Why the interior is called 'The Dead Heart of Australia?

Question

Why the interior is called 'The Dead Heart of Australia?

Answer 1

Crossing the Dead Heart - Cecil Madigan

The Dead Heart was the area to the north of Lake Eyre, now known as the Simpson Desert. Cecil Madigan was an explorer, geographer and scientist. In 1939 he organised an expedition, by camel, across the northern part of the Simpson Desert from Andado Station to Birdsville and then south to Lake Eyre and Marree. This volume is a republishing of Madigan's book of that expedition. A five page introduction by Colin Harris of the South Australian Department of Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs, sketches Madigans career and character; Madigan was a bright lad (a Rhodes scholar) and obviously well organised.

The book is a popular account of the expedition rather than a scientific treatise. The region was originally known as the Arunta Desert and was renamed after A.A.Simpson, president of the RGSA, and who died shortly after the expedition's return.

Answer 2

Question. Is the cemetery the dead centre of town? I have heard that people are dying to get in there.

Answer 3

Because the majority of the population lives on the coast, and the interior is very barren.  Deserts make up 44% of the Australian landscape and largely lie in the central and north-western part of the country.