It is located on the northeastern edges of the Great Victoria Desert, spreading for about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Iltur in the southeast to Watarru in the northwest.

The range consists of scattered protrusions of granitic rock that have been weathered into rounded and rugged hills.

From here the range spreads southeast along the edge of the desert, and the hills generally become lower and more widely dispersed.

Mount Poondinna (678 metres (2,224 ft)) is the highest peak in the central part of the range.

He named the range for the man who funded and equipped their expedition, Sir Thomas Elder.