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Downunder Literature © 2009

Australian Book Traveller — The Guide Book

©Michelle Morrow 2009 (Updated 2013)

Published by Homeschooling Downunder

27 Russell Street Cardiff NSW 2285

www.homeschoolingdownunder.com

Cover Design: Bethany Morrow

Special thanks to Nicole Crouch who gave suggestions and helped with the

art ideas in this book. To Bernie Meyers who allowed me to use her relief print

art lesson in Travel Guide Nine. To Margaret Taylor for her supportive

encouragement and assistance with editing. To Susan Priolo who has blessed

the Australian homeschool movement enormously by providing a forum for

us to share our ideas and resources. To Mary Collis who believed in what I

was doing and spurred me on. And of course to my husband and children who

have put up with me working away on the computer putting this resource

together.

This ebook is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy-ing, recording or otherwise without prior permission. This resource has been provided at a low cost to make it accessible to all. Please do not illegally reproduce copies. If this resource has been purchased at the home price it is licensed for one fam-ily only. The school price gives permission for multi-use within the facility for which it was pur-chased. The author has made every reasonable effort to identify and contact the authors or owners of copyright materials included in this book and to attribute authorship. Where this has not occurred, authors or owners are invited to contact the book author or the publisher.

All enquiries to Homeschooling Downunder

http://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com

http://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com

http://www.downunderlit.com/

Contents

Homeschooling Downunder ©2013

Table of Contents Page

Introduction 4

Travel Tips — How to Make the Most of Your Journey 5

Travel Guide One for Are We There Yet? 11

Travel Guide Two for Magic Boomerang 15

Travel Guide Three for Best Beak in Boonaroo Bay 24

Travel Guide Four for Alexander’s Outing 29

Travel Guide Five for A Year on Our Farm 34

Travel Guide Six for Daniel the Devil 39

Travel Guide Seven for You and Me Murrawee 42

Travel Guide Eight for My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day 47

Australian Book Traveller

Homeschooling Downunder© 2013

Australian Book Traveller –The Guide Book

Introduction

“Children and books go together in a special way. I can’t imagine any pleasure greater than bring-

ing to the uncluttered, supple mind of a child the delight of knowing the many rich things God has given us

to enjoy. Parents have this wonderful privilege, and books are their keenest tools. Children don’t stumble

onto good books by themselves; they must be introduced to the wonder of words put together in such a way

that they spin out pure joy and magic.” Gladys Hunt— Honey for a Child’s Heart © 1969

Australian Book Traveller is a unit study that will help you guide your children* towards a love

of good books. Snuggled up, reading together on the couch you begin your Australian tour. You

are the travel guide. The books are the transport. The children are the tourists. The journey is

ahead. With each unit study you will open their eyes to different aspects of Australia as you cover

Social Studies (Human Society and its Environment), Science and Art. Witness with delight, as

their knowledge of Australia’s culture and heritage blossoms in a very natural way.

Eight Australian picture books have been chosen as the core Travel Books. These books are the

starting point of the unit studies. Each varies in its flavour, art and location. The books were

chosen for their educational, literary and artistic merit. There are true tales, legends, fiction and

factual stories. Every story has something special to share with your child that will enrich their

experience of Australia.

This resource is suitable for teaching one child or multiple children. The core travel books are

aimed at children aged 5-9. Younger children will also enjoy listening to the read-alouds and may

like to participate in some of the activities. For older primary children (aged 10-12) who want to

participate we have an Optional Extension that corresponds with the unit studies.

With this program you will have covered your Social Studies, Science and Art for the week. Add

some English and maths and you will have all the key learning areas.

Australian Book Traveller can be a whistle-stop tour over 8 weeks or a thorough exploration

spread over the year.

Australian Book Traveller was inspired by Jane Claire Lambert‘s Five in a Row series.

*For ease of reading I will refer to children even though this resource is suitable for using with only one child.

Travel Tips


Travel Tips—How to Make the Most of Your Journey

Collect your travel books.

Each book is a separate unit study in its own right. The eight core travel

books work their way around Australia and each one focuses on a

different geographical location. If possible study Are We there Yet? first. For

the rest of the travel books you can change the order if desired. If you

cannot locate a book try using a book from the suggested reading list.

Our Sunburnt Country will often be used as a reference in many of the travel guides. This book

can be purchased from Homeschooling Downunder.

Tourist Trip around Australia—Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester

Northern Territory—Magic Boomerang by Mark Greenwood

Queensland—Best Beak in Boonaroo Bay by Narelle Oliver

New South Wales (Sydney) —Alexander’s Outing by Pamela Allen

Victoria—A Year on Our Farm by Penny Matthews

Tasmania—Daniel the Devil by Steve & Marion Isham

South Australia—You and Me Murrawee by Kerri Hashmi

Western Australia—Grandad Marches on Anzac Day by Catriona Hoy

Accessing books

I recommend that you try to find suggested books at a library. If you can’t find the books locally

then check out Libraries Australia’s great online facility Trove. This website will help to find

your desired books all over the country and do an interlibrary loan.

Think ahead and gather the books you are going to study in advance so they are there when you

want them. My library has an excellent online catalogue that makes looking for and reserving

books easy.

If you want to buy all the books it will become very expensive and not all of the book suggestions

are still in print.

http://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/history_geography_homeschool_resources/australian_history_book.html

http://trove.nla.gov.au/



Navigation—Australia Traveller’s Map

To navigate your reading travels you will need the Australian Traveller’s

Map . This map will be invaluable to your study. While book travelling

through each location children will become familiar with the geography

of Australia. They will learn about states, territories and Australia’s

famous landmarks.

Distances from place to place will be easier to see as they chart their reading travels. If you are

marking your journey on your map remember that dots are far easier to apply than a continuous

line, which no matter how hard you try never stays within the boundary lines.

This map is not limited to the unit study. Use it for other aspects of your children’s learning as

you locate your home and other places you have been or books you have read. Make up your

own map markers for these places.

A general atlas, Google Maps and Google Earth can really help your children get a perspective of

Australia. After seeing the Google Earth image of Australia you will understand the term ‘Red

Centre’. I have found this resource really helps our family visualise where we are going.

http://earth.google.com/

The Australia Traveller’s Map is an artist’s impression and not a navigational aid. Only one map is

needed for the study but if you would like a map for each child they can be purchased separately

from Homeschooling Downunder.

Downunder Geography and Discovery Pages

This resource provides a way to make the most of your Australian Traveller’s Map Journal and

helps your kids delve a little deeper into Australia’s physical geography. Purchase this reusable

ebook through Homeschooling Downunder.

It provides:

A map checklist for each state, ACT and NT

Hands-on activities as they mark in major rivers and cut and paste their map markers.

Notebooking pages for significant Australian geographic topics.

http://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/history_geography_homeschool_resources/Australia_Map.html


http://earth.google.com/



Travel Notebook


Travel Notebook

To make a record of your learning adventure I suggest starting a

notebook. It can be as simple as you like, or as grand as you can

imagine. Many homeschooling families report that notebooking is

a great encouragement for them. When they look back on

previous notebooks they are proud of what they have done. I

know my own children especially enjoy reviewing past notebooks and showing them to relatives.

Notebooking has such potential for individuality and versatility. It is not limited to the textbook

or worksheet, but to what has captured the child’s interest or what the child knows. As they

create their notebooking pages they learn. As they record their information they discover and

make a reference for the future. Notebooking is a skill and an art which gives a sense of

accomplishment, with a stamp of originality. It offers a vehicle for collecting a range of ideas and

subjects and melding them into a treasured testimony of their learning journey.

Your children’s notebook can be in the form of a clear sleeved folder or display folder. After

studying a topic they can make an entry into their notebook about some fact they have learned

(you might have to be the scribe for the younger ones). They can paste in pictures or add their

own artwork. Encourage them to label the pictures or refer to them in their writings. The pages

could include a picture of the book cover, narrations, state maps, field trip accounts, poems,

songs, recipes, newspaper articles, fashions, photos, a timeline and personal reflections.

For free colouring-in pages of Australian floral emblems see our website.

http://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/freedownloads/wildflower.pdf.

How To Use Your Travel Guides

For each travel book I have provided you with some Travel Guide notes for discussion and fur-

ther study. There are more ideas given than you can do in a week. You don’t need to cover every-

thing suggested. They are meant to be flexible and used as an inspiration, so that you can follow

the child’s interests. If you can think of any other activities or field trips that might complement

the book you are reading (and you want to do them) plan them into your schedule.

After each reading (and sometimes during), try to introduce the topics in a natural conversational

way. You can listen to the children’s interest and see what sparks their imagination. With a few

http://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/freedownloads/wildflower.pdf



questions you can usually guide children towards the planned study topic.

Ask open-ended questions and try to get them thinking and talking.

Unit studies weave a web of connections and don’t always fall into neatly

packaged subjects. I have tried to compartmentalise to help you structure

your lesson but you will find the topics chosen overlap at times, or lead you towards another

subject. This is all part of the learning journey. At other times a travel book clearly illustrates a

theme or topic that doesn’t fit into our subject areas but I put it in anyway; it was too good an op-

portunity to miss.

Social Studies* is a broad topic covering history, geography, culture, politics, family life and

more. In this ebook we have dabbled into social study topics as they arise from the travel book. It

is not an ‘everything you need to know’ Social Studies unit.

Picture books are often the first steps into reading for our children. As we read stories our

children ‘read’ the pictures. The illustrations in many good books are an essential part of the

story. With each travel book we examine the pictures, illustrator’s style and try out some art

techniques and mediums that the illustrator used.

Some aspect of science, nature or technology is covered in each unit study. For this age group we

do not need to get too technical with details. Ask questions and see what they know and what has

captured their interest. You might know enough about a particular topic to just discuss it with

your child. That’s great! Sometimes in my enthusiasm I lose my children’s interest because I

myself become thirsty for knowledge. Try not to make my mistake. At other times you might

want to do a little extra research or read from another book. You, as the parent, can guide them in

this.

Further Exploration

On your travel guide you will see page references for Our Sunburnt Country (OSC) with some

topics. For example: (More Info OSC p. 10-12) would mean “For more information see Our Sun-

burnt Country pages 10—12.”

With each Travel Guide there are some suggested reading books. These are related to the Travel

Guide because of the location or topic.

Follow the internet links if provided for more information that focuses on the location or topic

being covered in the Travel Book.

Further Exploration


The optional extension ideas can also be used for younger children for a

more in-depth study.

For more information search out your own resources.

Suggested Itinerary

Prior to the first reading with your children I recommend you read through the unit study and

make a plan. Read to your children from the selected book at the commencement of each lesson.

For the short books you can usually read the whole book every time. The benefit of this is accu-

mulative. Repeated readings encourage a deeper understanding of the story, appreciation of the

art and give revision from the previous day’s lesson. With your guidance children will begin to

think critically and appreciate many facets of the book.

Australian Book Traveller can be completed in 8 weeks or spread over the year

if you choose to linger with a unit study. You set the timetable to suit your

needs.

Optional Extension

As a guideline the optional extension is for older primary children (aged 10 —13).

To complement the Travel Guides we have given some Extension Readers. These books are longer

than the travel books and can be used as a read-alone text. They do not always fit the travel book

perfectly but they are linked to the unit study in some way. Older children should read the travel

book at least once. They should be able to participate in the other discussions and activities. They

can then read through their extension readers at another time.

There are no extra Travel Guide notes for the optional extension readers but I would like to offer

you a few suggestions to enhance their Australian studies:

Ask for a narration from your children about the extension reader. This is a wonderful

technique to check your children’s comprehension of the story. This simply involves the

children repeating the story back in their own words either orally or written .

An Australian Timeline is an excellent tool to help your children see the chronological order

of events. It is best that they make it for themselves. As they discover dates for different

events they record them on the timeline. The timeline can be added to their notebook.



A family history might be something your children will find interesting.

Trace back your ancestors and see where they fit into history. Our family

went back to the convicts. If you don’t have an Australian family tree this

might not work so well for this topic but it is a worthwhile exercise never-

theless.

During the course of the Australian Book Traveller have them read through the book Our

Sunburnt Country. Our Sunburnt Notes can be used for written narrations, chapter

summaries or interesting facts gleaned from the chapters.

If you are looking for more ideas some of the extension readers have online teacher’s notes

from other sources and I have provided the web link .

Things You Need Before You Start

Australia Traveller’s Map

Our Sunburnt Country by Arthur Baillie

Downunder Geography Discovery Pages (optional)

Notebook

Coloured pencils or felt markers, glue and scissors

General Atlas (for lesson one)

Internet access or general facts book on Australia

If you are planning on using the floral emblem colouring-in pages, print these off also.

Travel Guide One

Homeschooling Downunder ©2013 Page

Travel Guide One—Are We There Yet?

A Journey Around Australia

About the Travel Book

Author and illustrator: Alison Lester

Awards: Books I Love Best Yearly (BILBY)—Early Readers—Short-listed 2007

Kids Own Australia Literature Award (KOALA)—Picture Book. Winner 2006

Young Australia Best Book Award (YABBA)—Picture Book. Winner 2006

CBC Book of the Year—Picture Book Winner 2005

Nielsen Book Data Booksellers Choice Award Short-listed 2004

Publisher Details: Penguin © 2004 ISBN 9780670880676

Book Summary: A family sets off on a three month trip around Australia. They see all the sites

you would expect them to see. The story is told by Grace, one of the children on the trip.

Simple Lesson Ideas

The first reading may take longer than expected—it has lots of little gems hidden in the pages.

Social Studies

Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere. It is often labelled as being a part of the Oceania

region. It is the biggest island in the world but the smallest continent. It shares no land borders

with any other country.

Australia’s closest neighbours are Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, South Pacific Islands, and

New Zealand.

It is the sixth largest nation but has a relatively small population of around 23 000 000 (the USA

state of California has a population of approximately 38 000 000).

This book is a quick overview of Australian geography via the tourist route.



Map Work

Briefly orientate them to the Australia Traveller’s Map.

Find where you live (if you don’t live in Australia use a world map for this).

See if the children can locate any places they might know on the map.

Discuss Canberra as the Capital of Australia. (See OSC p111-114)

Trace with your finger the family’s travel route.

You could look at a map of another country in an atlas e.g. England or New Zealand, and show

why it takes so long to work your way around Australia.

Place the map markers onto your map.

Australia Flag

Stamp with floral emblem for Australia—The Golden Wattle.

ACT Floral Emblem

ACT Flag

Caravan Map

On the first page there is a layout of the caravan. The children can draw a simple layout of their

bedroom or of their house. This does not need to be done to scale unless the child is particularly

interested.

Tourism

Money comes into Australia when tourists from other countries come to visit. The trip that this

family does is a popular trip done by Australian and international visitors. Many tourists

thinking of coming to Australia want to see everything in a small amount of time. Why is this so

hard for them to do? If you only had 10 days for a holiday, what would you like to see ?

Place Names

Why do you think these places were given the following names?

The Great Australian Bight—was it a really a giant’s bite?

Snowy Mountains



The Blue Mountains (The Three Sisters)

Wave Rock

Pinnacles

The Great Ocean Road

Surfers Paradise

The Valley of Winds

Squeaky Beach

Cradle Mountain.

Art

Art Medium: Watercolour and ink

Rock Paintings and Uluru

How do you think the paintings were put on the rocks many years ago?

Uluru is known for appearing to change colour as the different light strikes it at different times of

the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight. The rock is made of sandstone

infused with minerals that reflect the red light of sunrise and sunset, making it appear to glow.

Experiment with watercolours and see how the artist uses different colours to show different

times of day.

The Sea

Look at the sea pictures in Are We There Yet? Make your own sea picture.

Science

Climate, Weather and Season

There are different climates in Australia from the tropical rainforests top end, to the heat of the

desert, to the Alpine regions of the Snowy Mountains and Tasmania.

Nearly 70% of Australia’s land is desert or semi arid.



Australia’s interior has one of the lowest rainfalls in the world and it’s the driest inhabited conti-

nent. Drought, floods, bushfires and cyclones are all natural hazards which occur throughout the

country.

Seasons in Australia

When European settlers came to Australia they brought with them the calendar with four seasons

of equal length. This may have suited the small temperate island in the Northern Hemisphere

with its fairly predictable seasonal pattern, but it did not match our Southern Hemisphere Aus-

tralian climates.

The Australian aboriginals understood these seasonal changes and this knowledge was essential

to their survival. In northern Australia six seasons are now recognised and all based around the

wet and dry weather pattern. Similarly, in the southern parts of Australia, a six seasonal pattern

is being used by many naturalists. They are early spring, true spring, early summer, late summer,

autumn and winter.

Naturalists define these seasonal changes when natural events clustered into bursts of flowering,

or changed animal behaviour. We can also look and teach our children to look for these natural

timelines as we record those events.

Discuss the equator and the tropics—why “the further north we travelled the hotter it be-

came”? Why is the desert hot during the day and cold at night?

Ocean currents—what are they?

Migration of Whales

Why might they see whales at this time of year?

Sun safety

What do they need in order to slip, slop, slap ? Why?

Environmental factors

Windmills and Silos—Your children could research wind power.

How do water, wind and sand shape Wave Rock or the Twelve Apostles?

Why do the trees grow sideways at Geraldton?



Travel Guide Two—Magic Boomerang


Author: Mark Greenwood

Illustrator: Frane Lessac

Publisher Details: Artbeat Publishers ©1994 ISBN 095795512X

Book Summary: Using rhyme, this book visits nine spots in Australia’s outback and wilderness

areas.

Simple Lesson Ideas

Social Studies

The The Northern Territory (NT) is a large region yet it is sparsely populated. People often refer

to this area as the Top End. Ask your child why that may be the name?

The Northern section of NT is a tropical climate with two distinct seasons, wet and dry.

The central area is mostly desert and semiarid and is referred to as The Outback. This term is gen-

eral term referring to isolated, sparsely populated, rural areas of Australia. Other names for the

outback are the Red Centre, Central Australia, Woop Woop, The Never Never, and Back of

Bourke.

More than one third is considered to be in the tropics as it falls within the Tropic of Capricorn.

Map Work

Darwin

Jaibiru—Kakadu National Park

Gulf of Carpentaria

Katherine

Alice Springs.

Tennant Creek

Travel Guide Two


Alice Springs

Rabbit Flat

Daly Waters

Uluru

States and Territories.

“Territory governments can only be established with the agreement of the Commonwealth. The

Commonwealth law that establishes a territory government will also specify the powers of that

government. It can be given the right to make the same laws that a state can, or they may only be

allowed to make laws on a small number of issues. Territories without their own government can

be instructed by the Commonwealth to follow the laws of a nearby state, or the Commonwealth

can make its own laws for the territory…The confusion between state and territory arises because

the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are often treated like states. These

two territories, along with Norfolk Island, are self-governing territories. In these three cases, the

Commonwealth passed a law allowing each territory to convene a parliament and make their

own laws in a similar manner to the states. Unlike the states, whose powers are defined through

the Constitution, the powers of these territories are defined in the Commonwealth law which

grants them the right of self-government. This also means that the Commonwealth can alter or

revoke these powers at will.” Cited Australian Government Website

Australia presently has ten Territories: the Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay; the

Northern Territory; Norfolk Island; Ashmore and Cartier Islands; the Australian Antarctic

Territory; Heard and McDonald Islands; the Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Christmas Island and the

Coral Sea Islands.

Arhnem Land

Arnhem Land is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. Flinders, the ex-

plorer, named this area after the Dutch ship Arnhem which explored the coast in 1623. Located in

the north-eastern corner of the territory, 500km from the capital Darwin.

This area has the largest Aboriginal reservation in Australia. The Arnhem Land Reserve was de-

clared in 1931. Today it is almost the only area in Australia where Aboriginal people can live ac-

cording to their own traditions.

http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-government/government-in-australia-faq



The first European to go into the interior of Arnhem Land was Ludwig Leichhardt in the 1840s.

Missionaries of various denominations later developed settlements. In the 1960s, miners came to

mine bauxite in the Northern Territory. This development led to the Gove land rights case, and

the 1976 Federal Aboriginal Land Rights Act which granted Aboriginal land rights in the North-

ern Territory. (More info OSC – Mabo p. 135—136)

The Aboriginal people of Arnhem Land receive most of their income from mining royalties, bark

painting and tourism.

Aboriginal Culture (More info OSC p. 9—20)

Aboriginal Languages: The author introduces some Aboriginal words to the reader during the

story. The definitions are in the back of the book. There were over 250 Aboriginal languages in

everyday use when Europeans began to arrive in Australia.

Aboriginal Clans: There are hundreds of Aboriginal clans (tribes) known throughout Australia.

Northeast Arnhem Land is home to the indigenous Yolngu people, one of the largest Indigenous

groups in Australia. They have succeeded in maintaining a vigorous traditional indigenous

culture.

The Burarra people (Nardika’s family) are neighbours of the Dangbon, Nakara and Yolngu

peoples. Even within the Burarra region there are different lifestyles. For example the diet of

coastal groups has an emphasis on seafood while the inland groups have more red meat in their

diet.

What was the custom that Nardika had to observe? He couldn’t cook the fish. He had to eat the

fish last.

http://www.aboriginalculture.com.au/

Skin names: Aboriginal people may have a number of names. For example, a European first name

and surname, a bush name, a skin name and maybe even a nickname. Personal names are used

less than by English speakers and people are often referred to indirectly or by reference to their

skin names. A skin name is a classification system used by Aboriginal people to determine the

role of that person in their social structure.

Early contact relationships with non-Aboriginal people were rather uncomfortable for Aboriginal

people since it was unheard of for a person not to be ‘something’ (i.e. not to have a skin

classification). At times non-aboriginals have received skin names. This helps the Aboriginal

http://www.aboriginalculture.com.au/

Travel Guide Two


people as they now feel more comfortable dealing with that non-Aboriginal.

Cited: http://www.clc.org.au/People_Culture/kinship/kinship.html

Aboriginal land rights (More info OSC p. 135—136)

The first European to go into the interior of Arnhem Land was Ludwig Leichhardt in the 1840s.

Missionaries of various denominations later developed settlements. In the 1960s, miners came to

mine bauxite in the Northern Territory. This development led to the Gove land rights case, and

the 1976 Federal Aboriginal Land Rights Act which granted Aboriginal land rights in the

Northern Territory. The Arnhem Land Reserve was declared in 1931. Today it is almost the only

area in Australia where Aboriginal people can live according to their own traditions. The Abo-

riginal people of Arnhem Land receive most of their income from mining royalties, bark painting

and tourism.

Sacred Site Uluru

Ayers Rock, named after South Australian Premier Henry Ayres was the name given to ‘The

Rock’ by European settlers. Since the 1980s it has been called Uluru—its Aboriginal name. Uluru

is sacred to the Aborigines. It is also one of Australia’s most popular tourist attractions with many

springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings.

Look this place up on Google Earth if you can. The images are excellent.

Corroborees (More info OSC p. 16-19)

A corroboree is a ceremonial performance by Aboriginal people. It tells about The Dreamtime

and is characterised by dance, music and costume. Corroborees can be for different reasons. Some

may simply be a performance for tourists whilst others are sacred initiations in which only a

chosen few can attend.

Inland Explorers and their Aboriginal Guides (More info OSC p. 88-89)

The harsh conditions of the Australian outback were a very difficult terrain for white explorers.

The Aboriginal guides were invaluable in helping the explorers and at times they were their only

hope for staying alive.

Aviation and The Flying Doctors (More info OSC p. 122-125)

The Reverend John Flynn was the founder and superintendent of the Australian Inland Mission

http://www.clc.org.au/People_Culture/kinship/kinship.html



of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. He was an advocate for Aboriginals and the founder of

the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). He began the RFDS with the aim of providing medical

care to people who could not reach hospitals or general practitioners. Regular clinics are now

flown out to remote outback communities. The RFDS also provides air ambulance to remote

areas, hospital to hospital transport and telephone and radio consultations.

Charles Todd

In 1872 The Overland Telegraph was completed. This allowed Australia to be connected with the

world. Prior to that news was transported by ships and was very outdated.

Charles Todd was the visionary for this telegraph wire which went from Port Augusta in South

Australia to Darwin in the Northern Territory. It then connected with a pre-existing line in Java

which went on to England.

http://dl.screenaustralia.gov.au/module/1012/

Todd’s Telegraph Dream is an excerpt from the film A Wire Through the Heart, the third episode of

the three-part series entitled Constructing Australia, produced in 2007.

Art

Art Medium: Oil and gouache is used for the artwork.

Boomerang

Look at the boomerang on each page. See how it reflects what is happening in the story.

Wildflowers

Frane Lessac has captured the beauty of the Australian outback and wilderness. How many

plants and animals can your children identify?

Body Painting

Aboriginal ceremonial body painting has strict rules. Creativity is still allowed but the nature and

type of painting must be prescribed to suit the person and the ceremony.

The Aboriginals usually paint themselves with ochre and other clays. Ochre is a sandy clay with

an iron oxide base. It varies in colour from brown to red to yellow.

http://dl.screenaustralia.gov.au/module/1012/

Travel Guide Two


Rock Carvings (More info OSC p.142)

Rock carving pictures can be found in many parts of Australia. The Bradshaw Rock Paintings in

the Kimberley region are impossible to date because the pigments have been locked into the rock

itself in shades of mulberry red. They are therefore considered to be very old.

Western Desert Art (Dot Painting)

Western Desert Art is a style of painting used by Aboriginals in the desert regions. Dot paintings

today are recognised globally as unique to Australian Aboriginal art. Aboriginal dot paintings

tell a story and often have secret meanings. This painting style arose from the Papunya art

movement in the 1970s when Aboriginal artists began to paint their stories onto canvas. They

paint with circles, spirals, lines, dashes and dots, the traditional visual language of the Western

Desert Aboriginal people. Bright colours are now more common with the use of acrylic paint, but

traditional dot painters used natural pigments such as crushed ochre and seeds.

Make a dot painting

Using a cotton bud, toothpicks and some acrylic paint have the children try to make their own

dot painting. Use a small piece of paper so they don't have to fill in too much. Have them draw

the image with pencil before they begin painting. Some children may find it hard to think of a

design. I suggest for these children you draw a lizard or snake and have them fill in the rest.

Science

Fish Types

Arnhem land is considered to be one of the finest fishing spots in the country. Some of the fish are

Spanish Mackerel, Giant Trevally, Queenfish and Coral Trout.

Travel Guide Two


Look at some of the different types of fish that exist. Here is a website to help you identify them.

http://www.austmus.gov.au/fishes/identify/index.cfm

Kakadu National Park

This park adjoins the Aboriginal reservation and draws a large number of tourists to its

remarkable beauty and and rock art. Please read through one of the suggested readers for more

on Kakadu.

Land Care

The Aboriginal people care about their land. They hunt for food and not for fun.

Crocodiles

Crocodiles can be found swimming in the waters around Arnhem land. Aboriginal fishers keep

an eye out for crocodiles whilst in the water.

Bush Tools

What tools could you make from nature?

The Australian Government has this information about bush tools.

http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-indigenous-tools-and-

technology

Australian Wildlife and Wildflowers

Australia has often been described as an ‘Island Ark’, a treasure trove of unique flora and fauna.

The koala, kangaroo, wombat and platypus are well known throughout the world. The

Australian outback is full of very well-adapted wildlife, although much of it may not be

immediately visible to the casual observer. Many animals rest during the heat of the day, such as

kangaroos and dingos. Birdlife is prolific, most often seen at waterholes at dawn and dusk. Huge

flocks of budgerigars, cockatoos, corellas and galahs are often sighted. Various species of snakes

and lizards bask in the sun in winter, on bare ground or roads, but they are rarely seen during the

summer months.

http://www.austmus.gov.au/fishes/identify/index.cfm

http://www.anbg.gov.au/education/pdfs/aborigainal_plant_use_and_technology.pdf

http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-indigenous-tools-and-technology















Australia’s wildflowers are suited to their dry climate and difficult conditions. More than twelve

thousand species of wildflowers are found in this country. Six thousand of those can be found in

the South West Botanical Province of Western Australia. Dryandra, a flowering shrub that is

similar to a banksia is found there. Extinct everywhere else these plants are described as “living

fossils” because their leaf type has been found in fossils.

Introduced Species to Australia (More info OSC p. 134)

Feral camels thrive in central Australia. Their ancestors were brought to Australia by the early

Afghan drivers. In fact there are more wild camels in Australian than in the countries they

originally came from. Wild horses known as brumbies, are station horses that have run wild.

Feral pigs, foxes, goats, cats and rabbits are also imported animals that destroy the environment.

Time and money is spent eradicating them, to help protect fragile rangelands.

The Dingo or Dog Fence and Rabbit Proof Fence

The Dingo Fence is the world’s longest fence (5,320 km). It is longer than the Great Wall of China.

It was originally built in the 1880s to keep dingos out of south east Australia and protect sheep

flocks in southern Queensland. It was only partly successful!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dingo_Fence

In 1907, the rabbit-proof fence was built in Western Australia, between Cape Keraudren (near

Broome) and Esperance to try to control the rabbit population.

Suggested Reading

When I Was Little Like You by Mary Malbunka ©2003

Mary Malbunka shares the story of her childhood, growing up in the Papunya settlement in

central Australia. Young readers will be entertained by Malbunka's tales of playing, exploring,

hunting and daily life. They will also be educated about traditional Aboriginal culture and

lifestyle, and some of the ways that lifestyle has been affected by the white man's world.

Sand Swimmers—The Secret Life of Australia’s Dead Heart by Narelle Oliver © 1999

Narelle Oliver uses Charles Sturt’s concept of an inland sea as a metaphor for the desert terrain.

She shows how the desert is filled with animals and plants adapted to this harsh environment.

The story compares Sturt’s experience of the desert with the Aboriginals experience. It examines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dingo_Fence

Travel Guide Two


the salt lakes, mulga scrub, life underground, gibber plains, sandhills, spinifex, clay pans and the

nocturnal activities of the desert dwellers.

Note. There is one reference to millions of years in the first few pages.

The Outback by Annaliese Porter. Illustrator: Bronwyn Bancroft ©2008

Annaliese Porter was only eight years old when she wrote this award winning poem about The

Outback. Bronwyn Bancroft was inspired to illustrate the poem.

Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo by Alison Lester

Ernie moves with his family to the outback Oenpelli Community of Gunbalanya, in Arnhem

Land, Northern Territory, for a year. He writes home to his friends about his experiences. He

learns that they are studying the exact place in which he is living. Follow Ernie’s adventures with

his six new friends. The story is based on the author, Alison Lester’s visit to the community.

My Home in Kakadu by Jane Christopherson

Through the eyes of her grandaughter, Tarrah, respected elder Jane Christophersen reveals the

beauty of life in Kakadu and the significance of the changing seasons to those who live there.

Striking illustrations show all the elements of daily life as Tarrah goes bush with her family

gathering fruits, fishing and hunting.

Optional Extension

Extension Book: Walking with the Seasons in Kakadu by Diane Lucas © 2003 Allen & Unwin

Extension Book Summary: This visually stunning book helps children understand the seasonal

calendar of the Gundjeihmi-speaking people of Kakadu. Six seasons are mentioned along with

their characteristics. It closely observes the birds, plants and animals that inhabit the unique

environment of Kakadu.

Online Teacher’s Notes

http://www.allenandunwin.com/_uploads/BookPdf/TeachersNotes/9781741144710.pdf

Extension Book: Papunya School Book of Country and History by Nadia Wheatley ©2002

http://www.allenandunwin.com/_uploads/BookPdf/TeachersNotes/9781741144710.pdf

Travel Guide Three


Travel Guide Three—The Best Beak in Boonaroo Bay


Author and illustrator: Narelle Oliver

Awards: Shortlisted for 1994 CBC for Picture Book of the Year.

Publisher Details: Lothian Children’s Books ©1993 ISBN: 9780850916713

Book Summary: A fable set in the mangrove swamps of Queensland. The local birds argue over

who has the best beak in Boonaroo Bay. A competition is declared to find out which beak is really

the best. In the end they realise that there is no “best beak” but that all of the beaks serve a very

special individual purpose.

Simple Lesson Ideas

Critical Thinking

A fable is a short allegorical story or poem that teaches a moral or lesson, using animals, plants,

and inanimate objects with human qualities (personified). Is a parable a fable? No! Parables do

not use personification when teaching the lesson or moral. Children will not always understand

the meaning behind a fable. They may only see the face value of the story. It requires some

thinking to understand the allegorical nature of a fable. Sometimes we need to help them ’read

between the lines’. Start by asking these questions to the child:

• Who do you think has the best beak?

• What did the birds learn from the competition?

• Is this just a story about birds?

What is the moral or lesson in this story?

• It is the differences which make each of us unique. By understanding the reasons for

differences then we can respect those who are different.

• Doing your best can be different from being the best.

For more practice on drawing out the moral of a story use Aesop’s Fables, or the parables of Jesus.



Social Studies

This story is based on a fictional bay in North Queensland.

Map Work

Locate Queensland on your Australia Traveller’s Map and find:

Brisbane

Great Barrier Reef

Cooktown

Gold Coast

Mt Isa.

Your map markers for this travel book are:

Queensland State Flag

Stamp with floral emblem for Queensland—The Cooktown Orchid.


Lieutenant James Cook (More info p. OSC 35-37)

Cook hits a coral reef as he travels north along the east coast of Australia in his ship the

Endeavour.

Art

Art Medium: Hand coloured lino cuts with added details using watercolour and ink.

Colour Scheme

Look at the pictures in the book. Can you see what was a lino cut print and what was painted?

Look at the colours used in this book. What are the main colours? When print making it is easier

to use a few colours.

Travel Guide Three


Print Making

Lino cuts are a form of print making. For this age group I wouldn’t recommend attempting a

linocut picture. They are time consuming and require a sharp tool and strength.

Here are some printmaking ideas to use for craft. Remember the image comes out in reverse.

Make Your Own Stamp Shapes.

Make the background for a picture with water colour. When it has dried use stamps to create a

picture. Outline details with ink pen or Texta.

To make an easy stamp pad place a clean sponge into a tray and soak it with paint. Use stamps

you have or make some using shapes cut out of sponge.

Here are some printmaking ideas to use for craft. Remember the image comes out in reverse.

Relief Print

To make a raised print (relief) use a foam meat tray and cut it into small squares about the size of

standard envelope. Draw a picture on the tray with a pencil, nail or skewer. Use a biro to draw

the image directly onto the foam sheet.

The sheet is your ‘lino plate’ and the biro acts as your cutting tool. You don’t have to press

extremely hard, just make moderately firm marks. More adventurous children can use other tools

to make marks in the foam. Experiment with pressing different implements such as cutlery items,

the edge of a ruler, metal earrings etc. If you are using cardboard, you will need to apply more

pressure with the biro while drawing.

Use a small amount of block printing ink or acrylic paint. Using a brayer, roller or paint brush,

spread the ink out evenly and thinly onto the pallet. The key is not to use too much ink/paint so

that it doesn’t clog up the recesses you have drawn into the plate.

Apply the ink/paint sparingly onto the surface of the foam plate. At this stage you should be able

to see the design showing in white and the background will be covered with ink.

Place a sheet of paper which is larger than the foam plate carefully on top of the foam. Taking

care to hold the paper still, use the back of a dessert spoon or Japanese printing baron to rub the

image onto the paper. Don’t press too hard so as to ruin the foam plate or squeeze ink into the

recesses. When you have rubbed the entire surface, carefully peel the paper away to reveal the

printed image. The raised areas of the foam plate will print and the recesses will remain white.

You can re-use the foam plate several times, so don’t be afraid to begin with a small amount of

ink and not too much pressure with the spoon. You can always increase ink and pressure as

needed. The thinner the paper, the easier it is to print an impression.

Children just LOVE the surprise of lifting the paper and seeing their print! The novelty never

seems to wear off.

Special thanks to Artist Bernie Meyers for this idea. http://www.berniemeyers.com/

http://www.berniemeyers.com/



Science

Scientific testing

Hypothesis: The contest was really a way to test each bird’s hypothesis—that that bird had the

best beak.

Method: To test the theory they made a contest. The person who wins the contest had the ‘best

beak’. To avoid bias they tested a variety of food collection methods.

Observation and Data collection: They scored the results.

Conclusion: After examining the data they made a finding. Did it match the hypothesis?

Habitat

What would happen if all the birds ate the same food? Point out how all the birds live together

but they all react with their habitat a little differently. The birds live in a wetland habitat.

Wetlands of Queensland

A wetland is usually a swamp, billabong or mangrove area but can also include rivers, creeks,

lakes, lagoons, estuaries, springs, swamps, and artificial wetlands (i.e. dams).

Wetlands are found throughout Queensland, from the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape York Penin-

sula in the north, along much of the east coast south to the Gold Coast, and inland to the semi-

arid areas of the south-west.

Cited-http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/wetlandinfo/site/

Bird Beaks

Look at the pictures of the birds and their beaks. Why might all the beaks be different shapes?

Queensland Museum has some good online resources on different bird beaks. Click on the link

below and then search bird beaks.

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Learning+Resources/Resources

How does the shape of each beak help the bird catch its food?

http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/wetlandinfo/site/

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Learning+Resources/Resources

Travel Guide Three


What Bird is That?

Try out our online quiz to see if you know your Australian birds.

Suggested Reading

Flood by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley

Publisher Details: Scholastic Press ©2011 ISBN 9781742830728

Book Summary: Based on the recent Queensland floods this story shows what can happen when flood waters rip through a community. The story is told from the perspective a cattle dog sepa-rated from his owners. It is a story of courage and strength.

Shake A Leg By Boori Monty Pryor and Jan Ormerod ©2010

Book Summary: Three young boys meet an Italian speaking aboriginal pizza chef. Surprised that he speaks Italian they talk about his heritage and this leads to some story telling about aboriginal dance, food and culture.

The Road to Goonong by David Cox © 2011

Book Summary: It tells the story of life on an outback farm in a fictional town in Far North Queensland during the Great Depression.

On Country—Stories of Nyrlotte by Fiona Doyle

Publisher Details: University of Queensland Press ©2006 ISBN 9780702235450

Book Summary: This is a short chapter book based on true events. Nyrlotte is an aboriginal girl who lives on the Cape York peninsula in modern times.

Optional Extension

Extension Book: I said nothing; the extinction of the Paradise Parrot by Gary Crew ©2003

Extension Book Summary: Harry lives on a sheep station west of Maryborough in Queensland.

With the visit of Alex Chisholm, Harry learns that it is not only the action of the trappers who

trespass on his lands to catch the wild parrots that endanger the beautiful animals, but that Harry

too might be responsible.

Online Teachers Resource

*These resources are actually for I saw nothing (from the same series) but could be adapted for I

said nothing.

http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/rel/sustainability/i-saw-nothing.php

http://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/science_nature_homeschool_resources/australian_bird_quiz.swf

http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/rel/sustainability/i-saw-nothing.php



Travel Guide Four—Alexander’s Outing


Author and Illustrator: Pamela Allen

Awards: Kidspot Best of Awards 2008—Winner Best Book— Learn to Read

Publisher Details: Puffin Books © 1992 ISBN 9780140554786

Book Summary: Alexander lives with his mother and siblings in the Royal Botanical Gardens

located on Sydney Harbour’s shoreline. Mother duck decides to take the ducklings for a walk

and she tells them to stay close. Alexander does not listen to mother duck and falls down a

hole. Many people try to help him out of the hole. Eventually a little boy finds a solution

and Alexander is rescued.

Simple Lesson Ideas

Social Studies

This story is based in the capital city of New South Wales (NSW), Sydney.

Map Work

Locate NSW on your Australia Traveller’s Map and find:

Sydney

Katoomba in the Blue Mountains

Mount Kosciuszko and the Snowy Mountains

Broken Hill

Dubbo

Wagga Wagga.

Look at the state border between NSW and Victoria. See how it is straight at one end and then

wiggly. That is because the Murray begins in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales. The

Murray River defines the border between Victoria and NSW.

Travel Guide Four



New South Wales State Flag

Stamp with floral emblem for NSW—The Waratah


Icons of Sydney Harbour.

Find these icons in your book; Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Botanic Gardens.

The Great Dividing Range (More info OSC p. 64-70)

The Great dividing range stretches from Queensland to western Victoria. The highest point is

Mt Kosciuszko in the Australian Alps.

First Fleet (More info OSC p. 38-45)

Sydney Cove is where the First Fleet arrived in 1788 with Captain Arthur Phillip.

Town Planning of Sydney (More info OSC p. 70)

Governor Lachlan Macquarie announced new plans and buildings for Sydney in 1810. He also,

with the help of newly arrived convict architect Francis Greenway, set about rebuilding the

colony, designing churches, roads and hospitals.

Family Rules

Alexander’s mother had a family rule. What was it? Why do you think she made that rule?

What happened to Alexander because he didn’t listen to the rule? What are some of your family

rules? What happens when you break the rules? In the end it worked out for Alexander but it

might not have—what else could have happened to Alexander?

Make a list of rules and a list of reasons for the rules on strips of paper. Design a matching

activity.



Art

Art Medium: Ink and water colours.

Crosshatching:

Crosshatching is the drawing of two layers of hatching at right angles to

create a mesh-like pattern. Multiple layers in varying directions can be

used to create textures. Crosshatching is often used to create tonal effects,

by varying the spacing of lines or by adding additional layers of lines.

Crosshatching is used in pencil drawing, but is particularly useful with

pen and ink drawing, to create the impression of areas of tone, since the

pen can only create a solid black line.

Look at the page where the couple are picnicking by the fountain. See how Pamela Allen uses

cross hatching to add texture to the trees and the water from the fountain. Look through the book

for other examples of crosshatching.

Draw a picture with lead pencil and fill it in with watercolours. Try to use an ink pen to add the

details to the picture using only spots and lines.

Landscape

A landscape is an expanse of scenery that can be seen in a single view. On the last page we have a

landscape of Sydney Harbour. Looking at this picture, could you try to draw this landscape?

Science

Why don't ducks get wet?

Have you ever noticed oil floats on water? Ducks are water birds and even though they can go in

the water all day they don't get wet. Ducks are waterproof. This is because they have an oil gland

near their tail. A duck strokes this oil gland and spreads the oil all over its feathers. This is called

preening. Ducks spend hours every day to keep themselves covered so they don’t get wet.

Problem solving

Many people tried to solve Alexander’s problem. Can you think of any other ways Alexander

could have been rescued?

Travel Guide Four


Physics Experiment

Do a floating experiment with water and various materials and see what will float. Try to use

objects that look the same size but have a different weight e.g. a marble and a grape.

Why do some things float? When something floats in water, part of it is actually under water. As

it sinks (even a little bit) it pushes away the water until that amount of water weighs the same as

the object that is floating. If the object you try to float is too heavy, it cannot push away enough

water to be the same as how much it weighs. If that happens, the object will sink.

Botany (More info OSC p. 34-35)

When Joseph Banks arrived in Australia he was fascinated by the plants and animals he found.

Suggested Reading

The Story of Ping by Marjorie Flack © 1961

Ping is a domestic duck who lives on a riverboat on the Yangtze River. He forages daily along

the river with the other ducks who live on the boat. To avoid being spanked for being the last

duck to return to the boat, Ping hides and the boat leaves without him. He spends the next day

searching for his family and happily returns when he finds them.

Farmer Schulz’s Ducks by Colin Thiele © 1986

Farmer Shultz wants to make a way for his ducks to get across the road to the river. He makes a

few attempts. Eventually his daughter comes up with a solution.

Note: This is also the extension book used for Travel Guide 6.

The Crossing of the Blue Mountains by Alan Boardman & Roland Harvey

Publisher Details: Walker Children’s Books ©1997 ISBN 9781863887076 (OOP)

Book Summary: In 1813 Governor Macquarie gave permission for landowners Gregory Blaxland, William Charles Wentworth and William Lawson to mount an expedition to find a way across the Blue Mountains in search of new pasture land. For nearly three weeks they pushed westwards, slashing a path through thick, almost impenetrable scrub. Their success paved the way for the colony to become more than just a penal colony.



Margaret Catchpole by Nance Donkin

Publisher Details: Collins © 1974 ISBN 0001850040 (OOP)

Book Summary: The story of a young women after she is sentenced to transportation to New South Wales for stealing a horse.

Optional Extension

Extension Book: My Place by Nadia Wheatley © 1988

Extension Book Summary: This book works backwards in history using one small part of Sydney

as the reference point. In each section of history different children describe their homes, families,

pets, and celebrations.

Online School Teachers Notes:

http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/statics/dyn/1218001059961/My-Place-Classroom-Ideas.pdf

http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/statics/dyn/1218001059961/My-Place-Classroom-Ideas.pdf



Travel Guide Five—A Year on Our Farm


Author: Penny Matthews

Illustrator: Alastair McLean

Awards: CBCA Early Childhood Book of the Year 2003,

Honour Book CBCA Picture Book of the Year 2003.

Publisher Details: Scholastic © 2002 ISBN: 139781862914926

Book Summary: This is a simple story, seen through the eyes of a young child, who lives with his

family on an Australian farm in the southern states. It has descriptions of their lifestyle and work

throughout the months of the year.

Simple Lesson Ideas

Social Studies

We will place this story in the southern state of Victoria.

Map Work

Locate Victoria on your Australia Traveller’s Map and find:

Melbourne

Dandenongs

Ballarat

Snowy Mountains (also partly in NSW)

Murray River

Wilson’s Promontory

Phillip Island.

Travel Guide Five



Victorian State Flag

Stamp with floral emblem for Victoria—The Common Heath.

Place the map markers on to your map.

Family Farms

Farms in Australia have traditionally been family businesses, passed on from generation to

generation. However, since the 1950s, international economic factors and changes in farming

methods have led to larger farms being more economically viable than small ones. The number of

farming families in Australia has steadily decreased and the average size of farms has increased.

The farming family is at the mercy of nature. Often the only thing separating a good year from a

bad year is the luck of having the right amount of rainfall at the right time.

Different types of farming are mainly located in the areas that suit them best, depending on water

availability and climatic conditions.

Crop growing contributes to over fifty per cent of the value of Australian agriculture every year.

Wheat and other grain crops are spread fairly evenly across New South Wales, South Australia,

Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland. Sugar cane is a major crop in Queensland and

Northern New South Wales. Fruit growing is spread across all Australian states and vegetables

are grown in all states and territories. Sheep are mostly found in New South Wales, Western

Australia and Victoria. Most dairy cattle farming is found in the southern states of Australia,

predominantly in Victoria.

Gold in Victoria ( More info OSC p. 98-105)

When gold was discovered in Australia many gold diggers came to

seek their fortunes in Ballarat. Australia’s population grew rapidly.



Art

Art Medium: The illustrations in this book are made from mixed mediums: watercolours, pastels

and charcoal. Try to identify the different mediums used by the artist. To find chalk pastel look at

the white duck in August and the chicken fence in October.

Experiment using mixed mediums for an illustration. If you don't have the pastels, watercolours

or charcoal, you could try crayons, pencils and Textas (or felt tip markers).

Illustrating the seasons

Look how the tree changes with the seasons. Separate your page into four sections. Draw the

same scene four times illustrating the different seasons.

Reading the Pictures

In this story it is just as important to ‘read the pictures’ as it is to read in the words. Compare who

lives on the farm at the beginning of the story with who is on the farm at the end of the year. The

words do not tell if they got a pony for Christmas—did they?

Science

Seasons in Australia

When European settlers came to Australia they brought with them the calendar with four seasons

of equal length. This may have suited the small temperate island in the Northern Hemisphere

with its fairly predictable seasonal pattern, but it did not match our Southern Hemisphere

Australian climates.

The Australian aboriginals understood these seasonal changes and this knowledge was essential

to their survival. The Aurukun people from Northern Queensland knew to look for mud crabs in

January, wild grapes in February and nuts on swamp grass in March. In northern Australia six

seasons are now recognised and all based around the wet and dry weather pattern. Similarly, in

the southern parts of Australia, a six seasonal pattern is being used by many naturalists. They are

early spring, true spring, early summer, late summer, autumn and winter.

Naturalists define these seasonal changes when natural events clustered into bursts of flowering,

or changed animal behaviour. We can also look and teach our children to look for these natural

timelines as we record those events.

Travel Guide Five


Australian Inventions for Farmers (More info OSC p. 106-110)

Refrigerated ships to transport fresh meat overseas, the stump-jump plough and rust resistant

wheat were some of the inventions of Australian men to help the farming industry grow.

From the ground to the table—what is the chain of events that bring food from the farm to us

sitting at the table?

Farm Dogs

The Australian farm dog is a tradition that has remained in modern farming because it is still an

effective way to round up sheep and cattle. Working dogs are well treated, but unlike most

domestic pet dogs, they are rarely allowed inside the house.

The movie Babe is about a ‘sheep pig’. You might like to watch this at the end of the week.

Suggested Reading

My Farm by Alison Lester © 2005

Alison Lester grew up on a farm by the sea in eastern Victoria. My Farm is her story of a memora-

ble year, the year she received a palomino pony for Christmas. Trick-riding horses, mustering cat-

tle, training the dog, competing at the local show, feeding calves, picking mushrooms, raising a

baby wombat, building cubbies, cutting hay, swimming ponies in the dam, hypnotising

chook ...all the activities through the seasons are depicted with child-like mischief and humour.

Optional Extension

All of these Rachel Tonkin books are out of print but they are excellent books based in Victoria.

Try to find at least one of them.

To the Goldfields by Rachel Tonkin © 1999

Picture Book. A young boy whose family join the diggings tells about life during the 1850s

Victorian gold rush, including everyday as well as important historical events. The colourful

drawings, full of authentic detail provide excellent insight into life during this period.



Papa and the Olden Days by Ian Edwards © 1998 Illustrated by Rachel Tonkin

Based on the life of Rachel Tonkin’s grandfather this book looks at what life was like in the early

1900s in Victoria.

When I was a kid by Rachel Tonkin © 1997

Told from the perspective of a father looking back to his childhood days in Melbourne in the

1950s. It is very humorous.

Travel Guide Six


Travel Guide Six—Daniel the Devil


Authors: Steve and Marion Isham

Publisher Details: Bandicoot Books ©2012 ISBN 9780987384003

Book Summary: Daniel the Devil

Daniel is a small Tasmania Devil who gets lost from his family and then, with the help of a local

ranger, reunited . Pictured in the pages of this book are lots of Tasmanian animals to seek and

find.

Simple Lesson Ideas

Social Studies

Map Work

Locate Tasmania on your Australia Traveller’s Map and find:

Hobart

Launceston

Cradle Mountain

Port Arthur

Queenstown

Bass Strait

Flinders Island.


Tasmanian State Flag

Stamp with floral emblem for Tasmanian—the Tasmanian Blue Gum.




Bass and Flinders (More info OSC p. 59-60)

Tasmania was first circumnavigated by Bass and Flinders.

Tasmania becomes a colony (More info OSC p. 90—91)

Tasmania was declared a separate colony in 1825.

Australian folklore traditions

Indigenous knowledge, law, and religion, which provide the basis of their folklore, are rich in

stories of the land, its animals and plants. This knowledge has its roots in their Dreamtime stories.

Some Indigenous stories, like the bunyip—a man-eating animal that lives in water-holes, swamps

and creeks—have been absorbed into wider Australian folklore.

Art

Art Medium: Marion and Steve work on these pictures together. Marion sketches the illustration

and then they photocopy her illustrations on to quality paper and Steve paints them.

Make a Picture with A Friend

Try this technique with some friends or family. Draw pictures in pencil and then swap them over

for the other one to colour in. You can use paints or coloured pencils.


How do the pictures help you solve the puzzles?

Science

Australian Megafauna

Fossil records show that very large animals once lived in Australia. These animals were known

by the Aboriginal people since they have rock paintings and dreamtime stories of them. Many

scientists believe that human settlement and hunting were largely responsible for the extinction

of many species of Australia’s megafauna. The three megafauna in this story are the bunyip

(possibly a diprotodon), the giant bird (a dromornithid) and the giant kangaroo (procoptodon

goliah).

Travel Guide Six


Observation—Nature

Many native Tasmanian animals are pictured throughout this book. What ones do you know.

You can find the names in the back of the book.

Protected Species and Endangered Species

Why do animals become endangered? How are species protected? How can the government

help?

Tasmania’s Unique Creatures

Find out about the Tasmanian devil and the extinct Tasmania tiger.

The last known Tasmanian tiger died in Hobart Zoo in 1936. Since then there have been reported

sightings but no official proof.

http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/tasmanian-tiger

Suggested Reading

I saw nothing: the extinction of the thylacine by Gary Crew ©2003 (OOP)

This compelling story is told by Rosie, who saw the last thylacine following its capture and after

it had been put in the Hobart Zoo.

Tasmanian Traveller by Marion & Steve Isham Bandicoot Books © 2005 ISBN 0975049844

is the story of two men as they travel in Tasmania in the 1840’s along the new road from Hobart

to Launceston. It includes, riddles, bushrangers and a little romance.

http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/tasmanian-tiger

Travel Guide Seven


Travel Guide Seven—You and Me Murrawee


Author: Kerri Hashmi

Illustrator: Felicity Marshall

Awards: CBCA Crichton Award for Children’s Book Illustration 1999

CBCA Picture Book of the Year—Short-listed 1999

Publisher Details: Puffin © 1998 ISBN 0140564993

Book Summary: A young girl camps along the Murray River in South Australia. She tries to

imagine what an Aboriginal girl would have been doing 200 years ago in the same spot. Through

the illustrations and text it seems that both these events are happening simultaneously.

Simple Lesson Ideas

Social Studies

This book is located in South Australia along the Murray River.

Map Work

Locate South Australia on your Australia Traveller’s Map and find:

Adelaide

Coober Pedy

Port Augusta

Great Australian Bight

Nullarbor Plains

Mt Gambier

Oodnadatta.




South Australian Flag

Stamp with floral emblem for South Australia—The Sturt’s Desert Pea.


Cultural Difference

In this book we see how the two girls are in the same place and essentially do the same thing but

the way they do it is different. Discuss how our cultural habits can influence how we think things

should be done. What are the differences in clothes, food, shelter, entertainment, language, chores

and art?

Murray River—Mapping the Rivers (More info OSC p. 81-87)

Look at the state border between NSW and Victoria. See how it is straight at one end and then

wiggly. That is because much of the Murray River which begins in the Snowy Mountains of New

South Wales, forms the border between Victoria and NSW. Its first major community on its way

from the mountains to the sea comprises the twin towns of Albury in New South Wales and

Wodonga in Victoria. The Murray River crosses into South Australia and empties into Lake Alex-

andrin (there are lots of silting problems here), then ocean. Sometimes the Murray River is called

The Mighty Murray)

History—Life on the Murray River

In the past 200 years life in the Murray River has changed considerably. The Murray River was a

waterway of great importance in Australia's colonial times when it was the favoured method for

travel and transport of goods from the Southern Ocean up into South Australia, and thence to

Victoria and New South Wales. At that time paddle-steamers and riverboats were in abundance

along the river.

See this slide show on Paddle-steamers.

http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/murray/content/riverAsHighway/rmsteamers/index.html

Art

http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/murray/content/riverAsHighway/rmsteamers/index.html

Travel Guide Seven


Art Medium: Water colours and ink

The illustrator of this book won the CBC Crichton Award in 1999. The Crichton Award aims to

recognise and encourage new talent in the field of Australian children's book illustration.


How does the illustrator make you feel as if the events of the book are happening at the same

time?

Nature Journaling

To draw these pictures the illustrator would have had to study nature. Try some nature drawing.

For more on nature journaling visit this link.

http://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/science_nature_homeschool_resources/

nature_journaling.html

Bush Craft

Baskets, bowls and toys were made using things found in the bush. Look at the canoe on the first

page? How do you think you could make that?

Silhouette

Find the page with silhouette drawings at evening time. Why do you think they had a silhouette?

To draw your own picture paint the background (colours from the drawing include mauve, white

and yellow) and then using black paint draw in your silhouette.

Night Pictures

Start with a black piece of paper and use oil pastels to draw the picture (see last pages of You and

Me Murrawee).

http://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/science_nature_homeschool_resources/nature_journaling.html

http://www.homeschoolingdownunder.com/science_nature_homeschool_resources/nature_journaling.html



Science

Wildlife of the Murray River

By looking at the pictures in the book, what wildlife can you identify on the Murray River?

The Murray River supports a variety of unique river life. This includes native fish such as the

Murray Cod, and the Murray Short-necked Turtle species.

Introduced fish species such as Carp have had serious negative effects on native fish. In some

segments of the Murray, Carp have been the only fish species found.

Water and environmental politics.

In 1915 the three Murray states — New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia —signed the

River Murray Waters Agreement which proposed the construction of storage reservoirs in the

river. Along the intervening stretch of the river a series of locks and weirs were built.

Unfortunately, the Murray River has not been looked after very well. Irrigation of farmland,

tampering with river flows, clearing of vegetation, storm water and over fishing are some of the

reasons that the Australian government is concerned about the Murray’s future. A decision made

upstream can impact downstream South Australia.

The health of the Murray River is critical to the current and future wellbeing of South Australia’s

water resources. In an average rainfall season, the Murray River supplies one half of South

Australia’s stock, domestic, irrigation and industrial water. In a dry year, up to 90 percent of

Adelaide’s water supply comes from the Murray.

The Snowy Mountains Scheme—Renewable energy( More info OSC p. 137)

The Snowy Mountains Scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex using the waters of

the Snowy Mountains as they travel towards the Southern Ocean. The Scheme was completed in

1974, after twenty-five years of construction, and it is the largest engineering project undertaken

in Australia.

Its main purpose is to divert, store and release water from the Snowy Mountains and generate

electricity using turbines driven by the water. The water is then released into to the Murray and

Murrumbidgee Rivers for irrigation. This Scheme generates power for the Australian Capital

Territory, New South Wales and Victoria.

Travel Guide Seven


Boats on the Murray—Paddle Steamers and Canoes

How does a paddle steamer engine work? Put simply, using wood for fuel water is heated in a

boiler until it evaporates, and produces steam. The steam travels through pipes into a cylinder

where the steam’s pressure pushes a piston in the cylinder. The piston moves the drive shaft

which turns the paddle wheels.

Aboriginal canoes were made from mature trees with slightly bent trunks. The bark had to be

thick and free of holes. When cut and dry, the canoe was waterproofed with grease or clay and

was ready to launch. Most bark canoes took several days to make and lasted about a year. Their

low, flat shape suited navigation on the slowly flowing Murray and the lakes, but they capsized

easily and required skillful handling.

Suggested Reading

Tucker by Ian Abdulla ©1994

Ian recalls his life growing up on the Murray River as an Aboriginal boy.

Optional Extension

Extension Book: Farmer Schulz’s Ducks by Colin Thiele © 1988

Extension Book Summary: Farmer Shultz wants to make a way for his ducks to get across the

road to the river. He makes a few attempts. Eventually his daughter comes up with a solution.

This book is set in the Adelaide Hills.

Online Teacher’s Resources

http://wonder.riverwillow.com.au/home_education/english/farmer-schulz.htm

http://wonder.riverwillow.com.au/home_education/english/farmer-schulz.htm



Travel Guide Eight—My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day


Author: Catriona Hoy

Illustrator: Benjamin Johnson

Publisher Details: Lothian Children’s Books © 2005 ISBN 9780734410368

Book Summary: A little girl gets up for the dawn service on Anzac Day and

then goes to see her grandfather, a returned soldier, march in the parade. She talks about the

events of the day as she sees them. She explains why her grandad marches—and what Anzac Day

means—in very simple terms.

Simple Lesson Ideas

Social Studies

There is no location set for this book. ANZAC day is celebrated in many places. We have chosen

Western Australia (WA) as the state because Albany is where the tradition for the dawn service

began. Mr White, a clergyman, held a service at 4 am on the morning of departure for the first

ANZACs. The convoy of men (30,000) assembled at Albany’s King George Sound in WA.

Map Work

Locate Western Australia and the following places on your Australia Traveller’s Map:

Albany

Perth

Port Hedland

Broome

Kalgoorlie

Gibson Desert

Nullarbor Plain.

Travel Guide Eight



Western Australian Flag

Stamp with floral emblem for Western Australia—Red and Green Kangaroo Paw.


Medals

Many of the returned soldiers are wearing medals that they received from the war. Can you

identify any from the pictures? Here are some sites that might help you.

http://asacaustralia.com/medals.htm

http://www.medalsofservice.com.au/

Anzac Day (More info OSC p. 115—119)

Anzac Day is commemorated on the 25th of April every year in Australia.

Australian War Stories (More info OSC p. 127—130, 131)

Australia has been involved in numerous wars.

Art

Art Medium: The illustrations were done with acrylic paint. Gesso (a surface primer that adds

texture to a canvas) is painted on to the surface first. This gives the scratchy look as if it had been

painted on wood.

Painting on different surfaces

Try doing a painting on a different surface such as wood or canvas.

Medals

Design your own medal. What is the reason for the medal?

Science

http://asacaustralia.com/medals.htm

http://www.medalsofservice.com.au/



Anzac Biscuits

There are a few theories about the origin of Anzac Biscuits. The most popular is that women in

Australia sent them to the troops in the First World War. The biscuits were made out of

ingredients that didn’t perish quickly. Anzac biscuits are now a traditional food cooked on Anzac

day and all year round.

Rosemary

On Anzac Day, the wearing of small sprigs of rosemary in the coat lapel, pinned to the breast or

held in place by medals is thus synonymous with remembrance and commemoration.

The Rosemary shrub is from the mint family. It has a strong scent and is used for food flavouring

and perfumes. Greek scholars wore rosemary in their hair to help them remember. They believed

it strengthened their memory.

Legend says that the Virgin Mary, while resting, spread her cloak over a white flowering

rosemary bush. The flowers turned the blue of her cloak, and from then on the bush was referred

to as the ‘Rose of Mary’. There are other explanations too, for the origin of the name.

How do we remember? The Brain and The Heart

The brain is the place where we store and retrieve information. The heart also has an ability to

process and create emotions. This has been noticed when some heart transplant recipients have

taken on the personality of the dead donors in ways which have astounded scientists.

We have a memory for smell, visual and tactile.

What is your child’s earliest memory?

What things help the Anzacs remember?

What helps you remember?

Travel Guide Eight


Suggested Reading

What Was The War Like Grandma by Rachel Tonkin © 1995

A grandma recalls what the war was like in Australia when she was a little girl.

Optional Extension

Extension Book: The House that was Built in a Day: Anzac Cottage by Valerie Everett ©2008

Extension Book Summary: The people in Mount Hawthorn, Western Australia planned to build

a house that would be both a home for a wounded WWI and soldier, a memorial to the ANZAC

landings. Dozens of men, women and children donated materials, money or their labour to the

project that also required clearing a block of land and the carting of materials to the site. When a

town crier awoke the suburb at 3.30 am on the 12th February, 1916 with "Arise, arise, Anzac

Cottage is to be built today!" hundreds of men responded to the call. They set out working from

sun-up to sun-down, in a race against the clock, to build the cottage in a single day.

Online Teaching Resources:

http://www.valerieeverett.com.au/anzac.html

http://www.valerieeverett.com.au/anzac.html

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