[2] The vegetation in this region is botanically diverse, and ranges from mature eucalypt woodlands dominating the landscape, interspersed with large areas of mallee, shrublands and grasslands.

[8] The Great Western Woodlands is vulnerable to a number of threats including fire, feral animals, noxious weeds and fragmentation caused by ad hoc development.

[8] Archaeological evidence shows that Aboriginal people have had a direct and continuous role in the maintenance and use of locations in the Great Western Woodlands region for at least 22,000 years.

As an essential part of their life in this land the Aboriginal people of this region also constructed and maintained deep wells in order to access water.

[10] Today, Indigenous communities with strong cultural and legal ties to country are located in many centres in the Great Western Woodlands.

[11] The majority of the Great Western Woodlands sits atop the stable geological formation known as the Yilgarn Craton that was formed between 2,400 and 3,700 million years ago.

These formations house large quantities of gold and nickel,[14] and also provide very rich and mineralised soils, which have led in part to the evolution of locally distinctive flora.

[1] A major geological event in the history of the Great Western Woodlands was a period of glaciation that occurred between 250 and 330 million years ago.

These are remnants of ancient drainage systems (such as rivers) from about 65 million years ago, and are valuable habitats supporting a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates.

The Great Western Woodlands account for a significant component of the plant diversity found in the Australia's South West Global Biodiversity Hotspot.

One of the main reasons why the Great Western Woodlands is biologically rich is its position within the path of significant physical and biotic gradients.

Some of the reptiles found in the region include the carpet python (Morelia spilota imbricata), the western bearded dragon (Pogona minor minima), and the common slender blue tongue (Cyclodomorphus branchialis).

Birds found in the region include the Australian bustard (Ardeotis australis), the bush stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius), Carnaby's cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris), and the malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata).

Currently there are 44 plant species in the Great Western Woodlands that are listed as "declared rare flora" by the West Australian Government.

Furthermore, the pig-footed bandicoot, the long-tailed hopping mouse, the crescent nail-tailed wallaby and the broad-faced potoroo that were once found in the Great Western Woodlands, are now considered globally extinct.

Today it is estimated that the population has returned to 50,000 people living in the major towns including Kalgoorlie, Coolgardie, Norseman, and Southern Cross.

[1] Recent studies have indicated that, with adequate conservation and promotion, the Great Western Woodlands could play a significant role in regional economic diversification.

[19] Natural climate change has played a role over time to influence species evolution and distribution around Australia, including in the Great Western Woodlands.

In recent times, most of the fires in the Great Western Woodlands are believed to have been started by lightning, although many are unintended consequences of human activity (e.g. accidental ignition, or burning to protect property).

Cats, foxes and wild dogs do this directly through predation, whereas camels, donkeys, goats and rabbits do it through foraging and grazing, competing for food and territory and spreading diseases.

[29] Scientific research done in the Great Western Woodlands has estimated that currently there are ~950 million tonnes of carbon stored in the vegetation and soils of the region.

[30] The Great Western Woodland attracts tourists interested in experiencing four-wheel drive adventures, bird watching, Indigenous heritage and camping in the Outback.

This strategy provided guidance for future management of the region, taking into account the diverse economic interests as well as environmental and cultural values of the Great Western Woodlands.

[22] In 2016 The Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission, based in Kalgoorlie, released its Economic Blueprint[32] for the region including the Great Western Woodlands.

The Blueprint acknowledges the significance of the woodlands and the opportunity they present for sustainable and diversified economic development in the region: “We reside in an ancient land, home to globally recognised biodiversity treasures such as the magnificent Great Western Woodlands, as well as rich, red deserts and the bright, white sandy beaches and aqua waters of the Southern Ocean.

[34] Conservation groups and other community sectors continue to seek appropriate and agreed forms of long term recognition of the Great Western Woodlands – to aid in better planning and management and as a platform for increased promotion of the region.