Australia’s second-largest desert, crossed by the historic Canning Stock Route and dotted with long red dunes.
Area
284,000 km²
Continent
Oceania
Location
North-western Australia
Temperature
Often above 38°C
Rainfall
250–300 mm a year
Climate
Hot desert
About the Great Sandy Desert
The Great Sandy Desert stretches across north-western Australia in long parallel red dunes. It holds the famous Canning Stock Route — once used to drive cattle — and important Aboriginal lands and art sites. Despite the heat, brief monsoon storms can bring sudden downpours in summer.
Did you know?
Summer temperatures here can stay above 38°C for weeks at a time.
Highlights
- Australia’s second-largest desert
- Crossed by the Canning Stock Route
- Rich in Aboriginal cultural sites
Photo gallery
Life in the Great Sandy Desert
Animals, birds and plants that have adapted to survive this landscape.
Animals
Red kangaroo
The largest marsupial, roaming the arid Australian outback in mobs.
Dingo
Australia’s wild dog, a top predator across the outback deserts.
Thorny devil
A spiky Australian lizard that channels dew along its skin to its mouth.
Birds
Emu
Australia’s tall flightless bird, wandering the outback for food and water.
Trees & plants
Spinifex grass
Spiky hummock grass that covers vast stretches of the Australian outback.
Acacia (thorn tree)
Flat-topped thorn trees that survive on scarce desert groundwater.
Day & night in the Great Sandy Desert
Deserts are famous for their extreme temperature swings. Flip between day and night to feel the difference — these are typical figures for a subtropical desert.
Midday sun
+45°C
typical daytime high
Blistering daytime heat gives way to surprisingly cool nights — clear skies let the day’s warmth escape, and the temperature can tumble by 30°C or more after dark.
Recorded range for the Great Sandy Desert: Often above 38°C