This key knowledge relates to Unit 3 Area of Study 2 — the fieldwork-based investigation of local land use change. You need to describe the location, current land use, and the full range of natural and human geographic characteristics of your selected area. The notes below model the approach using a generic framework, with a worked example.
A geographic description of location should communicate:
1. Absolute location: coordinates, suburb, postcode
2. Relative location: position within the broader urban/rural area, distance from key features
3. Regional context: how the area fits within the city, municipality, or rural region
Geographic characteristics divide into natural and human categories:
| Characteristic | What to Include |
|---|---|
| Landform/topography | Elevation, slope, aspect, proximity to hills, plains, valleys |
| Soils | Soil type, drainage capacity, fertility |
| Hydrology | Rivers, creeks, floodplains, drainage patterns, water table |
| Vegetation | Native vegetation communities, condition, extent |
| Climate | Mean annual rainfall, temperature range, seasonality |
| Hazard risk | Flood, fire, landslide, erosion risk |
| Characteristic | What to Include |
|---|---|
| Current land use | Residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, recreational, infrastructure |
| Population | Density, demographic profile (age, income, ethnicity) |
| Infrastructure | Roads, utilities, public transport |
| Land ownership | Public (government), private, community, institutional |
| Planning zones | Residential, commercial, industrial, green wedge, farming |
| Economic activity | Employment types, business activity, agricultural production |
| Historical land use | Previous uses that constrain or shape current use |
Location: Fishermans Bend, Port Phillip and City of Melbourne municipalities, approximately 2 km south-west of the Melbourne CBD, bounded by the Yarra River and Lorimer Street.
Absolute: 37.83°S, 144.94°E
Relative: Adjacent to the CBD, flanked by the Yarra River to the north, Port Phillip Bay estuary to the west
Natural characteristics:
- Topography: Flat, low-lying reclaimed tidal mudflat, elevation 0–3 m AHD
- Soils: Fill material over marine sediments; compressible, variable bearing capacity
- Hydrology: Former tidal wetland, high flood risk, some areas below 1-in-100-year flood level; proximity to Port Phillip Bay
- Original vegetation: Saltmarsh and mangrove — largely absent; remnant patches at Westgate Park
- Climate: Melbourne temperate oceanic, ~650 mm annual rain, mild summers (mean 26°C January), cool winters (mean 14°C July)
Human characteristics:
- Current land use: Industrial (car dealerships, light manufacturing, warehousing), with small residential pockets
- Historical land use: Reclaimed from tidal flats for industrial use from 1880s; boatyards, manufacturing from early 20th century
- Population: Low residential density currently; planned for 80,000 residents by 2050
- Infrastructure: Sandridge Bridge (pedestrian), limited public transport, CityLink (Tullamarine) elevated motorway flanks the area
- Planning: Designated Urban Renewal Zone under Plan Melbourne 2017-2050; Fishermans Bend Framework 2018
Current land use: The area is in transition from legacy industrial use toward high-density mixed-use urban renewal.
Natural and human characteristics determine what fieldwork techniques are appropriate:
- Flat topography → transect surveys and systematic sampling are straightforward
- Flood risk → inclusion of hazard mapping in GIS overlay analysis
- Mixed land use → land use mapping via observation and cadastral data
KEY TAKEAWAY: A complete geographic description addresses both natural and human characteristics, links them to the area’s location, and sets up the explanation of why land use change is occurring.
EXAM TIP: For the fieldwork investigation, your selected area’s characteristics are the starting point for all other analysis. In exam responses, always describe why the characteristics of the area make it susceptible to or suitable for the observed land use change.
VCAA FOCUS: VCAA fieldwork questions reward responses that integrate geographic characteristics with explanations of change — not just list features. Practise linking characteristic → influence on change.
