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Life in desert regions of Australia (and indeed worldwide) is affected by a combination of factors: variability in climate, markets and policy that is outside the control of local people; sparse and often mobile populations; natural, human and cultural resources that are patchy in space and time; and relatively poor scientific understanding despite significant local and traditional knowledge, among other factors. These 'desert drivers' affect not only ecology and natural resource management, but also service delivery, enterprise development, governance systems and many other aspects of desert living. This paper outlines moves towards consolidating these issues into an integrated, inter-sectoral new discipline - the Science of Desert Living - and the benefits this could deliver.