Final Post

I have described on many blog post’s that Australia is a very large and unpredictable country. In my experience, it remains obvious to me that Australia is in itself a land of extremes. It contains extreme weather, extreme animals, and in some cases extreme people. It was for over a period of nine months that I had the opportunity to experience the Australians extreme culture and climate. The majority of my experience I gained from the time I spent working in the extreme heat conditions within the outback. Therefore, I would say that the most prevalent hazard that Australia faces is extreme whether. 

Australia experiences extreme weather seasonally each year during their wet and dry seasons. I can tell you that when it rains, it is some of the strongest rainfall I have ever seen. When it is hot, you have to wear full body protection to protect yourself from the intensity of the sun. I’ve also seen extreme heat within minutes switch to extreme rain all within the same day. These conditions prove to be problematic because they lead to the creation of flash floods and bushfires. The second most prevalent hazard would be the bushfires that destroy thousands of acres worth of land and life within the outback. Over the last year, Australia has been experiencing record breaking temperatures and droughts, these conditions have facilitated a dry environment for bushfires to thrive. Windy conditions also contribute to the growth and spread of bushfires along coast. This is due to the extreme heat conditions that occur seasonally throughout the year. Also much of the fauna in Australia is dry and considered very flammable, the Eucalyptus tree (also the most common tree in Australia) has chemicals within its bark that makes fires burn hotter and longer.

You’ll find that as you travel farther from the coast of Australia and move more inland, the more extreme the weather conditions get. So far, there is no clear solution to preventing extreme weather conditions. A person can only adapt to them as need be and pay attention to local weather stations in order to take preventative measures. In the case of wild fires, it would be in your best interest to maintain a controlled burn during certain seasons of the year. This is one of the best preventative measures you can take towards bushfires. Finally, if I were to build the house it would be along the eastern coast. This is due to the cooler weather conditions and the fact the majority of the population lives along these coasts. 

Australia and Coastal Erosion

Coastal Erosion is the process in which sediment and bedrock along the coast is removed because of wave erosion. In most cases coastal erosion is a slow onset hazard because it takes years before any major damage is done. In cases where there is extreme weather, coastal erosion is typically more intense and can destroy the coastline within days. Australia is know for its beautiful coast, yet it is also a land that commonly experiences extreme weather conditions. Maintaining the beauty and magnificence of Australia's coast is very important to the Australian people.

The New South Wales coast has a long history of experiencing coastal erosion. Along with damaged beachfront properties within Sydney. A series of large storm events have led to extensive property damage to homes and infrastructure along these regions. It is estimated that 40,000 homes rest on soft shorelines along the Australian coast and are at risk of being destroyed.

The Australian government in an effort to fight against erosion has built coastal protection such as  sea walls and breakwaters. This mitigation effort does stop tides from eroding selected locations, yet by altering tides you can unintentionally erode other areas along the coastline. Most of the erosion from the coast is caused by human interaction along the coast. A lot of effort has been made to educate the public about their beach habits.

Sources:
https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/community-safety/coastalerosion
https://www.coastalwatch.com/environment/4524/the-impact-of-coastal-erosion-in-australia