Exercise 7.3 Geographical processes shaping the coastal environment

1. Hydraulic action, Corrosion and corrasion.
2. Wave refraction causes the wave energy to be concentrated in particular areas and less intense in others. 
3. The waves are refracted and kinetic energy is formed.

4. Coasts around the headlands. 

5. 

Hydraulic Action: Waves crash against a headland. Waves enter cracks in the rock and air is compressed into the crack by the force of the water being pushed by the wave. As the air is compressed it acts to erode rock. Blow holes are a common feature formed by hydraulic action.

Corrasion:  Waves crash over rock shelves. The wave action moves rock and other material across the rock shelf and wears away the rock in an abrasive fashion. 

Corrosion:  Waves break the rocks. When it dries, the salt in the sea water crystallises and acts on the minerals in the rock to erode materials.

6. During severe storms beaches can lose large quantities of sand through erosion by waves. The sand that is deposited offshore, forming a sand bar off the beach where it helps to limit the impact of the erosive waves on the coast.

7. Wind, waves and ocean currents.

8. Along the coastline and at beaches.

9. Coastal dunes are formed by the action of the wind. Once sand is deposited on the beach it is then subject to aeolin (wind) transportation. The wind blows the sand landward, which is trapped by low-lying vegetation like coastal spinifex. The foredune is a store of sand. It may be eroded away, or it may continue to increase in size depending on wave and wind action.

 10. When waves travel at a certain angle, long shore drift occurs. The water then gets transported along the coast, along with all of the litter that is on the ground at the beaches.

11. 

Blow holes: As waves crash into the headland, water is forced into cracks causing erosion.

Tombolos: Due to shallow water, water refracts and bends causing erosion. This erosion stays at a constant force causing areas of land to stick out.

Sea stacks: When sea gradually erodes soft limestone cliffs. 

Offshore sand bars:When storms occur near the coast, loads of sand is taken out to sea causing large masses of sand called sand bars.

12. They provide a buffer zone for the fragile dune vegetation located on the hind dunes.

13. 

a. The great road, Victoria.

b. They are very rare, so are a very profitable tourist attraction.

c. Wave erosion on the coastal headlands.

d. The London bridge was a natural bridge that linked the mainland to offshore rock.

e. I believe that it is just a natural process and that there could not have been anything done to stop it without hindering the environment.

14. 

Good morning everyone! I am Oliver Rich and welcome to Port Campbell national park!! Now you can all see the Twelve Apostles behind me and today I am here to talk to you about them. Now the Twelve Apostles were created over 20 million years ago, and are known as sea stacks.They were created when parts of sand and rock slowly erode away certain spots, leaving these 12 to stand out by themselves. Now eventually all of the 12 Apostles will erode away and collapse, making this destination very unique, and only lasting for who knows how long. 

15. 

The local council has decided to buy back residential property located on a headland and a neighbouring fore dune which is subject to erosion. The residents of these areas are appalled by this and want to continue to enjoy the lifestyle and views they can now. Ms Kerry Woods aged 89 has spoken about this and has displayed her views. 'I am 89 years of age and live alone, I have no need for the nice views and the relaxed lifestyle, I say that if the council will pay me a high enough profit for my house I will move, I'm not too picky'. A young couple who have recently moved into this area and have shown their views too. 'We have only just moved here, and we think that the area is a lovely place for starting a family, and the view is fabulous! We knew that erosion was a problem and are always watching out, but really the council has no right to do that! 

This is a very topical issue that has people everywhere arguing, tell us what you think at www.gnp.com.au