Jun 6, 200603:16 PMThe Life

Deserts of the world: Simpson + Sturt

The Simpson Desert (completely encompassing the Sturt stony desert) covers nearly 56,000 square miles of central Australia. Its red dune fields and sand plains are covered with sparse shrubs and hardy clumps of grass. The spectacular Big Red is a sand dune of immense proportions, over 40 yards high.

The vast Lake Eyre collects all the runoff from surrounding areas because of its depth - 52 feet below sea level. The lake bed has filled several times during the past century, when rains were sufficient. When empty, it forms a large, glaring-white salt pan.

[Image from Colson's 1936 expedition - click thumbnail photo for larger version.]

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