Rangelands Overview - South Australia

Rangelands comprise 85% of South Australia, including all but the southern portion of the state
There are 10 bioregions wholly or partly in what is considered to be the rangelands portion of SA.
The climate varies from very hot and dry in the north with an erratic but summer dominant rainfall pattern, to a more temperate climate with winter dominant rainfall in the south.
Distinctive geological features include the Flinders and Gawler Ranges in the south, the Musgrave Ranges in the north west, Lake Eyre in the centre and the Nullarbor Plain crossing into WA along the coast.
Major drainage divisions include the Lake Eyre basin, rivers that flow into Spencer Gulf, and the western plateau division which has no organised surface drainage network The Lake Eyre Basin occupies the north eastern half of South Australia?s rangelands.
Main vegetation types comprise tussock (Spinifex) grasslands, low open woodlands of mulga and mallee, and various chenopod shrublands (saltbushes, bluebushes and cottonbushes).
Land tenure includes pastoral leasehold, conservation areas, and significant areas of Aboriginal freehold land, particularly in the west and north west of the state.
Pastoralism is the dominant land use through about 60% of the rangeland, predominantly sheep south of the dog fence with cattle being run exclusively north of this fence.
Mining includes oil and natural gas at Moomba, and copper, uranium, silver and gold at Roxby Downs.

Administration Arrangements

Agencies with a role in land administration in the rangelands include the following:

Pastoral Leasehold land is currently administered by the Department of Primary Industries and Resources SA, which also has responsibility for the Soil Conservation and Land Care Act covering all tenures.
The Department of Environment, and Heritageis also has an important land management and biodiversity conservation role throughout much of the rangelands of SA.

Link to the Map Maker to make a map using this information.

Most publications are downloadable as PDF files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF files.

If you are unable to access a publication, please contact us to organise a suitable alternative format.

Links to an another web site
Opens a pop-up window