ABSTRACT
The settlement of Alice Springs is subject to occasional flooding by the Todd River. The river bed is dry most of the time, sandy and lightly timbered. Along with its central location, these factors make the river bed an attractive place for Aboriginal campers. In addition, a number of Aboriginal 'town camps' are located in flood prone areas. Despite its benign appearance the short warning time of between one and five hours makes camping in or adjacent to the river bed particularly hazardous. People living in these situations constitute the groups most at risk from flooding in Alice Springs.
