Information about Limestone communities

There are many different limestone communities covering vast tracts of the arid zone. Most of the limestone exposed in the arid zone is relatively new and very flat. The older ridges are not as common, and contain dolomite. These tend to be dominated by Mallee and Spinifex, with Acacia ligulata - the umbrella bush, which is also found in dunefields. Areas of associated alluvial soil can contain Acacia kempeana - the witchetty bush. If you dig under these plants and find a bulbous root, it will contain a witchetty grub – a popular source of protein in the traditional diet of Aboriginal people. East of Alice Springs, south as far as the southern Simpson Desert, and north to beyond the Plenty Highway, limestone areas are dominated by Acacia georginae - the gidgee or stinking wattle.

Much of the limestone areas in the Western Desert region form palaeo-drainage basins. This country supports woodlands of desert oak. Cutting through the Great Victoria Desert to the south is an ancient river that is now called the Serpentine Lakes, with its shoreline supporting stands of black oak, and in the Gibson Desert west of the Rawlinson Range there are extensive limestone plains forming both Lake Christopher and the Van Den Linden lakes. There are several Aboriginal wells in this area where sink holes have exposed the aquifer.
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