Bangkok to Sydney

An aerial view of farmland south of Coonable, New South Wales, in the heart of the Murray-Darling Basin.

1914 - "The Murray River from Warrakoo Cliffs." The Murray River is Australia's longest river, covering 2,375 kilometres and plays a key role in delivering water to communities along its length.

The Murray-Darling River system near Mildura, Victoria, makes up the largest river system in Australia.

The Darling River from 15,000ft flying over Menindee in the centre of the Murray-Darling Basin.

The Murray River in high flood amongst the tree-tops in January 2011, which saw some of the most devastating flooding in southern and eastern Australia in living memory.

A satellite view of the Murray-Darling Basin, with the Darling River and some of its tributaries stretching clearly out against the arid surrounding land.

The Darling River in flood during the heavy rains of January 2011, near Blanchetown in South Australia, the first example of flooding in the area for many years.

New South Wales is affected by flooding in early 2011, shown by the light blue and green areas on this image. Residents were moved to safe refuge centres as flood water raged through settlements.

The lower course of the Darling River, near Menindee in New South Wales. The Darling is famous for running through wide areas of outback terriority and providing a valuable source of water.

The Murray-Darling Basin, which stretches over one-seventh of the Australian continent across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia.

The confluence of the Murray and Darling rivers at Wentworth in New South Wales. The town's position next to these two significant rivers makes it vulnerable to flooding.

An aerial view of the Murray River in flood in 1956 over Nangiloc, Iraak and Colignan. The river flooded due to higher than average rainfall over three months, still the worst flood of the river to date.

1914 - "Drawbridge over the Darling River at Willaba". As one of Australia's major rivers, a drawbridge was important to allow any river traffic to safely pass under the bridge during times of high flow.

1910 - A range of Australian cattle at pasture. Australia is now the world's second largest exporter of beef (after Brazil) and so it plays an important role in the rural economy.

Farmers droving cattle along a main road back to their outback farmstead. Cattle may be spread over many acres of land, so rounding them up can be a difficult task.

An outback farmer uses his tractor to round up sheep on a remote livestock station in Carrathool, southern New South Wales. Sheep need to be rounded for medical attention and shearing.

A lone horsemen uses skill and experience to round up a skittish calf and return it to the herd. Beef is a significant part of Australia's agricultural economy.

1920 - "Sheep crossing a billabong, New South Wales". Rounding up a herd of sheep which may have strayed over many acres was part of a daily task for the farmers, usually on horseback.

Nearing the eastern edge of the Murray-Darling Basin, the land is much more lush as more rainfall is available, allowing crops such as canola (oil seed rape) to be grown and harvested.

1921 - "At the Billabong", cattle drinking from a watering hole in the New South Wales countryside. A billabong is an Australian term for a small lake (especially an ox-bow lake).

An aerial view of farmland and forestry land near Dubbo, on the edge of the Murray-Darling Basin and the outback, appears much greener than inland.

1920 - "An engine functioned harvester, working a Grenfell wheat farm in New South Wales". Wheat is still a significant crop produced in New South Wales today.

Rice fields near Leeton in New South Wales, irrigated with water channelled from the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin. New South Wales produces 99% of the country's rice.

The lush green of artificially irrigated fields stands out against the lighter, dry colours of the parched landscape along the Darling River in this satellite image.

1920 - "The Sheep section at the Royal Show at Sydney in New South Wales". Competitions such as this allowed farmers and livestock keepers from across NSW to showcase their prime stock.

An irrigation canal runs through fields of crops in Narrabri, New South Wales. 95% of the water taken from the Murray-Darling Basin rivers is used for agricultural irrigation.

1914 - "Feeding the chooks in the Poultry Yard of Barambah Estate". Many livestock stations and farms kept poultry on a smaller scale for eggs and meat as they needed to be self-sufficient.

Stockmen crossing a cattle watering hole on the Barambah Estate in 1914. Water is crucial not only for growing crops but also for watering and cooling livestock.

A centre pivot irrigation system operating in Euberta, NSW. Although this method allows large areas of land to be irrigated, it is inefficient as much of the water evaporates before reaching the soil.

1920 - "On Burrenbuttle Cattle Station, Monaro District, New South Wales". Many of these livestock stations are very isolated and could be half a day's drive from the nearest town.

1914- "Murrulla Homestead". These homesteads were often in remote, inaccessible but incredibly beautiful places, such as this one nestled in the foothills of the Murrulla Mountains in east NSW.

A modern building in the small outback settlement of Silverton, New South Wales, originally established to mine silver deposits but soon overtaken by nearby Broken Hill.

An atmospheric and barren view of the bleak but beautiful outback. With water at a premium, only hardy desert trees and scrub bushes are able to survive naturally.

The church is an important community focus point for rural livestock stations and farms in the outback settlement of Silverton in New South Wales.

An Aboriginal man and his son in the outback. The Aboriginal people of Australia made the often inhospitable outback their home by developing a wide range of traditional techniques.

Workmen on an outback cattle station still use horses and hard work to round up and drove cattle the traditional way. Many ways of life in the outback have not changed for generations.

A rural New South Wales outback scene after the rainy season - watering holes have refilled and the grass is greener and provides more ground cover and food for animals.

Inside a Royal Flying Doctor Service aricraft - these are fitted out as air ambulances to allow treatment of patients whilst in transit between remote locations and hospitals.

1910 - "A Midday Halt". Cattle men (also know as jackeroos) rest with their horses under the shade of a tree for protection against the harsh midday sun.

Ancient Aboriginal rock art in New South Wales acts as a reminder that Aboriginal people survived and thrived in the outback for generations before European settlers arrived.

A sign on a highway indicating that an RFDS emergency airstrip is ahead. The Flying Doctors often travel to very remote places and so use roads or whatever flat land they can to make a landing.

1910 - A shearing shed filled with the piles of thick fleece removed from sheep by the shearers. Merino wool, produced in Australia, is thought to be some of the finest in the world.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service carries out an emergency evacuation from a remote property, providing the urgent medical care often needed to outback settlements.

An early 20th century aeroplane used by the Royal Flying Doctor Service, with an ambulance from the Ambulance Transport Brigade parked alongside to receive patients.

One of the modern aircraft used by the Royal Flying Doctor Service makes a landing at an outback airstrip. The RFDS provides health care to hundreds of thousands of outback residents.

1901 - An elderly "swagman" c. 1901. A "swagman" is an itinerant worker who travelled by foot between farms across the outback finding work, as immortalised in the song "Waltzing Matilda".

1910 - "Machine shearing". Lines of sheep shearers using new technology to mechanically shear their sheep. Wool still plays a large part in the agriculture of NSW.