Landscape and Terrain
Southwestern Australia is an ancient and heavily weathered landscape wit little topographic diversity. Soils are generally acidic and low in nutrients. Plant communities in drier areas are shrubby heathlands (an extensive area of rather open uncultivated land usually with poor coarse soil and covered with low shrubs), termed kwongan and low multi-stemmed eucalyptus woodlands called mallee. Similar heathland extends up the east coast of Australia on low nutrient soils in a region with summer rain. Areas with more rainfall or deeper soils support banksias woodlands or all eucalypt forests. Karri eucalypts of the extreme southwestern area reach 90m in height, making them one of the tallest tree species in the world.

Human History
European settlement of Southwestern Australia did not occur until the early 19th century. Agricultural expansion, grazing, and deforestation over the past century have had profound ecological effects and have fragmented the natural landscape. Introduced animal species such as rabbits, foxes, cats and ferrets have had a dramatic influence on the unique native biota of this region.

Climate
Rainfall is highest in June and July with an average of 170mm and lowest in January averaging around 5mm. Average temperatures reach up to 30°C (86°F) in February to below 10°C (50°F) in June and July.

Vegetation
This region is dominated by kwongan and mallee. Kwongan, the most extensive, is a form of drought-tolerant scrub vegetation. Mallee consists of the multi-trunk forms of Eucalyptus that can sprout from underground tubers after a fire.