Shelter

Humans lack fur or the other coverings that protect animals from the weather, and so world wide human beings have developed complex and beautiful solutions to protect themselves through their housing design. In Australia, the shape, size and nature of shelters depended very much on the environmental conditions people experienced. In this activity, suitable for all ages, we will collaborate in small groups to design, troubleshoot and construct a shelter out of locally available materials. We will investigate the designs that people have come up with and reflect on what needs our local environment puts on us. We will then reflect on how we respond to these requirements in the modern day and reflect on whether those choices are sustainable, or whether design that better reflects our local conditions would be preferable.

This activity is better suited to a 2 hour slot, but is appropriate for larger groups.

Fire making

Fire, where would we be without it? However, how many people can actually make a fire from scratch? In this all ages discovery learning activity, we will demonstrate how to make a fire using friction fire methods, and then leave participants to start one themselves, using the resources provided. We will discuss how fire was originally discovered, various methods, stories and tools for fire lighting from around the world and the importance of fire. Extension activities stemming from this session include the physics of how fire is created, friction, changes of state, food production and preparation and much more.

Ochre

Ochre is a naturally occuring pigment that was used around the world by Indigenous peoples in art and ceremony. Its value as a commodity made it one of the first mined and traded materials. In this activity, suitable for all ages,  we will look at the use and production of ochre, and grind and mix our own paints. Links from this activity include geology and geography, chemistry, economics, ancient history and Aboriginal studies.

Stone Axe Making

In this 45 minute to 1 hour activity, suitable for all ages, participants will make their own working stone axe. Participants will gain an understanding of the sophisticated and complex skills demonstrated by Indigenous peoples in selecting and combining appropriate materials to make tools that were practical and durable. For more advanced groups, the activity can also be used to demonstrate the physics principles of the tool and to quantify the mechanical advantage afforded by this type of lever. Links extend to geology and geography topics, biology and ecology, as well as history and Aboriginal Studies.

Spears and Spear Throwers

The spear is one of the first tools developed by humans, allowing access to fast and dangerous prey. However, the range of the spear was limited by the strength of the thrower's arm. The spear thrower was one of the first complex machines invented by humans, providing a huge degree of assistance to a throw and increasing both range and force. In this activity, participants will make their own thrower and spear and then learn how to cast a light weight, safe, bamboo spear. For more advanced groups we can further develop the activity to discover the physical properties of the machine. This includes caculations of the increase in kinetic energy and mechanical advantage provided by the thrower, as well as exploring the physics of this type of lever.

Fibre Crafts

Fibre and string are probably the most important innovations that humans have made, allowing them to spread out from Africa and colonise other climatic zones. In this activity we will explore this idea using a range of artefacts and natural materials and make our own string from locally available natural fibres. We will also make sandals from a central desert design out of bark and vines, essential when walking on reefs or hot sand. As an extension activity, we can calculate the breaking strength of the string we make, as well as looking at other properties of the materials we use. Links include to botany, biology and ecology, as well as ancient history and Aboriginal studies.