Geographical Issues

Air quality:

In Australia’s biggest cities, air pollution is a major problem.

Lung problems & asthma.

Better public transport can improve air quality.

Spatial Inequality:

Relationship between where people live and access to food, clothing, housing, healthcare and education (standard of living)

Harbour & waterway areas are wealthier e.g. Mosman.

Sydney’s west and south areas have less wealth e.g. Maroubra  more crime, poverty, health issues.

Land and Water Management:

Important as water resources are limited and land is overused

Biggest land management issue in Australia is Salinity

Government  researching, funding, water restrictions

Murray-Darling  longest & most important river as it supplies us with water for irrigation, food, etc.

4kg of waste per person

Lack of landfill in Sydney

We can  recycle, buy in bulk, limit packaging.

Coastal Managementis about managing all development along the coast so that it is sustainable.

Key impacts humans have on coastal areas:

  • Housing and Development
  • Ports and Marinas
  • Stormwater Runoff and Pollution
  • Sand Mining
  • Recreation and Tourism

Key processes shaping coastal environments:

  • Estuary – where the river meets the ocean
  • Groyne – wall designed to trap sand  stop erosion
  • Dunes – an accumulation of sand
  • Erosion – wearing away of land due to wind + waves
  • Deposition – distribution of sand along the coast  dunes, spits, bars
  • Waves – constructive + destructive
  • Currents–Longshore drift + rips

Management strategies

  • Groyne- artificial structure to trap sand from longshore drift
  • Seawall – parallel to coastline separate land from sea
  • Beach nourishment – artificial placement of sand  spread naturally
  • Buy back – govt. buys back properties to restore natural beach

Urban Growth and Decline

Sydneypopulation 4.1 million +1000 each week

Geographic processes relevant to urban growth and decline:

  • Urban Sprawl
  • Urban Decay
  • Urban Renewal
  • Gentrification
  • Urban Consolidation
  • Positive

Limits urban sprawl

Helps accommodate growth

  • Negative

Overcrowding

Traffic & Parking problems

Overshadowing

Increased house prices

Pyrmont

  • Inner city suburb 1km west of CBD
  • Urban renewal project started in 1991 aims to house 20,000 people by 2010
  • Changes in industry, housing, retailing, transport, open space, people
  • Former water police site was to be converted to apartments
  • ‘Friends of Pyrmont Point’  meetings, lobbied council, protests, letters
  • Residents – against  lose views, overshadowing, decrease property value
  • Developers – for  promised this site by state gov.
  • Local Gov. –against  paid $30 million to convert to parkland/public space
  • State Gov. – for  planned to hand site over to developers

Australia’s Place in the World