Barkly Tableland

The Barkly Tableland is a region in the Central East of 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.

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.). 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.

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

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.

The Barkly Shire local government area.

Barkly locality in Queensland.

Various regions defined by Northern Territory and Australian Commonwealth government departments.

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