ABSTRACT
In the Australian context, the dynamic character of water and water values can readily be demonstrated by reference to an emerging range of functions identified with a particular stream or waterbody through time. For example, a river, perhaps initially valued merely as a convenient water supply, may subsequently acquire a series of functions as a transport and navigation route, a source of hydropower, a means of waste disposal, a resource for outdoor recreation, tourism, and nature conservation, or a source of water for industrial purposes or irrigation.
