Which Australian desert was called the Arunta Desert on older maps?

The Australian desert called the Arunta Desert on older maps is the Simpson Desert. The older name referred to the same broad inland desert region of central Australia, whose modern name became standard after geologist Cecil Madigan’s 1929 aerial survey. He named it for Alfred Allen Simpson, a South Australian businessman and supporter of geographical exploration.

The Simpson Desert stretches across parts of the Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland. It is famous for long, parallel sand dunes, many of which run roughly north–south and can extend for hundreds of kilometres. The desert lies over the ancient Lake Eyre Basin, and its landscape includes vast dune fields, salt lakes and occasional waterholes.

A common mix-up is confusing the Simpson with the nearby Strzelecki or Tirari deserts, which occupy adjoining parts of inland South Australia. The Simpson is also associated with major crossings: explorer Ted Colson completed the first motor-vehicle crossing in 1936, while later journeys made routes such as the French Line well known among modern desert travellers.