Some of the world’s oldest rice terraces (see FIGURE1 ) are over 2000 years old. Rice and vegetables could be grown quite densely on the terraces. This enabled people to survive in a region with very steep slopes and high altitude. Indigenous Australians would move through the Australian Alps following food sources. The mountain caves where the bogong moths would gather were known to Aboriginal Peoples, who used the moths as an important source of protein. They would place climbing notches in trees that were known to have native bee hives present, in order to gather honey seasonally. The mountain valleys were often sought out during summer months because of the rivers that did not run dry. Mountains supply 60 – 80 per cent of the world’s fresh water. This is due to orographic rainfall (caused by warm, moist air rising and cooling when passing over high ground, such as a mountain; as the air cools, the water vapour condenses and falls as rain). Where precipitation falls as snow, water is stored in snowfields and glaciers. When these melt, they provide water to people when they need it most.
FIGURE5 Living in mountain regions can be difficult.
14.5 SkillBuilder activity COMMUNICATING Choose one of the mountains from the list in 14.5.3 (Sacred and special places). 1. Use the internet to investigate more details about the mountain. Focus on the spiritual, aesthetic and cultural value that people associate with your chosen mountain. 2. Create a map with all aspects of BOLTSS and provide information on the natural and human features. 3. Present your information as a print or electronic brochure.
378 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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