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Catalogue Number: 25/393
When the heavy rains fall across the Central Desert, the dry land changes. Creeks and rivers begin to flow, carrying water through the sandy country. Rock holes, which are usually empty, fill up with fresh water. These places become important for families who travel out into the bush to camp near the water. The sound of running water and the sight of full rock holes bring relief after long dry times.
The rain does more than fill the land with water, it brings life. Birds and small animals come to drink and find food. Bush tucker plants wake up from the dry season, first, they grow flowers and soon after fruits appear—bush tomatoes, bush bananas, and other foods that people collect. For a short time the desert is alive with colour. Green grass spreads across the ground and the land looks fresh and new.
This painting shows people walking together through the bush. The curved shapes are women sitting around the rock holes, sharing stories and watching over the water. Flowing lines represent the rivers carrying water across the land. The whole painting tells how rain brings renewal, how it feeds the land, the plants, the animals and the people. It is a story of survival, connection and the strength of family and culture.