Which region of northwestern Victoria is known as the Mallee?

The Mallee is a region in northwestern Victoria, Australia, defined as the vast plains bounded by latitude 36° S and the Avoca River.1

Occupying approximately 16,000 square miles (41,000 square km), the region is situated between the Wimmera and Murray rivers. Its landscape is characterized by an undulating surface of broad, low ridges and depressions, which are covered by windblown deposits and drought-resistant vegetation. The name itself is derived from an Aboriginal term for a specific type of multistemmed eucalyptus that grows from a large underground structure.213

The region experiences a semiarid climate with limited annual rainfall, and its primary settlement is Mildura. While parts of the Mallee support agriculture through irrigation, the area also faces environmental challenges such as soil salinity and wind erosion. To the west of the Mallee lies an area known as the Big Desert.241