Tirari–Sturt stony desert

The Tirari–Sturt stony desert is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion in central Australia.

Location and description

The Tirari–Sturt stony desert ecoregion contains the gibber plains (desert pavement) and red sands of the large Sturt Stony Desert, the Tirari Desert to its southwest and the Flinders and Gawler Ranges to the south. The Tirari has more sand dunes than the Sturt Stony Desert and has also been the site of some important fossil findings. Towns of the ecoregion include the opal mining centre of Coober Pedy, famous for its underground dwellings. The climate is very hot with summer temperatures reaching 50 °C.

The region consists of the Stony Plains, Gawler, Flinders Lofty Block and the Broken Hill Complex bioregions of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA).

Flora and fauna

As well as stony plain and sands there are areas of chenopod, mallee and mulga wooded scrubland. The region is home to a variety of wildlife that has adapted to the hot dry conditions including the wedge-tailed eagles, yellow-footed rock wallaby and western grey kangaroos of the Flinders Ranges.

The desert proper is uninhabitable and the environment there remains undamaged, while the greener fringe are used for sheep grazing.

Protected areas

10.34% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Protected areas include:

Bimbowrie Conservation Park

Black Rock Conservation Park

Bon Bon Station Conservation Reserve

Boolcoomatta Conservation Reserve

Buckaringa Private Nature Reserve

Bunkers Conservation Reserve

Caroona Creek Conservation Park

Coongie Lakes Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance

Danggali Wilderness Protection Area

Ediacara Conservation Park

Elliot Price Conservation Park

Gawler Ranges National Park

Hiltaba Nature Reserve

Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park

Ironstone Hill Conservation Park

Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park

Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park

Kinchega National Park

Lake Frome Regional Reserve

Lake Gairdner National Park

Lake Gilles Conservation Park

Lake Torrens National Park

Mount Brown Conservation Park

Mount Willoughby Indigenous Protected Area

Munyaroo Conservation Park

Mutawintji Nature Reserve

Mutawintji National Park

Nantawarrina Indigenous Protected Area

Pandappa Conservation Park

Pinkawillinie Conservation Park

Pualco Range Conservation Park

Red Banks Conservation Park

Simpson Desert Regional Reserve

Strzelecki Regional Reserve

The Dutchmans Stern Conservation Park

Upper Spencer Gulf Marine Park

Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park

Wabma Kadarbu Mound Springs Conservation Park

Whyalla Conservation Park

Winninowie Conservation Park

Witchelina Nature Reserve

Witjira National Park

Yalpara Conservation Park

Yappala Indigenous Protected Area

Yellabinna Regional Reserve

Yellabinna Wilderness Protection Area

Yumbarra Conservation Park

References

Biogeography of the Northern Territory

Deserts of South Australia

Deserts and xeric shrublands

Ecoregions of South Australia

Ecoregions of New South Wales

Lake Eyre basin