Australia and Oceania
Australia
• Great Dividing Range– Rivers
• Western Plateau– Outback
• Nullarbor Plain– Dry treeless
plain
• Water supply– Murray river– Darling river– Great Artesian Basin
• Largest and deepest in the world• Only reliable source of fresh water
• Great Barrier Reef– Largest reef system (more than 2, 500 reefs)– Extends 1,250miles– Tourism: $1 billion aus.
New Zealand
• North Island• South Island– Both have beaches, rich soil, mountains
• Mt. Cook– Southern Alps, highest peak– Called Aorangi by Maori
• Cantebury plains– Most fertile area
Oceania
• Three groups:– Melanesia– Micronesia– Polynesia
• Many volcanic islands• Atolls– Build up of coral reefs
Resources• Australia– Agriculture• Only 10% of land is arable
– Wheat, fruit, cattle, sheep, etc
– Minerals• Gold, Bauxite (used for aluminum), opals, oil, iron ore,
etc
• New Zealand– Fertile soil• Sheep and wool dominate export
– Timber– Powerful rivers• Hydroelectric powers: 75% of country’s energy
– Geothermal energy– Fishing• Tuna, marlin, sharks, cod
Antarctica
• Ice cap cover 98%– 70% of world’s fresh water
• 2x size Australia• Desert– Less than 10inches percip.
• Divided by Transantarctic Mountains• Antarctic Treaty 1959– 12 countries sign (now 46)– No military activity, only scientific research
• Identify and illustrate the following terms:– Wattle -Lichens– Doldrums -Mauka– Typhoons
• 1. What climate supports most of Australia's agricultural lands?
• 2. Describe the factor that prevents temperature extremes in New Zealand
• 3. What problems might researchers encounter in Antarctic, and how could these conditions be overcome?
Australia short stories
• United Streaming video on Australia