8 Different Types of Forests in Australia

Australia forms part of the Oceania Continent. It is characterized by hot, dry conditions, with the massive “Outback” region making up its bulk. However, would you believe that this hot, dry region is also home to some spectacular forests? Below we look at the types of forests found in Australia.

The total forested area of Australia is around 331 million acres, which is around 17% of the country, divided into eight forest types. The bulk of the forested areas are found in Queensland (39%), the Northern Territory (18%), Western Australia (16%), and New South Wales (15%).

Australia is a vast country (2969 million square miles) with different microclimates spread across it. These localized conditions, in turn, influence the type of vegetation, and by extension, the type of forest found there. But where exactly do they occur? And what differentiates them?

An Overview Of The Types Of Forests Found In Australia

Globally, the three broad classifications for forests are Tropical, Temperate, and Boreal.

Each of these forests differs in location, climate (rainfall and temperature), altitude, parent geology, and species found.

The forests which are found in Australia fall under Tropical and Temperate Rainforests.

Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere at 25.2744° S, 133.7751° E, far from the equator, but on top of the tropic of Capricorn. So, although there are no equatorial forests, the occurrence of tropical forests is not surprising.

Australia’s northern regions are tropical, moving down the east coast to subtropical and temperate in the southeast.

Both the southwest and some areas in the southeast are classified as Mediterranean climates.

Forests cover around 17% of Australia’s landmass. Of these forests, 98% are considered to be “native”; while the rest are “commercial plantations” and “other” (small scale planted forests, farms, and alien species).

When looking at a distribution map, we see that Australia’s forests follow the coastline almost the entire way around, except for the northwest region.

Australia’s forests have been divided into eight different “types.”

These categories are based on the prominent species found there or the structure of the forest itself.

The eight types of forest are:

1. Acacia

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