Answer:
The arid outback of Australia can be explained by the global wind and ocean current patterns. The region lies in the subtropical high-pressure belt, which is characterized by descending dry air. The descending air warms up and absorbs moisture, resulting in low humidity and little rainfall. Additionally, the region is far from the coast, which means that it does not receive moisture from ocean currents. The western coast of Australia is also affected by the Leeuwin Current, which flows southward along the coast and brings warm, dry air from the tropics. This exacerbates the aridity of the region. In contrast, the eastern coast of Australia is influenced by the prevailing westerly winds, which bring moisture from the Pacific Ocean. As the winds rise over the Great Dividing Range, they cool and release moisture, resulting in more rainfall on the eastern coast. Therefore, the combination of the subtropical high-pressure belt, the absence of ocean currents, and the influence of prevailing winds explains why the arid outback of Australia extends to the western coast but not to the eastern coast, which has more rainfall.