
Dry Creek, 2018, Western McDonnell Ranges, Northern Territory, acrylic on board, 40 x 30 cm.
These dry riverbeds are testament to the transient nature of water within Central Australia, with the power of water shaping riverbeds on a seasonal basis. All the water here exists in a series of waterholes, most of which disappear after a year or two of no flow.
Central Australia is characterized by large river systems like the Finke that can be located beneath the land surface as part of an artesian water supply. Described as linear oases, the microclimate of these dry riverbeds often produces a rich and dense amount of vegetation such as these white gums. On the surface plants respond by growing in the sandbars that are shaped in curvilinear forms along the base of the riverbed, mirroring the riverbed pattern.