Australia has a vast array of rivers, some that support large communities, even Capital cities, and have been changed over time by humans needing irrigation for agriculture, drinking water, and water for industry and recreation. Many other rivers are remote and wild, and support abundant wildlife and have changed little in centuries. Many Australian rivers are dry for most of the year and rely on flooding rains to run at all. Most of Australia's capital cities began on the banks of rivers. The rivers provided fresh water and access by ship or boat. As the settlements grew, the rivers changed and so did the ways they were used. Find out about the Aboriginal people who lived along the rivers, and the importance of the rivers in their lives. Read about the British explorers and early settlers who brought great changes, and about the importance of the rivers today in Capital City Rivers.