Extended Response Revision

Communities do not remain static, but continually experience change. There are many inter connected factors that contribute to the changes and differences between and within communities. In a world that is experiencing rapid globalisation it is important for decision-makers within communities to understand and respond to these changes

Describe the factors causing change in relation to Australia's communities.

Include in your response:

• the location of a community effected
• the specific characteristics of this community (eg. rural/urban, population, ethnicity, age, any other characteristics that make it a community).
• Description of the factors causing change in your chosen community.
• Describe the effects of those changes upon your chosen community.

The main factors which are causing change in my area, is that there are needs for more homes now, with the growing population. My area is off Canoon Road, South Turramurra, at the 'old horse paddocks', a place which was once just bushland is now new homes for many people. The old horse paddocks were set aside many years ago for a possible M2 route, but they decided against it. After this, the land was left alone until now. The community surrounding it are both happy and mad. They believe that it is a good thing that it is finally being put to some use, but a bad thing that it is being used for homes, and because of this, many animals will lose their natural habitats. The biggest effect that this construction has on the old horse paddocks is that there will be an increase in traffic, which is also because of the local tennis and netball courts around the corner. 

Chapter 4.3: Strategies and Actions in Response to change in Gulargambone

pg 117: 1-12a-f  (9A2 - Due Fri 16/9) (9B2 Due - Tue 13/9)


1. The Australian Government's Department of Transport and Regional Services and The NSW Department of State and Regional Development. 
2. The town life development program and the sense of a place program.
3. It is the first community owned post office in Australia, this means that the threat of closure is banished as it will always be opened. 
4. The GRTC offers Giropost, Centrelink, Medicare, Internet access and the Reliance Credit Union along with the usual postal services and a small, but modern gift shop. 
5. Most of the strategies and actions in response to the changes that have occurred in Gulargambone over the last 10 years have been instigated and developed by community groups. These groups have lobbied government and non-government organisations for funding and assistance. Without the proactive attitude of the community and individuals, Gulargambone would not have the services and facilities that are available today.
6. 
1. To increase the population and services that are available
2. To improve the visual appearance of the town
3. To promote Gulargambone
7. The two eight two eight project involved the restoration of the former picture theatre into a vibrant and multi-faceted community centre. 
8. 
The opening of  the Rural Transaction Centre and the first community - owned post office in Australia
Lobbying for and receiving a new new multi-purpose health centre
The 'Back to Gulargambone reunion, 2001' that hosted 2000 visitors - four times the population- for a long weekend filled with activities and money-raising for local projects.
9. Coonamble Shire Council has provided funding and help with many of the projects undertaken in Gulargambone including dollar-for-dollar funding for repainting the shops in the main street and funding the feasibility study for the Rural Transaction Centre. Coonamble Shire Council has been supportive and has provided financial assistance for many of the projects. 
10. We can clearly see that the before and after photos show the beneficial changes which occurred to the building. The old building looks old and non functional, whereas the new building looks very new and very functional and efficient. 
11. Active citizenship in a small town like Gulargambone is a very important thing. With small towns, they are not very well noticed, and so with the help of the entire community, they could find a way to put them on the map and more noticeable. The entire community can come together to make a difference to their town and their lives, and they can do many things.
12. 
a. The article is about Gulargambone and them fighting for the survival of their town.
b. The collapse of the economy of their town and the drought.
c. This has caused the closing of many businesses and shops, such as petrol stations and banks.
d. The reason the community galvanised into action is because the government threatened to shop down their hospitals and post office, with the closest ones being hours away.
e. The other post office is over two hours away, creating major inconveniences.  

f. The town painted and restored many shops and the 2828 building.They also got a new town logo: a galah, which they created statues of throughout highways and the town 

Chapter 4.2 - Change in Gulargambone - cause and impacts.

• pg 113: 1-11 (9A2 - Due Wed 14/9) (9B2 - Due Mon 12/9)

1. Drought causes economic hardship for the agricultural population, which has an effect on businesses, jobs and the local economy of the town. 

2. The soldier settler blocks in Gulargambone were unable to turn a profit. As many soldiers sold their farms, the neighbouring graziers bought them out. This resulted in farm areas increasing, but the number of farms decreasing. 

3. The collapse of the wool industry, machines taking jobs from people, employment rate rising.  and rising costs in agriculture. 

4. Many jobs that were once manual are now more mechanised. This meant that people were being replaced by machines, and more people were becoming unemployed. 

5. The improvement in roads and transport means that people are able to bypass smaller towns and go straight to places like Dubbo and Coonamble. 
6.  The age of the median is getting higher and lack of employment and education in Gulargambone.  
8. The graph shows that in the past 50 years, the population of Gulargambone has decreased, especially around the 1960s. 
9. This graph is presented in this way so that it is easier to interpret. It is much easier to show the exact population of them, other than the graph 4.12 which is less direct.
10. 
a. The enrolments increased slightly in the 1950s and then had a major decline until 2007.
b. The town over the last 30 years have experienced rural decline. There are many children who live there, until they grow old enough to leave. The median age is increasing which shows that people who have lived there for their entire lives live there. 
11. 
Social: Increase of median age
Economic: People leaving the town for employment elsewhere.
Environmental: Drought and decline in Agriculture and Employment.

• 
  

Chapter 4.1 - Gulargambone - an Australian community facing change

• Read pgs 106-119 in your text book and answer the following questions in your blog.
• pg 109: 1-7, 8b, 9a-d, 10 (9A2 - Due Wed 7/9) (9B2 - Due Fri 9/9)

1. Rural decline is when Australians migrate from rural areas to urban areas which makes the land suffer.

2. Gulargambone is a small rural town located on the Castlereagh River, halfway between Gilgandra and Coonamble in the central - west region of New South Wales. 

3. Gulargambone has a temperature climate with periods of extreme heat in summer, up to 45 degrees Celsius, and cold in winter, down to -5 degrees Celsius. The average annual rainfall is 580-595 millimeters and it can be highly variable. The town lies on the Castlereagh River that is usually dry - it flows underground. the terrain id flat to undulating and the soils are fertile black and red types.

4. The town before the 'soldier settler' blocks had only 2 residents, but most of the returned soldiers were young men. When they settled in the area they brought with them wives and young families. This created a mini-boom in the population during the 1950s and 1960s. 

5. Agriculture and Forestry. 

6. 447 people live in Gulargambone. 1072 people living in the district. 

7.  The Community Development Employment Program. Trains aboriginal people to 

8. 

b. 

i. North.                    ii. North.                     iii. West. 

9. 

a. 

i.  Bourah 31 18 S   and 147 16 E      ii.   The Maze: 31 21 S and  148 17 E      
 iii. Tailby State Forest: 31 15 S     and 148 22 E

b

i.        AR6254                     ii.             AR6353                    iii.    AR6151      

10.  4.30 has the biggest area. 

Australia's Population

1. What is demography? Demography is the scientific study of characteristics and dynamics pertaining to the human population. The characteristics encompassed by this study include size, growth rate, density, vital statistics, and distribution of a specified population.
2. In what year did the Australian population reach 20 million? How quickly is the population growing? On October 17 2003 the human population hit 20 million. On average the growth rate of the Australian population is by 2.0% 
3. How many Aboriginal people are estimated to have lived in Australia before Europeans arrived? The Indigenous population at the time of European settlement is estimated to have been at least 315 000.
4. What the two main ways the population can grow? What percentage of the population growth in 2010 can be attributed to each way? Increased food resources and increase in living area. 
5. What is the total fertility rate for 2010? 1.78 children born/woman
6. What was the total fertility rate for Australia in 1935? How does this compare to other years? Why do you think that it compares this way?  77.2 per 100,000 women
7. What is the trend in the fertility rate for Australia since 1950? 
8. What is the average size of a family in Australia? How does that compare to the US? The average size of a family in Australia is 2.5 people. The average family size in the US is 3.14 people. This shows that there is a higher average in the US, which would explain why there is a much higher population. 

Mapping Skills: Geography Preliminary - 2006

Source A-C
What is the predicted population growth rate in 2030? 0.75% 
What is the predicted population change in 2030? 60 million
What region of the world is predicted to have the greatest gross increase in percentage between 1800 and 2050? Asia is the region of the world which is predicted to have the greatest gross increased in percentage. 

Source D
How many males and females are there in Ethiopia for the age range 60-64 in the year 2000? On average 2 million. 
How many males and females are there in Italy for the age range 60-64 in the year 2000? On average 4 million.
Why do you think that there is such a difference between these two countries? I think that because of all of the wars and poverty in Ethiopia, that it is unlikely to have many people living up to the age of 60 yrs old, but in Italy they are taken care of and there are no wars and poverty. 

Source E
What is located at GR831979? Dicks hill. 
What is the highest point at AR7997? 490 metres. 
What is the contour interval for the map? 100m
What physical feature is located at GR820975? The waste water treatment works and the sewage works. 
Approximately how far is the Laurieton Sporting Complex from Hanleys Point on the Camden Haven Inlet? 1km.
Give the GR for the North Haven Public School.  GR830000
What is the highest point at Camden Head? Give the height and GR. 79 metres. GR848986

Go back to Where you Came from Reflection

Take the time to think about the documentary you have just watched.

• What is your initial reaction to the show? My initial reaction to the show is that it is very revealing, and that the people who have offered their lives to go and experience and it makes the Australians realise that what the refugees are going through is a horrible thing, and that if they are going to try to escape from their lives back at their home country, then it is the only realistic thing to do. 

Take this Quiz: http://www.sbs.com.au/thefacttester?question=4

• What percentage of immigrants are refugees? 
• Why does such a small number of people make for such a big deal both politically and in the media? (Give your opinion) Many people make their way in life by working hard and being rewarded for it, and yet many refugees are coming to Australia illegally, and are getting paid by the government to do nothing, for no hard work they are being rewarded. This angers many Australian citizens because they are having to pay to have them live here and live a good life.

• Where does Australia rank among countries accepting refugees? Australia ranks 18th out of 19 of all of the countries hosting refugees.
• To what extent do we have an obligation to help other people suffering in the world? (your opinion) I believe that to some extent we should help the refugees live a better life in Australia, which has enough space in places such as NT or WA, however we should not let every refugee into our country. 

• How much extra support do refugees receive in comparison to other Australian citizens? They receive no extra support or compassion then Australian citizens do. 
• How many Asian nations have signed the UN Refugee Convention? 11 Asian countries have signed the UN Refugee Convention.
• Why is it important to note that Malaysia has not signed the UN Refugee Convention? What  does this mean for refugees in Malaysia? Malaysia have not signed the UN Refugee Convention because they are not agreeing to the Convention, which shows by what happened in the movie in Malaysia, and how they were not nice to the refugees.