Australian Deserts
Australian Desert
1. The Tropic of Capricorn passes thru the center of Australia. This means the country lies close enough to trade wind latitudes for the prevailing winds to be from the southeast. These bring maritime conditions, with abundant rain, to the coast of New South Wales and Queensland.
2. Inland lies the Great Dividing Range, a mountain range running the length of the country parallel to the east coast.
3. Lands to the west of the mountains lie in a rain shadow.
4. 40% of Australia’s land mass is classified as desert (3.4 million square miles). Of all the continents, Australia is the driest. (Australia is alarge island with a continental climate).
5. No succulents, very few spiny plants. Prevalent desert plants are the perenial evergreen tussock grasses (spinifex) and small trees or shrubs belonging to the genus Acacia.
6. Australia has 5 deserts: 4 on the west side, one in the center.
a. Simpson Desert – southeast corner of the Northern Territories; < 500’ asl; stony desert
b. Great Sandy – north part of western Australia; < 600’ above sea level.
c. Great Victoria – western Australia
d. Gibson Desert –
e. Nullarbor Plain – south of the Great Victoria Desert.
The Australian continent is one of the driest in the world apart from Antarctica. Nearly 50% ofAustralia receives less than 25cms of rainfall in a year. Australian desert areas are extremely warm and are one of the most difficult places for survival of plants, human beings and animals. Most of the Australian deserts are located in central and north-western parts of the country. The total size of the Australian deserts is 2.3 million square kilometre and it occupies 44% of the entire continental area. The formation of the Australian deserts has a rich and interesting past. Australia did not always lie on the southern part of the equator but after its formation it is supposed to have travelled to its north. The desert belts were created when hot air from the
1. The Tropic of Capricorn passes thru the center of Australia. This means the country lies close enough to trade wind latitudes for the prevailing winds to be from the southeast. These bring maritime conditions, with abundant rain, to the coast of New South Wales and Queensland.
2. Inland lies the Great Dividing Range, a mountain range running the length of the country parallel to the east coast.
3. Lands to the west of the mountains lie in a rain shadow.
4. 40% of Australia’s land mass is classified as desert (3.4 million square miles). Of all the continents, Australia is the driest. (Australia is alarge island with a continental climate).
5. No succulents, very few spiny plants. Prevalent desert plants are the perenial evergreen tussock grasses (spinifex) and small trees or shrubs belonging to the genus Acacia.
6. Australia has 5 deserts: 4 on the west side, one in the center.
a. Simpson Desert – southeast corner of the Northern Territories; < 500’ asl; stony desert
b. Great Sandy – north part of western Australia; < 600’ above sea level.
c. Great Victoria – western Australia
d. Gibson Desert –
e. Nullarbor Plain – south of the Great Victoria Desert.
The Australian continent is one of the driest in the world apart from Antarctica. Nearly 50% ofAustralia receives less than 25cms of rainfall in a year. Australian desert areas are extremely warm and are one of the most difficult places for survival of plants, human beings and animals. Most of the Australian deserts are located in central and north-western parts of the country. The total size of the Australian deserts is 2.3 million square kilometre and it occupies 44% of the entire continental area. The formation of the Australian deserts has a rich and interesting past. Australia did not always lie on the southern part of the equator but after its formation it is supposed to have travelled to its north. The desert belts were created when hot air from the