Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
camels, starlings, sparrows, cane toads, mosquitofish and carp. They each bring a unique
suite of problems as they carve out a niche for themselves in their new environment -
some as predators of native animals, others as competitors for the limited resources of
food, water and shelter.
Field Guide to Australian Birds
by Michael Morcombe is a well-designed field guide, with
beautiful colour illustrations and just the right amount of detail.
Plants & Habitats
There is a great diversity of vegetation between Adelaide and Darwin, reflecting the
sweeping range in climate and rainfall. Much of the Top End receives an annual rainfall
of around 1600mm, while the desert regions of SA receive less than 150mm (median) of
annual rainfall.
Known as wattles in Australia, acacia species dominate the woodlands occupying
large areas of the arid zone, with mulga varieties having by far the largest representation.
Mulga has varying forms, from a multibranched shrub of 1m to an erect tree of 7m. Once
used by Aboriginal people to make spear throwers and long, narrow shields, the wood is
extremely hard and today it is used for turning, craftwork and fence posts. Gidgee is an-
other acacia that covers large areas of central Australia.
Some of the deserts of southern and central Australia are surprisingly well vegetated,
usually with tough, dry chenopod shrublands (such as saltbush) and spinifex-dominated
hummock grasslands. After heavy rains, seeds that have been lying dormant are triggered
into life and the desert is then blanketed in wildflowers. The brightly coloured poached-
egg daisy is one of the most abundant and conspicuous wildflowers.
You'll see a wide variety of eucalypt species, from multistemmed mallee to giant,
shade-giving river red gums, such as those majestic specimens lining the Todd River in
Alice Springs and the creeks of the Flinders Ranges. These massive, spreading trees offer
refuge to a variety of wildlife, such as bats, birds, small mammals, lizards and insects.
The glossy green leaves and stark white bark of the ghost gum are another common sight
in central Australia, and it's around Alice that they've achieved most of their fame,
largely through the work of artists such as Albert Namatjira. The impressive river red
gums line the creeks of the Flinders Ranges and the dry riverbeds of central Australia.
One of the dominant Top End eucalypts is the Darwin woollybutt, a tall tree that pro-
duces large clusters of bright orange flowers (usually from May to August). Whether
flowering or not, it is easily recognisable by the 'stocking' of rough, dark-coloured bark
on its lower trunk, which is in stark contrast to the smooth, white upper trunk and
