Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia is a country and island located in Oceania between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. It is the sixth-largest country in the world by area of jurisdiction. The Australian landscape is very distinctive and unique, and it is the flattest continent and, except for Antarctica, the driest. Australia has four main landform regions: the Coastal Plains, the Eastern Highlands, the Central Lowlands, and the Western Plateau. The landforms of today are the result of prolonged, continuous processes of movement and erosion over millions of years, giving rise to a variety of landscapes across the country.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Diversity of landscape | The continent is home to some of the world's oldest features and rocks, dating back more than 3000 million years, as well as newly formed geological structures. |
| Australia's landscape is diverse, with a large range of different geographical landforms and physical features. | |
| The continent is divided into four major landform regions: the Coastal Plains, the Eastern Highlands, the Central Lowlands, and the Western Plateau. | |
| The Great Divide's thickly wooded ranges contrast with the treeless, sun-baked plains of the Inland. | |
| The red rocks and monumental hills of central Australia differ from the tropical rainforests and sugar plantations of northern Queensland. | |
| The Wolfe Creek Crater, a popular tourist destination, is located 90 kilometres south of Halls Creek in Western Australia. | |
| Uluru, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a sacred place to the Anangu people and a large rock formation located near the exact centre of Australia. | |
| The Twelve Apostles are rock pillars in the Great Southern Ocean along the coast of Port Campbell National Park in Victoria, west of Melbourne. | |
| Arid climate | Australia is an arid continent, with one-third of its area occupied by desert and another third by steppe or semi-desert. |
| Only the north, east, southeast, and southwest receive enough precipitation to support vegetation that protects the land from weathering. | |
| The Finke River in central Australia is one of the oldest rivers in the world. | |
| The salt lakes of the Yilgarn region in Western Australia are remnants of a drainage pattern that existed before continental drift separated Australia from Antarctica. | |
| Australia's variable rainfall and lack of natural lakes have led to the construction of large-capacity reservoirs. | |
| Mountain range | Australia's ten highest mountains are located within six kilometres of each other. |
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What You'll Learn
The Western Plateau
Australia is the lowest, flattest, and oldest continental landmass on Earth. It is relatively flat, low-lying, and dry compared to other continents. The Western Plateau, which covers the western half of Australia, is the country's largest drainage division. It covers two-thirds of the continent, or 2,700,000 square kilometres of arid land, including large parts of Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. The region is generally flat, but it is broken by various mountain ranges such as the Hamersley Range, the MacDonnell Ranges, and the Musgrave Range. The landscape is characterised by flat-lying massive sandstone that has been dissected to give rise to isolated rock features known as plateaus, mesas, and buttes. The Western Plateau is also home to the Gibson Desert, which consists largely of a laterite-capped plain.
Tasmania, a large and mountainous island and state of Australia, lies off the southeastern corner of the mainland. It has abundant rainfall and highly fertile soils, particularly when compared to the mainland. Off the northeastern coast of Australia is the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef complex.
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The Eastern Highlands
Tasmania, a large and mountainous island and state of Australia located south of the southeastern corner of the mainland, is also considered part of the Eastern Highlands. Tasmania receives abundant rainfall and has highly fertile soils compared to the Australian mainland.
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The Central Lowlands
Australia is a country and an island located in Oceania between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. It is the sixth-largest country in the world by area of jurisdiction. The Australian landscape is highly distinctive and unique, and the country is relatively flat, low-lying, and dry compared to other continents. The mainland has a total coastline length of 35,821 km (22,258 mi), with an additional 23,860 km (14,830 mi) of island coastlines.
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The Coastal Plains
Australia's landscape is incredibly diverse and unique, and the country can be divided into four major landform regions: the Coastal Plains, the Eastern Highlands, the Central Lowlands, and the Western Plateau.
In Australia, the Coastal Plains include the South East Coastal Plain in Victoria, which features the Gippsland Plain, the eastern portion of Melbourne, the Otway Plain, and the Warrnambool Plain subregions. The Gippsland Plain includes depressed coastal and alluvial plains, barrier dunes, and swampy flatlands, and consists mostly of grassland and grassy woodlands on fertile, yellow and grey-textured soils. The average elevation of the Coastal Plains ranges from sea level to about 150 meters, with an average altitude of 1.6 meters above sea level. The average temperature ranges from 13 to 20 degrees Celsius, with an average of 200 to 305 frost-free days per year. The Coastal Plains have an average precipitation of 1000 to 1500 mm per year, with the Ultisols being the dominant soil order.
Another example of the Coastal Plains in Australia is the Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia, which includes the city of Perth.
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The Great Barrier Reef
Australia's landscape is incredibly diverse and unique, from its dry deserts to its lush forests and tropical rainforests. The country is relatively flat and low-lying compared to other continents, and it is the oldest continental landmass on Earth.
One of the most famous natural landscapes in Australia is the Great Barrier Reef, a site of remarkable variety and beauty on the northeast coast of the country. It is the largest coral reef system in the world, stretching over 2,300 kilometres and covering an area of 348,000 square kilometres. The reef is made up of over 3,000 individual reef systems and coral cays, and it is home to an abundance of marine life, including 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish, and 4,000 types of molluscs. The Great Barrier Reef also provides a habitat for threatened species such as the dugong and the large green turtle.
Today, the Great Barrier Reef is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from all over the world. It offers a range of experiences such as snorkelling, scuba diving, helicopter tours, glass-bottom boat viewing, and more. The reef is also an important economic driver for the region, generating over AUD$3 billion per year in tourism revenue.
However, the Great Barrier Reef faces several environmental threats, including the impact of human activities such as fishing and tourism, as well as climate change and coral bleaching. Despite these challenges, the Great Barrier Reef remains one of Australia's most remarkable natural wonders, providing breathtaking beauty and a unique underwater experience.
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Frequently asked questions
The four main landform regions of Australia are the Coastal Plains, the Eastern Highlands, the Central Lowlands, and the Western Plateau.
The Western Plateau is made up of several individual plateaus, including the Kimberley, Hamersley, and Yilgarn plateaus. The Western Plateau is also home to various mountain ranges, such as the MacDonnell and Musgrave Ranges.
The Eastern Highlands, also known as the Great Dividing Range, separate the eastern coastal plain from the rest of the continent. The Great Dividing Range was formed during the Paleogene and Neogene Periods when the Eastern Highlands were uplifted, forming the Great Divide.
Australia is home to some of the world's oldest physical landscapes, dating back 4 billion years. The Finke River in central Australia is one of the oldest rivers in the world. The salt lakes of the Yilgarn region in Western Australia are remnants of a drainage pattern that existed before continental drift separated Australia from Antarctica. Uluru in Central Australia is one of the world's most recognizable rock formations and was laid down in an inland sea about 500 million years ago.
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