We are familiar with the scene of an African oasis of camels and date palms. But we are not in the Sahara. We are in the red centre of Australia. There are camels but the other animals that live in this oasis are very different. In Australia's vast desert area there are many an oasis. One of the most lush and beautiful is remote Palm Valley south west of Alice Springs at the headwaters of the Finke River. The desert red cliffs of the 'red centre' encroach to within 50 metres of the oasis. It has some 400 species of plants. The tall red cabbage palms dominate the oasis... survivors of a wetter era the only location in the world where these rare palms Livistoria Mariea grow. Palm Valley oasis is off the beaten tourist track and this remoteness together with its rich water and fauna life makes the oasis such a special place. The wildlife population peaks in the dry season. It's the only water hole for many miles in the red desert centre of Australia. Red kangaroos wild camels and dingoes are the large animals that come to drink. Other mammal life are small and nocturnal and live at the oasis. Some are endangered - the Rufous Hare Wallaby the Bilby and the Burrowing Bettong. The most common animals are the reptiles - skinks dragon lizards sand goannas pythons and the 2 metre long monitor the second largest lizard in the world. Birds are the most conspicuous wildlife around the waterhole. Wedge-tailed eagles prey on the fish and wildlife. The clear water abounds in marine life easily filmed as the oasis lacks the man-eating crocodile. The 2 metre fresh water crocodiles are not a real threat to Ben Cropp with his underwater camera. Dingoes join the regular gathering of eagles and water birds to share the seasonal abundance of marine life food in the oasis. The landscape is like a lost world. It gives you a sense of excitement a feeling you may bump into a dinosaur around the next corner. Such desert oasis springs are the centre of the world out in the red centre of Australia exceptionally important to the aborigines. Biologically the marine creatures they harbor are amazing by any standards and the animals of surrounding desert are the toughest you will find. [show more]
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Wildlife documentary presented by Aussie adventurer Ben Cropp. There are many oases in Australia's vast central desert area, known as the 'Red Centre'. One of the most lush and beautiful is the remote Palm Valley, south-west of Alice Springs at the headwaters of the Finke River, which boasts some 400 species of plants and is a source of attraction to a wide variety of animals including red kangaroos, wild camels, dingoes, wallabies, skinks, dragon lizards, sand goannas, pythons and the two-metre long monitor, the second largest lizard in the world.
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