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ABC RN: Melbourne from a tram

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View of State Library of Victoria from Swanston Street
ABC RN: Melbourne from a tram

SUBJECTS:  Geography

YEARS:  7–8


Get ready to board a Melbourne tram for a journey around the City Circle route!

Along the way, the passengers on the tram will highlight some aspects of Melbourne's urban design, both past and present, giving you a real sense of place. Is this the most 'liveable' city in Australia, as many claim, or a city in need of change?

If you like this clip, listen to the full ABC RN documentary by clicking 'Download Audio' at http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bydesign/by-design-on-a-tram/2934526


Things to think about

  1. 1.Melbourne often ranks highly in surveys that measure the 'liveability' of Australian cities. What does 'liveability' mean to you? What do you like or dislike about the area you live in now? Do you think people who live in your area would share similar views? Why?
  2. 2.Note the names of the buildings and landmarks that the passengers point out. From the vantage point of the tram, what are your perceptions of Melbourne? What are the purposes of the buildings you see? How would you describe the tram as a way of getting around a capital city?
  3. 3.Explain why Peter Maddison sees an increasing CBD residential population as a 'change in aspirations'. How would a move away from traditional large suburban blocks change the nature of our cities and suburbs? What might be better or worse in this future scenario?
  4. 4.Locate a route map for Melbourne's City Circle tram. Mark on this map the location of the buildings and landmarks that were referred to in the clip. What other features, services or facilities exist in this part of Melbourne? Explain how accessibility to these features enhances the liveability of the city. Assess what might be added to this location to improve its liveability.



Date of broadcast: 10 Aug 2011


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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