Water in Australia

Australia is the second driest continent on Earth, after the Antarctic. The availability of water has defined the spread of human settlement, from the arrival of the first Aboriginal Australians over 50,000 years ago, right up until the present. Water is precious in Australia and it is not a free resource. Discover the role in human history of the hidden, underground water sources across Australia and see how the presence or lack of water has affected our geography, economy and history.