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From 1871 to 2024, central Australia experienced distinct warmer and cooler episodes, delineated by breakpoints in mean monthly maximum temperatures (maxima). Earl y episodes trended cooler ; some warmer; later episodes trended warmer. Cooler and warmer components of the maxima both trended warmer in recent years. A system constant of 2.57oC (the difference in episode averages between warmer and cooler components of maxima) was found across the 109 sets of records examined. Changes in Alice Springs maxima from 2001 to 2024 were strongly related to changes in certain oceanic climatic indicators and rainfall. Changes in arid South Australian vegetative cover were related to changes in maxima and changes in rainfall. Monthly changes in components of its vegetative cover were associated with changes in a complex of maxima, rainfall, and different ocean indicators.