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Colonial settlement

Student activities

Task no. 1

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Colonial settlement

Why was the Shoalhaven River area settled by colonists? How has the natural environment influenced the settlement?

View Sources 6 to 13 and discuss the questions below.  Brainstorm interconnections between the natural environment of the area (particularly landform and climate) and the reasons for settlement.

Complete Table 1 in the download resource.

Observe and discuss

  • What natural and human features can you see in the images?
  • What landforms are in the images?
  • What human activities are in the images?
  • Floodplains near the river have fertile soils. What activity utilises the floodplain?

Infer and discuss

  • View Sources 6 and 7. How would the mountains and hills influence the choice of land to be cleared for farming?
  • What do you think the boat in Source 10 could be used for? What other functions could the river provide for the colonists? Why would settlement occur near the river?
  • What natural features (landforms and climate) influenced and supported the settlement of the area? How?
Ayrshire dairy cows on pasture land, Coolangatta Estate, Berry, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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Woodhill Mountain, Berry, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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Central Creamery – output 970 tonnes of butter in 1896, Berry, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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Milking Shed, Berry, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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The ‘Coomonderry’ at Berry Wharf, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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Coolangatta Estate, Berry, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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Clover pastures for cow feed, Coolangatta, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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Baer Forest Road and paddocks on low-lying floodplain, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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