Sturt Stony Desert Dunes
Designation:
Australia-SA_Sturt_Stony_Desert_Dunes
Location:
| Latitude | Longitude |
|---|---|
-26.755630° | 139.339800° |
-26.755631° | 139.339783° |
-26.755630° | 139.339790° |
Locality and ownership:
Pt Clifton Hills Station SA Pastroral Lease 2421.
Access:
From Clifton Hills, travel 73km ENE. Turn East, then travel ~20km on Walkers Crossing track towards Innaminka to a line of orange dunes
Local contacts:
Nearest services:
Clifton Hills.
Risks:
There is a risk of becoming trapped by impassible roads in heavy rains. Very remote territory, where temperatures can be extreme.
Terrain:
longitudinal sand dunes overlying gibber plain
General:
Longitudinal sand dune overlies the desert pavement with a height of up to 20 m. The crests are irregular in outline with slipoff slopes towards the north. Some are transverse; others are barchanoid in form. The dune sand is orange coloured fine grained well sorted quartz sand. Sparse low dry vegetation clings to the sand faces. The surrounding gibber plain consists of a pavement of pebble to cobble sized red stained silcreted sandstone overling orange silt. Rare boulders of red-coated silcrete are distribute on the plain.
Climate:
Flora and fauna:
History:
Analogue value:
Visually the site is quite similar to Martian landscapes. The dunes are steep-sided and soft and would present difficulties for any vehicle. However it was possible to climb, so spacesuit tests would be possible. On the plain, the measured air temperature was 44 deg in the shade and 54 deg on the stone pavement.
References:
- van Oosterzee, P. A 2000. Field Guide to Central Australia. Marleston, SA: J.B. Books.
Map reference:
Geology
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