Australia is not all desert
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (359856)
Rockingham, Australia
July 27, 2025 9:02pm CST
I thought you might like to see a map of the climatic zones of Australia as I get so many comments from people who have always believed that all of Australia is hot and dry.
A map of our population distribution would probably look much the same, with most people living around the coastal areas on the west, south and east coasts. Only the interior has a desert climate.
We live in Perth on the west coast in a warm Mediterranean climate zone with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Hot, warm, cool, cold are all relative I believe, according to what you’re used to! At school, we were always told the climate for our area was similar to California and also Spain, Italy and other Mediterranean countries.
Map downloaded from Wikimedia: Derived from World Köppen Classification (with author Ali Zifan).svg.
26 people like this
27 responses
@Vikingswest1 (7180)
• United States
28 Jul
When I was in elementary school, we got to choose a country to do a report on. I chose Australia. I learned of the huge differences in climate from east to west and north to south. Deserts and flatlands, it is the driest and flattest inhabited continent on the planet. There are tropical rainforest near the coasts. Most of the population lives in cities near or on her coasts. There are dangers everywhere you go. Spiders, snakes, species unique to Australia and several marsupials and ferocious birds. Most of these creatures will kill and eat you, or worse, just play with you before killing you. This explains why 95% of the population lives within 100km of the coast.
It was originally called New Holland until the British in charge of the colonies renamed it Australia. I always wanted to visit.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (359856)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jul
There are dangers everywhere you go. Spiders, snakes, species unique to Australia and several marsupials and ferocious birds. Most of these creatures will kill and eat you, or worse, just play with you before killing you. This explains why 95% of the population lives within 100km of the coast.
Are you kidding me? Ferocious birds? Can you name one? I guess a cassowariy can be dangerous but only occur on a very small part of north-eastern Australia. Most Australians have never seen one. Kangaroos are not dangerous unless they're cornered or have been part-tamed. We don't have bears, pumas, moose, buffalo, And the 95% has nothing to do with people living in the coastal regions. It's the hot inland climate that drives people towards the coast. Just sayin'.

2 people like this
@Vikingswest1 (7180)
• United States
28 Jul
@JudyEv
Cassowariy. They are dangerous.
You have the most venomous snakes anywhere on Earth. You have alligators, sharks, deadly bees, deadly spiders, jellyfish...
My post was kind of tongue in cheek tbh.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (359856)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jul
@Vikingswest1 Cassowary - that's just one and about the only one.
I was hoping it was tongue in cheek. I don't believe we have more poisonous/dangerous creatures than any other country. Steve Irwin's TV shows gave many people an exaggerated view of the dangers here. Crocodile Dundee didn't help either.
1 person likes this

@allknowing (150656)
• India
28 Jul
I have had a taste of Australia and the only thing about it that I did not like was one never knew when it would rain We were told to carry our umbrella
4 people like this

@allknowing (150656)
• India
28 Jul
@JudyEv I do not remember which State that was. We had covered Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Cairns, Queensland
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (359856)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jul
@allknowing Fair enough. Mostly in the west we know if it's going to rain or not.
1 person likes this


@rsa101 (39537)
• Philippines
28 Jul
@JudyEv Saudi Arabia is undertaking an ambitious project to construct a long linear city stretching through the desert to the sea. The water required for the city is expected to be sourced from the sea and desalinated to provide fresh water for the population. While the feasibility of such a massive endeavor remains uncertain, given the considerable resources and technological advancements available to the country, it seems plausible that they could achieve this in their region.
1 person likes this

@cherigucchi (15699)
• Philippines
28 Jul
This is quite informative. Thanks for sharing
3 people like this
@cherigucchi (15699)
• Philippines
29 Jul
@JudyEv That is a good purpose. Now I know

1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (155240)
• United States
28 Jul
So, it's not "all" desert but most of it is. 



2 people like this

@JudyEv (359856)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jul
@DaddyEvil Only 'cause I say nice things sometimes. 

1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (120084)
• Marion, Ohio
28 Jul
I would love to have your cold weather instead of ours
1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (120084)
• Marion, Ohio
28 Jul
@JudyEv The wind really makes it a lot colder feeling in the winter
1 person likes this

@moffittjc (125126)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Jul
I never realized how much of Australia was desert or in arid or semi-arid areas! I would say that the climate I live in here in Florida would be equivalent to all the light green area of your eastern coastline, warm/humid subtropical.
1 person likes this

@moffittjc (125126)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Jul
@JudyEv I knew that a good portion of Australia was hot and dry, I guess I just never thought of it in the sense of being a desert.

@Traceyjayne (3707)
• United Kingdom
28 Jul
I found your map very interesting. I have never been to your country and yes, our general idea is that it is hot ….thats it. I had no idea there were so many differences in weather, like your map shows. You are never too old to learn …..although I am at the age where I may forget ! lol.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (359856)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jul
I've been surprised at how hot it has been in England and on the continent. You've had really high temperatures.
@Traceyjayne (3707)
• United Kingdom
28 Jul
@JudyEv we did have what was called ‘ a heatwave ‘ …..unusually hot for this country ….still average for other countries though, as our weather is usually fairly dire !
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (359856)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Jul
@Traceyjayne I was really surprised at the temperatures we were hearing.
@LindaOHio (196200)
• United States
28 Jul
Thank you for the climate information. Does anyone live in the Outback? I think that would be tough.
1 person likes this

@JudyEv (359856)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Jul
@LindaOHio Artesian bores have been put in with windmills and pumps but the cattle still have to walk a long way to get enough feed.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (196200)
• United States
29 Jul
@JudyEv There has to be very little rain. I don't know how it can support ANY cattle.
1 person likes this

@porwest (104148)
• United States
28 Jul
I figured you must have had tropical climates as well considering we sort of associate crocs with Australia too. Thanks for the clarification on Australia. Looking at the map, it looks like a great place to live with nothing too harsh on any end of the spectrum.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (15696)
• Hong Kong
28 Jul
That is interesting to know. Thank you for the information.
2 people like this
@Fishmomma (11566)
• United States
28 Jul
I live in California and parts of it are like your climate. We do have some areas that are really hot and even where I am have hit some record high temperatures. I do miss living near the beach where the weather was mild year round.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (193685)
• United States
29 Jul
Thankd for the map. A good friend of mine was in OZ for about two weeks, this past fall. I got to see alot of her pictures. She had some of blue penguins, That was different,
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (359856)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Jul
I'd love to see the blue penguins. The map probably helps make more sense of what I keep saying.
@FourWalls (77200)
• United States
28 Jul
That’s quite interesting. I have to wonder what they define as “cold desert climate.” Cold is relative. Tampa Florida issued wind chill advisories for wind chills in the 30sF when they were below zero here! All relative.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (87486)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
28 Jul
I have written about Australia and it is one amazing country, Seems as you move across the country many different changes occur.
1 person likes this
