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Colonial settlement
Student activities
Task no. 1

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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View collection item detaila6292035
Woodhill Mountain, Berry, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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View collection item detaila6292025
Central Creamery – output 970 tonnes of butter in 1896, Berry, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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View collection item detaila6292030
Milking Shed, Berry, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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View collection item detaila6292033
The ‘Coomonderry’ at Berry Wharf, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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View collection item detail a6292012
Coolangatta Estate, Berry, NSW, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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View collection item detail6292019
Clover pastures for cow feed, Coolangatta, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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View collection item detaila6292015
Baer Forest Road and paddocks on low-lying floodplain, 1896, by Samuel Cocks,
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View collection item detaila6292022