Australia: Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef
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Australia: Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef Whitman-Hanson Global Awareness Program School Trip - February 2020 Table of Contents Map of Australia ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Why travel? And, why travel to Australia? ............................................................................................... 5 Days 1-2: We’re airborne .............................................................................................................................. 8 Day 3: Welcome to Australia! ...................................................................................................................... 8 Sydney ...................................................................................................................................................... 9 Day 4: National Opal Collection ................................................................................................................. 10 Land and Water ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Opals ....................................................................................................................................................... 13 Australian History ................................................................................................................................... 17 Commonwealth and Independence ......................................................................................................... 21 Australia in WWI .................................................................................................................................... 22 Australia in WWII ................................................................................................................................... 23 Australia as a member of ANZUS and the United Nations .................................................................... 25 Day 5: Taronga Zoo and Sydney Opera House .......................................................................................... 25 Evolution of Australian Wildlife............................................................................................................. 25 Taronga Zoo Visit ................................................................................................................................... 28 Sydney Opera House ................................................................................................................................... 31 Day 6: Australian Beaches .......................................................................................................................... 32 A visit to Bondi and Manly Beaches ...................................................................................................... 32 Day 7 Travel Day & Cairns ........................................................................................................................ 34 Cairns ...................................................................................................................................................... 34 Great Barrier Reef ................................................................................................................................... 35 Ecology ................................................................................................................................................... 35 Ecosystem Services ................................................................................................................................. 36 Biodiversity ............................................................................................................................................. 36 Environmental Threats ............................................................................................................................ 36 The Future of the Great Barrier Reef ...................................................................................................... 38 Day Nine: Exploring Aboriginal Culture .................................................................................................... 39 Kuranda ................................................................................................................................................... 39 Australian Rainforest .............................................................................................................................. 40 2 Tjapukai Cultural Center ......................................................................................................................... 41 Boomerang .............................................................................................................................................. 42 Aboriginal Culture ...................................................................................................................................... 45 Ceremonies ............................................................................................................................................. 46 Aboriginal History and contact with Europeans ..................................................................................... 46 Native American Comparison ................................................................................................................. 47 Unique Cultural - global presence of Australia .......................................................................................... 50 Food ........................................................................................................................................................ 50 Vegemite ................................................................................................................................................. 51 ANZAC biscuits...................................................................................................................................... 52 Language ................................................................................................................................................. 52 Indigenous Music .................................................................................................................................... 53 Fun Facts about the Didgeridoo (AKA the didge...if you want to sound cool)! ..................................... 54 Wanna get more ZZZs? Maybe you should learn to play the didgeridoo! ............................................ 55 Notable Aussie Musicians ....................................................................................................................... 55 Film ......................................................................................................................................................... 55 Crocodile...Dundee or Hunter? ............................................................................................................... 55 Art ........................................................................................................................................................... 56 Literature ................................................................................................................................................. 57 The Ern Malley affair of 1943: Australia’s Most Famous Literary Hoax ............................................. 58 Want to sound like a true Aussie? Here’s some lingo (so you don’t sound like a dingo)! .................... 59 Notes Page .................................................................................................................................................. 60 3 Map of Australia 4 Introduction As we prepare to embark on our journey to Australia, please understand that there is certainly no requirement to have a comprehensive understanding of the history and culture of the country in order to enjoy the trip. However, as we travel and experience a different corner of the world, it will probably make for a more rewarding experience to have a rudimentary grasp of your surroundings. There is little more frustrating or embarrassing for the seasoned - or for that matter the inexperienced - traveler than to confront some of the world’s most interesting places and have absolutely no idea what lies in front of you. Conversely, even a vague idea of your surroundings will make your trip much more fulfilling. Even the most provincial of souls recognizes that traveling changes everything – your understanding of history and your place in the world somehow seem different. In the ensuing pages, please find a brief overview of Australian history and culture – in addition to some really cool science stuff – to improve your travel experience. Essentially, it is a combination travel guide and research paper that is written in a light style that is easy to read. It is far from comprehensive; instead, it is intended to introduce you to some of the essential historical, cultural, and academic ideas with which any “citizen of the world” should be familiar. It is loosely organized by geography and theme (i.e. by city or place, the direction we will be traveling and the most pertinent academic information that is relevant to