Australia’s inland rivers are the pulse of the outback. By 2070, they’ll be unrecognisable

Inland Australia’s complex system of winding rivers, extensive wetlands, ancient waterholes and seemingly endless parched floodplains are rarely given more than a passing thought by many Australians who live on the coastal fringes. 

Australia's inland rivers will be unrecognizable by 2070.

Yet these waterways are lifelines along which communities, agriculture and trade have flourished. 

Etched into the psyche of regional Australia, these river systems are the pulse of the outback. Before asking a local how things are going, peek over the bridge in town for an indication.

When relaxing in the shade of an old river red gum alongside one of Australia’s lazy inland rivers, it’s natural to think of them as timeless and resilient to environmental change. 

Yet, these rivers evolved over millennia and continue to change over years and decades. 

Read the story from The Conversation - “Australia’s inland rivers are the pulse of the outback. By 2070, they’ll be unrecognisable.”