Embedded Files
Lesson 1
STUDENT RESOURCE
Royal Coastal Walk between Bundeena and Marley Beach, Royal National Park
National parks are areas of land that protect native plants and animals and their habitats. They are also places of natural beauty, heritage and Aboriginal culture to be enjoyed.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is a government organisation that manages national parks in NSW. NPWS manages more than 895 national parks and reserves, covering over 7.6 million hectares of land, which represents more than 9.5 per cent of the land in NSW. NPWS manages all of these protected areas to conserve and protect biodiversity, historic heritage and Aboriginal culture and heritage.
Wherever you are in NSW, you can find a national park rich in natural beauty, plant and animals species. These parks are also home to numerous geological features and landforms and natural and Aboriginal cultural heritage sites.
It’s amazing to think that Australia’s first national park, Royal National Park, was created back in 1879. This is particularly remarkable as protection of natural areas wasn't common during this time.
Australia's first national park
Australia's first national park
Royal National Park: A Place for Belonging [3:15]
The historical and cultural significance of Royal National Park and the Royal Reserves cannot be contested. This stunning area has held a special place in the story of Australia, from its establishment in 1879 right through to present day.
It was the first formally declared national park and began the national parks movement worldwide.
Sydney Weekender visits Royal National Park: Channel 7 [3:42]
Channel 7's Sydney Weekender team visits the Royal National Park in Sydney's south.
Watch as they discover amazing walks along clifftops and escarpments, taking in the magnificent ocean views and rugged beauty of the area. Just one hour drive (20 kilometres) from the bustling city of Sydney, this park has arguably some of the most beautiful walks in Australia.
What can you find in a national park?
What can you find in a national park?
Mountains, deserts, sandstone cliffs, snowy peaks, rainforests and beaches are some of the different landforms found in the Australian environment.
They are protected for the enjoyment of everyone and doing so helps preserve them for many years to come.
Old houses, convict jails, lighthouses, graves and Aboriginal cultural sites are places that tell us how people lived in the past. These special places are called historic sites.
You'll find many historic sites protected within national parks.
Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for thousands of years and have a special relationship with the land, the plants and the animals.
Art sites, campsites, rock engravings and natural features like rivers and mountains are important to Aboriginal people. Many special places important to Aboriginal culture are protected within national parks.
NPWS employs over 2,000 people to manage NSW national parks and reserves. People work in national parks to look after and study plants, animals and landforms and help the community understand why they are so important.
People visit national parks to enjoy the scenery and stay healthy by walking, camping, having a picnic and exploring.
Discover more NSW national parks
Discover more NSW national parks
Stay connected with the NPWS app [0:52]
Watch this video to find out how you can use our app to learn more about national parks and why they're so important. When you have parent/guardian permission, download the app to your phone or tablet to find out more about NSW national parks.
Find your park.mp4Find your local national park [1:38]
This video takes you through the process of finding a park near you using the handy NPWS search tool and Google Maps. Watch the video, then try using the NPWS search tool for yourself to find out more about your local national park. Please note there is no audio in the video.
Download the NPWS app
Download the NPWS app
If you have permission from your parents, download the NPWS app onto a phone or iPad/tablet.
Once you have downloaded the app, open it up to explore what you can find out about national parks in NSW.
Let's talk about maps
Let's talk about maps
Maps are a great tool for keeping record of the natural and built environment in an area.
At NPWS, we use maps as part of our land management activities. We use them for things like managing weeds and developing plans for effective fire management and conservation efforts.
Review the 'BOLTS mapping principles' presentation below to learn about the essential elements every map should have.
Activities
Activities
Spot the activities
There are many activities people can do in a national park. Open up the activity worksheet to see if you can spot the different uses of national parks in the artist's sketch. Can you find the tree planting, abseiling, surfing or animal studying?
Use worksheet 1.1 to record your answers.
Find your local national park
Use a combination of digital tools to answer questions about your closest national park and what it looks like.
Use worksheet 1.2 to record your answers.
Plan a holiday to a national park
Plan a holiday to a national park of your choice. Use the digital tools within the worksheet to decide which park to visit.
Use worksheet 1.3 to record your answers.
Design your own national park
This is your chance to design the best national park ever! To complete this activity you need to be familiar with BOLTS mapping principles.
Use worksheet 1.4 to record your design.
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