Editing Outback (section)

== Environment ==
{{Main|Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia|}}

=== Global significance ===
[[File:West MacDonnell National Park.JPG|thumb|right|MacDonnell Ranges in the [[Northern Territory]] are found in the centre of the mainland]]
[[File:Fitzgerald River National Park DSC04436.JPG|thumb|right|[[Fitzgerald River National Park]] in Western Australia]]
The paucity of industrial land use has led to the Outback being recognised globally as one of the largest remaining intact natural areas on Earth.<ref name=":0" /> Global "[[Human Footprint]]"<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Venter|first1=Oscar|last2=Sanderson|first2=Eric W.|last3=Magrach|first3=Ainhoa|last4=Allan|first4=James R.|last5=Beher|first5=Jutta|last6=Jones|first6=Kendall R.|last7=Possingham|first7=Hugh P.|last8=Laurance|first8=William F.|last9=Wood|first9=Peter|date=2016-08-23|title=Sixteen years of change in the global terrestrial human footprint and implications for biodiversity conservation|journal=Nature Communications|language=en|volume=7|pages=12558|doi=10.1038/ncomms12558|issn=2041-1723|pmc=4996975|pmid=27552116|bibcode=2016NatCo...712558V}}</ref> and wilderness<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://theconversation.com/explainer-wilderness-and-why-it-matters-36591|title=Explainer: wilderness, and why it matters|last=Mackey|first=Brendan|newspaper=The Conversation|access-date=2016-12-21|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221163348/https://theconversation.com/explainer-wilderness-and-why-it-matters-36591|archive-date=21 December 2016}}</ref> reviews highlight the importance of Outback Australia as one of the world's large natural areas, along with the [[Boreal forests]] and [[Tundra]] regions in North America, the Sahara and Gobi deserts and the tropical forests of the Amazon and Congo Basins.
The savanna (or grassy woodlands) of northern Australia are the largest, intact [[savanna]] regions in the world.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://theconversation.com/ecocheck-australias-vast-majestic-northern-savannas-need-more-care-59897|title=EcoCheck: Australia's vast, majestic northern savannas need more care|last=Murphy|first=Brett|newspaper=The Conversation|access-date=2016-12-21|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221163138/https://theconversation.com/ecocheck-australias-vast-majestic-northern-savannas-need-more-care-59897|archive-date=21 December 2016}}</ref> In the south, the [[Great Western Woodlands]], which occupy {{convert|16000000|ha}}, an area larger than all of England and Wales, are the largest remaining temperate woodland left on Earth.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wilderness Society {{!}} Great Western Woodlands |url=https://www.wilderness.org.au/iconic-places/great-western-woodlands |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=Wilderness Society |language=en |archive-date=16 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240316015730/https://www.wilderness.org.au/iconic-places/great-western-woodlands |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Major ecosystems ===
Reflecting the wide climatic and geological variation, the Outback contains a wealth of distinctive and ecologically rich ecosystems. Major land types include:
* the [[Kimberley (Western Australia)|Kimberley]] and [[Pilbara]] regions in northern Western Australia,
* sub-tropical savanna landscape of the [[Top End]], 
* ephemeral water courses of the [[Channel Country]] in western Queensland, 
* the [[Deserts of Australia|ten deserts]] in central and western Australia,
* the Inland Ranges, such as the [[MacDonnell Ranges]], which provide topographic variation across the flat plains,
* the flat [[Nullarbor Plain]] north of the Great Australian Bight, and
* the [[Great Western Woodlands]] in southern Western Australia.

=== Wildlife ===

The Outback is full of very important well-adapted wildlife, although much of it may not be immediately visible to the casual observer. Many animals, such as [[red kangaroo]]s and [[dingo]]es, hide in bushes to rest and keep cool during the heat of the day.

Birdlife is prolific, most often seen at waterholes at dawn and dusk. Huge flocks of [[budgerigar]]s, [[cockatoo]]s, [[Corella (bird)|corellas]] and [[galah]]s are often sighted. On bare ground or roads during the winter, various species of snakes and lizards bask in the sun, but they are rarely seen during the summer months.

[[Invasive species in Australia|Feral animals]] such as [[Australian feral camel|camels]] thrive in central Australia, brought to Australia by pastoralists and explorers, along with the early [[Afghan (Australia)|Afghan drivers]]. Feral horses known as '[[brumby|brumbies]]' are station horses that have run wild.  [[Feral pig#Australia|Feral pigs]], [[Red foxes in Australia|foxes]], [[Feral cats in Australia|cats]], [[Feral goats in Australia|goats]] and [[Rabbits in Australia|rabbits]] and other imported animals are also degrading the environment, so time and money is spent eradicating them in an attempt to help protect fragile rangelands.

The Outback is home to a diverse set of animal species, such as the kangaroo, [[emu]] and dingo. The [[Dingo Fence]] was built to restrict movements of dingoes and [[Dingo–dog hybrid|wild dogs]]<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2016-06-29/last-dog-trapper-south-australia/7552974?section=sa Wild dog populations will be out of control within five years without dedicated dogger, former trapper says] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428020527/http://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2016-06-29/last-dog-trapper-south-australia/7552974?section=sa |date=28 April 2018 }} ''SA Country Hour'', ABC News, 29 June 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2017.</ref><ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-07/explainer-sa-wild-dog-problem-and-sheep-industry-plea-for-dogger/8396652 Explainer: South Australia's wild dog problem and sheep industry's plea for dedicated doggers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415064728/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-07/explainer-sa-wild-dog-problem-and-sheep-industry-plea-for-dogger/8396652 |date=15 April 2017 }} ''ABC Rural'', 7 April 2017. Retrieved 13 November 2017.</ref> into agricultural areas towards the south east of the continent. The marginally fertile parts are primarily utilised as rangelands and have been traditionally used for sheep or cattle grazing, on cattle stations which are leased from the Federal Government. While small areas of the outback consist of clay soils the majority has exceedingly infertile [[paleosols|palaeosols]].

[[Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh)|Riversleigh]], in Queensland, is one of Australia's most renowned fossil sites and was recorded as a World Heritage site in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Centre |first=UNESCO World Heritage |title=Australian Fossil Mammal Sites &#x28;Riversleigh &#x2f; Naracoorte&#x29; |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/698/ |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en |archive-date=31 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031031345/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/698/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The {{convert|100|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} area contains fossil remains of ancient mammals, birds and reptiles of [[Oligocene]] and [[Miocene]] age.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2015-10-09 |title=Australian Fossil Mammal Site – Riversleigh section, World Heritage Area |url=https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/management/managed-areas/world-heritage-areas/current/riversleigh |access-date=2024-03-24 |website=Parks and forests {{!}} Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Queensland |language=en-AU |archive-date=17 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117133825/https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/management/managed-areas/world-heritage-areas/current/riversleigh |url-status=live }}</ref>