Australia's Physical Features

• Australia's physical features are diverse, as shown in Fig 9.9

Coral Reefs

• Coral reefs are formed by tiny sea creatures called Coral Polyps
• These polyps reside in shallow, warm, salty waters.
• Coral polyps secrete calcium carbonate that forms a ridge-like structure after the polyp's death.
• Coral reefs exhibit pink, red, and white colors.
• It attracts tourists but poses hazards for ships.
• Human activities like mining can harm coral reefs and aquatic life.

Central Lowlands

• The Central Plains extend from Encounter Bay in the South to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the North.
• The Central Plains are divided into three parts.

Murray Darling Basin

• It is an agricultural area with ample water supply from the Murray River and its tributaries.
• The Darling and Murrumbidgee rivers drain nearly the whole of southeast Australia.
• The Darling and Murray rivers originate from the snow-fed Southern Alps.

Lake Eyre Basin

• Lake Eyre Basin is a vast saucer-shaped area of inland drainage.
• It is a dry area where many rivers disappear without reaching the sea.

The Carpentarian Lowlands

• It is drained by the Flinders and Mitchell rivers.
• They are separated from the Lake Eyre Basin by the Barkley Tableland and Selwyn Range.

The Western Plateau

• It occupies the western half of Australia.
• Composed of sandstone and limestone layers over igneous rocks.
• The plateau slopes eastwards to the Central Lowlands and South Wales, towards the Nullarbor Plain.
• The Hamersley, Macdonnell (near Alice Springs), and Musgrave ranges are the important mountain ranges in the Western Plateau.
• Major deserts in this region include the Gibson, Great Sandy, and Great Victoria Deserts.
• A huge single rock mass called Ayers Rock (Uluru) is incorporated within the Macdonnell Range.

Coastal Plains

• The Western Plateau drops steeply to the sea, creating an even coastline with few inlets, except in the northeast.
• The sea is shallower in the northeast, providing good harbors like Darwin, Wyndham, and Derby.
• The Nullarbor Plain is a vast coastal plain located south of the Western Plateau along the southern coast.
• Uluru briefly glows red at sunset.