Naree Station Reserve on Budjiti country in New South Wales might look dry on most days of the year, but when the water arrives, by rain or flood, the landscape comes alive. Dry soil transforms into wetlands full of frogs singing, waterbirds flocking and insects buzzing. They call it boom and bust country, out the back o' Bourke, and it is part of the last unregulated river system in the Murray Darling Basin.  

Water has sustained people, plants and animals for millennia, but in recent decades, Budjiti people have seen water, and the species that depend on it, disappearing.  How much more can we stand to lose?

Guests: Vanessa Westcott, Greg Carroll, Phil Eulo. 

Produced by Eliza Herbert and Amelia Caddy

Support the show

Bush Heritage Australia is a leading not-for-profit conservation organisation that works to protect and regenerate millions of hectares of ecologically important land across the continent. This podcast's focus on trees and Country is especially vital to understanding and advancing Australia's conservation future.

Get email updates: https://www.bushheritage.org.au/news/subscribe

Learn more about the show and our work at www.bushheritage.org.au or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or X