Landforms, water and resources of Australia and Oceania

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   Map of New Zealand's North Island with the Waikato drawn without arrows from the central volcano to the west coast south of Auckland.

2. 1.

   New Zealand's longest river, the Waikato, starts on a volcano in the middle of the North Island and reaches the sea south of Auckland. Which way does it flow on Pia's map?

   • Around in a circle, back to its start
   • East, into the mountains
   • North and northwest, to the sea
   • South, down the map
3. 2.

   In December the Southern Hemisphere leans toward the Sun. It is December. Ren reads that people in Sydney often swim at the beach then. What season is December in Sydney?

   • Winter, as in North America
   • Autumn, as leaves fall
   • Summer
   • The rainy monsoon
4. 3.

   Melbourne has its coldest weather in July. Why is July cold there, Tala asks?

   • July is winter south of the equator
   • Snow covers Australia's coasts
   • July is summer there, just as it is in the north
   • Melbourne is on the equator
5. 4.

   Zee plans a summer trip to Auckland, New Zealand. Which months are summer there?

   • June, July and August
   • December, January and February
   • March, April and May
   • September, October and November
6. 5.

   a bore pipe reaches down through rock to a layer full of water. Farms in dry inland Australia drill deep holes, called bores, into the Great Artesian Basin. What do they get, Ari asks?

   • Oil for cars and trucks
   • Gold and silver
   • Salt water from the sea
   • Water from deep underground
7. 6.

   Map of a large salt lake in dry inland Australia, mostly shaded white for dry salt. Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, about 15 m below sea level, is usually a dry salt flat. Why is it so often empty, Bo asks?

   • Little rain, and water dries up fast
   • Ice covers it
   • Ships empty it each year
   • It drains into the sea
8. 7.

   Hot volcanic rock underground heats water that shoots up as a geyser. Rotorua, in New Zealand, has geysers and hot mud pools. What heats the water, Esme asks?

   • Warm ocean currents
   • Forest fires nearby
   • The midday sun
   • Hot volcanic rock underground
9. 8.

   Perth UTC+8:00; Brisbane UTC+10:00. Neither uses daylight saving time. Data: Wikipedia, time in Australia, read Nov 11, 2026. It is noon in Perth, on Australia's west coast. Brisbane is 2 hours ahead of Perth. What time is it in Brisbane, Jun asks?

   • 10 a.m.
   • 1 p.m.
   • 4 p.m.
   • 2 p.m.
10. 9.

    Perth UTC+8:00; Darwin UTC+9:30. Neither uses daylight saving time. Data: Wikipedia, time in Australia, read Nov 11, 2026. It is noon in Perth. Darwin is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of Perth. What time is it in Darwin, Kira asks?

    • 10:30 a.m.
    • 1:30 p.m.
    • 1 p.m.
    • 2:30 p.m.
11. 10.

    Brisbane UTC+10:00; Darwin UTC+9:30. Neither uses daylight saving time. Data: Wikipedia, time in Australia, read Nov 11, 2026. It is noon in Brisbane. Darwin is 30 minutes behind Brisbane. What time is it in Darwin, Luz asks?

    • 2 p.m.
    • 10:30 a.m.
    • 11:30 a.m.
    • 12:30 p.m.