From parched to pastoral

There is a patchwork quilt of earth tones and narrow waterways running like veins through the Australian Outback's Channel Country. This sprawling area is famous for its crisscrossing river channels and its transformation from a parched desert canvas to a vibrant tapestry of wildflowers when rainfall is abundant. Indigenous Australians have lived off this land for tens of thousands of years, and some in the area offer tours and classes that teach visitors how to survive in the Outback. This unspoiled region is also home to a bonanza of wildlife—kangaroos that bounce along the plains, emus that strut their stuff and preening purple-crowned fairywrens. If you're lucky, you might even spot a bilby—a nocturnal marsupial that has rabbit-like long ears. So, are you ready to 'channel' your inner explorer?
© Southern Lightscapes-Australia/Getty Images