Sturt Stony Desert facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sturt Stony Desert |
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| Sturt's Stony, Stony | |
Position of Sturt Stony Desert in Australia
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| Geography | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia |
The Sturt Stony Desert is a unique area in Australia. You can find it in the northeast of South Australia, the far southwest of Queensland, and the far west of New South Wales.
This desert got its name from Charles Sturt in 1844. He was an explorer trying to find a large inland sea he thought was in the middle of Australia. The many stones in the desert made his horses limp. They also wore down the hooves of his cattle and sheep during his journey.
To the west of the Sturt Stony Desert is the much larger Simpson Desert. To the southeast, you'll find the Strzelecki Desert. The Sturt Stony Desert sits on a raised area called the Gason Dome, between these two sandy deserts. Southwest of it lies the Tirari Desert. A famous route called the Birdsville Track goes through this region, connecting Marree in South Australia to Birdsville in Queensland.
What Does the Sturt Stony Desert Look Like?
Most of this desert is covered by something called gibber. Gibber is a type of desert pavement. It means the ground is covered with many small, tightly packed stones.
Charles Sturt first thought these stones were left behind by ancient ocean currents. However, scientists now know that these gibber plains formed from old sheets of sandstone. Over a very long time, the weather slowly broke down this sandstone. The harder pieces of rock remained, forming the stony surface we see today.
You can also find special types of ground formations here. These are called gilgai. They can be circular or stepped shapes in the ground.
Animals and Plants of the Desert
The Sturt Stony Desert is part of a larger natural area. This area is known as the Tirari-Sturt stony desert ecoregion. An ecoregion is a large area of land or water that contains a distinct group of natural communities and species.
This desert is home to a special animal called the Kowari. The Kowari is a native Australian marsupial. This means it's a mammal that carries its young in a pouch, like a kangaroo. The Kowari is a carnivore, meaning it eats meat. It lives in the sand dunes, the softer soil areas, and sometimes in swampy spots that are scattered among the stony gibber plains.
See also
In Spanish: Desierto Pedregoso de Sturt para niños
