Four Corners: Water Grab
At the desert oasis of Bitter Springs, tourists float lazily through water so clear it reflects the piercing blue sky. Ringed by a rare palm forest, this spring, near the town of Mataranka, is a must for those on a road trip between Darwin and Alice Springs.
But there are fears these thermal pools and the nearby Roper River, famous for barramundi fishing, are under threat. Water levels are dropping. And if it dries up further this oasis may not survive a bushfire. These rivers are the lifeblood of the Northern Territory, fed by springs and an ancient network of groundwater.
It’s water the NT government is giving away for free. Giant new water licences are being handed out to developers, in search of the next boom crop. And a new lucrative, but controversial, player has entered — cotton.