Water resources exploitation in Australian prehistory environment

Summary People have been living on the Australian continent for at least 40 000 years, possibly longer. Many significant environmental changes in climate, flora and fauna have occurred during that period of human occupation. Availability of water has been a constant concern. It was sought after, of necessity, due to the fairly consistent low precipitation rate throughout the continent, both along the coast, as well as inland to the very arid, dry desert area. From earliest times, ingenious methods of water resources exploitation were practised. There are significant examples of fish and eel trap systems in western Victoria. Another important fish trap exists at Brewarrina, in New South Wales. Coastal fish traps are in existence along many suitable seaboard locations, from the east coast to the west. Water, retained in naturally occurring rock pools, was extensively exploited. An important source of water, particularly in the arid inland was from the so called native wells. These wells sustained a great number of the white explorers in the 1840s to 1880s, amongst them Ludwig Leichhardt and Ernest Giles. Some interesting native wells, in former Aboriginal occupation sites, have even been traced in the Simpson Desert. The construction of the hydraulic structures which have remained in existence were carried out using simple tools and limited materials. A culture existed with the technical sophistication, ingenuity and skills to satisfy the water needs of the people in the environment of an arid continent over several thousand years.Hans Bandler is both an Editorial Board member and a Civil and Environmental Engineering consultant.