Name:_________________________

Topic 2
Relationships with the Australian
Outdoor Environment as influenced by
FIRST NON-INDIGENOUS SETTLERS
INCREASE IN POPULATION
INDUSTRIALISATION
NATION BUILDING

First Non Indigenous Settlers

On 13 May 1787, a fleet of 11 ships sailed from England. They reached Botany
Bay on 18 January 1788 with 1,530 people, 736 of them convicts. Eight days
later, the fleet left to establish a settlement at Port Jackson, a few kilometres
north. The settlement grew to be Sydney, Australias biggest city.
http://www.koalanet.com.au/european-settlement.html
(TSSM- TYS topic 6)

The earliest European settlers had little understanding of the Australian environment and
their interactions with the land reflected this. They colonised, built houses and farmed using
techniques that were appropriate where they had come from but in many cases were
completely unsuited to the unique conditions found in Australia. The fact that Aboriginal
people lived a nomadic lifestyle and did not build permanent structures or plant crops on a
large scale was seen by the Europeans to reflect a lack of ownership by the Aboriginal
people. However, the lifestyle reflected the use of techniques that were suited to the harsh
conditions and poor soils of the Australian continent. The early Europeans did not understand
this and considered the land to be terra nullius, meaning it belonged to no one and was there
for the taking.
Impacts of early non-indigenous land use:
Early farmers introduced hard hoofed animals (cattle and sheep) that they grazed on the
open plains year after year with no rotation or rest periods for the land. This
compacted soil and removed vegetation, causing erosion, particularly around
waterways.
As well as introducing productive species for income early settlers introduced many
species for sport or pleasure to make Australia feel like home. The impact of these
species in some cases has been devastating to local flora and fauna. Rabbits were
introduced for sport and have had a devastating effect on the environment.
Early settlers began clearing land and building towns. This had an impact on the
Aboriginal people as they were forced out of areas they had inhabited for thousands
of years. The lack of understanding of culture had a significant impact on the outdoor
environment and the people who lived there.

http://pals.dia.wa.gov.au/en/Resources/European-settlement/

EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT
European settlement of the Australian continent began with
Captain James Cooks visit and claim of possession in 1770.
This was followed by the establishment of a penal settlement
when what is now known as the First Fleet arrived at Sydney
Cove on 26 January 1788.
(There were some visitors earlier than this Dutch vessels
on their way to Indonesia were wrecked on the WA
coastline. It is thought that some survivors from the Batavia
(1629) and the Zuytdorp (1712) may have assimilated into
Indigenous society of the time.)
The first official British settlement in WA was in Albany in
1826. Three years later the part of the continent west of
longitude 129 was proclaimed a British colony, 41 years
after the First Fleet arrived at Sydney Cove.
For Indigenous people, these settlements ended a period of
more than 65,000 years as the sole inhabitants of the
country that became known world-wide as Australia.
Non-Indigenous people from around the world have since
migrated to the continent to create a predominantly Englishspeaking country considered as a leader in almost all
spheres of modern life.
But these developments have not come without a price for
Indigenous people their population, culture, spirituality
and homelands have been under threat ever since.
European settlement was established through first
conquering and killing Indigenous people. It is believed that
in the first 100 years of European settlement, 20,000
Indigenous people were killed by the colonial forces.

Indigenous people were seen as the enemy, despite a royal

instruction that: Aboriginal people were legally subjects of
the King and protected by law; they could not be treated as
enemies of the State.
Indigenous people had amongst them leading resistance
fighters who led their peoples efforts to evade and resist
invaders. In WA Calyute, Yagan, Weeip and Jundamurra
were among the leading Indigenous figures of the early
settlement period.
In the early days of settlement Indigenous people were
conquered either in battle guns were an advantage for the
invaders or in slavery.
Children were taken from their families to missions, and
grief-stricken parents made to work for European settlers.
Indigenous children born to European parents were treated
especially harshly, as half-castes a distinction not made
between Indigenous people today.
Mission children were forbidden from speaking their
language or adhering to rituals important for their spiritual
or cultural well-being. This led to a break-down of
Indigenous heritage.
The emotional, social and spiritual stress that resulted from
the splitting of families is still being felt today by people now
referred to as the stolen generations. Governments are now
funding programs to help Indigenous people find their
families.
Indigenous people also perished from introduced diseases
ironically passed on through the gift of blankets.
Other benevolent acts such as giving food and education
also harmed the people and their culture.

Settlers gave Indigenous people flour and sugar and places

to live, reducing their need to continue the healthier practice
of hunting and gathering from the land and making their
own homes.
Later Indigenous people were subjected to laws and policies
that relegated them to a position of inferiority and
attempted to strip them of their heritage and cultural
identity. They had to get permission from protectors to
marry or move from place to place, and white administrators
controlled their employment.
It wasnt until 1965 that Indigenous people in all states were
given the right to vote. WA Indigenous people got the right
to vote in 1962. In 1967 a Federal referendum decided to
give the Federal Government powers to override
discriminatory laws in any State or Territory legislation.
In the latter half of the 20th century many paternalistic
practices began to make way for a greater understanding of
Indigenous people and their culture and State and Federal
governments continue to introduce measures to support and
honour the countrys first inhabitants.
Among these has been the Federal Governments
recognition, through the 1992 Mabo v Queensland case in
the Australian High Court, that Australia was not terra
nullius, or without people, at the time of European
settlement. This ruling had implications for Indigenous land
rights throughout Australia.
In 1999, then Prime Minister John Howard passed a sevenpoint Motion of Reconciliation a nationally significant step
forward despite the controversial expression of deep and
sincere regret for past injustices, hurt and trauma imposed
on Indigenous people. The expression was publicly debated
because of a call to the Prime Minister from many for a
straight sorry.
The National Sorry Day followed this step for reconciliation.
5

On 13 February 2008, the Commonwealth parliament passed

a motion that formally apologised to the Stolen Generations.
The then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd tabled the motion,
apologising to Indigenous Australians for "for the laws and
policies of successive Parliaments and governments that
have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss".

Phillip Island- A brief history

http://www.gowest.com.au/phillip-island-victoria-australia-history.html

For thousands of years Phillip Island has been part of the lands roamed by the
Bunurong people, the coastal to inland indigenous people of Australia. The
Bunurong called the island "Beang Gurt" and are thought to have come to the
area about 40,000 years ago. At this time, Phillip Island would have still been
attached to the mainland, as the sea levels were much lower then than they are
today.
For European purposes, Phillip Island was discovered by George Bass in
January, 1798. Bass he entered Westernport Bay on a journey south from
Sydney in a nine metre flat-bottomed whale boat, to determine existence of a
strait between mainland and Tasmania. That strait is today named after him.
He later returned with Matthew Flinders, landing at Rhyll, and named the island
"Snapper Island". A memorial to this landing is maintained near the pier at Rhyll.
At one time known as Grant Island, after Captain James Grant, the island was
eventually renamed after Sir Arthur Phillip, Governor of the First Fleet which
sailed from England to Australia in 1788.
The area was visited soon after by the British ship the Lady Nelson under Lt.
Grant & Lt. Murray (1801), and in 1802, Westernport bay was visited by a French
scientific expedition commanded by Captain Nicholas Baudin in Le Geographe.
The French were again undertaking exploration in the area in 1826, and in
response to this perceived threat, Governor Sir Arthur Phillip sent a small group
of soldiers and convicts to Western Port to secure formal possession of Western
Port for England.
The settlement was abandoned in 1828 and sealers periodically used the area
until the 1840s when most of the hunters left the area having reduced the seal
numbers to uneconomic levels.
It wasn't until 1842 that two enterprising Scottish brothers, William and John
McHaffie, the first permanent settlers, took up residence with a pastoral lease
that covered the entire island. For ten pounds they took out a Pre-emptive Right
Lease to occupy "Waste Lands of the Crown known as Phillip Island".
The McHaffies quickly cleared the dense tea tree scrub by lighting a fire that
burnt for several days. They then swam cattle across the shallows at low tide and
established pastoral runs.
Land on the island was opened for selection in 1868 as the McHaffies' right to

sole occupation of the island was strongly resented. The land was taken up
enthusiastically, but hardships of life on the island saw a major exodus. Wheat
grew poorly, fresh water was scarce, and plagues of caterpillars drove people
away. By 1902 the population had fallen to just 50.
Gradually farmers returned to the island and by the 1870's more than a one
hundred and sixty settlers called Phillip Island home.
Early industry included brickmaking, ship-building, oyster-getting, fishing and
gathering of mutton-bird eggs. Chicory one of the earliest crops on the island and
today chicory kilns are dotted across the island as a reminder of the time when
chicory was an important part of the economy.
The local roads became the home of the first Australian Grand Prix for cars in
1928 and later the place where the Armstrong 500, the forerunner to today's
famous Bathurst 1000 was held.
Today the island's economy is largely based on the tourism industry. Some 72%
of all dwellings are holiday homes and about 60% of island's area is farmland,
largely devoted to the grazing of sheep & cattle.
With 97km of coastline and a population of around 7,500, the island receives
approximately 3.5 million visitors annually, about half of which come to see the
nightly spectacle of the Penguin Parade, which is many Little Penguins crossing
the sand at Summerland Beach.
To protect the Island's natural wonders and wildlife, the Phillip Island Nature
Park was formed in the late 1990's.

QUESTIONS
Early European settlers arrived in Australia to find a strange land with vegetation, climate
and animals completely different to those where they had come from.
1. Describe some of the differences early European settlers would have found in Australia
compared to where they had come from.
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2. Explain how these differences and their perceptions would have influenced the impacts
they had on the environment.
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3. Why did the first settlers bring flora and fauna from their home-land? Why did these
have such a huge impact on Australia?
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4. What price did Indigenous Australians pay when white settlers came to Aus?
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5. Why do you think Indigenous Australians were seen as the enemy? Did they have
the means to defend themselves?
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6. What happened to the Indigenous Australians fire regime? Explain
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7. How did the introduced flora and fauna impact Australias biodiversity?
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10

8. What happened to small waterways? In particular, around new towns? How did
this effect Australias biodiversity?
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9. How were first settler farming practices different from Indigenous Australians?
How did this affect the land?
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10. How did clearing the land affect Australias soil salinity and degradation of soil
quality?
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11

Put the following perceptions, interactions and impacts (which leads to

relationships) into the correct column (you only need to put the correct
corresponding letter in the box).
a. Perceived the land to be terra nullius- free to take and own.
b. Settled close to the coast, developed towns and early irrigation
c. Fear of this new and harsh distant place- seasons, weather, local
inhabitants etc
d. Developed cities and towns
e. Introduced species such as fox and rabbits threatening native species (2
columns)
f. Land clearing lead to soil erosion and salinity (2 columns)
g. Introduced plants such as the blackberry which competed with native flora
(2 columns)
h. Many were Christian and the bible told them to dominate and take power
of the land
i. A lack of understanding of the local flora, fauna soils and climate
j. As a resources, to make money, to use up
k. Introduced hard hoofed animals which lead to the compaction and loss of
the top soil, loss of native grasses and erosion (2 columns)
l. It was seen as a place to be exploited
m. A perceived limitless supply of resources, so no need to conserve at all
n. Built fences to mark boundaries, this restricted movement of the native
fauna (2 columns)
PERCEPTIONS

INTERACTIONS

IMPACTS

12

Increase in population

13

(TSSM- TYS Topic 6)

As relationships with the land changed from one of taming a wild environment to seeing
Australia as a place of unlimited wealth the impacts of our interactions with the land
changed as well. The discovery of gold and its resulting population boom as well as
continued agricultural development led to unprecedented development and extraction of
resources.
Key impacts
The Gold Rush had devastating impacts on the environment. Clearing of all vegetation,
removal of topsoil and diversion of waterways caused irreparable damage to areas
that is still evident today. Townships like Beechworth, Bendigo, Ballarat, Maldon and
rural land surrounding the townships have changed vegetation that reflects the Gold
Rush.
Deserted mine shafts still exist in many bushland areas around the goldfields making it
dangerous for people participating in recreational activities.
Native animals and birds suffered greatly from habitat loss caused by the Gold Rush
and land clearing in the agricultural boom that followed.
Irrigation in the Murray River and Murrumbidgee River developed in the late 1800s
opening up many previously arid areas to agriculture. This caused changes in river
flows and saw the beginnings of salinity problems brought about by flood irrigation
practices and high evaporation rates.
High-density settlements around the coast and building of transport networks saw
greater use of the outdoor environment for recreation. Impacts included establishment
of accommodation and building of other facilities to cater for the increased numbers
of visitors.
The formation of the first National Parks was a step towards having a positive impact
on the environment.
PERCEPTIONS- Over time the land was seen for its economic opportunity People now
saw that it was a land rich in resources. Some also developed a sense on connectedness to
land, they admired Australias natural beauty. Some took the time to record what they saw
and how they felt in works of art and poetry. There were still those who had a fear of the
bush, these people usually resided in the urban centre/townships.
The discovery of GOLD.. and other precious metals.
READ:
GOLD Articles (highlighted parts)

14

GOLD ARTICLE- first impress

15

GOLD ARTICLE- First impress

16

GOLD Article- Enviro dev

17

GOLD Article- Enviro dev

18

GOLD Article- intro of exotic plants and animals

19

QUESTIONS:
Q1-5 First Impression
1. What was the first impression of the land? How did they want to use it?

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2. Australian could be an ideal rural retreat What does this mean? How does it reflect
a change in attitude?

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3. With the discovery of gold, what happened to Australias population? Why?

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4. The whole soil had evidently been turned upside down Like a honeycomb, and men

20

were clustered together on this spot like bees This is how Bendigo and Ballarat were
described. What does this mean?

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5. With and increase in population, what effect did this have on water ways, space, towns
and resources?

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Q6-9 Environmental Devastation
6. William Howitt made an observation of the land, what did he mean? Explain.

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7. What were newcomers to Australian too concerned about? How did this impact on the

21

environment?

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8. When the pollution boomed in 1851 onwards, what environmental problems arose?

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9. What needed to develop to fill the needs of the growing population?

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22

Q10-13 The mining mistakes

10. By the 1850s most of the gold close to the surface had been found, therefore what
had to be developed? What effects did this have?

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11. Other resources became more important as new techniques were devised. What were
the effects of the over use of these resources?

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12. What was created to help with this problem? What damage did these cause to
biodiversity?

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23

13. What was the name of the mining that devastated local ecosystems? Why did they
cause so much damage?

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Q14-16 Intro of exotic plants and animals
14. New ways of exploiting the land were developed, what were they and what impact
did they have on the land?

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15. The Acclimatisation Society of Victoria (ASV) was formed in 1861, what was its
purpose?

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24

16. Farmers, gold miners and other settlers thought that they were making the land better
by bringing over flora and fauna from their native lands. What were the problems
with the newly acquired animals/plants? What effect did this have on Australias eco
system?
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Q17-21 Deforestation
17. What is deforestation? Why did it occur?

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18. What are some other reasons for deforestation to occur? Explain.

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25

19. What is the effect of deforestation?

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20. When did the government realise that deforestation was damaging the environment?

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21. What does the land look like today?

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26

INCREASE IN POPULATION HAS LEAD TO:

Why do towns and cities have to expand with population growth? What happens to the land
and resources when our cities grow?

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What about roads and transport? What happens to these when our population increases?
What effect does this have on the land?

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27

Industrialisation
(TSSM- TYS Topic 6)
Many of the effects of the rapid population growth in the early twentieth century and the
associated mining, industrial and agricultural developments were beginning to become
obvious in the late 1900s. The impacts were the same as in the time of rapid population
growth caused by the Gold Rush and opening up of large areas of farming land but due to
technological advances and a larger population the scale of the impacts was much greater.
Key impacts:
Reshaping of outdoor environments in the 20th Century to provide resources. For
example, building of the Snowy Mountains and Bogong Hydroelectricity schemes
changed river flows.
Large-scale mining operations to meet increased local and international demands
causes significant change to outdoor environments and pollution caused by the use of
fossil fuels for electricity production. For example, La Trobe Valley open cut coal
mining and use of brown coal for electricity generation has caused changes to water
quality and air pollution.
Timber is still in high demand and plantation farming is becoming the most common
way to harvest timber. The impact of this is that native forest which contains a
diverse range of plant and animal species is replaced by a monoculture containing a
small number of species. It is not a balanced ecosystem.

28

What are primary industries? List and explain.

(Use the website to answer this question) http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/home

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Define Industrialisation:
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29

RESEARCH TASK Part a:

As our population increased, our need for better roads and modes of transport
increased too. Technology increased, more homes and buildings were needed.
This resulted in high scale loss of habitat and erosion. Food was needed
therefore better farming techniques were employed. Australia was putting itself
on the map. Exporting, importing, developing irrigation, clearing of more land to
cater for the increase in population Clearing it faster than before with the
increase in technology. We saw the corporation and expansion of primary
industries and large-scale infrastructure projects. During this time we saw an
increase in water, soil and air pollution. Especially around the rapdly growing
cities and towns.
Pick from the following and analyse what happened as industrialisation reached
this environment (type and hand in your assignment).
Alpine National Park
Barmah National Park
Croajingalong National Park
Grampians National Park
Great Otway National Park
Lower Glenelg National Park
Wilsons Promontory National Park
Or a location of your choice (you need my approval before you start)

30

Perceptions of the environment also changed for the better. We did not
only see it for its economic opportunities BUT also recognised that the
land needed to be protected.
During industrialisation, we saw the creation of national parks and early use of
the outdoors for recreational opportunities.
When was the first National Park established and where?
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Why do you think that some members of Australias growing population
recognised the need to protect the land? Explain through the eyes of someone
living back in that time (pre 1900s)
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What sort of early outdoor activities do you think people were participating in?
Where would they holiday?
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31

Nation Building
Federation to Australia as a Nation
(Nation

building includes the periods after the 1st and 2nd

world wars)

January 1, 1901 is the date that the separate colonies (states) of Australia
federated, or joined, together to form the commonwealth of Australia. The
purpose of this was to develop a powerful and unified nation. Now that the
government had control over Australia, issues, such as the state of the
environment, came under their control.
Some people saw the Australian environment as a canvas on which to build a
nation. There was still belief that humans could control and dominate nature.

National parks were developed through growing concerns for protection and
conservation of native species, the land was seen as useful if kept in a
sustainable condition for recreation and other commercial opportunities.
However, it was difficult to gain action on problems associated with the land even
though issues were widely recognised.
The development of recreational land was needed. Recreational impacts have
increased as greater disposable income; shorter working hours and technological
improvements have led to tourism and recreation in the outdoor environment
becoming a major industry. Resulting in more people wanting to interact with the
environment without knowledge of minimal impact practices. Australias tourism
also boomed.
We saw the return of the soldiers from WWI and WWII during this time. This time
period involved major infrastructure developments such as railways, freeways,
large-scale energy projects and large-scale manufacturing. Returning Vets and
immigration provided the work force to help with the construction of these.
The population of Australia was still growing rapidly, therefore large scale
irrigation was needed. Development of dams started, as there was a growing
need for water for crops, animals and people. Roads developed and snaked
there way through more of Australias diminishing native land. This led to stress
on the surrounding outdoor environments. In urban areas air, noise and water
pollution became evident. There was a rise in dry land soil saline. Problems with
sewerage, industrial effluents and solid waste production were all heavily
concentrated, sometimes overwhelming the natural systems ability to absorb
impacts without degradation. Urbanisations tended to be more concentrated
32

along Australias coastal areas or other waterways rather than inland. Therefore,
there was a decrease in the health of water systems, this area took a lot of the
impact and became unhealthy due to its exploitation. Other impacts of
urbanization include the constructions of hard surfaces and associated increase
in storm water run-off leading to an increase in litter and liquid pollutants and
sewage discharge into waterways. Australias biodiversity was continually under
threat through the decline and destruction of healthy natural habitats, there was
also a continual increase in non-native species being introduced.

RESEARCH TASK Part B:

Continuing from PART A of your research assignment (make sure you use the
same location).
Typed and handed in.
After Federation (in 1901) and Australia embarked on a number of nation building
programs. Research one of these, relevant to the area you have chosen.
(Examples: construction of the great ocean road, development of dams and
power stations, railway lines and stations etc)
Include pictures/photographs, maps and other images. As well as information
about the perceptions, the interactions, the approximate time periods when these
events where occurring, and impacts and/or possible impacts (resulting from
these interactions and perceptions).

33