Leslie Massey
Australia is the driest inhabited continent in the world, with 70% of the mainland receiving less than 500mm of rain annually. Defining a desert in Australia is complicated, but typically, a desert is defined as an area receiving on average less than 250mm of rain per year. Australia has ten deserts, and three of them are in Western Australia: the Great Sandy Desert, the Gibson Desert, and the Little Sandy Desert. These three deserts cover 394,900 km2, 156,300 km2, and 110,900 km2, respectively. They are characterised by red sand dunes, gibber plains, and rocky outcrops.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Deserts in Australia | 10 |
| Percentage of Australian mainland covered by deserts | 18% |
| Percentage of Australian continent that receives little rain and is practically desert | 35% |
| Size of Great Victoria Desert | 164,000 square miles |
| Position of Great Victoria Desert | Second-largest desert in Australia |
| Size of Great Sandy Desert | 394,900 km² or 150,000 square miles |
| Position of Great Sandy Desert | Second-largest desert in Australia |
| Size of Gibson Desert | 156,300 km² or 60,000 square miles |
| Size of Little Sandy Desert | 110,900 km² |
| Average Rainfall in Australia's Deserts | 250-350 mm per annum |
| Average Summer Daytime Temperature in Australia's Deserts | Above 35°C |
| Average Winter Daytime Temperature in Australia's Deserts | Below 15°C in the south and 25-27°C in the north |
| Average Night-time Temperature in Australia's Deserts | 3-6°C |
| Average Night-time Temperature in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia | 48-50°C |
Explore related products
$24.71 $31.95
What You'll Learn
The Great Sandy Desert
The desert is characterised by its sand dunes, sandstone mesas, and rocky plains. The landscape is dominated by hummock grasslands, with scattered eucalypt trees and acacia shrubs. The spinifex grass that covers the region is an Australian desert grass of the Triodia genus. It has pointed leaves that store water and sharp tips that can injure people. The grass forms distinct rounded mounds, or "hummocks", as it ages, and is believed to be a unique graminoid lifeform.
The desert has very high temperatures and low rainfall, with an annual average of 250-350 mm. However, this is highly variable and strongly seasonal, with most rain coming from monsoon thunderstorms or tropical cyclones. The high evaporation rate due to the heat also contributes to the desert-like conditions. Frost does not usually occur in the region, except in the far southeast bordering the Gibson Desert, which may experience light frost.
Australian Icons: Bird and Animal Symbols
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Gibson Desert
Young Indigenous adults from the Gibson Desert region participate in programs like Wilurarra Creative to maintain and develop their cultural heritage. The desert's vegetation is predominantly hummock grassland, covering around 92% of the area, with scattered eucalypt trees and Acacia shrubs. The plant diversity is relatively high for a desert, with over 2000 known plant taxa. However, many small- to medium-sized mammals in these deserts are near extinction.
Vegetable Shortening: Where to Find It in Australia
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Little Sandy Desert
The Rudall River has its headwaters in the Little Sandy Desert, flowing northeast into the southern Great Sandy Desert. There are a few permanent water sources in the hills and some waterholes left by the Canning Stock Route. The town of Jigalong is on the western edge of the desert, with a population of approximately 300 in 2016. There are also two smaller communities at Parnngurr and Punmu. The Carnarvon Range, known as Katjarra to the Martu people, covers around 2,000 square kilometres. It is a sacred and significant place for the Indigenous people, with ancient rock art, including rock paintings of the bilby, the black-flanked rock-wallaby, and a ceremonial headdress.
Finding Your First Grad Job in Australia
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Great Victoria Desert
The desert is a UNESCO Biosphere reserve, with 31% of it protected across various parks and reserves, including the Mamungari Conservation Park, the Great Victoria Desert Nature Reserve, Nullarbor National Park, and the Flora and Fauna Conservation Park. The desert has been used for human activities such as mining and nuclear weapons testing, but much of its eastern end is occupied by the Central and North West Aboriginal reserves.
Exploring Australia: Cairns to Hervey Bay Distance
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The climate and weather of Western Australia's deserts
Western Australia is home to several deserts, including the Gibson Desert, the Great Sandy Desert, the Little Sandy Desert, and the Great Victoria Desert. These arid regions experience very hot temperatures and low rainfall, with annual precipitation averaging between 250 and 350 mm. While this is considered relatively high by international standards, the high evapotranspiration rates in these regions result in correspondingly arid conditions.
The Gibson Desert, located in the centre-east of Western Australia, is named after Alfred Gibson, a member of British explorer Ernest Giles' expedition party who perished in the desert in 1874. The landscape of the Gibson Desert is diverse, featuring red sand plains and dunes, saltwater lakes, low ridges covered in rock and gravel, and lateritic "buckshot" gravel plains. The desert is predominantly covered by flat sandy-gravelly sand plains and lateritic gravel plains, with some sandstone mesas.
The Great Sandy Desert, the second-largest desert in Australia, extends from the southwest of the Northern Territory to the west coast of Western Australia near Port Headland. It borders the Gibson and Little Sandy Deserts and features vast sand dune systems, sandstone mesas, and rocky plains. The vegetation in this desert is primarily hummock grasslands, with scattered eucalypt trees and Acacia shrubs.
The Little Sandy Desert is located in the centre of Western Australia, to the east of the Pilbara region and north of the Gascoyne region. It borders the Great Sandy Desert and the Gibson Desert. This desert is characterised by stony hills, low ranges, and plains with alluvial deposits in the valleys, as well as extensive dune fields and sandstone ranges.
The Great Victoria Desert, the largest desert in Australia, stretches from the Eastern Goldfields region in Western Australia to the Gawler Ranges in South Australia. It encompasses a variety of landscapes, including grassland plains, gibber plains, sandhills, and salt lakes. This desert experiences low rainfall, with rates varying significantly from year to year and exhibiting strong seasonality, primarily during the summer.
In summary, the deserts of Western Australia are characterised by high temperatures, low rainfall, and diverse landscapes ranging from sand dunes and plains to salt lakes and grasslands. These arid regions support a variety of plant and animal life, including hummock grasslands, eucalypt trees, and Acacia shrubs, as well as predators such as dingoes and monitor lizards.
Official Release Date: 'Are We Officially Dating?' in Australia
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Western Australia is home to several deserts, including the Gibson Desert, the Great Sandy Desert, and the Little Sandy Desert.
The Great Sandy Desert is the second-largest desert in Australia, covering 394,900 km2 or 150,000 square miles.
The Gibson Desert is known for its diverse landscapes, including red sand plains and dunes, saltwater lakes, and lateritic "buckshot" gravel plains. It is also associated with the Pintupi people, believed to be the last group of Aboriginal people to make contact with modern Australia in 1984.
Yes, small Indigenous communities and towns exist in these remote arid regions. For example, the desert community of Yulara is located near Uluru in the Great Sandy Desert. The main populations in the Great Sandy Desert region consist of Aboriginal Australian communities and mining centres.
