Australia — Location and Physical Features

Australia is located in the southern hemisphere. It extends between 10°S latitude in the north and 44°S latitude in the south, and between 112°E longitude in the west and 154°E longitude in the east.

The physical divisions of Australia are:

1. The western plateau
2. The eastern highlands
3. The central lowlands
4. The coastal plain

Three features of the eastern highlands are:

1. They run almost parallel to the eastern and South-eastern coasts.
2. The eastern highlands have steep slopes on the eastern side and gentle slopes on the western side.
3. Most of the rivers in Australia originate from the eastern highlands.

The Carpentaria lowland is located in the northern part of the central lowlands. One important feature of this basin is that it is the largest artesian basin in the world.

Two activities for which water from the artesian well is used are:

1. It is used to water cattle and sheep.
2. It is supplied to towns for domestic use.

The coral reefs are formed by tiny animals, called corals, which live near the sea floor in the warm shallow waters of the tropical region. The corals secrete calcium carbonate, which on the death of coral polyps, remains clinging to the rock. As time passes a great ridge-like structure called coral reef is formed.

Sheep are usually reared in areas where the average annual rainfall is about 40 cm, the summer temperature is between 21°C and 26°C, and the winter temperature is about 10°C. This type of climatic conditions are mostly found in the temperate grasslands, called Downs, in Australia. Moreover, short grasses, suitable for sheep, mostly grow in the Downs. That is why, sheep are mostly reared in the Downs.

The two wool-trading centres in Australia are:

1. Sydney
2. Melbourne

Australia is separated from Indonesia by the Timor Sea.

The Lake Eyre basin is an area of inland drainage.

The Great Barrier Reef is found along the north-eastern coast of Australia.

An aquifer is found between two layers of hard non-porous rocks.

A sheep station is divided into paddocks.

The state boundaries in Australia are mostly straight lines as they do not follow any natural features like a mountain range or a river, except between Victoria and New South Wales.

The water from artesian wells is not used for irrigation because it contains dissolved mineral salts.

Australia, New Zealand and other neighbouring islands are together called Australasia.

True

The capital of New South Wales is Sydney.

The highest peak of Australia is Mount Kosciuszko. It is located in the Australian Alps.

Nullarbor Plain is a part of the coastal plains.

southern

Southern Australia

Gobi

Nullarbor

Queensland

jackaroos