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This is the
Rainbow Beach -
Cooloola Sands
 activity page of
Matthew Flinders
Coastal Landform Site

Site:
Rainbow Beach - Cooloola Sands  (Qld)
SUGGESTED STUDENT ACTIVITIES
for further research, oral reporting and classroom discussion

Note: The teacher is to explain each nominated activity to students, matching it to student level and ability




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EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
This page contains learning activities on the topics following.
Suggested year levels and subject areas for Queensland are included (although activities may be modified by teacher to suit other year levels).
With time these activities will be matched to SOSE Outcomes
Activities
   A. coastal geomorphology  (Yrs 10-12 Geog, Yr 10 SOSE)
   B. coastal geomorphology  (Yrs 7-12 Geog, Yrs 7-10 SOSE)
   C. coastal features  (Yrs 9-12 Geog, Yrs 9-10 SOSE)
   D. coastal ecology (Yrs 7-10 Geog, Yrs 7-10 SOSE)
   E. coastal geomorphology  (Yrs 10-12 Geog, Yr 10 SOSE)
   F. plant ecology, environmental group  (Yrs 7-12, Yrs 7-10 SOSE)
   G. sand transport by wind  (Yrs 9-10 Geog, Yrs 9-10 SOSE)
   H. economic-geographical analysis  (Yrs 10-12 Geog, Yr 10 SOSE)
   I. Flinders' chart interpretation  (Yrs 7-10 SOSE, Yrs 8-10 Geog and Hist) 


   Activity - photo interpretation / research

Study the photo (below, right) showing the long sweep of Rainbow Beach from Double Island Point (left) to Carlo Sand Blow (right), in the Great Sandy National Park (Cooloola Section).

A.1  The beach illustrates a smooth, curving shape. What factors contribute to sandy beaches that face the open ocean generally taking on this shape? 

A.2  Notice that the wave front curves to almost match the curve of the beach itself. What is this process called and how does it happen? 

A.3  Sand is carried along beaches by longshore drift. Are you able to predict, by studying the wave front angle in relation to the beach, which way sand will be carried along the beach - left to right, or right to left? Explain your answer.



Photo 1: Coloured sands (Carlo Sand Blow) and Rainbow Beach,
Cooloola NP

   Activity - photo interpretation / research

Study the text and photo (right).  

B.1  What are the heavy minerals of the Cooloola sand mass (and other nearby sand masses)? How are they used?

B.2  How was it intended to mine the Cooloola sand mass. What might have been the long-term results had this gone ahead? 

B.3  Research the history of sand mining in this region and the conservation campaigns that arose to counter sand mining. Present your resluts as a short written or oral report. 


   Beneath the coloured sand cliffs, the sandy, relatively narrow
beach also contains interesting features. The photo (below) shows
an eroded sand profile. Waves have cut into the beach, exposing
alternating layers of quartz sand and black sand (right side of photo).
Water seeping from the sand mass has formed a small stream (left
side of photo). This stream shows miniature patterns of meandering,
as well as erosion and deposition of the two sand types.


Photo 2: Heavy sands, Rainbow Beach
(camera lens cap shown upper right for scale)


   Activity - photo interpretation / research

Study the text and photos (right). 

C.1  Explain why vehicles are allowed to use the beach, but must not drive 'cross-country' on the dune system.

C.2  Water is often seen seeping out of the sand mass at the base of the sand. Seepage occurs at the junction of overlying sand mass and the underlying 'coffee' rock layer. Does this suggest that the coffee rock is permeable or impermeable?

C.3  Do you expect this rock to be relatively hard (resistant), or relatively soft (readily weathered)? Explain your answer.

C.4  Both photos show examples of vegetation growing on coastal sands. Try to identify the tree species shown. What are some of the difficult conditions that plants must tolerate to exist in this area?


   With a permit, four-wheel-driving on the beach is allowed.
Often vehicles are seen threading their ways between beach boulders
near the dune base. However, while vehicles are permitted to use the limited road system of the national park, they are not allowed to make
their own paths over the dunes.

Photo 3: Teewah Beach sign, 'Vehicles prohibited on dunes'


Photo 4: Rainbow Beach 4-Wheel-Driving
Coffee rock (lower right) and Cooloola Sand Mass
    The black boulders (see photo above) are composed of
'coffee' rock. This rock appears to be made of sand held together
by dark, organic cement. It underlies the nearby sand layers.



   Activity - photo interpretation / research

Study the photos opposite (from areas adjacent to Lake Poona). The plant communities shown are growing on sand.

D.1  Which (A, B, or C) do you expect to be found closest to the lake, and which furthest from the lake? Explain your answer. 

D.2  Identify the main plant shown in each photo:
A. a palm that is regarded as very ancient, name beginning with 'z'.
B. a tree with soft, paper-like bark that readily peels off the trunk.
C. a palm tree found along moist coastal areas of SE Qld and NE NSW.





Photo 5: Vegetation communities near Lake Poona 


   Activity - photo interpretation / discussion activity

Study the photos opposite (from the Carlo Sand Blow). The photo on the left was taken on the eastern, windward side. The photo on the right was taken on the western, downwind side. 

Questions
E.1  Identify the landform processes involving wind at work on the eastern and western sides of the Carlo Sand Blow. Note the landform results of these processes.
 [ Clue: Consider the roles of erosion and deposition of sand by wind, and the role of vegetation in relation to stabilising sand.]




Photo 6: Carlo Sand Blow
Casuarina (left) on eastern side,
Vegetation being covered (right) on western side


   Activity - photo interpretation / research

F.1  Photo A shows a wooden boardwalk constructed by Coastcare. It is designed to provide easier walking access to the beach from the village of Rainbow Beach. In what way does this feature offer an improvement to the environment? 

F.2  Photo B showns the roots of pandanus palms. A tree with such a root system most likely lives in what type of soil? What might be the main advantages and disadvantages to the tree of such a root system?

F.3  Photo C shows the fruit of the tree. What are they called? How can people use these fruit? Is the tree native to Australia? Where does it grow here? In what way was Matthew Flinders involved with these fruit during his career?

F.4  Photo D mentions the role of Coastcare. Find out about this or some other similar organisation. Would you join such an organisation? Explain. 



  The photos A-D (below) illustrate aspects of the
growth of pandanus palms, and improvements to the
pandanus palm habitat carried out by Coastcare.


Photo 7: Coastcare / Pandanus Palms, Rainbow Beach

  Like other groups such as Landcare and Greening Australia, Coastcare is well aware of the importance of native vegetation in
 maintaining environmental quality. Members and volunteers carry
out improvement projects in various areas. Among other things,
vegetation stabilises soil and provides animal habitat.


   Activity - photo interpretation / research
   Study the photos right, taken of moving sand producing 'micro-dune' features. The light-coloured sand is loose, and being moved left-to-right by wind. The darker-coloured sand is firm (fixed in position). The left-to-right movement is actually from east (seaward side of Carlo Sand Blow) to west (landward side). The photos were taken 200 seconds apart, illustrating the pace of change at this scale.

Scale: The black object is a camera lens cap (approx. 5cm diameter).   

G.1  The features shown are active 'micro-dunes', formed and shaped by wind. What types of dunes exist in deserts of the world, and are they similar to the miniature dunes shown? 

G.2  Which side of the micro-dunes is the steeper? Why does sand build up on the right-hand side of the lens cap? What parts of the micro-dune system have changed most in the 200 second observation time period? 



Photo 8A: Sand being blown from left to right

Small-scale sand features under construction (above and below)
(Photos taken on Carlo Sand Blow, Cooloola NP)

 Photo 8B: Same view as above, 200 seconds later



   Challenge question
Activity - discussion activity (oral or written)

'Coastal tourism is a significant part of the tourist industry in Australia. While natural features (physical and ecological) are significant in attracting visitors to our varied coastland, cultural and historical features are also important. To ensure that Australia's coastal tourism can maintain its contribution to the economy it is essential that proper levels of protection be maintained to ensure that the coastal environment does not deteriorate through increasing use.' 

Analyse the statement above, presenting evidence and examples to support the significance of coastal tourism to Australia (and its components) and ways that activities involved can be made environmentally, as well as economically, sustainable.


   Activity - chart interpretation / research

 Study the chart extract opposite. 
I.1  The chart of this area shows a level of uncertainty in the area to the west of Wide Bay. Why might it have been difficult for Matthew Flinders to explore that area?
 [ Clue: look at depth soundings.]

I.2  Looking at the full version of the original chart one can see the northwards course taken by Flinders on three voyages; 1799, 1802 and 1803. What particular voyage was under way by Flinders in this area at each of these times?

I.3  On the chart the year 1770 is mentioned. Who sailed by here in 1770? What were the intended destinations of that voyage? 





  Extract from Flinders' chart, showing the Cooloola sand mass,
key land features and water bodies

 



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