Australian Desert Facts for Kids

The continent of Australia consists of approximately 18% desert land. The names of the four biggest Australian deserts are the Great Victoria Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Tanami Desert, and Simpson Desert.  The largest of the four biomes is the Great Victoria Desert which is located in Western and South Australia where it encompasses an area of 348,750 sq km.

Discover the most interesting information about the Australian Deserts with our fact sheet about the location of these biomes, size, ecosystem of animals and plants, and their adaptations, biome information, climatic conditions, summer and winter temperatures, rainfall, monsoons, history and formation of the amazing Australian Deserts.

Interesting Facts about Australian Deserts for Kids:- Factsmania has compiled printable facts for kids on the Australian Deserts including the Great Victoria Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Tanami Desert, and Simpson Desert. Our interesting facts are ideal for kids who want to learn about desert biomes of Australia.  Did you know that the Australian Deserts cover around 18% of the continent? Did you know that the most common species of kangaroo found living in the Australian Deserts is the Red Kangaroo? Do you know that many plants exist in the Australian Deserts? Did you know that the term 'desertification' can be defined as the process by which fertile land becomes desert?

Interesting Facts about Australian Deserts for Kids:- Our list of Interesting Australian Desert Facts for Kids is free to print and includes important facts about the Great Victoria Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Tanami Desert, Simpson Desert, Gibson Desert, Little Sandy Desert.

Interesting Facts about Australian Deserts for Kids

Australian Deserts Fact File for Kids:- Names of Australian Deserts: Great Victoria Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Tanami Desert, Simpson Desert, Gibson Desert, Little Sandy Desert *** Highest Temperature of Australian Deserts: 50 degrees Celsius *** Average Winter Temperature of Australian Deserts: 20 degrees Celsius *** Average Climate and Weather Conditions of the Australian Deserts: Hot and dry, low precipitation ***

Interesting Facts for Kids 1:- What are the names of the Australian deserts and where are they located?
The Australian deserts cover approximately 18% of the continent, but almost 35% of the continent remains dry due to low rainfall. Most of the Australian deserts are located towards the western plateau land and the lowlands. The names of Australia's biggest desert biomes are the Great Victoria Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Tanami Desert and Simpson Desert.

Interesting Facts for Kids 2:- The name of the biggest Australian desert is the Great Victoria Desert. This biome is huge and extends over an area of 348,750 sq km. The Great Victoria Desert is located in Western and South Australia. The second biggest Australian desert is the Great Sandy Desert which encompasses an expanse of 284, 993 sq km across its location in Western Australia. The third largest of the Australian deserts is the Tanami Desert, it is located in the Western and Northern Territory of Australia and spreads across a total area size of 184,500 km sq. Australia’s fourth biggest desert is the Simpson Desert which is present in Northern, South Australia and Queensland Territory. The size of the Simpson Desert is approximately 176,500 sq km. The Gibson Desert and the Little Sandy Desert have an expanse of 156,500 sq km and 111,500 sq km in Western Australia. The other smaller Australian deserts are located mostly in the South Australian region, namely Strzelecki, Sturt, Tirari and Pedirka.

Interesting Facts for Kids 3:- What is the average temperature in the Australian deserts?
The temperatures throughout the Australian deserts vary considerably. Temperatures can reach as high as 50 degrees Celsius during the hot summer months and fall as low as 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) during the winter. Frosts are known to occur at night time during the winter months. Basically, the Australian deserts do not experience spring or autumn seasons. The average winter temperature is approximately 20 degree Celsius in the most arid areas, even though the semi arid areas can be subject to freezing night time temperatures during the winter.

Interesting Facts for Kids 4:- What is the climate of the Australian Deserts?
The climate of the Australian deserts is hot and dry most of the time with humidity levels remaining between 10-20 percent. 70% of the whole of Australia typically experiences an arid climate. The unpredictability of the arrival of the monsoons means that the land could receive rainfall at any time of the year. There is a high transpiration rate, much higher than the rainfall rate. The air is usually dry throughout the Australian deserts and this doesn’t always change, not even with the occurrence of thunderstorms which can happen quite unexpectedly. The thunderstorms are mostly dry as they are not always accompanied by rain.

Interesting Facts for Kids 5:- Australian Deserts Rainfall
The Australian deserts typically receive less than 250mm of rainfall annually. The most arid area regions, such as the Lake Eyre basin in South Australia, receive an average of 100-140mm of rain per year. Even though the rainfall is less in these regions, it is not that low when compared to other deserts across the world, such as the Sahara or Atacama deserts. The pattern of precipitation differs every year as it is governed by the summer monsoons. Rainfall contours divide the Australian deserts into 3 areas:
The desert zone comprising of the Oodnadatta receives rainfall of less than 150 mm annually.
The arid zone receives 200-300mm rainfall annually and includes the Alice Springs region.
The semi-arid zone receives about 400mm of rainfall and includes the Tennant Creek Region.

Interesting Facts for Kids 6:- How big are the four major Australian Deserts?
The names of the four major Australian deserts are the Great Victoria, Great Sandy Desert, Tanami Desert and Simpson Desert. The biggest of these biomes is the Great Victoria Desert which is approximately 348,750 square kilometers. The second biggest Australian desert is the Great Sandy desert which covers an area of around 284,993 square kilometers. The third biggest desert in Australia is the Tanami Desert which is present across an area of 184,500 square kilometers, and the fourth largest Australian desert is the Simpson Desert which has a total area of size of 176,500 square kilometers.

Interesting Facts for Kids 7:- What animals live in the Australian deserts?
The Australian deserts are home to many species of animal including the Australia Desert Frog, Bilby, Perentie, Thorny Devil, Bearded Dragon, Red kangaroo, Dingo and the camel. Australia is renowned for its kangaroo population. There are over 200 different marsupial species in Australia. The Red kangaroo is the most common species of found living in the Australian deserts. Male red kangaroos are entirely red in color whereas the females have a gray colored back.

Interesting Facts for Kids 8:- Australian Numbat Facts
Numbat is another type of marsupial commonly found in the Western Australian deserts. The Numbat is a small black and white striped animal with a bushy tail. It is also known as the banded anteater as its diet consists majorly of termites. This animal is nocturnal, preferring to remain inactive and hidden during day time hours. One of the most interesting facts about desert marsupials is that animals belonging to this species, such as Numbats, conserve energy by storing food as fat in their tails, similar to the way that camels store food in their humps.

Interesting Facts for Kids 9:- Australian Desert Camel Facts
Although camels can be found living in the Australian deserts, they are not native to Australia. Camels were brought to the continent by explorers as they are hardy animals which are highly adaptable to hot desert climates and provide a fantastic means of transport. Camels adapt well to the harsh climate conditions of the Australians deserts. Certain features protect them from the sun, dust and sands including their thick eyebrows, three sets of eyelids, hair inside their ears, nostrils which they can open and close, wide feet, thick lips and ability to store fat in their humps to conserve energy. Camels can drink up to 46 litres of water in a day and can travel for days without food or water.

Interesting Facts for Kids 10:- Australian Dingo Facts
A dingo is a species of wild dog which was brought to the Australian continent by the Aboriginals. The dingo is the largest predator found in the Australian deserts. Their prey includes animals of various sizes including rats, rabbits and even kangaroos. Despite being competent hunters, their numbers have declined over the years.

Interesting Facts for Kids 11:- Australian Bilby Facts
The Bilby is a rodent type marsupial found living in the Australia deserts. Bilby are timid, omnivorous animals with long rabbit-like ears and pointed noses. They have grey and white coats, and powerful claws which help them to dig burrows and tunnels through the ground. The population of Bilby is fast declining and this animal is threatened with extinction. The Lesser Bilby has already become extinct.

Interesting Facts for Kids 12:- Australian Desert Bird Facts
The Australian deserts are home to many species of bird such as falcons, eagles, swallows, thrush, parrots, wrens and robins. The emu is amongst the species of bird found living in the Australian Deserts - a wonderful animal highly adapted to life in the desert. Emus are large, powerful and fast. They move from place to place in search of water sources.

Interesting Facts for Kids 13:- Australian Water-holding Frog Facts
The Water-holding Frog is another amazing species found living in the Australian desert. It is named so because it holds water under its skin and looks like a balloon. The Water-holding Frog only emerges during the rains and remains in the burrows the rest of the time.

Interesting Facts for Kids 14:- Australian Spider Facts
There are over a 100 different types of spiders found in the Australian deserts including Barking Spiders (type of tarantula) and Redback Spiders. Contrary to belief, Australian spiders are not as dangerous or deadly as we're often led to believe. Some spider species are venomous with bites that can cause illness for several hours, but they are usually not deadly.

Interesting Facts for Kids 15:-  Australian Desert Snakes
The Australian deserts are home to many species of snake including the most poisonous Taipan which is a desert snake. Taipan snake can grow to around 11 feet long in its full grown stage and its venom can kill a human in 45 minutes. There are two types of Taipan varieties: the inland and the coastal kinds.

The Desert Death Adder is native to Australia and is in fact, one of the world’s most venomous snakes. The Desert Death Adder is facing extinction due to the destruction of its habitat. Its fangs are longer then many other snake species and their short, thick bodies blend well into their surroundings making them hard to spot, therefore, more dangerous.

The brown snake varieties of eastern and western type are reported to be responsible for most deaths in Australia. The eastern brown snake is the second most venomous land snake. The common Tiger Snake is the second variety that causes the most number of deaths. The Mulga or the king brown snake is the heaviest and one of the longest venomous snake in the world. The woma python is another species of snake found living in Australia, in the Ayer's Rock area.

Interesting Facts for Kids 17:- Australian desert lizards
The Australian deserts are home to various species of lizard including the dangerous looking Thorny Devil which looks like a lizard with thorns. The Thorny Devil behaves like a chameleon as it changes color with accordance to the color of the sand. This type of lizard may appear ferocious but its diet only really consists of ants. Australia has the highest population and variety of lizards in the world. The skinks are the most common lizards found in Australia and make up about 50% of the population. The geckos are most commonly found in the Australian deserts.

Interesting Facts for Kids 18:- What is the main source of water for Australian deserts?
The main source of water for the Australian deserts has been the soak or soakage. There is no stable water source as rainfall is not predictable. An ephemeral river or a creek can lead to water seepage below the soil and this is known as a Soak. This was the main source for the Aboriginals during the drought. The sand was scooped out to several meters to reveal water. These were also known as native wells. There are permanent springs which are known locally by the name Jila, as named by the early Aboriginals. Rainfall is rare hence the importance and reason why water sources are treated with care. Summer rains are seen as a boon for the flora and fauna of the Australian Deserts.

Interesting Facts for Kids 19:- What plants grow in the Australian deserts?
Many species of plant life can be found growing in the Australian deserts including trees, shrubs, cacti, herbs and grasses. Some of the most popular Australian desert plant names are Ghost Gum, Mulga, Sandalwood, Cypress Pine, Wattle, Myall, Hop Bush, Emu Bush, Bluebush, Bladder Saltbush and Bullock Bush. They are either shrubs or trees. Hummock grasses namely Spinifex grass form most of the grass cover. There are also a few wildflowers like Sturt's Desert Rose, Buttercup, kangaroo paw and desert pea that grow in areas of the Australian deserts. These regions can experience very arid and nutritionally poor soils as periods of drought can last for long spells. Unexpected summer rains are welcomed by the vegetation in the Australian deserts but evaporate far too quickly as temperatures sour to 50 degrees Celsius. The soil isn’t particularly fertile and it is unsuitable for plant growth due to its excess salt content and aridity.

Interesting Facts for Kids 20:- Australian Desert Lake?
Lake Eyre is the lowest situated lake in Australia, it is located in northern South Australia in the deserts of Central Australia, at 15 meters below sea level. When Lake Eyre fills during the rainy season, it becomes the largest lake in Australia. Such situation have resulted in the lake flooding. The Lake Eyre basin covers almost one sixth of the total area of Australia, providing a draining basin where very important mineral deposits collect. Lake Eyre is also known by its native name Kati Thanda. It has over 200 small sub lakes, and even during dry weather spells, water still remains in the lake. Lake Eyre is divided into two sections, north and south which is joined by the Goyder Channel.

Interesting Facts for Kids 21:- Australian desert tourism
Every year, millions of tourists visit Australia, many of whom experience the stunning beauty of the Australian deserts on an organized, guided tour. Four wheel driving along the deserts is a very interesting way to discover this part of the world, especially during the winter. Every other Australian state has a remote desert area which can be easily accessed from cities and towns. There are several desert parks in Australia but entry passes to these beautiful attractions have to be arranged before the long drive into the desert is taken. Visitors can enjoy the Witjira National Park with its therapeutic springs, or the salt lakes of the Simpson Desert. Tourists can indulge in adventurous travel and activities in the Australian deserts. There are camping spots where tents can be positioned beneath the date palms. There are also intermittent wetlands with beautiful flora and fauna where visitors can camp.

Interesting Facts for Kids 22:-  How did the Australian deserts form?
Although the exact age of the Australian deserts is unknown, it is clear that its formation began many years ago. Almost all of the world's deserts are located at 30 degrees north or south of the equator, and is true of the Australian deserts too. The movement of hot air from the equator to the tropical region, and then to the poles, left other areas with very little rainfall. There are studies that reveal that the Australian regions were icy regions in the past. Australia’s dry climate is due to its placement on the globe. It comes next to Antarctica for its dryness. Australia typically receives low rainfall and is governed by the arrival of monsoons, thus resulting in drought conditions or flooding rains which engulf its areas.

Interesting Australian Deserts Facts for Kids