The Tanami Desert: Homeland of the Warlpiri

Tanami Desert:

On most websites, the Tanami Desert is described as a severely inhospitable area, and a barren unforgiving tundra, "one of the most isolated arid places on Earth." While this information is common, it is far from the truth. In reality, with any reliable car these days, the Desert is easily navigable.

• Size:
• The desert is 184,500 square kilometers (71, 235 square miles). It is located approximately seven hours northwest of Alice Springs and the northernmost desert in Australia. It is also Australia's third largest desert. In some areas, the desert is flat and low, in others the terrain gets rocky and hilly.

• Weather:
• The average amount of rainfall in summer (the wet season) is over 400 millimeters, but because it is located in the North the temperatures are high resulting in the majority of the rain evaporating. 
• Summer comes around during the months of October through March when the average daily temperature ranges between 36-38 degrees Celsius (97-100 degrees Fahrenheit.)Night temperatures average around 20 to 22 degrees Celsius (68-71 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• The coldest time of year occurs during the months of June and July. The day temps average around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) and night temperatures drop to around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). 

• Environment: 
• Plants/Flowers

•  Most of the terrain consists of "sandy plains" along with spinifex grass, yellow flowering shrubs called low acacias, small trees, and spindly grevilleas 

Low Acacias

Spindly Grevilleas

Spinifex Grass

•  Animals: 
• The Tanami Desert is an important area for endangered animals. Many take refuge there. Some examples of endangered animals that reside there are the Bilby, the Rufous-Hare Wallaby and the Mulgara.

Bilby

Rufous-Hare Wallaby

Mulgara