Every drop is precious!

We can't survive for longer than a week without water - it keeps our bodies healthy, grows our food and is a habitat for incredible sea and freshwater creatures. The salty oceans make up 97% of water on earth. 2.3% is frozen in our polar icecaps and the tiny bit that is left is what we use each day.

Be a drop saver!

• Shorten your shower to 3 mins
• Collect water when it rains, use it on the garden
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or cleaning hands
• Use the half flush on the loo
• Cold wash your clothes in the washing machine
• Start a leaky tap patrol at school
• Teach the little kids how to save water

What is Desalination?
It is the process of removing salt from seawater to make it potable, or drinkable. Because of droughts and population increase the water treatment plants are being built more often. The technology is improving and the cost of desalination is falling.

The Water Cycle

The earth is constantly recycling its water.

It is evaporated into a gas from oceans, rivers and lakes then condensed into water droplets in the clouds. When temperatures are right, precipitation occurs and rain falls.

The rain is collected in rivers, lakes and oceans and the whole cycle starts again. We use water in our everyday lives for washing, showering, our toilets and irrigation to grow food. Each one of these has its own Urban Water Cycle which explains where the water comes from that we use and where it goes when we have finished.

Our River of Life
The vital Murray-Darling River system provides water to 60% of our farms and is sometimes called the food basket of Australia.

Its basin covers 1 million square km reaching into 4 States and 1 Territory.

Because of long droughts, increasing salinity, pollution and too much irrigation, the river hasn't got as much water and this is causing problems for all the people who rely on it for survival.

The river is home to many endangered species and special wetlands.

The Government is currently working out an agreement so that the river's water can be shared and keep the ecosystems working and farms producing. It's a tricky task.

The Big Dry

Drought isn't lack of rain for weeks, it is a long dry period that can go for years.

Heavy and regular rain is needed to restore the land.

Erosion occurs when soil and rocks are worn away and the topsoil is removed from the land.

Topsoil contains important nutrients that plants need to grow and it is difficult to replace the topsoil once erosion has occurred.

Farmers are learning how to be better prepared for drought. Even when it is rainy, we all need to remember that every drop of water is precious.

Heard of Blue Carbon?

it's how coastal and sea ecosystems like mangroves and sea grass beds help keep our oceans healthy.

Our gentle giants
Whales migrate up the east coast each year to breed before heading back to the cold waters of Antarctica.

Early in Australia's history, we hunted whales for their oil and valuable blubber.

We took so many that many species were pushed to the brink of extinction.

In 1986, the International Whaling Commission banned the hunting of whales and their numbers are now slowly increasing.

However, there are some countries that continue to hunt whales illegally, sometimes for scientific and cultural research.