Barkly Tableland

For the local government area in the Northern Territory, see Barkly Region.

Barkly Tableland
Northern Territory
Mitchell grass plains representing the Barkly Tableland proper
Population6,330 (2007)[1]
 • Density0.0198/km2 (0.0512/sq mi)
Area320,000 km2 (123,552.7 sq mi)
Territory electorate(s)Barkly
Federal division(s)Lingiari
Localities around Barkly Tableland:
Katherine Region Gulf Country Gulf Country
The Tanami Barkly Tableland Mount Isa Inlier
The Sandover Channel Country Mitchell Grass Downs

The Barkly Tableland is a region in the Central East if the Northern Territory, extending into Western Queensland. The region was named after Sir Henry Barkly. The epithet “Tableland” is inaccurate, since the region is neither elevated relative to adjacent landforms, nor are the boundaries marked by a distinct change in elevation.[2][3]

The Barkly Tableland is a poorly defined region. The name Barkly Tableland properly applies only to the areas of largely treeless, cracking-clay soils supporting grasslands dominated by Mitchell Grass (Astrebla spp.).[4][5] A variety of terms such as “Barkly Tablelands Region, or “Barkly Region” have come into common use, referring to various circumscriptions of the region. All include portions of the Barkly Tablelands proper, along with varying adjoining landforms and vegetation types.

Varying Barkly regions encompass:

An area from Dunmarra south to Barrow Creek, and from the Tanami desert to the Queensland border.[6][7]

The Barkly Tableland proper, the associated Gulf Country, the upper Georgina River basin, and portions of the inland desert country.[8]

From the McArthur River in the north, parallel approximately 100 miles inland from the west coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria to the Queensland border in the east.[9]

The Barkly Shire local government area.[10]

Barkly locality in Queensland.

Various regions defined by Northern Territory and Australian Commonwealth government departments.[11][12][13][14][15]

In addition, there exists a Barkly Tablelands IBRA subregion which conforms approximately with parts of the Barkly Tablelands proper.[16]

Treeless Mitchell Grass Downs of the Barkly Tableland.
  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (2 October 2008). "Australian Demographic Statistics" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 February 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  2. ^ F. W. WHITEHOUSE (1940) “Studies in the Late Geological History of Queensland 3. 'THE EVOLUTION OF THE BARKLY TABLELAND”. UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY Series 2:1
  3. ^ C.J. Edgoose & K.T. Winstanley. (2014) “LANDSCAPE EVOLUTION ON THE BARKLY TABLELAND” PROCEEDINGS OF THE AUSTRALIAN RANGELAND SOCIETY BIENNIAL CONFERENCE
  4. ^ C.J. Edgoose & K.T. Winstanley. (2014) “LANDSCAPE EVOLUTION ON THE BARKLY TABLELAND” PROCEEDINGS OF THE AUSTRALIAN RANGELAND SOCIETY BIENNIAL CONFERENCE
  5. ^ Jenny Purdie, Chris Materne, Andrew Bubb (2008) “A field guide to the plants of the Barkly Region, Northern Territory”)
  6. ^ Jenny Purdie, Chris Materne, Andrew Bubb (2008) “A field guide to the plants of the Barkly Region, Northern Territory”)
  7. ^ Collier, C. 2014. The 2010 Pastoral Industry Survey - Barkly Region. Northern Territory Government, Australia.
  8. ^ C. S. CHRISTIAN (1954) PART I. “INTRODUCTION TO SURVEY OF THE BARKLY REGION” in “Survey of the Barkly Region, Northern Territory and Queensland, 1947-48 Land Research Series No. 3”. CSIRO)
  9. ^ Warren M. Elofson SO FAR AND YET SO CLOSE: FRONTIER CATTLE RANCHING IN WESTERN PRAIRIE CANADA AND THE NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA. University of Calgary Press
  10. ^ Tollner, David William (18 December 2013). "Local Government Act changes to local government areas and councils" (PDF). Northern Territory Government Gazette. Northern Territory Government. p. 3. Retrieved 26 April 2019. with effect from 1 January 2014:
  11. ^ PHN Northern Territory (2020) Barkly Region DATA REPORT. Northern Territory Government
  12. ^ Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet (2023) Barkly, retrieved October 2023
  13. ^ Northern Territory Government. (2023) Barkly Regional fact sheet https://budget.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/1224092/barkly.pdf retrieved October 2023
  14. ^ Caroline Pettit (2013) Barkly District Land Condition Guide. Northern Territory Government”
  15. ^ Pastoral Land Board (2022) “ANNUAL REPORT 2022” Northern Territory Pastoral Land Board
  16. ^ Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (2012) Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia, Version 7. Commonwealth of Australia