OSC – The Riddle of the Rivers

Our Sunburnt Country is your core book for this study, it is aimed at 6-12 years old. We have created a supplementary booklist and suggested activities to accompany each chapter.

We estimate it will take you 2-3 weeks per chapter, this will enable you to finish within the year. If you wish to take time to read more books, simply take two years.

We have recommended a mix of picture and chapter books, ones that are likely to be accessible via your local libraries. We have given you several options below in the hope that your library will have some of these. We are not recommending you read all of these books!

We encourage you to read one chapter book and at least one picture book per chapter. Or at least two to four picture books if available.

The books suggested are below in a visual grid.

We haven’t highlighted our favourites deliberately, as we want you to work within your local library and inter-library loans. We don’t want you to go into debt.

Create your own personalised list by opening your book choice and simply clicking the wishlist button to add to your list.

Activities are optional, feel free to choose whichever activities best suit your family.

Our Sunburnt Country – The Riddle of the Rivers pdf

Image	Name	Writers	Illustrators	Tags	Series	Target Age	Print Status	Curriculums
	Australian Backyard Explorer	Macinnis, Peter				10-14 Years	Out Of Print	AO Aust PD, AO6 Aust PD
	Australian Explorers				Southern Cross Series	10-14 Years	Out Of Print
	Doctor Hunger & Captain Thirst	Hooper, Meredith				10-18 Years	Out Of Print	AO Aust JD, AO5 Aust JD
	Our Sunburnt Country	Baillie, Arthur				6-12 Years	In Print	AO Aust JD, AO Aust PD, AO4 Aust JD, AO4 Aust PD, AO5 Aust PD, MA2:2 Aust
	Riders to an Unknown Sea	Farwell, George		Charles Sturt, Murray River, Murrumbidgee River		11-15 Years	Out Of Print
	Sand Swimmers	Oliver, Narelle	Oliver, Narelle	Charles Sturt, Deserts, Flinders Ranges, Nature Survival, Simpson Desert, Sturt Stony Desert		3-10 Years	Out Of Print
	Who Rides On The River?	Ewers, John K	Durack, Elizabeth	Charles Sturt, Murray River, Murrumbidgee River		6-12 Years	Out Of Print
	Wiradjuri Country	Brandy, Larry	Peters, Kristie, Towney, Scott	Wiradjuri People		6-12 Years	In Print

Themes to Cover

• George Evans
• John Oxley
• Captain Charles Sturt
• Lachlan River
• Murrumbidgee River
• Murray River
• Castlereagh River
• Macquarie River
• Peel River
• the Darling River
• Lake Alexandrina

Teacher’s Notes

Sand Swimmers – Narelle Oliver

• Walker Books

Geography Activities

In 1817 Governor Macquarie was determined to discover where the westward flowing river of Macquarie went. Subsequent exploration discovered there were yet more rivers to explore.

Eventually after years of explorations it was discovered that the rivers of New South Wales went thus:

• Macquarie & Castlereagh flowed into the Darling
• Lachlan River meets at a junction of the Murrumbidgee River
• Murrumbidgee River flows into the Murray River
• Darling River flows into the Murray
• Murray flows into Lake Alexandria and then finally out to the Sea

On a new map plot the course of all these Rivers, use a colour key to designate the different rivers.

Also mark other major landmarks and towns around the rivers mentioned in Chapter 7.

Include:

• Bathurst
• Liverpool Plains
• Warrumbungles

STEM Research & Activities

To cross flooded rivers the explorers converted their dray into a ‘boat’ and created a ferry system to cross.

• Build a ‘ferry’ out of paddlepops and re-enact the crossing in your bath or pool.

Language Arts /History Activities

Charles Sturt not only solved the Riddle of the Rivers, but was also determined to find an Inland Sea. Write an overview of Sturt’s expeditions of:

• The westward flowing rivers of South East Australia
• The Simpson Desert

Web Links

Australian Geographic: Sturt’s River Exploration

Kidcyber: John Oxley