Physical Geography of Oceania,
Australia, & Antarctica
SSWG9 The student will describe the interaction of
physical and human systems that have shaped
contemporary Oceania, including Australia, New Zealand,
and Antarctica.
a. Describe the location of major physical features and their
impact on the region.
Mountains
• Major Features: Great Dividing Range,
Transantarctic Mountains, Southern Alps
• Great Dividing Range is in the east and source
of most rivers—remnants of old mountains
– Mt. Kosciusko is highest point on continent
• Western Plateau is also known as “the
outback” and covers 2/3 of Australia.
• Southern Alps are on the south island of New
Zealand
Mountains & Plateaus
Great Dividing Range
Transantarctic Mountains
Deserts
• Major Features: Great Victoria Desert, Great
Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, Simpson Desert
• Simpson Desert has sand dunes up to 120 feet
high
• Great Victoria Desert is named for Queen
Victoria & is actually a protected wilderness
area
• This is essentially “the Outback”
Deserts
Great Victoria Desert
Great Sandy Desert
Plains
• Major Features: Central Lowlands, Nullarbor
Plain, Canterbury Plains
• Nullarbor Plain is actually an arid flat land
• Central Lowlands lie over the Artesian Basin
• Canterbury Plains are in New Zealand and are
used for livestock & farming
Plains
Nullarbor Plain
Canterbury Plains
Rivers
•
•
•
•
Major features: Murray River, Darling River
Murray is the main river system of Australia
Darling is a tributary of the Murray
Valley of Murray River is one of the most
populated areas in Australia
• Used for hydroelectric power & irrigation
Rivers
Murray River
Darling River
Seas
• Major Features: Coral Sea, Tasman Sea, Timor
Sea, Weddel Sea, Ross Sea
• Tasman divides Australia from New Zealand
• Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean
and said to have clearest water of any sea
• Many cyclones in Coral Sea
Seas
Weddell Sea
Coral Sea
Additional Water Features
• Major Features: Great Barrier Reef, Lake
Tuapo, Lake Eyre, Pacific Ocean, Great
Australian Bight, Southern Ocean
• Great Barrier Reef is a long strip of coral
covered land
• Lake Eyre is a salt lake that in many years is
completely dry
• Great Australian Bight is a bay
Additional Water Features
Lake Tuapo
Pacific Ocean
Additional Land Features
• Major Features: Great Artesian Basin,
Antarctic Peninsula
• Great Artesian Basin is the only reliable source
of freshwater in Australia and is the deepest
basin in the world
• People get water with similar technology as
people drill for oil.
• Antarctic Peninsula is claimed by Argentina,
Chile & the UK and used for research
Additional Land Features
Great Artesian Basin
Antarctic Peninsula
Islands
• 3 categories in Oceania:
– Micronesia
– Melanesia
– Polynesia
• Many islands were created by volcanoes and
earthquakes
• Three major types of islands
– High
– Low
– Continental
Regions of Oceania