Nullarbor Plain

The Nullarbor Plain is a vast, arid limestone region across southern Australia, distinguished by sparse tree cover, extensive caves, and sinkholes.

Karst: A landscape shaped by the dissolution of soluble rock, often marked by caves, sinkholes, and underground drainage. Limestone dissolution creates the Nullarbor’s caves and sinkholes.
Solutional weathering: The breakdown of soluble rock when minerals dissolve in water or weak acids. Rainwater slowly dissolves limestone and enlarges openings beneath the plain.
Mundrabilla sinkhole: A large collapse feature in the Nullarbor region of Western Australia. It is a striking example of the sinkholes associated with Nullarbor karst.
Nullarbor Nitrate Soil: A distinctive nitrogen-rich soil found in parts of the Nullarbor region. Its unusual chemistry supports specialized microbial communities in an otherwise nutrient-poor landscape.
Limestone: A sedimentary rock composed chiefly of calcium carbonate, commonly formed from accumulated marine organisms. This rock underlies the plain and is readily dissolved by weakly acidic water.
Sinkhole: A depression or hole formed when ground collapses or subsides into an underground void. Sinkholes mark places where the Nullarbor’s limestone roof has failed or settled.
Cocklebiddy Cave: A major cave in Western Australia’s Nullarbor region, known for its long underwater passage. Its flooded passages illustrate the scale and complexity of Nullarbor cave systems.
Nullarbor Plain xeric shrublands: An ecoregion of dry shrubland and grassland across the Nullarbor region. This ecoregion describes the vegetation and wildlife adapted to the plain’s arid conditions.
Aridity: A persistent shortage of water caused by low precipitation relative to evaporation. Low rainfall helps maintain the plain’s sparse vegetation and dry surface.
Cave: A natural underground void large enough for human entry, formed by geological processes. The plain contains extensive limestone caves, including passages with distinctive formations.

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