Decade long investigation shows channel country pastures in good health

摘要

The channel country of western Queensland and northern South Australia is renowned for its wide open spaces, flooding, cattle production and clean environment. It encompasses the river systems and broad floodplains of the Georgina and Diamantina Rivers and Cooper Creek. These three river systems supply Lake Eyre with the majority of its water, transforming this usually dry and barren salt lake into an inland sea. The channel country also includes vast stony plains, pebbly Mitchell grass downs, mulgawoodlands, sandy spinifex country and sand dunes. The country is legendary for water birds flocking to lakes and waterholes during the boom of the flood years and for the number of well finished cattle that are turned off following floods.