In northern South Australia, it's a sound that can spell the difference between life and death.
Water babbles over rocks at Worlds End Gorge near Burra, about two hours north of Adelaide — a rare permanent stream in the driest state on the driest inhabited continent on Earth.
It sits right on the edge of the famous Goyder's Line, drawn more than 150 years ago to delineate arable parts of the state from those deemed too arid.
Ngadjuri man Carlo Barney Sansbury said the gorge's significance to traditional owners stretches back thousands of years.
"It's a special place here, you can see that by just walking in here," Mr Barney Sansbury said as he sat in the gorge at the base of an ancient gum tree.
"It's a healing space for us."
For decades, Worlds End Gorge has been something of a secret to all but a few people in the area, privately held and cared for by a local farming family.
That changed recently when French renewable energy giant Neoen bought the land to offset the environmental effects of its massive Goyder project nearby.
'Gem' hidden for decades
And it changed again this week, when Neoen gifted the land to the South Australian government for a new national park.
Tom Jenkins, Neoen's state leader in South Australia and Tasmania, said the use of an offset to make a national park is believed to be a first for the industry.
"We're not aware of any similar arrangement that's been made before," Mr Jenkins said.
"This is the first time, certainly, Neoen has tried it and in part that's been allowed by the fact we've found this incredible place which you don't come across very often."
Mike Williams, director of National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia, said he was "blown away" when he first saw the beauty of the gorge.
He said the new national park will be jointly managed by the state and the traditional owners, and used for camping, recreation and conservation.
"It's a very hidden gem," Mr Williams said.
"There's a sign out on the road that says 'Burra Gorge' but that wouldn't give you any indication of how unique this place is.
"It's not until you get here and you walk along this watercourse and have a look at the red gums and the permanent water and gorge either side of it that you really get a feeling of how special the place is."
As for the Goyder project, once complete, it will be one of the biggest renewable energy developments in the world, with more than 1,000 megawatts of wind power planned alongside 600MW of solar generation and 900MW of battery storage capacity.
The first stage — a 412MW wind farm consisting of 75 turbines — is under construction.
Worlds End, or just a beginning?
That Worlds End Gorge gifting is a sign of the lengths renewable energy companies are going to to secure support for projects like Goyder.
Across Australia, developments from wind farms to transmission lines have been coming under growing pressure as opposition mounts, including from some affected communities.
Earlier this year, federal Energy and Climate Minister Chris Bowen commissioned a review of how renewable energy projects are planned, in a bid to head off the growing angst.
That review, which is being carried out by Australian Energy Infrastructure Commissioner Andrew Dyer, is expected to provide its recommendations to the government shortly.
It also comes amid doubts about whether the federal government can achieve its renewable energy target of 82 per cent by 2030.
Acting South Australian Premier Susan Close, who is also the state's environment minister, said green energy developers should be held to the same standards as all other companies.
"I think increasingly people expect to see nature getting better, not worse," Ms Close said.
"And so every development decision we make, people would like to see that being to the benefit of the environment.
"Renewable energy companies, like any other company, if they have a development, they are going to have an impact on the environment."
Easier projects 'done already'
Neoen Australia chief executive Louis de Sambucy accepts that the industry could do more to win over communities affected by developments.
To that end, he is hoping the Goyder project and its outcomes — including Worlds End Gorge — can provide a template for others to follow.
"The speed at which Australia is moving if we look at the past is quite amazing," Mr de Sambucy said.
"Of course, when we look in front of us, we see the challenges because we're moving from 40 to 45 per cent renewables towards 80 per cent … it's another step."
Mr de Sambucy said that even though there is broad support for the need to decarbonise the economy, renewable energy companies must do more than say there are not fossil fuel providers.
He said said the industry needs to go "above and beyond" the normal standards expected of developers to ensure it has a social licence in the future.
"Many of the projects that have been done were the easier projects and now we are facing more challenging projects," he said.
"But overall, when I look at our pipeline of projects ... I'm extremely confident."
Solar revitalises townsFor his part, Ngadjuri man Carlo Barney Sansbury says anything that helps look after the country is welcome.
"[Worlds End Gorge] is a place of significance for us," he said.
"And yeah, I always go back to the word healing, you know.
"We always come here to heal … let the country heal, too."
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