What are the Different Ways to Read the Landscape in Central Australia?

Overview

The desert landscape can be seen in many different ways. Aboriginal stories have been explaining how the land was formed for thousands of years. Geologists, botanists, zoologists, geographers, artists, four wheel drivers and many more groups of people all have their own special view of desert landscapes. How will you see the landscape? Will the desert landscape touch your heart?

Research

When researching:

• You will need to keep a record of where you obtained your information.
• You will be giving a presentation of your research, think about what you can do to make your presentation interesting and capture your specific audience
• You may like to use one of the challenges below.
• Download these useful websites.
• Use a search engine to assist you further.

Challenges

1. Develop ways of using technology to record and compare landscapes? What are the major habitats? How do the plants grow in these habitats? Make a reference set of records of known habitats so that records taken while touring can be classified.
2. Why is this desert red? Where are the oldest ranges and rivers? How can you record the layers of rock in the MacDonnell Ranges? Can you explain the history of the ranges from the layers of rocks? Are all rocks the same?
3. Use GPS and digital camera to record changes in landscape while journeying through the deserts.
4. Discover how Aboriginal people are able to retain their knowledge, stories and maps about landscapes for thousands of years? What does an Aboriginal map look like?
5. Experience an Aboriginal story about how ancestral spirits formed the landscapes in the deserts.
6. Compare plants and soils in different landscapes. When soils change, do the plants change? What will you use to help you to compare?
7. Compare  Western style thinking to Aboriginal thinking about landscapes. Compare topographical  maps with Aboriginal artworks depicting landscapes. What information comes with a topographical map? What other information can be  provided with an Aboriginal artwork?
8. Find ways to measure or record how the landscape changes due to rain, fire, weeds, feral animals, grazing of cattle, urbanisation etc.