Alone Across Australia (ATOM Study Guide)

Alone Across Australia is a film suitable for secondary students that tells the remarkable tale of the journey of one man and his dog. Travelling 2,500 kilometres across Australia, Jon Muir and his dog Seraphine walked from Port Augusta at the top of Spencer Gulf on the South Australian coast to Burketown on the Gulf of Carpentaria. This was Muir's fourth attempt to undertake this odyssey and Seraphine's second. He took only a loaded wheeled cart which he pulled behind him, contained his camping gear, basic food, a gun, maps and a compass and his camera and sound recording.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the journey was the way in which Muir managed to set up his camera to record his experiences over all but the last few days of the 128 day odyssey.

The study guide focuses on the main themes of the documentary:
• human determination and resilience
• the nature of the Australian environment
• the ways in which indigenous Australians lived in harmony with theland
• the relationship between man and 'man's best friend'
• the differences between human needs and human wants.

Curriculum Links:
Alone Across Australia is relevant to a wide range of curriculum areas in the secondary school including:
• Geography
• History
• English
• SOSE / HSIE
• Media Studies