Expore the physical map of Australia showing rivers, mountain peaks and various other physical features.
Major Rivers
Murray River
Darling River
Murrumbidgee River
Lachlan River
Cooper Creek
Flinders River
Diamantina River
Victoria River
Fitzroy River (Queensland)
Fitzroy River (Western Australia)
Burdekin River
Gascoyne River
Macquarie River
Warrego River
Paroo River
Major Lakes
Lake Eyre (Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre)
Lake Torrens
Lake Frome
Lake Gairdner
Lake Mackay
Lake Carnegie
Lake Amadeus
Lake Argyle
Lake Disappointment
Lake Corangamite
Blue Lake (Mount Gambier)
Lake Alexandrina
Lake Albert
Lake George
Lake Hume
Mountain Ranges
Great Dividing Range
MacDonnell Ranges
Flinders Ranges
Australian Alps
Blue Mountains
Snowy Mountains
Stirling Range
Hamersley Range
Musgrave Ranges
Olgas (Kata Tjuta)
Mountain Peaks
Mount Kosciuszko
Mount Bogong
Mount Townsend
Mount Ossa
Mount Zeil
Mount Bartle Frere
Mount Woodroffe
Cradle Mountain
Mount Sonder
Mount Kaputar
Plains
Nullarbor Plain
Eyre Basin
Murray-Darling Basin
Carpentaria Plains
Mitchell Grass Downs
Central Lowlands
Western Plains
Sturt Stony Desert
Barkly Tableland
Channel Country
Plateaus
Barkly Tableland
Kimberley Plateau
Arnhem Land Plateau
Yilgarn Plateau
Nullarbor Plateau
Atherton Tableland
Great Western Plateau
Pilbara Plateau
Stirling Plateau
Blue Mountains Plateau
Deserts
Great Victoria Desert
Great Sandy Desert
Simpson Desert
Tanami Desert
Gibson Desert
Little Sandy Desert
Strzelecki Desert
Sturt Stony Desert
Pedirka Desert
Tirari Desert
Australia Physical Features
Australia, the world's 6th largest country in the world, has a large number of biomes, including the vast sand wastes, mountain chains, highlands, coastal areas, and peculiar environments. The country has an area of 2,970,000 sq. mi (7,680,000 sq. km) and has some of the oldest rocks in the world. The different land forms of the continent are created by geologic activity, climate and naturaldisasters which make Australia a land of extreme horizontal and vertical variations with desert, plains, mountains and coastline.
Major Mountain Ranges
Australia’s mountain ranges are generally low when compared to those of other continents; however, they are pivotal in the climate and geography of the region. The Great Dividing Range, which extends for more than 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers) along the eastern coast, is the longest and most important mountain system. It controls rainfall and is the source of major river systems. Others include the MacDonnell Ranges of the Northern Territory, the Flinders Ranges of South Australia, and the Hamersley Range of Western Australia. Some of the oldest rock formations, which are more than a billion years old, are found in these ranges.
Notable Mountain Peaks
Although Australia is not a country with very high mountains, it does have notable peaks which are important for their geological and ecological value. The highest peak on the mainland, Mount Kosciuszko is 7,310 feet or 2,228 meters in the Snowy Mountains, part of the Great Dividing Range. Other major peaks include Mount Bogong in Victoria, Mount Ossa in Tasmania and Mount Zeil in the Northern Territory. Hikers go up to these areas and are isolated habitats for flora and fauna.
Major Rivers and Lakes
Australia’s river systems are used in agriculture, ecosystems and human settlements, but have irregular water flow due to an arid climate. The Murray River is the longest river at 1,558 miles (2,508 kilometers) and is the primary river used for irrigation and farming. Other large rivers are the Darling River, the Lachlan River, and the Fitzroy River. Many Australian rivers are seasonal and depend on rain for water flow.
Australian lakes are typically temporary, they only get filled during the rainy season. The biggest lake by area is Lake Eyre in South Australia which when full stretches over 3,668 square miles (9,500 square kilometers) but is usually empty. Other major lakes include Lake Torrens, Lake Frome, Lake Argyle and Lake Macquarie the largest coastal saltwater lake.
The Vast Deserts
Australia is the driest of all continents with only about 35% of its surface being covered by deserts. The biggest, the Great Victoria Desert is found in western and southern Australia and covers about 134,650 square miles or 348,750 square kilometres. Other major deserts include the Great Sandy Desert, the Simpson Desert, the Gibson Desert, the Tanami Desert and the Strzelecki Desert. These deserts are noted for having very high and very low temperatures and little rainfall but are rich in plant and animal life adapted to arid conditions.
The Plateaus and Plains
Western Plateau of Australia is one of the oldest landforms in the world covering nearly two-third of the continent. Vast, weathered rock formations include the famous Uluru (Ayers Rock), and Kata Tjuta (Olgas), all sacred to Indigenous Australians, and are part of the one huge area of weathered rock. The plateau is a rich storehouse of minerals and is also the location of some of the world's oldest known rocks.
One of the world's largest underground water reservoir, the Great Artesian Basin is part of the Central Lowlands and is a principal water source for agriculture and livestock. The Eastern Coastal Plain is richly fertile and used for farming; the Nullarbor Plain, a flat, treeless region in southern Australia, stretching over 600 miles (1,000 kilometres) along the Great Australian Bight as a great barrier to navigation and commerce.
Coastal Features and Coral Reefs
Australia has more than 35,877 km of coastline which has different coastal landforms such as cliffs, sandy beaches, bays and coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef which is the biggest coral reef system in the world is located along the northeast coast of Queensland and stretches for more than 2,300 km. It brings life to a huge marine environment and is one of the greatest natural phenomena of the world. Other major coastal features include the Twelve Apostles rock formations in Victoria and the rocky coasts of Shark Bay in Western Australia.
