Australia Lesson Activities - Environmental Studies

We set-off soon after sunrise from a small pebbled beach amongst the mangroves of the Starcke Estuary. Birds of prey were our fleeting companions through much of the morning. A curious Brahminy kite kept a close watch, circling and looping gracefully above the unusual spectacle of nine bicycles making their way from the water's edge into the sand dunes. Sea eagles waited patiently in hope we may leave fishing or camping remains, from which they might scavenge a meal. Today, however, they were unlucky, as the camp was tidied thoroughly, and we left them to hunt for themselves as we struck further inland. On the exposed faces of the dunes, the conditions are too harsh to support vegetation, and in these places the sand is not held firm by plant root systems, and is soft and deep, making for difficult and slow cycling - and several crashes.

More than thirty kilometers later, the scenery had changed dramatically, and near an abandoned homestead, I was lucky enough to have a close encounter with two very large, black, feral pigs, and six of their piglets. Feral pigs are common throughout Cape York, despite being hunted vigorously by landholders, who are unhappy about the erosive damage caused on their properties. Many people are also afraid of
aggressive animals, as their rough hair, wrinkled faces, and protruding tusks can make them appear somewhat intimidating.

Mangroves are plants which grow between the high and low tides. They are special because they have learned to cope with extreme salt and wind, and have adapted to the soft, sandy soil by extending supporting roots, which anchor the trees against the pull of the ocean. Mangroves also provide habitats for birds and animals unique to that eco-system.

CLASS QUESTIONS >>
What kinds of feral animals can be found in the area where you live?
How did they get there?
What impact do they have on the native environment?
How does their presence affect people in your community?
What attempts have been made to control feral animals? What else could people do?

Passing through the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, we have
crossed a large number of creeks and rivers, only a small percentage of
which contain water at this time of the year. Any running water
supports
a narrow corridor of lush vegetation and abundant wildlife, even
rainforest pockets, though just meters from the banks the earth is as
dry as the vastness lying hundreds of kilometers from any water source.

In the early mornings, swirling flocks of parrots join the water birds
who are living there permanently, to drink and bathe in first light,
and
by sunrise have begun their daily pilgrimage to the dry eucalyptus
forests.
Snow white gum flowers coat the treetops like fairy floss, and attract
bright flocks of rainbow lorikeets who feed on the nectar. During the
wet season, while the rivers are in full flow, the land will support
more creatures, though the lorikeets will have moved on, following the
flowering gum wherever they can find enough food.

Animals regularly travel enormous distances because they are dependant
upon water sources which are absent for half of each year. Among these
are the wallabies which compete with domestic cattle for grazing areas.
The wallaby pictured here is one we spotted soon after midday today, on
our path to Laura town. These and other wildlife we have encountered
have generally been quite placid, and are content to let us watch them
from a safe distance until a passing vehicle sends them scared into the
brush and away.

What kinds of animals live in your country for only part of the year?
Why do they migrate - what are they following?

bel

Camping by the only permanent water for miles around, we seem to be just another flock of animals drawn automatically by need to a small semi dried out tributary of the Palmer River. The water in the remaining pools is so clean and clear, that fish can be clearly seen, and will, out of curiosity, approach a person who stands to watch them from the rocks.

Delicate water plants growing in the pools help to keep this clarity in the water, by replenishing the oxygen in it which is continually being absorbed by the fish.
Unlike what we found closer to the coast, in the more mild weather, a heavy dew falls here each morning, due to the great change in temperature through the night. The ground and anything we leave exposed overnight becomes soaked through by moonset.

As dusk approaches, flocks of birds moving back toward the water to settle for the night are deafening, and shortly after sunset, as they quieten, a throng of insects takes up the chorus, rivaling the birds in volume.
Almost all of Australia’s trees are evergreen, so leaf dropping is perpetual, rather than happening in the Autumn. In the still of the day, the sound of leaves releasing themselves from the acacias and box eucalyptus, and fluttering down through the parent trees, is as constant as the ticking of a clock. These sounds are brought to attention only when the approach of a light breeze is announced by the increasing rustle of dry foliage, as it joins its antecedents on the sandy, rocky ground.

What is in clean pure water? What can water contain which does not pollute it? What makes water foggy and undrinkable? Think about the water systems in your environment. How can we help water stay clear?
Listen to the sounds in your home and in your favorite place. How much of the sound is made by humans? How do they change throughout the day? How do they change at different times of the year?

bel