AUSTRALIA - 4e

Isabelle Beaubreuil (ac. Limoges)

AUSTRALIA

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GEOGRAPHY

NUMBERS

HISTORY

THE ABORIGINES

TOURISM

Australia is situated in the Southern hemisphere under the Equator. That's why Australia is nicknamed "the Land Down Under". It is a country, an island and a continent at the same time.Australia is divided into six states: Queensland (North east of Australia), New South Wales (South east), South Australia , Victoria (the smallest state), Western Australia and Tasmania (a small island). There are also two territories: the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory (a small land in New South Wales).There are 24 million inhabitants in Australia and 85% of the population live in big cities.Hobart is the capital city of Tasmania and Lauceston is on the north coast of this small island. Melbourne is the main city of Victoria and Alice Spring is right in the middle of the country in the Northern Territory. Perth, which is famous for its beautiful beaches, is in Western Australia. Brisbane is in Queensland as well as Cairns, which is on the north coast. Adelaide is in South Australia and Darwin is in the north of the Northern Territory. Canberra is the capital city of Australia, and Sydney is between Canberra and Brisbane.85% of the country is covered by a vast arid desert called The Outback. Seasons are reversed in theSouthern hemisphere. So, when it is winter in France, it is summer in Australia.

CLIMATE

GEOGRAPHY

Australians are called "AUSSIES".

from E For English 4e

NUMBERS

Australians are called "AUSSIES".

from E For English 4e

NUMBERS

from E For English 4e

NUMBERS

The first inhabitants of Australia were The Aborigines, who lived there for at least 40,000 years before Europeans arrived.In the 1600's, several Dutch explorers reached the continent.In 1644, the Dutch named the continent New Holland, but they didn't settle there.In 1770, Captain James Cook, who was a British explorer and cartographer, became the first Englishman to discover Australia. He landed in the southeastern part of the continent and named the region New South Wales. He thought Australia was a good place to start a colony. At the time, there were too many criminals in England's prisons, so the English government decided to send prisoners to Australia in order to live there. They cleared land and established farms.In 1851, the discovery of gold attracted thousands of new immigrants to Australia.Today, Australia is no longer a British colony. It became independent in 1901 and is part of the British Commonwealth.

from Britannica Kids

HISTORY

The Aborigines, or Aboriginals, are the native people of Australia. They have lived on the continent for more than 50,000 years. They are one of the oldest living civilizations in the world. Before British settlers arrived, there were about 600 different groups of Aboriginals and they spoke their own language (there were more than 2OO Aboriginal languages!). Scientists think that the Aborigines originally came from Asia.The Aborigines were nomadic and hunters. In general men hunted large animal such as kangaroos, emus and reptiles whereas women hunted smaller animals (lizards) and collected honey, insects and plant foods. They used boomerangs to hunt and fish. Aboriginal art, music and dance are linked with spiritual life and nature. Aborigines of northern Australia invented the didjeridu (or didgeridoo), a long wooden flute which is from 1 to 3m long. They also used Dot painting to tell stories and teach. The Aborigines’ lives changed when Europeans arrived in Australia more than 200 years ago. The Europeans forced the Aborigines to move off their land and to change their way of life. Many Aborigines died defending their land. Many others died from diseases brought by the Europeans. Today, the Aborigines represent only2,7% of the population in Australia!

from Britannica Kids

THE ABORIGINES

The Aborigines, or Aboriginals, are the native people of Australia. They have lived on the continent for more than 50,000 years. They are one of the oldest living civilizations in the world. Before British settlers arrived, there were about 600 different groups of Aboriginals and they spoke their own language (there were more than 2OO Aboriginal languages!). Scientists think that the Aborigines originally came from Asia.The Aborigines were nomadic and hunters. In general men hunted large animal such as kangaroos, emus and reptiles whereas women hunted smaller animals (lizards) and collected honey, insects and plant foods. They used boomerangs to hunt and fish. Aboriginal art, music and dance are linked with spiritual life and nature. Aborigines of northern Australia invented the didjeridu (or didgeridoo), a long wooden flute which is from 1 to 3m long. They also used Dot painting to tell stories and teach. The Aborigines’ lives changed when Europeans arrived in Australia more than 200 years ago. The Europeans forced the Aborigines to move off their land and to change their way of life. Many Aborigines died defending their land. Many others died from diseases brought by the Europeans. Today, the Aborigines represent only2,7% of the population in Australia!

from Britannica Kids

THE ABORIGINES

DREAMTIME

The Aborigines believe that everything on earth was created by Ancestor Spirits a long time ago, during the Dreamtime. The Spirits made the rivers, rocks, plants, animals, and gave the Aborigines their hunting tools. In traditional ceremonies, people tell these creation stories with songs, dances, body paintings and pictures called "Dreamings". The traditional colours used are yellow (the sun), brown (the earth), red (the desert sand), and white (clouds and the sky).

THE ABORIGINES

From New Enjoy English 4e

THE ABORIGINES

From New Enjoy English 4e

THE ABORIGINES

TOURISM

KAKADU NATIONAL PARKKakadu National Park is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin. Kakadu is almost 20,000 square kilometres, which is half the size of Switzerland! It is home of more than 10,000 crocodiles and 280 different types of birds! Visitors can do many things there: birdwatching, croc spotting, fishing and hiking. There are also amazing waterfalls to discover. The park also has one of the world’s greatest concentrations of rock art sites. Some paintings are up to 20,000 years old and provide a fascinating record of Aboriginal life over thousands of years.

TOURISM

ULURU or AYERS ROCK It is the biggest and the largest rock in the world and it is located in the middle of the desert (the Outback) in the Northern Territory. It is a sacred place for the Aborigines. However, climbing Uluru is not permitted since it is too dangerous and too many people have died or been injured by attempting to climb it. Uluru is 348 metres high (that's higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris!).

THE GREAT BARRIER REEF Situated in the Coral Sea, off the northeastern coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef on Earth. It is around 2600 kilometres long! It is a tourist attraction and a protected marine environment with 350 different species of coral. Therefore, it is a popular attraction for tourists who like scuba diving and snorkelling. There are also more than 200 types of birds and more than 1,500 types of fish. Unfortunately, this wonderful place is threatened by climate change.

SYDNEY Situated in New South Wales, Sydney is not the capital of Australia even if it is the most populated city of the country with 4.9 million inhabitants. It is one of the most important ports on the South Pacific Ocean. The Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the longest in the world of its kind. The city’s most famous landmark, the Opera House, is also on the waterfront. Sydney is also home to a large aquarium.Many beaches and parks surround Sydney. The city is famous as a place for sailing, swimming, surfing, and other sports and recreation.

THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD It is a three hour drive from Melbourne, following the coast and mountains of Victoria. Many amazing landscapes can be seen from the road such as The Twelve Apostles (giant monoliths created by erosion). You can also hike through a rainforest, go koala spotting at Kennett River and tree-top walking! Don't forget your camera! ;-)

KAKADU NATIONAL PARKKakadu National Park is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin. Kakadu is almost 20,000 square kilometres, which is half the size of Switzerland! It is home of more than 10,000 crocodiles and 280 different types of birds! Visitors can do many things there: birdwatching, croc spotting, fishing and hiking. There are also amazing waterfalls to discover. The park also has one of the world’s greatest concentrations of rock art sites. Some paintings are up to 20,000 years old and provide a fascinating record of Aboriginal life over thousands of years.