A portrait of an island continent in six episodes narrated by Robyn Williams 4: The Sunburnt Country
Imagine a land where rain might only fall once in 25 years. Over three-quarters of Australia is like that, baked by the sun, scorched by the winds and red as brick. But in the deserts, artesian water is tapped by some plants to sustain life at a low ebb, year in and year out.
But every now and again these arid lands receive a welcome drenching. Ancient river courses flow with water, fish appear that thrive in the desert, frogs emerge, and the ephemeral desert plants transform the landscape into a vivid technicolour. Lake Eyre , normally the largest expanse of salt in the world, fills up and hosts colonies of nesting birds, eager to capitalise on the flush of food before the drought returns once more with its iron grip - as return it will.
Photographed and produced by DAVID PARER
Film editor PETER VILE
Executive producer for the BBC JOHN SPARKS
Series producer JOHN VANDENBELD BBC Bristol
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