Australia has been described as ‘the driest of the inhabited continents.’ Its settlement by man, from the time of the early aboriginal occupation to the more rapid developments of the colonial and post-federation periods, has therefore meant that issues of water management have always been at the forefront of decision-making. The tropical north of the country, because of its historically lower rate of population growth and because of its more plentiful (but spatially and seasonally variable) freshwater resources, offers challenges as well as opportunities for management of this vital commodity. Initially largely directed towards securing year round supplies to meet the needs of various forms of water use (domestic, agricultural and industrial) there has in more recent decades been a greater awareness of the need to ensure the long term sustainability of the water resources of the region, particularly in the light of the anticipated increased water needs of the future. This account presents an overview of the freshwater resources of the tropical north of Australia and the major developments that they have supported, starting with the post world war II developments in this field, which saw the construction of major water storages and water-related infrastructure and leading on to the more recent developments with their increasing emphasis on sustainability and protection of the environment. The major emphasis is on this more recent work but earlier work is also described to provide a background to the more recent studies and to provide an overview of how thinking on the exploitation and management of this precious resource has evolved.
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