Record results. Measure the time taken for
water to evaporate in at least one of the
containers or a measurement of remaining
water after an allocated period of time has
elapsed.

Draw a conclusion and relate findings to the
Lake Eyre Basin.
Compare climate data over various time periods (1
day, 7 days, monthly, month to date, 3 monthly, 12
monthly, year to date, and over 36 months).
What to do
Discuss the exceptionally high evaporation rates in
arid environments such as occur in the Lake Eyre
Basin. Put into a global context, the Lake Eyre
Basin receives three times less rainfall than the
world average; however, it experiences a a three
times higher rate of evaporation.
Explain that the rate of evaporation refers to how
fast or slow a certain quantity of water evaporates
over time, for example, per day or per hour. Using
two containers each holding 50 millilitres of water,
if one container evaporated in three days (based
on the world average), then in the Lake Eyre Basin
that same amount of water would evaporate in a
day.
Discuss: How high evaporation rates, variable
rainfall and the occurrence of rivers that do not
flow on a permanent basis may be connected.
As a lead in to investigating factors that affect
evaporation, ask students to think about the
conditions that will cause water to evaporate and
then to list those factors.
Guide and support students undertaking their own
investigations into evaporation.
Possible questions to investigate evaporation:

Does the rate of evaporation change in full
sun compared to the shade?

Does the colour of the container affect
evaporation?
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 1 | 25

Does the temperature of the water affect
evaporation?

Where does the rate of evaporation happen
fastest in the classroom?

Does wind (moving air) affect evaporation?
Students use these questions or their own
questions about evaporation to design a fair test to
collect data that can be used to answer their
questions and compare to their prediction.
Part B: Evaporation and saltwater
View images of a dry Lake Eyre and establish the
white crusty surface as salt. Introduce the term
‘salt pan’, which is the remains of salts from a
shallow lake where the water has evaporated,
usually in a desert environment. Ask: How does a
salt pan form?
What to do
Have a container with rock salt crystals to
represent the salt pan and a container of tap water
to represent the floodwaters that flow into Lake
Eyre. If available, measure the electrical
conductivity (EC) of the fresh water using datalogging equipment and an EC probe or sensor.
The EC is a measure of electrical conductivity that
indicates the presence of salts; a higher reading
indicates a higher concentration of salt. EC is
commonly measured in microsiemens per
centimetre (uS/cm). An expected range for EC of
tap water is between 200–800 uS/cm.
Ask students to predict the EC reading when the
rock salt is added to the tap water. Use a shallow
container marked with 10 mL to 20 mL
graduations. Add at least 500 mL of water to the
rock salt. Place the container in a suitable position
to ensure a good rate of evaporation.
Measure and record the EC over the week, as well
as the water depth by referring to the marked
graduations. Create a table that shows the EC
measurements together with the water level. The
temperature of the water must also be measured
as this affects the EC reading.
What happened?
Make conclusions about:

the concentration of salt as the water
evaporates

the substance left behind as the water
evaporates

the mixing of fresh water with the salt pan and
the implications for animal life carried into
Lake Eyre.
Students relate their findings to Lake Eyre and
what would occur as the lake fills with water and
then water levels recede as the water evaporates.
Discuss the formation of salt lakes and identify
other salt lakes that occur globally. Identify
common conditions.
26 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Introduce the following idea and ask students to
research it further and decide for themselves
whether it is plausible.
IDEA
Can a filled Lake Eyre provide a continual
source of rain for central Australia? Is it
possible that the water from Lake Eyre
evaporates and falls as rain to hydrate plants
and the soil and then evaporates and falls
again as rain in a constant cycle? Could this
be a solution for drought-proofing central
Australia?
Developing vocabulary
Add any unfamiliar terms to the word hanging,
word wall or graphic organiser. Ensure students
have a good understanding of the underlined
glossary terms.
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-examples
Have students draw a scientific diagram and come
up with their own explanations that support or
reject this idea.
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 1 | 27
INVESTIGATION 2
How is the Basin transformed after long dry periods?
Introduction
The complete filling of Lake Eyre occurs very
rarely. Historically Lake Eyre fills completely only
about four times a century. Local rains can
contribute to maintaining lake levels when there is
water in the lake; however, significant flows in the
Cooper Creek, Diamantina and Georgina rivers
are required to reach Lake Eyre. As an example,
Cooper Creek only reaches Lake Eyre on average,
once in six years. Major floods in the Lake Eyre
basin result from annual rainfalls that exceed 500
millimetres. It is important that these rivers
continue to be unregulated and their floodwaters
not diverted for use elsewhere.
With water flowing from floodwaters into Lake
Eyre, the lake is transformed from a dry salt pan,
seemingly devoid of life, to an oasis. Large
populations of pelicans, ducks, terns and other
migratory birds feed on the abundant food sources
that come to life when Lake Eyre fills with water.
Floods reconnect isolated and disconnected
waterholes, thereby connecting aquatic
ecosystems.
Lake Eyre South is smaller, about 60 kilometres
long and nearly 25 kilometres wide. The lake goes
from periods of being a dry, flat salt pan to rare
occasions of being completely filled.
The lake is fed mainly by its eastern tributaries, the
Cooper Creek and the Diamantina and Georgina
rivers system.
The Lake Eyre Basin undergoes periods of
widespread floods and extended dry periods, often
referred to as the boom and bust phenomenon.
This ongoing cycle has influenced flora and fauna
species to evolve with particular adaptations that
make them suited to the variable conditions. Often
these species are able to make the most of the
wet when it comes as they are able to produce
offspring to coincide with favourable conditions.
Lake Eyre at its lowest point is 15 metres below
sea level and is made up of two lakes joined by a
narrow channel. Lake Eyre North is about 150
kilometres long and over 70 kilometres wide.
28 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Australian Curriculum links
Science – Year 7
Science Understanding
Science as a Human
Endeavour
Science Inquiry Skills
Biological sciences
Nature and development of
science
Processing and analysing data and
information
 Scientific knowledge
changes as new evidence
becomes available, and
some scientific discoveries
have significantly changed
people’s understanding of
the world
 Construct and use a range of
representations, including graphs,
keys and models to represent and
analyse patterns or relationships,
including using digital technologies
as appropriate
 Summarise data, from students’ own
investigations and secondary
sources, and use scientific
understanding to identify
relationships and draw conclusions
 Interactions between
organisms can be described in
terms of food chains and food
webs; human activity can
affect these interactions
Earth and space sciences
 Water is an important resource
that cycles through the
environment
Use and influence of
science
 Science and technology
contribute to finding
solutions to a range of
contemporary issues;
these solutions may impact
on other areas of society
and involve ethical
considerations
 Science understanding
influences the development
of practices in areas of
human activity such as
industry, agriculture and
marine and terrestrial
resource management
Evaluating
 Use scientific knowledge and findings
from investigations to evaluate claims
Communicating
 Communicate ideas, findings and
solutions to problems using scientific
language and representations using
digital technologies as appropriate
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 2 | 29
Geography (from Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography)
Geographical knowledge and
understanding
Weather and water


Developing a geographical question

Year 7

Geographical inquiry and skills
the hydrologic cycle describes the
movement of water between the
atmosphere, land and oceans
weather can be a hazard, but the
risks can be reduced through
human adjustment to the
conditions presented
water is a difficult resource to
manage because it is integrated
into environmental systems in
complex ways, can be highly
variable over time and across
space, and has many competing
uses
observation can lead to questions for investigation
Planning a geographical inquiry

some geographical features can be explained by cause and
effect relationships with other places
Collection, evaluating and managing information

primary and secondary data must be evaluated for accuracy
and bias before being analysed

census data can be used to describe the growth, movement
and characteristics of the populations of places

information collected in a survey should be evaluated for
reliability
Making sense of the information

mapping the spatial distribution of a characteristic such as
rainfall, can be a first step in developing an understanding
of that characteristic and suggesting possible causal
relationships
Communicating

each type of communication has conventions that should
usually be followed for communication to be effective

the climate of place can be represented by a graph of
average monthly temperature and precipitation
Planning and implementing actions

finding a way of resolving a problem depends on an
understanding of the causes of that problem
Reflecting on the investigation

each investigation should be evaluated for what has been
learned about the topic investigated and what has been
learned about the process of investigation
30 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Lessons
1950
Lesson 2.1
What is the recent history of the
levels of Lake Eyre?
Outcome
1974
1984
Students graph and interpret data of Lake Eyre
flood levels.
Lake Eyre South and North completely
filled (Lake Eyre North overflowed into
Lake Eyre South)
Data
court
esy
of
Lake Eyre South and North completely Bob
Back
filled (Lake Eyre North overflowed into
way,
Lake Eyre South)
Lake
Eyre
Yach
Lake Eyre South filled to 3.4 metres
from local rain and overflowed into Lake t
Club
Eyre North. Lake Eyre North also filled
to 3.5 metres
Background
1989
From previous lessons, students would be familiar
with the way in which Lake Eyre relies on
floodwaters from rivers that feed into Lake Eyre.
Using data of lake depth over a 30-year period
students can draw conclusions about whether the
lake is mostly dry or whether it holds some water
more often than not.
Lake Eyre South filled to 3 metres from
local rain and overflowed into Lake
Eyre North. Lake Eyre North also filled
to 3metres
1997
Lake Eyre South rose to a depth of 2.5
metres
2000
Lake Eyre North rose to a depth of 2.2
metres
2011
Lake Eyre South, at 2.55 metres almost
overflowed into Lake Eyre North, which
also reached 2.2 metres
Lake Eyre South has completely filled as many
times as Lake Eyre North, about two to four times
per century. A ‘complete’ fill is generally accepted
as being at least five to six metres deep. Both
lakes often hold small amounts of water, typically
for thirty to forty separate years in a century. Data
prior to 1950 is generally not accepted as reliable.
Levels between 1.5 and 2 metres were recorded
in the years 1979-80,1986-87,1991-94,200102,and 2009-10
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 2 | 31
Resources and preparation
Part A
Student worksheets
Student worksheet 2.1 Thirty-year history of Lake
Eyre water depth
Student worksheet 2.2 Monthly data of Lake Eyre
water depth for 2009
Part B
Figures, graphs, maps and tables
Figure 2.1 Elevation/surface area curve of Lake
Eyre
Map 2.1 Bathymetric map of Lake Eyre showing
metres below sea level
If viewing the satellite, false colour images from
Earth Observatory, white indicates salt crust, the
pale blue to dark blue on the map image indicates
water of various depths with the darker blue
sections indicating depths greater than 0.5 metres
and green–blue indicates algal growth and red–
brown indicates algae in muddy sections of the
lake.
Making predictions
Ask students to predict what proportion of years
Lake Eyre was filled with at least 1.5 metres of
water (for some part of that year) over the last
thirty years. Tally the class’s response in a table
such as the one below:
Years in which Lake Eyre was partially filled
over the past thirty
Partially filled years out of 30
5/30
References
10/30
15/30
20/30
30/30
International Lake Environment Committee, Lake
Eyre, www.ilec.or.jp/database/oce/oce-04.html
Lake Eyre Yacht Club, www.lakeeyreyc.com
Lesson outline
Part A: Is Lake Eyre mostly a dry lake bed?
View satellite images of Lake Eyre. Google maps
offer a view of Lake Eyre; however, keep in mind
that it is not an image of its current status. View:
http://maps.google.com.au.
Note: White on the Google map indicates salt pans
and the brown indicates dry arid surface.
The current Lake Eyre flood level status is
available at Lake Eyre Yacht Club,
www.lakeeyreyc.com/Status/latest.html.
Provide students with Student worksheet 2.1,
which shows the recent history of Lake Eyre filling.
Explain that the data was made possible using
technology from satellites, which scientists analyse
and interpret. You could use this as a springboard
to discuss how scientific work informs the broad
community.
Have students graph and interpret the data and
answer the questions on the worksheet.
Before they start, ask students to select the type of
graph that would be most appropriate; for
example, a column graph or line graph. Have them
explain their choice. Note: a line graph would be
the preferable selection.
32 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
© Dr Vincent Kotwick
Map 2.1 Bathymetric map of Lake Eyre showing metres below sea level
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 2 | 33
Figure 2.1 Elevation/surface area curve of Lake Eyre
Note: Elevation m AHD refers to elevation using sea level as the zero point. Therefore, at its deepest point, Lake Eyre is 15 metres below sea level.
The arrow point intersections indicate the surface area at different lake depths and the associated breakout maps show the area under water (blue) at that point.
34 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Provide students with Student worksheet 2.2,
which contains data for one complete year for the
filling of one section of Lake Eyre and have
students answer the questions about what the
extra data shows.
Another option is to provide students in pairs with
an unfamiliar word and using a graphic organiser
with the word written in the centre, establish a
definition, characteristics and a relevant example
and non-example. See the model below.
Part B: Water levels and surface area
Unfamiliar terms may include underlined glossary
items.
Students interpret Figure 2.1, which indicates
rising water levels against increasing surface area.
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-examples
Students relate Figure 2.1 to Map 2.1, which
shows metres below sea level and answer the
following questions.
Questions

How would you describe the depth across
Lake Eyre North and Lake Eyre South?

What is the purpose of Figure 2.1 that
includes a visual representation of the lake’s
surface area?

What does the graph show?
Developing vocabulary
Create a word wall of terms that students come
across in their inquiry which are unfamiliar and
require further explanation. One idea could be to
have individual words on cards, such as
‘ephemeral rivers’, and on the back of the card its
meaning – ‘non-permanent flowing rivers’. These
could hang down from string. Alternatively a word
wall could be set up with the words on cards with
the description beside it.
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 2 | 35
Student worksheet 2.1
Thirty-year history of Lake Eyre water depth
View the data for the depth of Lake Eyre taken in January between the years 1979 and 2010.
To make sense of the data, display it as a graph and interpret the graph looking for any trends or patterns.
Before starting the graph, think about which type of graph to use. Will it be a column graph or line graph?
Explain your choice.
Depth of Lake Eyre taken in January between the years 1979 and 2010
Month/Year
Lake Eyre flood
depth metres (m)
Month/Year
Lake Eyre flood
depth metres (m)
Jan 1979
0.0
Jan 1995
0.0
Jan 1980
1.5
Jan 1996
0.0
Jan 1981
1.0
Jan 1997
2.75
Jan 1982
0.0
Jan 1998
0.5
Jan 1983
0.0
Jan 1999
0.0
Jan 1984
3.5
Jan 2000
1.3
Jan 1985
2.5
Jan 2001
0.5
Jan 1986
0.0
Jan 2002
1.0
Jan 1987
1.5
Jan 2003
1.2
Jan 1988
0.0
Jan 2004
0.0
Jan 1989
3.0
Jan 2005
0.0
Jan 1990
3.0
Jan 2006
0.0
Jan 1991
0.0
Jan 2007
0.3
Jan 1992
0.0
Jan 2008
0.0
Jan 1993
0.25
Jan 2009
0.3
Jan 1994
0.1
Jan 2010
1.2
Note: Data is the greatest depth in any section of Lake Eyre North and South in January of that year.
Data sourced from Lake Eyre Yacht Club, http://lakeeyreyc.com/Photos/FloodGraph.jpg
36 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
© Bob Backway Lake Eyre
YC.com
Student worksheet 2.1 cont.
Questions
Do yearly data for a particular month over time provide a reasonable picture of what’s occurring with the
depth of Lake Eyre?
What would more points of data on water depth levels provide (eg data for each month of the year over a
range of years)?
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 2 | 37
Student worksheet 2.2
Monthly data of Lake Eyre water depth for 2009
View the data for the depth of Lake Eyre taken for each month in 2009.
To make sense of the data, display it as a graph. Before starting the graph, think about which type of graph
to use. Will you use a column graph or line graph? Explain your choice.
Interpret the graph, looking for any trends or patterns. Monthly data of Lake Eyre water depth for 2009
Monthly data of Lake Eyre water depth for 2009
2009
monthly
data
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Lake Eyre
flood depth
metres (m)
0.3
0
0.3
0.5
1.0
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.0
0.7
0.25
1.0
Note: The data is used for Belt Bay, Lake Eyre North
Questions
‘Lake Eyre is an inland dry basin for years at a time.’ Compare the above data set with the data set in
Student worksheet 2.1. Discuss whether you agree with the above statement and explain your answer.
What different conclusions could you make about Lake Eyre if the water depth were measured over a single
month for a number of years, rather than every month for a whole year?
What might be a more effective method for displaying yearly and monthly water depth data for Lake Eyre?
38 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Lesson 2.2
What happens to river systems
during extended dry periods?
Outcome
Students describe the effect of extended dry
periods on river ecosystems.
Background
In previous lessons the focus was on observable
changes in the river system itself, when the rivers
have ceased to flow for extended periods of time.
Floods then induce flows which feed into Lake
Eyre, if conditions are favourable and the amount
of waterflow is sufficient. This lesson explores how
these variable flows affect organisms within the
Lake Eyre Basin.
During an extended dry period, reduced river flows
occur along with decreased surface runoff and
decreased soil moisture. The area of aquatic habitat
reduces as water evaporates, leaving behind shallow
pools and mudflats. The remaining waterholes
become a series of disconnected areas of refuge for
the aquatic organisms. Scavengers feed on those fish
and invertebrates that become stranded between
waterholes.
As waterholes decrease in size, dead and
decomposing aquatic plants and animals release
nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, into
the water. Nutrient levels increase, which can
result in explosions of growth in algae. The algae
provide food for macro-invertebrates, which are
eaten by other organisms. Eutrophication may
occur as a result of high nutrient levels. There is a
rapid increase in algae and increased dead plant
material as other plants and algae die. As a result,
bacteria feed on the dead plant material
and use up oxygen in the process. This lack of
oxygen in the water can result in fish and other
aquatic animals dying.
Resources and preparation
Part A
Figures, graphs, maps and tables
Figure 2.2 Cooper Creek in a time of high flow
Figure 2.3 A waterhole in Cooper Creek after the
water has receded
Figure 2.4 Refuge waterhole availability and
population extinction risk
Figure 2.5 Satellite image of Lake Eyre 2009 –
Rare refill begins
Figure 2.6 Satellite image of Lake Eyre 2009 –
Rare refill continues
Reference
NASA, Earth Observatory,
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov
Lesson outline
Part A: Impacts of a variable flow
Cooper Creek is part of the channel country of the
Lake Eyre Basin. Figure 2.2 shows the creek in a
time of high waterflow. Ask: What types of aquatic
organisms would they expect to inhabit it?
Provide an image of a river channel that has
experienced an extended dry period (see Figure 2.3
and Figure 2.4). Ask students to describe their
observations and discuss what would be happening
as the riverflows decreased as a result of no rainfall.
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 2 | 39
Use the images provided to explain the process of a river system that has deep pools that are connected in
times of high river flows and the subsequent isolation of these waterholes as rivers recede. Ask students to
consider the importance of these deep pools (waterholes) for the remaining populations of plants, animals
and other micro-organisms.
Figure 2.2 Cooper Creek in a time of high flow
Figure 2.3 A waterhole in Cooper Creek after the water
has receded
Figure 2.4 Refuge waterhole availability and population extinction risk
40 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
View Earth Observatory satellite images such as
Figure 2.5 and Figure 2.6, which show waterflows
into Lake Eyre. The images show the waters
flowing into a delta, carrying silts and suspending
solids.
Describe the dry riverbeds and remaining
waterholes and what they would contain – for
example, small populations of surviving species,
remains of dead plants and animals as well as
eroded material. Discuss the waterflows that reach
Lake Eyre. The water would contain sediments,
salts and nutrients.
Figure 2.5 Satellite image of Lake Eyre 2009 –
Rare refill begins
Part B: Combining science ideas and creative
writing

Students research and select a species of
plant or animal that inhabits a river in the
Lake Eyre Basin. Ask students to develop a
creative writing piece to describe the impact
of the shrinking aquatic habitat. Students
write the narrative from the animal or plant’s
pointof view.

Students write a creative piece of writing
about the journey of a water droplet, starting
from precipitation, falling to Earth, flowing
throughthe catchment, reaching Lake Eyre,
evaporating and ending up as precipitation.
Figure 2.6 Satellite image of Lake Eyre 2009 –
Rare refill continues
Ask: What happens to a river after an extended
dry period?
Students could present their ideas as a labelled
diagram, an electronic presentation or a poster
showing changes over time.
Ask: What if the river’s natural flow was diverted
and regulated?
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 2 | 41
Identify the rivers that flow into Lake Eyre. Discuss
the fact that they are largely unregulated (water is
not diverted, stored and used for irrigation or
watering livestock). Describe what impact diverting
water might have on downstream ecosystems.
Lesson 2.3
How does water transform the
Basin?
Write a response to a blog that started with the
thread:
Outcome
Dam the waters of Cooper Creek. Next
time it’s in flood all that water could be
captured, rather than letting it go to
waste. The water could be stored and
used in times of drought.
Developing vocabulary
Add any unfamiliar terms to the word hanging,
word wall or a graphic organiser. Ensure students
have a good understanding of the underlined
glossary terms.
Definition
Examples
Characteristics
Non-examples
Students describe adaptations and behaviours of
animals and plants that assist their survival in an
arid environment that undergoes periods of boom
and bust.
Background
In previous lessons variable flows have been
established and the concept of boom and bust was
introduced.
Animals and plants that inhabit the Lake Eyre
Basin have adapted to environmental extremes of
long dry periods, followed by severe floods.

Some fish species have fast growth rates in
good seasons and breed in response to
floods. They survive dry times in permanent
waterholes along river courses upstream from
the lake. When floodwaters begin, they travel
with the flow.

Water-holding frogs burrow down and form a
cocoon where they can survive for several
years.

River red gums send down very deep roots
into groundwater in order to overcome
extended dry periods.
42 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Floods dramatically influence the food web of Lake
Eyre and the rivers that flow into the lake. The
survival of many species relies on their ability to
distribute widely and to rapidly colonise suitable
habitats when they become available.

Resources and preparation
Part A
Student worksheet
Detritus (dead plant and animal materials),
dormant in the dry, is carried by the
floodwaters and provides food for
decomposers such as bacteria.
Student worksheet 2.3 Adaptation of species in an
arid environment
Several species of phytoplankton (singlecelled floating algae) and multi-celled algae
attached to rocks inhabit the lake.
Student handout
Zooplankton, which are tiny microscopic
animals such as crustaceans, feed mostly on
phytoplankton.
Part C

Many types of small crustaceans such as
Daphnia (water fleas) and Ostracoda (seed
shrimps) feed on algae or detritus; others are
omnivores, predators or scavengers.
Australian Geographic article,
www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/lakeeyre-floods-again.htm

The larval stages of brine flies feed on algae.
The larvae of midges (bloodworms) and other
varieties of fly feed on detritus and bacteria.
Well-timed Pulse of Water Set to Rejuvenate Life
on Kalamurina, Kalamurina Wildlife Sanctuary,
www.australianwildlife.org/AWCSanctuaries/Kalamurina-Wildlife-Sanctuary.aspx

The fish Macquaria ambigua (yellowbelly) are
carnivorous and feed on zooplankton and
crustaceans and aquatic insects when
available. Craterocephalus eyresii (Lake Eyre
hardyhead) is omnivorous and Nematalosa
erebi (bony bream) feeds mostly on algae or
detritus.



Four main species of birds form the top of the
food chain, Pelecanus conspicillatus
(pelican), Phalacrocorax carbo (great
cormorants), Chlidonias hybridus (whiskered
terns) and Larus novaehollandiae (silver
gulls).
Part B
Student worksheet 2.4 Lake Eyre food web
Publications
References
The Lake Eyre Pelican Mystery,
www.cairnsunlimited.com/popups/lake_eyre_pelic
ans.htm
CSIRO Publishing, Spatial and Temporal Variation
in Fish Assemblage Structure,
http://michaeldarby.net/Links/Arthington.pdf
Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water,
Population and Communities, Lake Eyre Basin
Assessment,
www.environment.gov.au/water/publications/enviro
nmental/rivers/lake-eyre/pubs/assessment.pdf
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 2 | 43
Dryland River Refugia Project,
http://freshwater.canberra.edu.au/Publications.nsf/
0/8df7ad09f009bec0ca256f0b00234afb/$FILE/dryl
and%20refugia%201st%20newsletter.pdf
Lesson outline
Environment Protection Authority SA, Critter
Catalogue, Insects and Springtails,
www.sa.waterwatch.org.au/pdfs/critters_6_insects.
pdf
Introduce a range of adaptations of organisms that
inhabit Lake Eyre and rivers that feed into it.
Griffith University, Dryland River Waterholes –
Aquatic Refugia,
www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/10072/344
24/1/64567_1.pdf
Griffith University, Food Resource Variability in an
Australian Dryland River: Evidence from the Diet
of Two Generalist Native Fish Species,
www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/10072/212
96/1/50812__1.pdf
Griffith University, Progress in Understanding Dry
Rivers,
www.ewater.com.au/drought/downloads/1000021.
pdf
Part A: How have living things adapted to an
arid environment?
Provide Student worksheet 2.3 and ask students
to fill in the last column, describing the way the
adaptations of particular species help them survive
in an arid environment.
Part B: Interrelationships between organisms
in an arid ecosystem
Discuss the role floodwaters play in bringing to life
the aquatic ecosystems that are linked to Lake
Eyre. Discuss the microscopic plant such as algae
and the tiny creatures that seem insignificant but
are so important for the survival of many species
that rely on these organisms being able to respond
to the increase in waterflows.
Kalamurina Wildlife Sanctuary, Well-timed Pulse of
Water Set to Rejuvenate Life on Kalamurina,
www.australianwildlife.org/AWCSanctuaries/Kalamurina-Wildlife-Sanctuary.aspx
Create a simple food chain, using a pelican to
demonstrate how energy from one organism is
transferred along the food chain. Discuss the
importance of producers that use the sun’s energy
for photosynthesis.
Northern Territory Government, Feral Animals of
the Northern Territory,
www.nt.gov.au/nreta/wildlife/animals/feral/gambusi
a.html
Provide Student worksheet 2.4. Ask students to
create their own food chains or create a more
complex food web including a range of organisms
that inhabit Lake Eyre. These include:
South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources
Management Board, Common Native Fish of the
Lake Eyre Basin,
www.sardi.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/
126032/Common_Native_Fish_Of_The_Lake_Eyr
e_Basin_Rivers.pdf

algae, bacteria and zooplankton

small crustaceans, water fleas and seed
shrimps

larvae of brine flies, midges and other
varieties of fly
44 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining

fish such as the carnivorous yellowbelly, the
omnivorous Lake Eyre hardyhead and bony
bream

the four main species of birds including
pelicans, great cormorants, whiskered terns
and silver gulls.
Indicate decomposers, producers, consumers and
interrelationships such as predator–prey and
competition.
Students use their food web to explain:

the role of micro-organisms

the importance of algae and detritus

what happens when the water recedes

why hundreds of thousands of pelicans and
other migratory birds visit Lake Eyre at the
time it fills with water

which animals compete for the same food.
Invite students to research the effect feral species
could have on the aquatic ecosystems, for
example the introduced fish species Gambusia
holbrooki commonly known as mosquitofish. What
may happen if mosquitofish colonise a waterhole?
Other feral species to research include:

cane toad – Rhinella marina

feral camel – Camelus dromedarius

European red fox – Vulpes vulpes.
Part C: Boom and bust
Write an article for a nature magazine about Lake
Eyre with the theme ‘boom and bust’. See the
following Australian Geographic article for an
example:
www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/lakeeyre-floods-again.htm
Explore different genres of writing for students
to present evocative, persuasive or
informational texts about aspects of interest
that depict life and events in the Lake Eyre
Basin. Here is an example of combining an
evocative text with scientific ideas to be shared
with students or used to guide teacher lessons.
Lake Eyre Life Cycles
Lake Eyre a dry, desolate, salt pan;
few signs of life
Eggs of the brine shrimp laid seasons ago,
blow in the wind
Flood waters from the north approach carrying
nutrients and life sustaining water
The onset of water sets off a chain reaction
of events; shrimp emerge from their
eggs food for frenzied fish
Thousands upon thousands of fish follow
the flows, breeding begins; the time is right
Pelicans and other birds obey the signals;
food is abundant, fledglings cry out for food
As time passes floodwaters cease, lake
levels recede; evaporation and seepage
take their toll
Fish fight to find their way to permanent
waterholes, pelicans and other migratory
birds head for home
What was a-buzz with life, returns to an eerie
parched environment
The sun beats down on the white, dry salt pan;
shrimp eggs blow freely across its surface
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 2 | 45

Students read the article: Well-timed Pulse
of Water Set to Rejuvenate Life on
Kalamurina, Kalamurina Wildlife Sanctuary,
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-examples
www. australianwildlife.org/AWCSanctuaries/ Kalamurina-WildlifeSanctuary.aspx
Ask ‘What if...’ questions:
What if:

pelicans and other migrating birds travel to
Lake Eyre to feed and breed, but the filling is
only partial and the water levels recede
quickly. What might occur?

the unconnected permanent waterholes are
used by livestock to drink in times of drought or
drained for other purposes?

introduced fish colonise permanent waterholes
and out-compete native fish?
Developing vocabulary
Add any unfamiliar terms to the word hanging,
word wall or graphic organiser. Ensure students
have a good understanding of the underlined
glossary terms.
46 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Student worksheet 2.3
Adaptation of species in an arid environment
Species
Adaptation
Fish
Fast growth rates when
conditions are favourable
and breed in response to
floods, ability to migrate
to permanent waterholes
Fish (yellowbelly,
Lake Eyre
hardyhead and
bony bream)
Tolerate a wide range of
salinity, from fresh to salt
concentrations higher
than sea water, and can
tolerate a wide range of
temperatures
Frogs (waterholding frog)
Burrow down in the mud
and form a cocoon and
lie dormant until
favourable conditions
How this would help their survival
Pelicans and
other migratory
birds
Have a sense of when
food is in abundance and
fly long distances to
source favourable
conditions for breeding
Crustaceans
(brine shrimp
and other types
of shrimp)
Survive long periods of
dryness, usually as eggs
that can blow around on
the lake surface
Brine flies,
midges and other
varieties of fly
Lay eggs in water, larvae
emerge from eggs and feed
on algae and dead plant
matter
Algae
and
bacteria
Produce drought-resistant
spores that lie dormant until
conditions are favourable
River red gums
Send down very deep roots
into groundwater
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 2 | 47
Student handout 2.4
Lake Eyre food web
Floods dramatically influence the food web of Lake
Eyre and the rivers that flow into the lake. The
survival of many species relies on their ability to
distribute widely and to rapidly colonise suitable
habitats when they become available.
Task
Use the information below about feeding
relationships between organisms that inhabit
aquatic ecosystems at Lake Eyre to create your
own food chains or food web.
Locate images of each organism and use these in
your food chains and food web.
 There are also the larval stages of brine flies,
which feed on algae. The larvae of midges
called bloodworms (family Chironomidae) and
other varieties of fly feed on detritus and
bacteria.
 The fish Macquaria ambigua (yellowbelly) are
carnivorous and feed on zooplankton and
crustaceans and aquatic insects when
available. Craterocephalus eyresii (Lake Eyre
hardyhead) is omnivorous and Nematalosa
erebi (bony bream) feeds mostly on algae or
detritus.
 The four main species of birds that form the
top of the food chain are aquatic birds,
Pelecanus conspicillatus (pelican),
Phalacrocorax carbo (great cormorants),
Chlidonias hybridus (whiskered terns) and
Larus novaehollandiae (silver gulls).
Feeding relationships

Detritus (dead plant and animal materials),
which is dormant in the dry, is carried by the
floodwaters and provides food for
decomposers such as bacteria.

Several species of phytoplankton (singlecelled floating algae) and multi-celled algae
attached to rocks inhabit the lake.

Zooplankton, tiny microscopic animals such as
crustaceans feed on phytoplankton.

Many types of small crustaceans, such as water
fleas (Daphnia) and seed shrimps (Ostracoda)
feed on algae or detritus, while others are
omnivores, predators or scavengers.
48 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
INVESTIGATION 3
How do we manage the Lake Eyre Basin sustainably?
Introduction
The ecological integrity and natural function of
river systems within the Lake Eyre Basin need to
be maintained through careful management.
Conflict occurs when land use threatens
environmental and cultural values. Water and
related natural resources in the Lake Eyre Basin
need to be managed through an approach that
aims to achieve outcomes that are sustainable and
fair for all, considering all points of view.
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 3 | 49
Australian Curriculum Links
Science – Year 7
Science Understanding
Science as a Human
Endeavour
Science Inquiry Skills
Biological sciences
Nature and development of
science
Processing and analysing data and
information
 Scientific knowledge
changes as new evidence
becomes available, and
some scientific discoveries
have significantly changed
people’s understanding of
the world
 Construct and use a range of
representations, including graphs,
keys and models to represent and
analyse patterns or relationships,
including using digital technologies
as appropriate
 Summarise data, from students’ own
investigations and secondary
sources, and use scientific
understanding to identify
relationships and draw conclusions
 Interactions between
organisms can be described in
terms of food chains and food
webs; human activity can
affect these interactions
Earth and space sciences
 Water is an important resource
that cycles through the
environment
Use and influence of
science
 Science and technology
contribute to finding
solutions to a range of
contemporary issues;
these solutions may impact
on other areas of society
and involve ethical
considerations
 Science understanding
influences the development
of practices in areas of
human activity such as
industry, agriculture and
marine and terrestrial
resource management
Evaluating
 Use scientific knowledge and findings
from investigations to evaluate claims
Communicating
 Communicate ideas, findings and
solutions to problems using scientific
language and representations using
digital technologies as appropriate
50 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Geography (from Shape of the Australian Curriculum: Geography)
Geographical knowledge and
understanding
Year 7
Weather and water



the hydrologic cycle describes the
movement of water between the
atmosphere, land and oceans
weather can be a hazard, but the
risks can be reduced through
human adjustment to the
conditions presented
water is a difficult resource to
manage because it is integrated
into environmental systems in
complex ways, can be highly
variable over time and across
space, and has many competing
uses
Geographical inquiry and skills
Developing a geographical question

observation can lead to questions for investigation
Planning a geographical inquiry

some geographical features can be explained by cause and
effect relationships with other places
Collection, evaluating and managing information

primary and secondary data must be evaluated for accuracy
and bias before being analysed

census data can be used to describe the growth, movement
and characteristics of the populations of places

information collected in a survey should be evaluated for
reliability
Making sense of the information

mapping the spatial distribution of a characteristic such as
rainfall, can be a first step in developing an understanding
of that characteristic and suggesting possible causal
relationships
Communicating

each type of communication has conventions that should
usually be followed for communication to be effective

the climate of place can be represented by a graph of
average monthly temperature and precipitation
Planning and implementing actions

finding a way of resolving a problem depends on an
understanding of the causes of that problem
Reflecting on the investigation

each investigation should be evaluated for what has been
learned about the topic investigated and what has been
learned about the process of investigation
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 3 | 51
Lessons
Lesson 3.1
What are the possible effects of
diverting water from rivers in the
Lake Eyre Basin?
Outcome
Students describe the possible effects on various
land users in the Lake Eyre Basin if water was
diverted for use elsewhere.
Background
Sustainability is defined in many different ways.
COAG’s (Council of Australian Governments)
endorsed National Strategy for Ecologically
Sustainable Development 1992 provides the
following definition of ecologically sustainable
development: ‘Using, conserving and enhancing
the community’s resources so that ecological
processes, on which life depends, are maintained,
and the total quality of life, now and in the future,
can be increased.’
Resources and preparation
Part B
In previous lessons it was established that there
are different land uses across the Lake Eyre Basin
and that these have some effect on the
environment, particularly on native fauna and flora.
By looking at how particular land uses affect the
environment, as well as culturally significant sites
and also considering economic and social
implications, students will become more aware of
the complexity of issues and begin to understand
why there is conflict.
Student worksheet
Student worksheet 3.1 Diverting water from
Cooper Creek
Part C
Student worksheet
Student worksheet 3.2 Potential conflicts among
community members and stakeholders
Despite the harsh arid environment there is a
diversity of land use across the Lake Eyre Basin.
The pastoral industry is the major land user –
grazing beef cattle and sheep. Other land use
includes Indigenous cultural activities,
conservation, tourism, mining and petroleum,
harvesting of wild animals and plant products, as
well as small-scale urbanisation. All of this land
use needs to be sustainably managed to protect
the natural ecosystems.
52 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
References
Lesson outline
Ausyfish, Aquaculture Australian Golden Perch,
www.ausyfish.com/golden_perch_aquaculture.ht
m
Part A: What is sustainable land use?
Griffith University, Importance of Maintaining Flow
Regimes,
www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/10072/2208
2/1/50567_1.pdf
Australian Government, Indigenous Land Use,
www.aiatsis.gov.au/research/publications/Land&Wate
r/pn30117.pdf
ABC News online, Legislation Aims to Protect Lake
Eyre Basin,
www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/27/3049425.ht
m
CSIRO, Sustainability in Australia’s Arid Lands,
www.csiro.au/science/arid-land-sustainability-ci_pageNo-4.html
Lake Eyre Basin Aboriginal Forum, Part 3 – Issues,
Outcomes and Recommendations, Mount Serle
Station, SA, 22–23 August 2006, www.
lebmf.gov.au/publications/pubs/second-leb-forumpart3.pdf
South Australian Government, Wildlife of the Desert
Parks,
www.environment.sa.gov.au/parks/pdfs/BROCHUR
E_DP_WIDLIFEWILDLIFE.PDF
Discuss what students know about the term
‘sustainability’ and list students’ ideas. Create two
lists that describe what sustainability is and what it
is not. This approach can help students develop
their own concept of sustainability.
Compare the students’ ideas to an Aboriginal
definition: ‘healthy country – healthy people’.
Read out the following quote and ask students what
it means:
These are the last major dryland rivers left
on the planet that aren’t seriously impacted
by water extraction, so we’ve got a huge
moral responsibility to actually look after
these systems.
Angus Emmott, chair of the Lake Eyre
Basin Community Advisory Committee
www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/20
1009/s3011115.htm
Have students draw their representation of what
Lake Eyre Basin would look like in 2030 if
managed in a sustainable way. This could be
contrasted with what the Lake Eyre Basin would
look like if land and water use were not managed
sustainably.
53 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Part B: How might diverting water affect
different parts of the Basin community?
Introduce a scenario that focuses on a water
management issue and requires students to
consider and take on a particular point of view.
Part C: Is there a possible conflict?
Ask students to use the conflict matrix on Student
worksheet 3.2 to identify if conflict exists between
particular community members of the Lake Eyre
Basin.
Developing vocabulary
SCENARIO
A 3,000-hectare property was the site for a
proposed development to grow various
crops in a small town in Queensland that is
within the Lake Eyre Basin.
The development would provide new jobs in
the area including for Indigenous people.
There are few other employment
opportunities.
The company applied for a water harvesting
licence to take 42,000 ML annually from
Cooper Creek.
Introduce a range of community members and
discuss their roles and how they could be affected
by the development and harvesting of water for
irrigation.
Provide the table of roles described in Student
worksheet 3.1.
Create a word wall of terms that students come
across in their inquiry which are unfamiliar and
require further explanation. One idea could be to
have individual words on cards, such as
‘ephemeral rivers’, and on the back of the card its
meaning – ‘non-permanent flowing rivers’. These
could hang down from string. Alternatively a word
wall could be set up with the words on cards with
the description beside it.
Another option is to provide students in pairs with
an unfamiliar word and using a graphic organiser
with the word written in the centre, establish a
definition, characteristics and a relevant example
and non-example. See the model below.
Unfamiliar terms may include underlined glossary
items.
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-examples
Organise students to take on the role of a community
member and role-play to discuss various points of
view. Each community member discusses the pros
and cons of the development. Focus on listing
possible solutions.
54 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Student worksheet 3.1
Diverting water from Cooper Creek
Read the descriptions about each community
member and how they rely on water in the Lake
Eyre Basin.
Describe ways in which each community member
may be affected by the following scenario.
Community members and stakeholders
SCENARIO
A 3,000-hectare property was the site for a
proposed development to grow various
crops in a small town in Queensland that is
within the Lake Eyre Basin.
The development would provide new jobs in
the area including for Indigenous people.
There are few other employment
opportunities.
The company applied for a water harvesting
licence to take 42,000 ML annually from
Cooper Creek
Roles
About them
Pastoralist
running beef
cattle in the
Cooper Creek
catchment
Runs beef cattle on large
pastoral lease of land
managed with relatively low
environmental impact. No
fertilisers are used. After
decent rains and flooding,
grasses grow and provide
sufficient feed for stock. The
number of stock is limited to
the coverage of naturally
occurring grasses. Water is
supplied by bores. Sometimes
cattle access springs for
water. Our cattle are also
competing with feral at the
waterholes and feed on
animals especially goats
and camels that drink the
grasses.
Traditional
Aboriginal
landowner
Water and rain are significant
to Aboriginal culture. Water is
needed for the animals we
hunt and the food we harvest.
Aboriginal people rely upon
waterholes, springs and
rivers.
Local schoolleaver
The development would
increase employment
opportunities, which are
currently limited.
How might this development impact them?
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 3 | 55
Roles
About them
Lake Eyre
National Park
Ranger
Lake Eyre National Park is an
important conservation area
for native plants and animals
that have adapted to survive
the boom and bust conditions
of an arid environment. These
animals and plants must be
protected. Feral animals are
competing with native species
for space, food and water.
Owner of the
proposed
development
Growing crops requires
irrigated land to grow plants
that produce pasture grass,
cereal and other crops
depending on water
availability. Without irrigated
water the yield of crops would
be greatly reduced.
Tourism
operator: Eco
tours to Lake
Eyre
Lake Eyre rarely fills but when
it does tourists are attracted in
great numbers. People come
from many different places to
visit the outback. The small
towns of the outback benefit
from tourism.
Lake Eyre
Yacht Club
member
When Lake Eyre fills to a level
of at least 450 mm yachts can
be sailed across its surface.
Sailing is a low impact way to
experience the lake.
Local
community
member and
mayor
People are needed to grow
and harvest crops. Our
community is made up of
people who use the land in
different ways.
Queensland
Government
We need to ensure the land is
used sustainably so that
others are not disadvantaged.
How might this development impact them?
56 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Student worksheet 3.2
Potential conflicts among community members and stakeholders
In the following diagram, use a 1, 2 or 3 to describe the level of conflict you believe would exist between
community members, using the following scale:
Pastoralist running
beef cattle in the
Cooper Creek
catchment
Traditional
Aboriginal
landowner
Lake Eyre
National Park
Ranger
Owner of the
proposed
development
Tourism operator:
Eco tours to
Lake Eyre
Lake Eyre Yacht
Club member
Local community
member
and mayor
Queensland
Government
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 3 | 57
Queensland
Government
Local community
member
and mayor
Lake Eyre
Yacht Club member
Tourism operator:
Eco tours to
Lake Eyre
3 = strong conflict
Owner of the
proposed
development
Lake Eyre
National Park
Ranger
2 = moderate conflict
Traditional
Aboriginal
landowner
Pastoralist running
beef cattle in the
Cooper Creek
catchment
1 = minimal conflict
Student worksheet 3.2 cont.
Write an article for the local press, taking on a particular role from those in the above diagram. Put forward
your arguments against the proposal or reasons you support the proposal. Use valid evidence to support
your case.
Questions
Which people would have similar or common goals? Explain your answer.
How would taking water from Cooper Creek be any different to just experiencing a longer period of drought?
58 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Lesson 3.2
How do we move from conflict to
mutual benefit?
Outcome
Students describe an issue, analyse the key points
and work towards a solution of mutual benefit.
Background
Previous lessons established that there are
different land uses across the Lake Eyre Basin
and that these land uses have some effect on the
environment, particularly its native fauna and flora.
It’s important to consider land use from all
perspectives to overcome any conflict that may
exist and work towards a mutually beneficial
arrangement.
Public meetings of community members are often
held as a forum to raise major issues about land
and water management. This approach allows for
all opinions to be heard. The issues help guide
land and water management strategies. Issues
dealt with on a regional level where negotiation is
encouraged can be a way to address problems
equitably and fairly.
Resources and preparation
Student worksheets
Lesson outline
Use Student worksheet 3.3 to discuss how people
of the Lake Eyre Basin can work together to solve
particular problems.
Use the context of a public forum to discuss issues
of water and land management that are relevant to
the Lake Eyre Basin. Encourage students to reflect
on what mutual benefit means, and how the
following situations could be resolved with mutual
benefit.
Examples of points raised at the public meeting of
Lake Eyre Basin community include:
1. An Aboriginal traditional landowner made the
point that beef cattle and sheep were fouling
waterholes and causing erosion around
mound springs. The pastoral land often has
access to vital water supplies from rivers,
waterholes, bores or mound springs. Cattle
often cause problems as they access water
for drinking at waterholes of cultural
significance. They also eat the grasses that
native animals eat.
In response a pastoral landowner explained
that they manage their land to ensure as low
an environmental impact as possible. He went
on to make the point that they move their
stock over the whole property to limit the
impact on the grasses but they need access
to water so they can continue their enterprise.
Student worksheet 3.3 Conservationists and
pastoralists
Student worksheet 3.4 Towards a mutually
beneficial solution
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 3 | 59
2. The local national park ranger made the point
that weeds and feral animals, such as
camels, goats, pigs and rabbits, were a real
issue in the Lake Eyre Basin. Open bores
provide drinking holes for feral animals. Goats
out-compete native animals such as rock
wallabies. Rabbits eat grasses which puts
pressure on livestock and native animals.
Some of the ways weeds are often
transported is through seeds carried by sheep
and even by tourists travelling from place to
place.
3. Mining and petroleum bring in a large amount
of money and provide jobs to the community
and is important to Australia as a nation. There
is however an impact on the environment.
Disturbing the land can lead to erosion. Water
holes can fill with silt and sediments putting an
already stressed ecosystem under more
pressure. Water is also required to take on
these ventures. Can we afford to use water for
these purposes in times of drought?
Developing vocabulary
Add any unfamiliar terms to the word hanging,
word wall or graphic organiser. Ensure students
have a good understanding of the underlined
glossary terms.
Definition
Characteristics
Examples
Non-examples
Have students use the table on Student worksheet
3.4 to guide their discussions towards a mutually
beneficial solution.
As a class, share suggested solutions and talk
through the implications and decide whether both
parties would in fact benefit equally and whether
one party or both parties would need to
compromise.
60 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
Student worksheet 3.3
Conservationists and pastoralists
Read the following article about a land use issue that occurred in the Lake Eyre Basin.
Ten years ago, there were less
than 100 Yellow-footed Rockwallabies on Plumbago Station
in the Olary Ranges south of
Lake Frome. More than 10,000
feral goats roamed the hills,
coming down to the flat country
and competing with the sheep
when feed became scarce. This
reduced the carrying capacity
and dictated that sheep be sold
when the season turned dry.
Enter Darren Wilson, selfconfessed
goat-hater
and
unashamed friend of the
wallabies. ‘I got rid of all the
goats on Plumbago and the
Yellow-foots have increased to
more than 2,500 – they
doubled in number over the last
2 years. We have the largest
concentration of Yellow-foots in
the world,’ Darren says with
quiet pride.
‘They don’t worry the sheep,
he adds. ‘In fact we don’t need
to lighten off (sheep numbers)
as much in dry times now and
our lambing percentages are
consistently 10% to 20% better
than our neighbours who have
feral goats.’
‘As far as I’m concerned there
is a mutual benefit for
pastoralists and
conservationists to work handin-hand.’
© Reproduced with permission, Desert Channels Group
Questions
What was the issue and how was it solved?
What were the benefits of Darren’s actions?
Who benefited in the end?
Teacher guide and lesson plan: Investigation 3 | 61
Student worksheet 3.4
Towards a mutually beneficial solution
What is the problem?
Who is affected?
What are the key points?
What are some options?
What is a possible solution? How does it benefit both parties?
62 | The Lake Eyre Basin A unique river system worth maintaining
GLOSSARY
arid
community
A region lacking sufficient water or rainfall.
A group of people living in a particular local area
or, in biological terms, a community is a group of
organisms that interrelate within an ecosystem.
bathymetric
A map or chart of land formation, depths or
terrain below sea level or water level in a lake,
using depth contours or isobaths.
bioregions
Large areas of land that have similar climate
patterns, geology and landscape features and
are characterised by similar types of vegetation
and animals.
catchment
The geographical area that collects and funnels
water to its connected waterway such as a river
and its tributaries, lakes or other water sources.
The water can flow along the surface or seep
into groundwater.
channel country
A large region of north central Australia that
includes an area in the Northern Territory, a large
section of southwest Queensland, the northwest
corner of South Australia as well as a small
section in the far northwest of New South Wales.
The name comes from the numerous intertwined
rivulets or ‘channels’ that cross the region.
Channel country features an arid landscape with
a series of ancient floodplains from rivers which
only flow intermittently.
colonise
Successful introduction into a new habitat
by a species.
compromise
To make a deal where one party gives up part
of, or all of its demands.
conflict
A clash between two opposing groups.
conservation
The aim of protecting species, their habitats,
and ecosystems.
consumer
In biological terms an organism that feeds on
another organism. A first order consumer feeds
on plants (herbivore). A second order consumer
feeds on other animals (carnivore) or feeds on
plants and animals (omnivore).
delta
A flat plain of soils and deposits situated between
diverging branches at the mouth of a large river.
detritus
Remains of dead plant and animal materials.
divert (water)
Changing the flow of water to suit a particular
need, for example a channel to divert water
from a river to a farm.
drainage basin
All the land that serves as drainage for a
specific stream or river.
Glossary | 63
ecosystem
false colour images
A system formed through complex relationships
between living organisms functioning as a
community and interacting with their physical
environment.
Instead of the real colours of an object being
represented, arbitrary colours can be chosen to
highlight different features. In satellite images for
example, small differences in intensity can be
made more obvious if they are presented with
sharply contrasting colours.
electrical conductivity (EC)
A commonly used method of measuring
the salinity of water.
floodplain
elevation
A flat or quite flat land next to a stream or river
that experiences occasional or periodic flooding.
A geographic location where its height is
given above a fixed reference point, such as
the height above sea level.
forum
A public meeting or assembly for
open discussion.
endemic
Native to a particular region.
hydrate
ephemeral river
To supply water or liquid to in order to
maintain a healthy balance.
A river that flows irregularly; a non-permanent
flowing river.
infiltration
When water on the ground surface enters the soil.
erosion
A process that moves solids such as soil or rock
particles in the natural environment and
deposits them elsewhere.
interrelationships
eutrophication
invertebrates
A body of water acquires a high concentration of
nutrients, which, in turn, promotes the excessive
growth of algae; as the algae die the build-up of
decomposing matter depletes the water of
available oxygen, causing the death of other
organisms, such as fish.
Animals that do not have backbones.
A relationship between different species
of organisms.
irrigation
Supplying land with water by means of some
form of control, for example channels to direct
the flow and storage of the water for use in
irrigated pasture.
evaporation
The process of changing from a liquid
to a gas – for example, water in its
liquid form changing to water vapour.
livestock
Animals domesticated for cultivation, for example
cattle, sheep and pigs.
64 | A unique river system worth maintaining The Lake Eyre Basin
macro-invertebrates
phytoplankton
An invertebrate animal (animal without a
backbone) visible to the unaided eye.
Floating single-celled microscopic plants such as
some types of algae that photosynthesise to
produce their own food.
micro-organisms
An organism of microscopic size.
microsiemens
A measure of electrical conductivity. Because it is
full of charged particles, a salty solution will
conduct electricity. Therefore a good way to
measure salinity (salt levels in water) is to use a
conductivity meter and read off the electrical
conductivity in microsiemens.
predator
An animal that hunts and seizes another animal
for food.
producer
An organism that makes its own food in the form
of sugars, such as a plant.
salinity
mound spring
The degree of saltiness which may relate to rivers
or other waterways.
Point of surface flow of artesian water. Often of
high cultural significance to Aboriginal people.
salt pan
mutual benefit
A shallow basin in a desert region that contains
salts that remain after the water evaporates.
When both parties benefit from a particular
solution.
scavenger
nutrients
An organism that feeds on decaying organic
matter.
Any matter that, taken into a living organism,
helps to sustain its life.
sea level
omnivore
An organism that feeds on plants and animals.
The height of the surface of the oceans.
semi-arid
pastoralist
A climactic region of low rainfall that only supports
scrubby vegetation and grasses.
A person who is involved in the branch of
agriculture concerned with the raising of livestock.
solution
photosynthesis
In chemical terms a mixture of two or more
substances.
A process that converts carbon dioxide into
organic compounds, such as sugars, using the
energy from sunlight.
spring
A place where water comes up from the earth to
make a pool or flow away in a small stream
Glossary | 65
sustainable
The use of natural and human resources in a way
that does not put at risk the opportunities of future
generations.
terminal basin
A river basin where water flows inland to a central
location, such as a lake, and not out to sea.
topography
The arrangement of hills and valleys in a
geographic area.
tributaries
Small streams that feed into a main river that form
part of a catchment.
unregulated
In the context of river systems, this is one that has
not been diverted or controlled for human needs
such as irrigation.
waterhole
A natural hollow or depression in which water
collects, such as at a natural spring or at a low
section of a dried-up river course.
zooplankton
Microscopic aquatic organisms that drift in water
and feed on phytoplankton.
66 | A unique river system worth maintaining The Lake Eyre Basin
9 781742 001289
Glossary | 67