Australia's Waterways: An Estimated 4 Million Bodies of Water

Australia contains approximately 4 million distinct water bodies, including:

• Rivers and streams (permanent and ephemeral)
• Lakes (freshwater and saline, e.g., Lake Eyre)
• Lagoons and coastal wetlands
• Reservoirs and farm dams
• Billabongs (oxbow lakes)

Many are seasonal—filling only after rain in the arid interior. The Murray-Darling Basin alone hosts thousands. This count reflects Australia's vast, varied hydrology.