When the temperature turns cold in the winter months inhabitants of the Northern Hemisphere often look south to enjoy warmer climes; however, come 1 December, 3.6million hectares of Australia will be closed off to tourists for the first time because it’s just too hot for them.

The Simpson Desert – which covers parts of Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland – will be off limit from 1 December to 15 March after a risk assessment showed how dangerous it would be for people attempting to cross. Temperatures are expected to reach 58C (139 Fahrenheit) with the sand heating up to around 95C (203 Fahrenheit) – hot enough to burn through the soles of most shoes.

The popularity of the desert has grown recently, but a lot of tourists are ill prepared for the journey. Many hire a vehicle but the desert, which has no defined roads, is not the place for people without any off-road experience to begin learning.

Environment Department regional operations director in South Australia, Trevor Naismith, said: “Most People that cross the desert during summer are from overseas, and many do not have the driving experience for such a crossing, or a properly equipped vehicle with radio communications and recovery gear in case of an emergency.”

“At a time when there are very few vehicles in the desert to provide assistance in a timely manner, this is potentially a fatal situation, especially for the inexperienced, ill-prepared visitor.”

People unaccustomed to the heat need to drink around 15 litres of water a day to cope with the sweltering heat and with no shade or shelter can perish within hours of becoming stranded.

Anyone caught crossing the desert by park rangers will be fined up to AU$1000 (around £433).

Picture from ABC News