Secondary Catalogue

In recent history, Australia's relationship with nature has evolved with the arrival of settlers and increased population. We are more aware of the importance of preserving our natural environment. In this programme we investigate how white settlers with a different view on nature attempted to modify Australia's landscape to suit foreign farming practices. Nature was a tough adversary, but provided the early Europeans with enough resource to grow into a nation. We discuss the creation of Australia's first national park in 1878, which forever changed future relationships with the land. Also investigated is the need to respect historical, traditional and cultural heritages of the land. Show Less

The 21 Ada Street Sustainable House Documentary is a comprehensive audio/visual record of the development of a sustainable house in Adelaide, showcasing details of the methodology and products of sustainable building practices. The documentary is designed to be a significant step-by-step record of the design and construction processes, recorded in a structured way. It includes high quality video coverage of each of the construction phases, and will serve as a long-term record of a significant example of sustainable architecture. Each step of the fascinating building process is filmed during the 7 month building programme. Show Less

This program portrays a day in the life of Cecilia, an 11 year-old East Timorese girl. Cecilia lives with her uncle and aunties so she can attend school as her parents live three hours away. Her village is near Viqueque, in the south of the country. Cecilia's day starts at dawn feeding her cousins, and progresses to school from 7am until midday. In the afternoon, Cecilia carries out more chores, including collecting water and firewood - carrying these home on her head. The younger students enjoy seeing the milk arrive, supplied by a local dairy, which was set up with help from Australian farmers. The day ends with the washing and feeding of the children in the family, concluding a busy and hardworking day in the life of an East Timorese child. Show Less

There are infinite opportunities and benefits created by renewable energy, ecologically sustainable farming, and green buildings and lifestyles. "A Smarter Country" follows Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Environmentalist Professor Tim Flannery, Australian Greens Senator Christine Milne, and Matthew Wright from Beyond Zero Emissions, as they work to embrace environmental change and educate the public. Through "A Smarter Country" we glimpse a future that moves from old technologies to a world that is more creative, sustainable and equitable, and the pioneering people who are intent on taking us there. Show Less

In this program we follow a project where an entire tract of bushland is moved from one location to another. We explore: - Project planning, execution, completion and assessment. - Scientific trials and scientific method used as a basis for project planning. - The need for compromise and the constant need to juggle the demands of time, money and politics. - Factors involved in assessing the success of a project. Show Less

Join us on a whirlwind tour of Australia's diverse natural and man-made environments. We kick off with the Great Dividing Range's impact on rainfall and human habitation, and then dive into the Great Barrier Reef, revealing the impact of global warming on this fragile ecosystem. Next we explore the indigenous connection with Kakadu National Park and Uluru, before examining the significance of the Murray-Darling Basin as Australia's food bowl. We conclude with the gradual erosion of the Twelve Apostles and two of Australia's most significant urban environments - Canberra, the nation's capital, and Sydney, the international face of Australia. Show Less

Geographically, Australia is part of the region known as the Asia-Pacific Region. A region is a human concept that can be mapped and analysed. (Definition: Regions are identified as having something in common that identifies them, such as a type of government, spoken language, landforms, or location). The region of the Asia-Pacific identified by the location of nations bordering on or within the Pacific Ocean. This program examines the geographic and economic characteristics of nations in the Asia Pacific Region. It also explores the impending threat from climate change for many of its low-lying island nations. As a result of Australia’s proximity and relative prosperity to other nations in this region, Australia has the opportunity to play a major role with regard to aid, foreign policy, trade, immigration and tourism. This region is well known for its political instability, and forging close links with Governments in the region is important to Australia’s national interest. Specifically, this program spells out Australia'’s role with regard to aid, trade, foreign policy, immigration and tourism in the Asia-Pacific Region. It also explores the close relationship Australia has with New Zealand. Show Less

Produced in conjunction with the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, this program is an introduction to some of the nation's rare and threatened species. By exploring some of Australia's fragile ecosystems, we define the links between biophysical environments and species diversity. Emphasising careful ecological management, the program outlines what each species needs to survive. Some of the examples shown are the Wollemi Pine, the Dugong, Leadbeater's Possum and the Green Sea turtle. Show Less

Everyone likes to visit the beach. But for living things a beach represents one of the toughest environments on earth. Beaches are in constant flux, hammered by waves and wind and extremes of temperature, sometimes submerged and sometimes dry. Beach erosion threatens human activities too. This program looks at many aspects of beaches, from the life in the littoral zone to the basic geology of beaches. Show Less

Bangladesh's Sundarban Mangroves is one of the world's most bio-diverse areas and home to the endangered Bengal Tiger. This video resource bank looks at why the Sundarbans is so important: as a bio-diversity hotspot, as a carbon bank and as protection against the impacts of tropical cyclones. It examines the threats, including climate change, shrimp farming, poaching and tiger killings. It then explores how they can be sustainably managed and by whom. Case studies include; a tiger conservation project, eco-tourism and government initiatives to control resource exploitation. Show Less

Researchers explore past climate by looking at coral cores in the remote Rowley Shoals off Western Australia. Professor Malcolm McCulloch is identifying natural and anthropogenic carbon dioxide locked within the coral skeleton. Like looking at growth rings on trees this study on coral cores will help us understand past climate and the influence of carbon dioxide on reefs and ocean waters. Show Less

This video describes the natural and built conditions that can lead a buzzing mosquito to become a menacing killer. By first exploring how Plasmodium falciparum, a microscopic parasite, is carried by mosquitoes from one unfortunate human host to another, students will learn about the environments and climates that allow malaria's deadly cycle to thrive. Show Less

A study of a proud town with a strong heritage learning to cope with national and global changes. With the decline of both coal and other manufacturing in more recent years, Lithgow has suffered a decline in employment and thus, whilst still a service town for the surrounding community, has suffered some hardships and great difficulties and is struggling to maintain its viability. Show Less

'Chasing Asylum' exposes the real impact of Australia’s offshore detention policies and explores how ‘The Lucky Country’ became a country where leaders choose detention over compassion and governments deprive the desperate of their basic human rights. The film features never before seen footage from inside Australia’s offshore detention camps, revealing the personal impact of sending those in search of a safe home to languish in limbo. 'Chasing Asylum' explores the mental, physical and fiscal consequences of Australia’s decision to lock away families in unsanitary conditions hidden from media scrutiny, destroying their lives under the pretext of saving them Show Less

Use this fantastic video resource to encourage students to judge whether or not climate change will impact upon people differently around the world. The impacts of climate change can be quite hard to see in the UK, but as engaging footage from the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Africa, the Alps, Bangladesh, India and China shows, it’s all too much of a reality for the poorest and most vulnerable. This resource also provides clear explanations of the processes that can cause climate change and gets students engaged in the debate about the extent to which these are caused naturally or are the result of human activity. Show Less

Scientific evidence clearly shows that global temperatures are rising and weather patterns are changing. But what's causing it? Undoubtedly there has been a massive worldwide shift into accepting the impact of human energy use on the temperature of the planet, but climatic changes - including extreme changes - have been present on our planet for millions of years. Could it be that this change is just part of the normal pattern? If so, some argue, there is no need to change our energy use to the detriment of the economy. This programme poses questions for debate and discussion in the classroom about climate change. It presents expert opinions, statistics and historical references presenting two sides of the story, and ultimately asks us, how worried should we be and what can or should we do to avert climate change? Show Less

This programme establishes the vital importance of the greenhouse effect for life on Earth and then presents a balanced argument to assess whether or not anthropogenic climate change (often called global warming) is in fact taking place. Clear arguments are presented on both sides of the debate and illustrations given covering both more economically developed countries and less economically developed countries, with impacts and responses fully explored. A thorough and balanced examination of this important and often contentious issue. Show Less

Why do novice surfers prefer constructive waves? What happens when you take away a village's natural sea defences? Filmed along the Dorset coastline, this resource provides up-to-date explanations and examples of the processes and landforms that shape coastal environments, bringing the subject alive through interviews with surfers, coastal surveyors and environmentalists. The programme uses a systems approach and explores the role of littoral cells and sediment movement. Illustrated landforms include: Lulworth Cove, Old Harry, Studland Bay, Sandbanks, Slapton Ley, Hallsands and Portland Bill. Show Less

Two orphaned teenage brothers leave their remote mountain village behind to seek their fortune in two separate major cities. Meanwhile, their young neighbours anxiously await the return of their father, a migrant worker who left the village a year ago. This is the story of four boys from the Chinese countryside, their hopes and dreams, and the challenges they face. Show Less

In 1996 residents living in Werribee, just outside Melbourne, learned that a toxic waste dump was being proposed for a nearby quarry site owned by CSR, an international manufacturer of building products. This programme explores the action taken by the community in their conflict with the state government and the company. A local community group called WRATD - Werribee Residents against Toxic Dumps - became the main driving force successfully opposing the toxic waste dump. Show Less

The marketing and management of a destination is increasingly becoming extremely competitive worldwide. Some destinations are more successful in terms of attracting tourism visitation and expenditure than others. Obviously some destinations are blessed with attractive natural endowments, however given effective management and marketing strategies, a destination lacking in these features may also become competitive in tourism. Adopting a market orientation enables a destination to better meet the needs of the potential tourist and adapt accordingly to the dynamic nature of the tourism industry. Show Less