About the Marla-Oodnadatta district
The Marla-Oodnadatta district covers an area of approximately 132 000 square kilometres in the north-west pastoral region and is bounded by the Simpson Desert and Lake Eyre to the east, the Great Victoria Desert to the west and the Northern Territory border to the north.
Communities
The permanent population of the district is approximately 4000 people. Townships include Coober Pedy, Marla, Oodnadatta and William Creek.
Climate
The climate of the district is very arid with hot to extremely hot summers and mild, dry winters. Average annual rainfall ranges between 120mm to 210mm across the district, but is highly variable and unpredictable. Occasional summer storms occur in the north, but no seasonality of rainfall is observed in the south. Evaporation rates are extremely high, ranging from 3,300 mm to 3, 800mm per annum.
Land Forms
Land forms in the district are quite variable, with the most dominant type flat gibber tablelands. In the north-east large intermittent creeks flowing into Lake Eyre traverse extensive floodout plains on the edge of the Simpson desert. Extensive dune systems occur in the northwest, with ‘Breakaway’ country present in the south and central areas.
Vegetation
Major vegetation types include:
Plains: Mitchell grass, glassworts, poverty bush, saltbush, cannonball, neverfail, bluebush, sea heath, samphire, twiggy sida, cottonbush, copper burr, pigface, prickly wattle, mulka, lignum, canegrass
Sandplains: Mulga, senna, marpoo, emubush, woollybutt, sandhill canegrass, copper burr, corkwood, dead finish, bluebush, saltbush
Creeks & Floodouts: Gidgee, coolibah & river red gums, native myrtle, nitrebush, samphires, mulga, marpoo, needlebush, senna, hopbush, emu bush, Mitchell grass, native millet, neverfail, whitewood, lignum, canegrass, verbine, cottonbush
Mound Springs: Common reed, bulrush, inland paperbark
Sand dunes: Mulga, sandhill canegrass, wattle, desert lanternbush, woollybutt, wanderrie, kerosene grass, witchetty bush, marpoo, senna, dead finish, desert poplar, copperburr
Hills & Uplands: Red mallee, mulga, northern Myall, emubush, dead finish, bluebush, silver mullla mulla, sennas, saltbush
Water
The Great Artesian Basin provides an important source of water within the district. Natural venting occurs in the form of mound springs, found predominately near the Oodnadatta Track. Waterholes are found along major and minor drainage lines, some with the capacity to hold water for over 12 months.
Land Use & Industry
The dominant land use within the district is beef cattle production. Other land use includes opal and copper-gold mining, tourism, parks & reserves and Aboriginal managed lands.
Land management Issues
Land management issues include: mining & exploration impacts; tourism impacts; total grazing pressure; wind & water erosion; woody shrub increase; weeds; feral animals; water management.