How Much of Australia is Actually Desert? Exploring the Facts
explore

How Much of Australia is Actually Desert? Exploring the Facts

how much australia is desert

When we think of Australia, we often picture a massive sandbox teeming with rugged wilderness. But what’s the actual deal with the Great Down Under? Is it mostly desert, or do we have other goodies in the bag?

Is most of Australia deserts? What percentage of Australia is desert?

The reality is, only a chunk of Australia’s terrain (roughly 35%) qualifies as desert or semi-arid. The likes of Great Victoria, Simpson, and Great Sandy deserts, as well as Nullarbor Plain, fall under this category. The remaining 65% showcases a mix of vegetation types, including rainforests, grasslands, wetlands, and temperate forests.

So, what gives with Australia’s desert reputation? Well, for one, its location in the Southern Hemisphere is a major factor. The east-to-west blowing winds in this region prevent much of the moisture from reaching the landmass. This makes for a dry climate that hampers vegetation growth.

Why is so much of Australia desert?

So what exactly causes so much of Australia to be a desert? That’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to unraveling the mystery of Australia’s desert landscape. Picture this: millions of years ago, Gondwana, the supercontinent that was Australia’s ancestral home, broke apart, creating a cacophony of mountains and valleys.

As Australia drifted away from the pack, the central region became a hotbed of aridity, where even the hardiest of vegetation struggled to survive. Fast forward to the present day, and you’re left with an unforgiving, scorching desert terrain, where the unrelenting heat and lack of moisture have caused the land to buckle and fold in on itself.

Areas of Australian mainland deserts

State/TerritoryNameSize (km2)Australia (%)
WA, SAGreat Victoria348 7504.5
WAGreat Sandy267 2503.5
WA, NTTanami184 5002.4
NT, QLD, SASimpson176 5002.3
WAGibson156 0002.0
WALittle Sandy111 5001.5
SA, QLD, NSWStrzelecki80 2501.0
SA, QLD, NSWSturt Stony29 7500.3
SATirari15 2500.2
SAPedirka1 250less than 0.1

Check out our latest posts

Unique High Tea Experience in Sydney

Unique High Tea Experience in Sydney

We stumbled upon this High Tea last weekend while visiting a friend in Roseville. There were quite a few locals dining there that day. At $68 per person, it felt pretty reasonable. The flavours were genuinely impressive and the presentation
Read more
Best Places and Time to Pick Your Own Fruit in Sydney

Best Places and Time to Pick Your Own Fruit in Sydney

Staying home all day with nothing to do? Picking your own fruit can be a fun thing to do! Freshly picked fruit tastes way better than what’s on supermarket shelves. Make sure to check the fruit seasons so you don’t
Read more
The Grounds’ New Theme - Snow White

The Grounds’ New Theme – Snow White

The Grounds of Alexandria always creates the most stunning laneway themes! This time, their Snow White theme is absolutely amazing, like stepping straight into a fairy tale. Planning to grab a coffee with friends and live out our fairy tale
Read more
Categories: Fun Facts