Flinders Ranges (Province 6)

This province consists of the Finders Ranges and its immediate foreland of the alluvial fans. The ranges consist mostly of northerly striking quartzite and sandstone ridges, and intervening lower areas of either flat to undulating plains or low ridges and hills on less resistant rocks such as siltstone, shale and calcareous mudstone.

The orographic effects of the ranges produce high rainfall gradients in the province. Mean annual rainfall in the ranges varies from 250 to 350 mm but elsewhere decreases to between 150 and 250 mm. Temperatures vary from cool to cold in winter and mild or hot in summer. Both seasonal and diurnal ranges are high. Mean annual evaporation increases from about 2200 mm in the south to about 3600 mm in the north.

The landforms are predominantly structural in origin. The most impressive are the quartzite hogback ridges which generally form the highest and steepest parts of the ranges. They consist of precipitous rocky escarpments on one side with opposing steep but relatively smooth dip-slopes. In softer rocks the structural control is usually less well developed or entirely absent. Fold structures, particularly synclines, are also well developed, the most impressive example being the well-known Wilpena Pound.

The ridges and footslopes are sparsely vegetated with a low open woodland of native pine and black oak or mallee shrubland over sparse seasonal grasses and undershrubs. The mallee disappears from the ridges in the north where black oak and native pine dominate. The fans carry bluebush and saltbush communities as well as taller shrublands.

There appears to have been a great deal of clearing throughout the province on the hills, low ridges and footslopes, resulting in extensive tracts of grassland or ephemeral herbland. This has led to increased erosion, especially gullying on fans and footslopes where the duplex soils are particularly susceptible to this form of erosion.

Because of its spectacular scenery and relative accessibility, the Flinders Ranges are one of the most heavily used recreation and tourist resources in semi-arid Australia. Extensive earth movements, which have been a major force in the development of the present landscape were responsible for selective mineralization which is the basis of small widely occurring mining enterprises. However, land use in the province is dominated by pastoral activities which are most intensive in the southern region, where stocking rates range up to 60 livestock units per km2. The entire province is within the dog fence, and 85% of all livestock are sheep. Cereal cultivation is a minor land use in the south-eastern corner of the province which is the northern limit of South Australia's cultivated lands.

Two environmental regions are recognized in this province:

Southern Basins and Ranges (Environmental Region 6.1)

This region consists of northerly striking ranges separated by wide, flat, partly alluviated intramontane basins.

Northern Complex (Environmental Region 6.2)

This region consists of northerly striking ranges separated by hilly lowlands.