Like many Americans, I pictured Australia as one giant desert—the red-rock, dry-as-dust Outback. I assumed most of the country's food had to be imported. Living in Australia, I’m stunned by how different the reality is. Australia has almost all the world’s terrestrial ecosystems in one continent and can grow nearly any crop.
Let’s start with what most people think of: the desert. While Australia is the driest continent except for Antarctica, only 18 percent of the land area is considered desert. Deserts are found mostly in the interior of the country.
Australia has one of the largest areas of grasslands on the planet. It stretches across six Australian states with an area of around 1,062,023 square miles (1,709,160 square kilometres).
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Moving from the arid to the wet, rainforests—whether tropical, subtropical, or cool temperate—are found mostly in Queensland, Tasmania, and New South Wales. One rainforest, the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, is the fourth largest in the world.
Eastern Australia has temperate forests, with a moderate climate and higher rainfall. In southeast Australia, we have temperate forests as well, mostly eucalyptus. There are four seasons, with temperatures that range from summer highs in the 90s to winter lows in the 20s.
This part of Australia also has an alpine region that includes the Snowy Mountains and Victorian Alps, stretching from New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory down to Victoria.
Surprisingly, Australia also has tundra, defined as treeless polar desert, on three sub-Antarctic islands: Macquarie, Heard and McDonald.
What do all these ecosystems mean for agriculture? Because of Australia’s varied climates and soil types, nearly any crop will grow here. The variety of fruits and vegetables is staggering. Also, many types of cereal crops like wheat, corn, and oats are grown here, along with rice, beans, and lentils. Sugar cane is a booming industry in the east and northeast regions.
With so much variety, visitors to Australia can experience most of the world in one continent. Why travel anywhere else?
What do all these ecosystems mean for agriculture? Because of Australia’s varied climates and soil types, nearly any crop will grow here. The variety of fruits and vegetables is staggering. Also, many types of cereal crops like wheat, corn, and oats are grown here, along with rice, beans, and lentils. Sugar cane is a booming industry in the east and northeast regions.
With so much variety, visitors to Australia can experience most of the world in one continent. Why travel anywhere else?
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