TOPOGKAPHY AND CLIMATE. 219 



forming elevated plateaux, drained in the southern part by 

 the Murray river and its tributaries, and in the northern part 

 by the Eyre river system, down to an elevation of less than 500 

 feet. 



In South Australia the greater part of the land lies at a low 

 elevation, the principal hills being the Mount Lofty Range near the 

 Gulf of St. Vincent (1,000 to 2,000 feet) and the Flinders Ranges, 

 east of the Gulf of Spencer (1,000 to 3,000 feet). Proceeding to 

 Western AustraUa, the belt of low land near the sea runs along 

 the south and west coasts of that State, and also the whole of the 

 north coast. In the south-western part of Western Australia the 

 land soon rises on going east to a plateau of an average elevation 

 of about 800 feet, which bears the main timber wealth of that 

 State. 



The central part of Australia consists practically of a quasi- 

 desert extending over some H million square miles, the general 

 elevation being between 1,000 and 2,000 feet, with isolated parts 

 rising to 3,000 and even 4,000 feet. The information as regards 

 the northern half of Australia, the tropical part, is at present 

 deficient, with the exception of that portion which is situated in 

 Queensland. 



The island of Tasmania may be said to be a continuation of 

 the eastern Dividing Range, separated from it by a submerged 

 part. It is throughout a hilly country, the highest part reaching 

 an elevation of just over 5,000 feet. 



2, Climate. 



The mean annual temperature in the coastal belt is moderate ; 

 the following data being given : — Brisbane, 69, Sydney 63, 

 Melbourne 57, Adelaide 65, Perth 64, and Hobart 54 degrees. 

 The temperature in the interior is much higher ; it is stated to 

 rise to 130 degrees during the summer. 



The rainfall differs very much. It is heaviest on the north-east 

 coast, reaching 145 inches at one place, and heavy along the coast 

 belt in the east, south-east and south-west (30 to 50 inches). It 

 diminishes rapidly on going inland, and reaches its minimum in 

 the neighbourhood of Lake Eyre, in the centre of the mainland, 

 with only 5 inches. There are regular zones of rainfall from the 



