The term "Great Southern Land" refers to the majestic continent situated in the Southern Hemisphere, known today as Australia. This term embodies the unique biodiversity and landscape that this expansive land is renowned for. From the lush tropical rainforests to the arid, sun-soaked deserts, Australia is home to an array of vibrant and distinct wildlife.

Home to First Nations people for at least 60,000 years, the inhabitants of these dry areas include Australia’s famous pouched marsupials, wild dogs called dingos, colourful birds, and large numbers of different snakes, lizards, and other reptiles.

Celebrating Australia’s iconic desert species, the coin depicts (clockwise from top) a cockatoo, a dingo, a taipan snake, a thorny devil, a desert ant, a scorpion, a bilby, a bearded dragon, and a rock wallaby. Also in the design are representations of the sky, sand and rocks, along with The Perth Mint’s ‘P’ mintmark and the coin’s weight, purity, and 2025 year-date.

The design encircles an Australia-shaped insert of snakeskin jasper, a red and white banded iron formation that occurs in the Pilbara, an outback mining area of Western Australia. Said to have calming and healing properties, snakeskin jasper takes a high polish which makes it an excellent choice for jewellery and ornamentation.