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Welcome to the Australian Museum website

In this section, find out everything you need to know about visiting the Australian Museum, how to get here and the extraordinary exhibitions on display. Check out the What's On calendar of events, workshops and school holiday programs.
In this section, there's a wealth of information about our collections of scientific specimens and cultural objects. Come and explore what our researchers, curators and education programs have to offer.
In this section, explore all the different ways you can be a part of the Museum's groundbreaking research, as well as come face-to-face with our dedicated staff. Join us, volunteer and be a part of our journey of discovery!

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Opening Hours: Open Daily 10am - 5pm
Closed Christmas Day
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Where to find us: 1 William Street
Sydney NSW 2010
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Citizen Science
Streamwatch
Water and catchment
The water cycle

The water cycle

Author(s)

Greg McDonald
Updated

13/12/18
Read time

A minute

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Water cycle diagram

water cycle

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Also in this section

Drinking Water
Why is water important?
The managed water cycle
Water properties
Be waterwise
NSW catchments
What is fresh water?
Water around the world

You may also be interested in...

Which species of fish has the shortest lifespan?

The Sign Eviota, Eviota sigillata, a tiny coral reef fish, completes its entire life cycle within an eight week period. This species has the shortest lifespan of any vertebrate.

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Spotted Marsh Frog Life cycle

The life cycle of a Spotted Marsh Frog, Limnodynastes tasmaniensis.

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Water and catchment

Learn about the value of water and how we manage our waterways and catchments.

Water around the world
Water cycle
Managed water cycle

Water Spider

Water spiders are found across Australia in a variety of habitats. Many species are free-living hunters, but some make webs.

Pisauridae

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The managed water cycle

The natural water cycle has been modified by people to ensure a constant water supply and the safe disposal of wastewater.

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What is a catchment?

A catchment is an area of land, usually surrounded by mountains or hills, over which water flows and is collected.

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Drinking Water

Access to clean drinking water is important for everyone.

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Damselfly life cycle

Damselflies are insects. They have three stages in their life cycle: egg - larva - adult. They have a long and slender abdomen, two pairs of wings and three pairs of long legs. They also have very large eyes.

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Diving Beetle life cycle

Diving beetles are insects. They have four stages in their life cycle: egg - larva - pupa - adult. They have a streamlined shape, a pair of thin antennae and three pairs of legs. Their back legs have a thick fringe of swimming hairs.

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Dragonfly life cycle

Dragonflies are insects. They have three stages in their life cycle: egg - larva - adult. Adult dragonflies have a long and slender abdomen, two pairs of wings and three pairs of legs. They also have very large eyes.

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Salps

Despite looking rather like a jellyfish, salps are a member of the Tunicata, a group of animals also known as sea squirts. They are taxonomically closer to humans than jellyfish

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Water properties

Water has unique properties.

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The Australian Museum respects and acknowledges the Gadigal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum stands.
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We pay our respect to Aboriginal Elders and recognise their continuous connection to Country.
This website may contain names, images and voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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Open Daily 10am - 5pm
Closed Christmas Day
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Australia

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The Australian Museum is a New South Wales Government funded cultural institution.

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The Australian Museum respects and acknowledges the Gadigal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum stands.

Image credit: gadigal yilimung (shield) made by Uncle Charles Chicka Madden

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Which species of fish has the shortest lifespan?

Spotted Marsh Frog Life cycle

Water and catchment

Water Spider

The managed water cycle

What is a catchment?

Drinking Water

Damselfly life cycle

Diving Beetle life cycle

Dragonfly life cycle

Salps

Water properties

On this page...