1. The Australian
Curriculum for
Geography
Geography is the understanding of the Earth, its features, and its
distribution of life. It supports a person’s curiosity about places and their
differences. It provides the necessary knowledge of their origin and of
others. As such, they become active individuals who seek details that can
serve as a foundation of their thoughts about international issues and
events.
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2. An Overview of the Curriculum
The government established the
Australian Curriculum, Assessment
and Reporting Authority (ACARA)
in 2008 to develop a national
program in geography and other
subjects for Kindergarten to Year
12 students. They believe that the
definition of geography should be
easy for the public to understand.
After deliberation, they decided to
define geography as the study of
places. This includes the human
and biophysical characteristics of
these places, their variations
across space, and their
interdependencies and
interconnections. The Australian
Curriculum for Geography aims to
let students understand the unique
characteristics of different places,
their relationship with other places,
spatial patterns, cause and effect
process, and sustainable use.

3. The Importance of Geography
Geography is a challenge to
students – to let them think about
other people and the environment
apart from the ones they have.
Studying this subject involves
developing a deeper thought
process, which helps students
better understand the world they
live in. After all, it’s in the nature
of man to crave knowledge.
To understand Australia, students have to understand its geography, as well.
From why this vast area has fewer people than small countries to why
people move from one state to another, studying origins helps them better
understand what’s happening around them. As a result, they don’t become
passive about the things they see every day.
Geography is an interesting subject to study. As the Australian Curriculum
plans to improve it through guidelines and learning visuals, students will
likely develop a deeper curiosity for it.
Sources:
http://www.agta.asn.au/files/Resources/2007/Geog_Essential.pdf
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/humanities-and-social-
sciences/geography/curriculum/f-10?layout=1
http://www.ricgroup.com.au/product/australian-curriculum-geography-2/