Best desert destinations in Oceania
Best desert destinations in Oceania
Remote red sand plains and arid scrubland tracks in Oceania
Desert landscapes in Oceania cover more ground than the classic red sand image suggests, and a few very different versions of that landscape show up on this list.
Uluru and the surrounding national park sit at the heart of Australia's Red Centre, the country's best known stretch of true arid desert, home to the sandstone monolith itself and the domed rock formations of Kata Tjuta nearby. Western Australia holds some of the country's largest deserts too, stretching across vast, sparsely populated interior country that ranges from red dune fields to pale limestone formations closer to the coast. Victoria's arid corner sits in the state's northwest Mallee region, semi arid scrub and salt lakes rather than towering dunes, but very dry country all the same. The North Island of New Zealand adds an unexpected entry, with a volcanic ash plain near Tongariro that looks like a desert without technically being one, shaped by poor soil rather than low rainfall.
Lists by region
National Park in Australia
Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
Sacred Red Rock and Majestic Domes
In 1985 the Anangu people received title to this land and leased it back to the government. Kata Tjuta is a group of 36 rock domes. The Valley of the Winds is a walk with two lookout points. The park was listed by UNESCO in 1987 for both its natural and cultural value.
State/Prefecture in Australia
Western Australia
Sunset dunes and crystal coastlines
Near the town of Cervantes in Nambung National Park, thousands of limestone pillars rise from yellow sand. The tallest reach about 3.5 metres. They formed from ancient seashells that broke into lime rich sand and blew inland as dunes. How the pillars formed is still debated by scientists.
Region in Australia
Victoria
Diverse Landscapes and Cultural Richness
Deep sand and low mallee heath cover much of Little Desert National Park. The park is in the Wimmera region of this state, about 375 kilometres west of Melbourne. It has low rainfall of about 480 millimetres a year. The park is an Important Bird Area for malleefowl and diamond firetails.
Landmark in Australia
Uluru
Majestic sandstone monolith under endless skies
Since 2019 climbing Uluru has been banned. Visitors now walk around its 9.4 kilometre base instead. The rock is 348 metres tall and most of its bulk is underground. Iron oxide in the sandstone gives it a red colour that glows at dawn and sunset.
Region in New Zealand
North Island
Geothermal Wonders and Māori Culture
Rangipo Desert is a stretch of volcanic ash and pumice on the central plateau of this island. It looks like a desert even though it gets 1,500 to 2,500 millimetres of rain a year. The Desert Road across it is part of State Highway 1 and reaches 1,074 metres at its summit.
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