Geography / Year 8 / Geographical Knowledge and Understanding / Unit 2: Changing nations

Curriculum content descriptions

Management and planning of Australia’s urban future (ACHGK059)

Elaborations
  • examining the forecasts for the size of Australia’s major cities and regional urban centres, and discussing the implications for their environmental sustainability and liveability
  • investigating ways of managing the projected growth of Australia’s cities and regional urban centres
  • exploring the arguments for and against a more balanced distribution of the urban population
  • generating ideas on how to decentralise Australias urban population using Canberra as an example
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Population dynamics,  Australia,  Urban planning

Interactive

Laptop wrap – urban growth and decline

A page with a focus on urban growth and decline as an issue in Australian environments with supporting activities and links to resources. Central to the resource is a case study of urban change in Pyrmont in Sydney.

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ABC 7.30: Where do we build next?

Like many Australian cities, Melbourne has been growing rapidly. This clip from 2012 investigates debates about where Melbourne's urban growth should occur. While inner city areas are slowly being redeveloped, the outer suburbs continue to sprawl and their residents battle some serious issues.

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ABC News: Population pressures in coastal towns

Stunning beaches and tourist-filled coastal towns are some of Australia's most important assets. But how do seasonal fluctuations in population affect these coastal communities? This clip focuses on a new push by the National Sea Change Taskforce to have visitor numbers properly counted in the next census, so that development ...

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ABC 7.30: If you build it, they will come

It's been 'all systems go' in the Northern Territory, with a range of new development projects springing up. In this clip from 2013, see Territorians coming up with novel solutions to the age-old problem of housing. Could a shortage of affordable housing derail the good economic times?

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ABC News: Light rail plan for western Sydney

Long lines of cars, frustrated drivers in peak traffic: familiar? As the population of Australia's major cities continues to rise and spread outwards, increased strain is placed on existing infrastructure such as roads. People often look to government to fix urban problems. Could a light rail system solve Sydney's western ...

Video

Catalyst: Planning future cities

Could your mobile phone help town planners design better cities? Data collected from our day-to-day interactions can now be collated and used to make our cities both more efficient and better places to live. See how it all works.

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ABC News: Planning for growth in Sydney

Sydney is already Australia's largest city but the outlook is for an increasing population and continuous growth. Looking toward the planning horizon of 2031, a recent government plan has pleased some sections of the community, but it is not without its critics. In this clip from March 2013, see how the state government ...

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Design principles about place: productivity and sustainability

This is a multilayered resource that presents the 12 design principles of the Urban design protocol for Australian cities. The principles are presented in three sections and link to important information about the attributes of each of the principles. The principles about place are enhancing, connected, diverse and enduring ...

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What is urban design?

This is a multilayered resource about urban design in Australia. The resource includes: an explanation of what urban design is; the elements of urban design; definitions of terms commonly used in urban design in the Australian context; links to information about the principles of the Urban design protocol for Australian ...

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Protocol framework for urban design

This is a rich resource about the Urban design protocol for Australian cities. The resource describes the protocol, including the aims, the five pillars on which it is founded, and how the protocol relates to the National urban policy goals and objectives of productivity, sustainability, liveability and governance. The ...

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Case studies in urban design

This is a rich, multilayered resource that presents six case studies demonstrating the 12 principles of the Urban design protocol designed for Australian cities. The case studies include: a mixed use precinct in Darling Harbour; regeneration plans for Parramatta; reservoir gardens in Paddington; a youth activities area ...

Interactive

Refugees welcome here

This resource embeds the use of online collaboration tools and 21st century learning skills in a student-centered hands-on project designed to welcome refugees into their community. The syllabus outcomes are aligned to NSW Stage 4 English, Geography or Visual Arts but this could be used with older or younger students by ...

Interactive

Sites2See: Reconciliation

This resource is a one-page guide to the people, processes, information and events around reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians, with links to music, video and digital resources and activities.

Video

ABC News: Getting your facts straight about water use

We hear a lot about water use in Australia. What are the real statistics about water use? What is the breakdown of water use for different groups across Australia? Watch this clip to find out who uses water and how much, and consider the value of water and the 'return' on this use for the Australian economy. The figures ...

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Foreign Correspondent: Mayan heritage

Discover ruins of a lost civilisation of the Maya at Tulum, on the Yucatán Peninsula in south-eastern Mexico. See what has become of the civilisation's cenotes, its ancient water resources, as a Maya descendant speaks of his sadness at what has happened to the land of his forebears.

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Water and human wellbeing

This is an online resource about water availability on Flores, an Indonesian island, highlighting the importance of access to sufficient safe drinking water for the wellbeing of a community. It describes a project carried out by a partnership between AusAID, World Vision and local communities, to provide access to a plentiful ...

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ABC News: Australians as global citizens

How is Australia connected globally? Watch as presenter Jeremy Fernandez uses a range of data sources to describe Australia's position in the world. From the economy to immigration, this clip shows some of the ways Australia currently connects with the world.

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Urbanisation and human wellbeing

This is an online resource looking at Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, as an example of a megacity. It considers change and growth in Jakarta, reasons for urbanisation and examines some of the problems facing megacities such as inequality of wealth, as well as those specific to Jakarta, particularly its vulnerability ...

Video

Farms have distinctive features: producer video

This is a video about action for sustainability on the Willalooka Pastoral Company's property in South Australia. Owner Thyne McGregor describes the natural characteristics of the extensive property in terms of its rainfall, soil quality and the Marcollat Watercourse. He tells how the property was originally cleared for ...

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Through our eyes: series 1

This series of 18 short videos provides insights into the land management practices and social, spiritual and cultural knowledge of the Ngemba, Kamilaroi and Euahlayi Aboriginal language groups in north-western NSW. The videos are presented by the Aboriginal Elders and knowledge-holders and cover a range of topics including ...