Todd River Flows

Early yesterday morning I was driving to the Olive Pink Botanic Garden in Alice Springs. I was catching up with my friend Charissa to photograph birds. I was surprised and excited having to drive through water to cross the Todd River. It is a rare experience to see water in the Todd as it does not flow often, some years it does not flow at all. After photographing some of the local birds we ventured to the northern side of town to capture images of the Todd River flowing.

The Todd River Playtime

After arriving at the Todd River crossing, we noticed there was a decent flow over the road. We got out our tripods, although we ended up shooting hand held most of the time. We were very lucky when a group of people came down to play in the water. There were a number of kids jumping and running around. Then people with bikes and dogs passed through, along with a number of vehicles that provided a bit of splash and entertainment for the kids.

One of the kids ended up having a ball and soaking wet. I love how the local people come together and enjoy whenever the Todd starts to flow through town. It is a time for everyone to appreciate some much needed rain and a drastic change in the Red Centre landscape.

Charissa and I were lucky to finish off our day photographing a gorgeous sunset in the West MacDonnell Ranges. The Northern Territory is a special place that is very dear to me. After living here for over eleven years it still manages to surprise me. It has been years since the Todd River has flowed in winter. Hopefully we get some more rain this week and the water will flow through Heavitree Gap, the southern gateway to Alice Springs.