SPACEPHOTOS

The Georgina River’s floodplain widens substantially south of the very small Outback town of Boulia in southwest Queensland. This picture shows the merging area of three of Australia’s many ephermal rivers that drain towards the interior of the continent. From the top right (northeast) the Hamilton River and its small delta merges with the Burke River (drains southward from the north) and the Georgina River (from the northwest). Keep in mind that these rivers only have limited water flow when there is sufficient rainfall in the basin areas north of this region. The darker-looking landscape in the lower right quadrant is the slightly elevated terrain that separates the Georgina drainage basin from the Diamantina drainage basin to the east. The darker looking areas in the scene are where more vegetative cover exists, mainly grasslands. The lighter-looking landscape shows areas where erosion is greatest—not permitting vegetation to get established.