Camping by the only permanent water for miles around, we seem to be just another flock of animals drawn automatically by need to a small semi dried out tributary of the Palmer River. The water in the remaining pools is so clean and clear, that fish can be clearly seen, and will, out of curiosity, approach a person who stands to watch them from the rocks.
Delicate water plants growing in the pools help to keep this clarity in the water, by replenishing the oxygen in it which is continually being absorbed by the fish.
Unlike what we found closer to the coast, in the more mild weather, a heavy dew falls here each morning, due to the great change in temperature through the night. The ground and anything we leave exposed overnight becomes soaked through by moonset.
As dusk approaches, flocks of birds moving back toward the water to settle for the night are deafening, and shortly after sunset, as they quieten, a throng of insects takes up the chorus, rivaling the birds in volume.
Almost all of Australia’s trees are evergreen, so leaf dropping is perpetual, rather than happening in the Autumn. In the still of the day, the sound of leaves releasing themselves from the acacias and box eucalyptus, and fluttering down through the parent trees, is as constant as the ticking of a clock. These sounds are brought to attention only when the approach of a light breeze is announced by the increasing rustle of dry foliage, as it joins its antecedents on the sandy, rocky ground.
What is in clean pure water? What can water contain which does not pollute it? What makes water foggy and undrinkable? Think about the water systems in your environment. How can we help water stay clear?
Listen to the sounds in your home and in your favorite place. How much of the sound is made by humans? How do they change throughout the day? How do they change at different times of the year?
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