Each of the Aerial Photos Show a Very Different Part of Victoria's Environment

Geographic Characteristic Posters

Worksheet Victoria for Sale!

Length of Activity: 1 lesson

Lesson Requirements: A set of Geographic Characteristics Posters by GTAV 1 aerial photograph per student A3 paper\card per student atlas per student.

Definition: Geographic Characteristics:

Geographic characteristics are those features and influences identified in the environment and described using appropriate spatial concepts. In addition, geographic characteristics may include such features as climate, topography, natural vegetation and values. Geographic characteristics can be identified at a range of scales.

Task:

Each of the aerial photos shows a very different part of Victoria’s natural and human environments.

 Choose one of the aerial photographs.

 Using a piece of card/paper you are to produce a “For Sale” advertisement for a block of land within the region of this photo.

 Your aim is to describe the land to someone who cannot see it and is relying on your description to decide if they will buy it.

 Look for geographic characteristics that you can identify in the environment, for example, topography, settlements, road patterns. Also include characteristics that you think may exist but can’t see in the aerial photo for example, population size, climatic conditions, type of culture or customs of the people or the type of economy present.

 Some questions you may like to consider are;

Where is the land? What is there? Who is the land suited to? What can you use the land for? Will the land always be like this?

 You will need to do a plan of your advertisement first.

 You can decide how big a parcel of land it is.

 Be sure to include a map of Victoria on your poster and mark on it the location of the land. Include all the geographic conventions of BOLTSS.

Geographic Characteristic Posters

Worksheet Marvellous Melbourne

Length of Activity: 2 lessons

Lesson Requirements: Geographic Characteristics Poster Melbourne 2004 by GTAV Street Directory. 2 sheets of A3 blank paper - for drawing a map and for a mind map.

Definition: Geographic Characteristics:

Tasks:

1. Using the aerial photograph of Melbourne, draw your own map of the same area on a blank piece of paper. Mark each of the following geographic characteristics on your map:

railway lines, railway station, bridges, major roads, parkland, river, city buildings. (You should use a symbol or colour to represent each of these features).

2. On your map label the following landmark buildings that are important to the City of Melbourne: Flinders St Station, Sidney Myer Music Bowl, MCG, Melbourne Museum, Arts Centre, Rod Laver Arena, Federation Square.

3. Apply the necessary BOLTSS to your map.

4. Make a list of ten geographic characteristics you can see in the photograph of Melbourne. Decide whether each is part of the natural environment or the human environment. Put your answers in a table.

Natural Environment Human Environment

5. Decide if Melbourne is predominately a natural environment or human environment and write a letter to an “alien” to describe the city using the features from the table.

6. What features in the photo indicate that Melbourne is a Central Business District (CBD)?

7. Many people work and live in the city. Look closely at the buildings in the top left hand corner of the photo. What makes them different from those in the top right hand corner? Can you give reasons for these differences?

8. Using the aerial photo of the Melbourne Central Business District create a mind map. Your central point is THE CITY. Geographic Characteristic Posters

Possible links from the centre may include buildings, transport, green/natural spaces and people.

9. The CBD is not the same today as it was 100 years ago. Outline changes, in point form, you can see have taken place by comparing the aerial photo with an earlier image of Melbourne.

10. Melbourne will host the Commonwealth Games in 2006. Locate the ‘sports precinct” in the photo. It is vital that people are moved efficiently and effectively during the Games. a. What features can you see around this area that will make transporting many people to and from Games events relatively easy? b. Is there likely to be any new modes or developments of the transport system to cater specifically for the Games? Mark any plans or designs you have or know of on your map that will have a positive impact on the transport network for the Games.

11. Find the Hilton Hotel on the photograph. Give three reasons why a tourist visiting Melbourne for the Commonwealth Games would want to stay there?

12. Compare your responses with that of another member of your class. What aspects of the CBD did you view differently to your classmate? What aspects were similar?

13. Use Google Earth or Google Maps and navigate to Melbourne until you have a similar image and angle of the aerial photograph on the poster. Take a screen shot of the current area and annotate it to show the similarities and differences between 2004 and today.

Alternatively, create an overlay map to show the changes that have taken place.

Geographic Characteristic Posters

Worksheet SHORE THING!

Length of Activity: 1-2 lessons

Lesson Requirements: Geographic Characteristics The Twelve Apostles 1997 by GTAV 2 blank A3 sheets of paper

Definition: Geographic Characteristics:

Task:

People travel from all over Australia to view this magnificent coastline.

1. Look at the photo carefully, then close your eyes and describe what you see to the person next to you. They can write down all the things that help you describe this region.

2. Now list 10 geographic characteristics you found in the photo and add them to the table below, deciding whether each is part of the natural or human environment.

Natural Environment Human Environment

3. Why do you think this photo is titled “The Twelve Apostles”.

4. You will notice there are roads on the cliff tops in this region. Is it safe to have roads this close to the coast if erosion is constantly occurring? Why?

5. Any natural environment is constantly changing and being influenced by geographic factors. Explain how each of the following factors will influence the Twelve Apostles coastline over time.  Widening the main highway  Stopping car access  A severe storm  Building a housing estate within 500 metres of the cliff tops  Rising sea level  Grazing cattle allowed between the road and the cliff tops  Establishing a wind farm.

Geographic Characteristic Posters

6. You have been asked by the State Government to investigate building an additional visitor centre somewhere in the vicinity of the Twelve Apostles. a. How do you think most people will get to the visitor centre and how long will they stay? b. Does the answer to the above question effect what you will build? Why? c. Where would you locate it? Give at least two reasons for your choice of location.

7. One of your colleagues has been asked to investigate setting up a wind farm close to where you want to build the visitor center. What problems might arise? Would these two land uses be compatible? Explain your answer.

Stack Formations The reason this area is famous is because of the unusual stack formations off the shoreline.

Stacks are pillars of rock near a coastline that have been isolated because of wave erosion.

1. Place each of the following points in the correct sequence to show how stacks are formed. (The first one is done for you) a. High energy waves attack rocky headlands b. A natural arch appears c. A pillar or stack of rock is left d. Wave erosion breaks through the walls of a cave e. A deep cave is formed in the headland f. The arch widens and the roof collapses

2. There are only 8 of these stacks as of July 2005. Will there always be eight? Explain your answer.

3. Make a sketch of the outline of this coastline. Now mark on your sketch where you think the original coastline was millions of years ago.

4. Using the photograph as a guide, mark on your sketch where you think another stack/s might develop.

Web Links: www.eneabba.net/oz/index.html

Tourism and development

There are plans to establish a tourism resort along this coastline. Outline the advantages and disadvantages of such a proposal. Ensure you discuss the implications and impact on the human and natural environment. Geographic Characteristic Posters

Worksheet Lava Land

Length of Activity: 1-2 lessons

Lesson Requirements: Geographic Characteristics Mt. Noorat 2001 by GTAV Student atlas Outline map of Victoria

Definition: Geographic Characteristics:

Task 1:

Western Victoria lays claim to Australia’s largest dry volcanic crater, Mt Noorat.

1. Find Mt Noorat on the aerial photograph.

2. What features of the landscape help you identify this as a volcanic crater?

3. On an outline map of Victoria, draw and label Mt Noorat, Colac and Melbourne.

4. The small town Noorat is nestled at the base of Mt Noorat. Do you think it is safe for people to live so close to this volcano? Explain.

5. This region is famous for its abundance of dry stone walls that surround many properties. They were built by the early settlers from “lava bombs” and volcanic scoria. Can you explain their existence and proliferation near Mt Noorat?

6. Look at the western side of the crater in the photograph. What could this be? How did it help in developing the regions transport network?

7. The land around Mt Noorat is typically flat or rolling hills. Does this make it suitable for a certain type of farming? Use `evidence from the photo to explain your answer.

8. In the photo numerous short rows of trees, some at right angles, appear in the fields. Suggest a reason for these or are they naturally occurring?

9. Sketch a map of the Mount Noorat region. Show the distribution of buildings in the area. Don’t forget the BOLTSS.

10. Can you suggest two reasons for the cluster pattern of buildings.

11. List three reasons for each of the following buildings to explain why it is found in that particular location.

General Store Farmhouse

Geographic Characteristic Posters

Web links: www.eneabba.net/Oz/index.html www.museum.vic.gov.au/mineralogy/volcan.html www.gatewaybbs.com.au/Terang/Noorat.htm

Additional activity: Using Alan Marshall, 1981, I Can Jump Puddles, Allen Lane .

Task 2:

Alan Marshall was born in Noorat in 1902. He wrote the story “I Can Jump Puddles” published in 1955. Find a copy of the book and read through pages 130-135. Here you will find him describing the landscape and nature of Mount Turalla.

 Compile a list of words that describe the region, the crater and the vegetation of the area.

 Compare Mt Noorat and Mt Turalla. Are they the same place? What similarities exist in their geographical characteristics?

Geographic Characteristic Posters

Worksheet THE RIVERINA

Length of Activity: 2 lessons

Lesson Requirements: Geographic Characteristics Poster Mildura, 1999 by GTAV Student Atlas A3 Sheet of blank paper Geographic Characteristics Mt. Noorat 2001 by GTAV

Definition: Geographic Characteristics:

Task 1:

1. Draw a square 16cm x 16cm on your page. 2. Mark your square with grid lines every 4 cm. 3. Label the x axis with letters and the y axis with numbers. 4. Using the aerial photo of Mildura draw the following features on your map The Murray River Mildura CBD Lake Ranfurly Golf course Racetrack Railway Line Bridge New South Wales

You may like to view Mildura township at www.mrcc.vic.gov.au/Files/Urban_A4L.PDF

5. Give the map references for the following from your map: Golf course, racetrack, bridge and Lake Ranfurly.

6. Label your map with an appropriate heading.

Task 2: Locate Mildura on a map of Victoria.

1.Make a list of the geographic characteristics that are both natural and human. Put your answers in a table.

Natural Environment Human Environment

Geographic Characteristic Posters

2. From as early as the 1880s Mildura has sustained a viable citrus and wine/grape growing industry whilst only receiving minimal rainfall throughout the year. a. What is the main source of water for the farms in the Mildura district? b. Farms receive this water via irrigation channels. What can you say about the flat land around Mildura and this type of farming? c. Is there any need to regulate the water supply in this region? You might need to think about the flow of the Murray River towards South Australia in order to help explain your answer. Explain your answer considering farmers in South Australia.

3. A major problem with the soil exists in irrigation regions. Can you see any evidence for this in the photo? Try to explain what is happening in these areas?

4. Can you explain the numerous coloured patches on the Mildura photo?

5. Compare the photo of Mildura with that of Mt Noorat. What differences can you see in the farms and what reasons can you give for those differences?

6. If you were to compare the population of the townships, Mildura and Noorat, where would you say the greater population is? What is your evidence?

7. With a greater population there is a need for more services in a town. What type of businesses might you find in Mildura, but not in Noorat.? List at least six.

8. Mildura is to have a new marina built on its river bank in the heart of the town. Choose one of the following business/service and explain why you would benefit from this new marina and what impact it would have on the river environment.  Tourist River Boats  Hotel  Conference Centre  Townhouses  Sewerage Treatment Works  Mooring, Boat Ramp facilities