ZONE INFORMATION

Rainforests (closed forests)
Rainforests are scattered along the mountains of eastern Australia. Mosses and ferns abound in the dim light that filters through the dense canopy.

Tall Eucalypt Forests
Tall forests are dominated by massive eucalypts in hilly areas of high rainfall near the coast. The canopy is thin, and low-growing plants thrive in sunlight on the forest floor.

Wet and dry low woodlands - brigalow or mulga in drier areas
Low woodlands cover much of eastern Australia's near coastal region. They are usually open and bright, with many shrubs and grasses growing beneath the trees.

Forblands (herbaceous stony deserts)
Forblands are barren-looking stony deserts with a few scattered saltbushes, but when the rains come, many types of herbs germinate and blossom overnight.

Arid and semi-arid spinifex or hummock grasslands
Spinifex or hummock grasslands cover about a quarter of Australia. Annual rainfall is often less than 125mm, and hummock grasses are the mainstay of the ecological system.

Shrublands with small trees, saltbush and bluebush
Shrubland is one of the most extensive types of vegetation in Australia. It includes small areas of coastal heathland and vast regions of saltbush and bluebush, with scattered low eucalyptus trees or acacias.

Tussock grasslands
Tussock grasslands are open environments dominated by grass-like plants with exposed soil among the clumps. Saltbush, bluebush and acacias provide a little shade.

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