Natural vegetation patterns are determined by geology and climate. Rainforest and grassy woodlands grow on basalt and river flats, whilst woodlands and heaths grow on sandstone.
Australia's flora can be divided into different vegetation groups. The most important factors that determine an area's vegetation are rainfall and temperature. Most plants in Australia are well adapted to the arid (dry) conditions of the continent.
- More plant species (2500) are native to Sydney than the British Isles.
- Early settlers used the grassy woodlands of western Sydney and river flats of the Hawkesbury for agriculture.
- Most of Sydney’s remaining bushland is on Hawkesbury Sandstone because the poor soils were useless for agriculture
Australia's flora can be divided into different vegetation groups. The most important factors that determine an area's vegetation are rainfall and temperature. Most plants in Australia are well adapted to the arid (dry) conditions of the continent.