PREPARATIONS BEFORE TAKING UP THE MANAGEMENT OF AN ARID LAND CATTLE STATION

This unit is PART 1 of a series on Managing a Cattle Property in the Channel Country of Arid Australia. This unit was originally designed for Australian teachers but it does have broader use in curriculum areas which concentrate on adaptation to arid environments. Students are required to put themselves in the position of the employee of a Pastoral Company based in Adelaide - the capital city of South Australia. Part 1 involves the collection of resources about a property that will be managed.. In the classroom PART 1 and 2 could be a class/group or individual activity. Resources such as maps, charts, photos and cross section s are given BEFORE going to the property. This unit can be studied at mid- to upper secondary levels in geography and environmental studies. Guideline answers attached. Students can join in the planning stage and then follow through in Part 2 when they will be on the property and dealing with the problems of management. This 2 part series will require an understanding of many parts of the arid environment and will enable students to understand the high levels of risk involved in raising beef cattle in a challenging environment.