Central Australia is a vast arid region that stretches from Western Australia, through southern part of the Northern Territory, northern part of South Australia and the south west corner of Queensland.

It is a region spanning endless flat landscapes, huge sand dunes, salt encrusted claypans and lakes, gorges and mountain ranges. Etched in this desert landscape are the tracks of dry river beds cutting across the land, many seeming to just disappear into the sand, whilst others converge from tributaries into the major arterial riverways, that flow in to dry basins and lakes, that may be salt encrusted, such as can be seen at Australia’s largest salt lake, Lake Eyre.

Rainfall is a rare occurrence in Central Australia compared to other parts of the continent. Yet when it does rain and depending on the storm severity and the amount of the rainfall, the rain can bring flash floods and torrents, with the deluge sweeping through formerly dry channels and dry riverbeds. These swollen rivers carry such force that whole trees, boulders, pebbles, sand and other debris can be swept along the river.

Many roads get cut off, and unwary or foolhardy driver have had their vehicles swept along the river whilst attempting to transverse roads that are in the path of the swollen rivers.

Such rain often fill dried rock holes, replenish the permanent waterholes, claypans and lakes, and depending on the amount of water that has fallen, can be the trigger for the appearance of an amazing array of life. Desert and burrowing frogs appear, mate and lay their eggs, spawning the cycle of tadpoles and frogs. Desert fishes seem to appear out of nowhere and every body of water provide habitats for a variety of amazing tiny crustaceans such as fairy shrimp, clam shrimp and shield shrimp.

These small crustaceans lie dormant in the clay and sand, awaiting the arrival of rain. Once enough water has fallen is the trigger for the eggs to hatch. Like a number of other creatures in this arid landscape, they live an accelerated life cycle, laying more eggs before they die.

Just as suddenly as they appear, rivers can dry up within days or hours, often leaving debris deposited across the roads. Some rivers can last longer, depending on the amount of rain that has fallen in the region, especially if the rivers are fed by a number of effected tributaries. Such rain fall patterns are often the result of weather conditions during the big wet up the far north, or rain clouds blown across from Western Australia and Queensland.

Many of these wet weather conditions are a welcomed change in a region where rain is infrequent.

Finke River System
One of the largest river systems in Central Australia is the Finke River, also cited as being ‘the oldest river in the world’, it’s starts in the MacDonnell Ranges in the Northern Territory.

‘The Finke’ starts at the confluence of the Davenport and Ormiston Creeks, just north of popular Glen Helen. It then meanders for some 600 plus kilometres passing through the Finke Gorge National Park and like the Hugh, Palmer and Diamantina rivers all flowing inland, to the western edge of the Simpson Desert in northern part of South Australia and eventually ending up in Lake Eyre.

The Finke River winds pass Palm Valley, in fact, those visiting Palm Valley will find that part of the route is along the dry river bed of the Finke River. During times of heavy rain in the region, water also flows through Palm Valley to feed into the Finke River.

Todd River
Anyone who has visited Alice Springs, will be aware that the town sits on the Todd River. Like most rivers in Central Australia, the Todd River is a dry river bed whose origins begin in the MacDonnell Ranges. From there it winds its way pass the Telegraph Station, almost through the centre of Alice Springs, out through Heavitree Gap and continuing on for some distance  before it becomes a tributary of the Hale River, that eventually flows into Lake Eyre in South Australia.¹

The Todd and the Finke, are typical examples of rivers throughout Central Australia. On the surface they appear to be dry, although at certain points along the length of the river you may find the occasional water hole. Places like Ellery Creek Big Hole and the Boggy Hole are examples of waterholes that rarely run dry.

Palm Valley
Located within the Finke Gorge National Park is the internationally renowned Palm Valley, a narrow gorge that is home to the Red Cabbage Palm (Livistona mariae), remnants of a tropical rainforest that covered this area 60 million years ago.

Much of the lush vegetation in the area is fed by groundwater discharging from the deep sandstone aquifer. The spring water can be seen seeping from small fractures and bedding planes at a number of places along the valley floor².

River Red Gums
One of the common trees seen in Central Australia growing along the banks and even within the river bed are the iconic River Red Gums. To the original inhabitants, the Indigenous Aboriginals, the presence of healthy River Red Gums, are one of the indicators of water not far below the river bed. The knowledge of course is to know where to dig.

Check out some of the following images that show rainfall events in Central Australia:

• East MacDonnell Ranges
• Ellery Creek Big Hole
• Finke River
• Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park)
• Mount Sonder Lookout
• Ormiston Gorge
• Palm Valley
• Palmer River
• Simpson Gap
• Standley Chasm / Angkerle
• Todd River - Alice Springs