Physiography of Australia

B A III YEAR A.N.COLLEGEPATLIPUTRA UNIVERSITY, PATNA.BY DR. BHAWANA NIGAM

Introduction

Australia is smallest continent of the world but the sixth-largest country in the world.

The population of Australia is concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts.

The geography of the country is extremely diverse, ranging from the snow capped mountains of the Australian Alps and Tasmania to large deserts, tropical and temperate forests.

Neighboring countries include Indonesia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea to the north, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the French dependency of New Caledonia to the east, and New Zealand to the southeast

It is located in Oceania between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean

TYR TO FIND THEM

IN YOUR ATLAS

Student kindly take notes of all the sea like TIMOR SEA, ARAFURA SEA, CORAL SEA, TASMAN SEA,

Next the location of GULF OF CARPENTHRIA, GREAT AUSTRALIAN BIGHT, BASS STRAIGHT, GREAT DIVIDING RANGE, GREAT BARRIER REEF.

note:-

Oceania :- scattered island of pacific ocean are known as OCEANIA. It is culturally divided into

1. Australia2. New Zealand3. Melanesia4. Micronesia5. Polynesia.

Australia is located between 10○20’ and 43○20’s latitudes and 112○30’E and 153○30’E longitudes.

Australia is bounded by Timor sea and Arafura sea in the north-west

By Torres strait in the north –east by south Pacific ocean in the East By Antarctic ocean in the south By Indian Ocean in the West.

RELIEF/ PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISION

Australia can be divided into 4 physiographic divisions:-

Western Australian

shield

Great Artesian Basin

Eastern Uplands

Coastal Plains.

Western Australian shield

Occupies the western part of Australia Covers about 50% of the continent Extends from Indian oceanic coast to

MacDonnell range. The shield is divided into different physical

features known as “lineaments”. These include- uplands; intervening

lowlands and deserts.

uplands

•Kimberly Plateau•Arnhem land

Intervening

lowlands

•Eucla basin/ nullorbore plain•Barkley tableland•Salina land•Gibson basin

deserts

•Great sandy desert•Gibson desert•Great Victorian desert•Tanami desert•Simpson desert•Sturt stony desert

Kimberly plateau

Arnham land

Australian deserts

Great artesian basin

Largest Artesian basin of the world Covering about 15 lakh sq. km Extend from the Carpentaria gulf in the

north to the Murray basin in the new south Wales.

It include three basins;- Carpentaria Basin Eyre Basin Murray-Darling basin.

Great artesian basin

Great artesian basin

Carpentria basin

•Between the ROPER basin and Isa upland•Extensive flat area covered by sediments deposited by the rivers

EYRE basin

•Extends over the central and Northern Australia•Lowest part of Australia, 17 meters below the sea level•The basin is drained by rivers like EYRE, the DIAMENTINA, the THOMPSON, the BARCOO.•Palaya ( lakes formed due to solution of rocks), and salt pans are common here.

Murray- Darling Basin

•Occupies southern part of the great Artesian basin•Drained by the rivers Murray and Darling•River murray originates from the Australian ALPS, and flows into ENCOUNTER bay.•The Darling river originates from north east and meets the river Murray in its lower course.

Eastern Uplands

Also known as AUSTRALIAN CORDILLERA

Extends from YORK peninsula to in the north to BASS STRAIT in the south

It again apperars in TASMANIA island.

The eastern part is in the form of continuous low mountains known as GREAT DIVIDING RANGE.

it has complex nature made of folding , faulting, wrapping and igneous intrusion.

Gentle slope in the east but steep slope in the west.

It is formed during late tertiary era In new south Wales , the height increases and

are separated by Escarpments( faulted blocks of rocks at right angle)

It the middle lies BLUE MOUNTAIN; HEIGHT BETWEEN 900-1500 METERS

Highest peak MOUNT KOSCIUSKO (2234 meters); in the exterme SE of great dividing range.

In Victoria, the range turns towards west, lowered and terminates in low hills known as Grampians.

Tasmania island is an uplifted dome and a part of Great Dividind Range.

COASTEL PLAINS

There are narrow plains along the northern western and southern part of Australia.

Wide coastal plain along the Great Australian Bight ; known as NULLORBOR PLAIN.

Narrow coastal plain along the western coast made up of deposits of sediments made by rivers and sea.

The eastern coast does not have coastal plain due to presence of Great Dividing range..

Thank you