Whose work first identified the Great Sandy Desert as part of Australia’s interior desert belt?

The Great Sandy Desert became better understood through the explorations of 19th-century Australian surveyors and explorers, including Ernest Giles. Their routes helped define the structure of Australia’s inland arid zone, revealing that the continent contains multiple linked deserts rather than isolated sand seas. Later geographic studies tied these deserts to Australia’s climate, soils, and ancient landscapes. The mapping of the Great Sandy Desert was part of the broader scientific discovery of Australia’s interior.